The Insert Credit Show

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A relentlessly on topic smorgasbord of hard hitting video game questions as addressed by a panel of experts. Featuring Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield, and a rotating group of special guests. Hosted by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original music by Kurt Feldman.

  1. Ep. 439 - Deleterious

    2D AGO

    Ep. 439 - Deleterious

    Our heroes share thoughts on twenty years of achievements, developers responding to player feedback, and whether nail bats count as blunt weapons. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman, episode art by Gilbert Smith. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Busby Berkeley Bubsy Fatty Arbuckle “You’re like free pizza at an anime convention. She can smell you. And she wants to consume you.” Video Game History Foundation 1: When has the appeal of a popular game eluded you? (05:24) Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Mad Libs The Sims series Hank Hill Bocchi Cards Against Humanity Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) Crimson Desert World of WarCraft Final Fantasy XIV Yakuza series Shenmue series The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Credit Report (11:40) Sega Taito The Ninja Kids Raz Karcy OverBlood Discord My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic 2: How have trophies and achievements impacted video games over the past 20 years? (13:39) Xbox 360 SiegfriedX Left 4 Dead 3: Let’s talk about that MindsEye DLC (20:21) MindsEye Polygon: I played the MindsEye DLC that was supposed to expose ‘sabotage’ and just got a painfully bad mission Tommy Wiseau The Room (2003) Grand Theft Auto series The Fall of Communism as Seen in Gay Pornography (1998) 4: Give me your dream video game blunt rotation (which is to say, three items to cycle through as blunt weapons in a video game) (25:31) Nail Bat Mace Ice cream sandwich EarthBound R.B.I. Baseball series Dragon Age: Inquisition Wedge of Destiny Undercover Cops The Boon of the Spoon 5: Issac asks, what makes a good sick game? (32:47) The Violence Island Gacha Gauntlet #1 Titanium Court Bejeweled Puzzle Quest The Talos Principle Portal Dragon Quest series Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask NieR The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Chutes and Ladders Ys series For the Frog the Bell Tolls Cookie’s Bustle 6: To what extent should a studio consider the feedback of their playerbase, and when should they ignore it? (39:34) BioWare Elden Ring Game Developer Magazine Telltale Games Sam & Max Downwell Overwatch 7: What is the realizing you’ve been to a restaurant too many times because the workers know who you are by sight of video games? (44:51) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Bonk’s Revenge Paradise Killer Dragon Age: The Veilguard LIGHTNING ROUND: Circle K Corral (51:11) Recommendations and Outro (59:34): Brandon: Def By Temptation (1990), Ooh Rap I Ya Ash: Actually don’t watch For All Mankind, Titanium Court, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty Frank: Eat a ton of shredded cabbage This week’s episode art was done by Gilbert Smith. Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

    1h 12m
  2. Ep. 438 - We Will Not Be Kept in Your Balls

    APR 28

    Ep. 438 - We Will Not Be Kept in Your Balls

    Your Insert Credit Panel discusses the future of Xbox, the difference between dad games and mom games, and weird little guys. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: KEXP Italian AOC “This wild aura, man. Can’t let this go.” Falsetto 1: When are you convinced to go back to a particular game after putting it down? (02:51) Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Cronos: The New Dawn Red Dead Redemption II Deadwood Sega Genesis Sony PlayStation World of WarCraft Quest 64 Quest 64 Official The Ooze barleybap 2: Through video game history, how has the job of level designer evolved? (07:44) TUME Disney’s Aladdin Hirokazu Yasuhara Sonic the Hedgehog series Uncharted series Titanfall 2 Iwata Asks Legend of Zelda series Shigeru Miyamoto Takashi Tezuka 3: What are the differences between a dad game and a mom game? (12:59) Pragmata Cooking Mama Bayonetta Amnesia: Rebirth Super Metroid NieR NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Stardew Valley The Sims Black & White Peter Molyneux You know it’s bad for AI when even Peter Molyneux, king of overpromising, is tepid on its use in game dev Grateful Dead Black Sabbath 4: Design a video game trilogy intended to grow up with the player base (19:39) Pokemon series Palworld Mewgenics! Final Fantasy XII Master Chief Game Freak NFT 5: Death_Strandicoot asks, is Xbox a third party now? Is there still a Big 3? (28:01) Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on PS5 ‘We Are Xbox’: read the memo defining Microsoft’s gaming future Developers, developers, developers Nintendo Sony Roblox Epic Fortnite Circana List of largest video game companies by revenue 6: What are some new ways to torture players in masocore games? (33:42) Masocore Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy QWOP Dark Souls Minecraft Marvel Rivals Jackass Virtual Boy Speedrunning 7: What is the McDonald’s Sprite of video games? (38:42) McDonalds Sprite Steam Deck LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Roblox Mobile (43:51) Recommendations and Outro (49:51): Frank: apply for Video Game History Foundation’s Charity Development Coordinator if you meet the qualifications Ash: For All Mankind Brandon: Boogiepop Phantom, Ikarie XB-1 (1963), Baby Steps Developers React to 7 Minute Speedrun This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

    58 min
  3. Ep. 437 - Cookie's Bustacular

    APR 20

    Ep. 437 - Cookie's Bustacular

    The panel reviews Cookie’s Bustle, a Japanese PC adventure game hindered by endless copyright strikes and finally freed by the Video Game History Foundation. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Yoko Kanno Cowboy Bebop The Real Folk Blues Vincent Diamante Alto saxophone The Offspring Phil Collins Wet Leg Wednesday The Weeknd Taking Back Sunday Wednesday Campanella Cookie’s Bustle Streisand Effect 1: How did we get here? (05:53) Rodik, Inc ClassicsOfGame Video Game History Foundation Games That Weren’t Moon Child The Video Game History Hour 2: How hard is it to get this Japanese abandonware game from 1999 running on your PC in 2026? (11:38) Sega Genesis QuickTime 3: What is happening in Cookie’s Bustle and what are you doing in it? (18:18) sebmal Mr. Bean James Bond Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Lara Croft 4: Apart from financial cost, what are the material advantages of keeping a development team small? (36:43) Tokyo Godfathers (2003) 5: Chopemon asks: If you were to go on an adventure, what items have video games taught you to take that you wouldn’t normally think to take? (43:26) 6: Developer Keisuke Harigai once said in a 2001 interview that he designed Cookie’s Bustle with the European market in mind. What do you think that means? (49:51) Keisuke Harigai New Jersey LucasArts Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord Grim Fandango Euro Truck Simulator series Farming Simulator series Football Manager series Total War series Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Atomic Heart Disco Elysium 7: Do you like Cookie’s Bustle? (56:07) Tony Hawk series Mario Party series Gold Saucer Mr. Bones Bennett Foddy GDC Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors Alter Ego SimTunes CD-ROM Myst Wii Fit MobyGames To-Gen-Kiko 8: Let’s talk about the mystique of inaccessible games (01:04:24) Fushigi Yûgi Atari Atomiswave Dreamcast QAnon George Lucas LIGHTNING ROUND: Recommendations (01:15:56) Brandon: Moon Child Frank: The Cookie’s Bustle collection at the Video Game History Foundation Ash: Pizza This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

    1h 21m
  4. Ep. 436 - Shiny Finding Instinct, with Mathew Kumar

    APR 13

    Ep. 436 - Shiny Finding Instinct, with Mathew Kumar

    Writer and Game Developer Mathew Kumar joins an episode hosted by Esper Quinn, covering live service games, personalized Silent Hills, and the Kentucky Loan Ranger. Hosted by Esper Quinn, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Mathew Kumar. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Sensible Soccer: European Champions ZX Spectrum Batman “All I need are tasty waves, and total carnage.” Captain Planet PC Engine 1: What would it take to get you into a live service game today? (03:57) Marathon Whose Line Is It Anyway? Fortnite Steam Deck PSP Helldivers II Left 4 Dead 2: Has a video game ever led to you taking up a non-video game hobby? (10:56) Death Stranding Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series BioShock Infinite Sonic the Hedgehog series Magic: the Gathering Crimson Desert Pokémon Pokopia PowerWash Simulator Wanderstop Ivy Road Closes its Doors Demonschool 3: Brandon Sheffield asks, have you ever found a piece of media you didn’t realize was based on a video game, then played the video game? (17:24) Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) Gnosia (anime) Gnosia Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm Mortal Kombat series Street Fighter (1994) Street Fighter series Pac-Man cartoon Pac-Man The Crow (1994) Worlds of Power Pokemon series Dennō Senshi Porygon The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Super Mario Galaxy 4: If you had access to the most advanced 3D graphics rendering capabilities available today, what would you make? (24:19) Cyberpunk 2077 Afrika Yakuza series 5: Alex Jaffe asks, what would your Silent Hill be like? (30:20) Silent Hill 2 Silent Hill f Silent Hill Pyramid Head Winnie The Poohing Hudson News 6: What’s the most work you ever put into a video game doing something that wasn’t explicitly encouraged by the game? (37:00) The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Game Developer Magazine Crysis 2 P.T. Resident Evil 4 Bubbles Defender Exile: Wicked Phenomenon Castlevania series 7: What is the anime waifu car wrap of video games? (47:05) Gran Turismo 7 NicoMaki Xbox 360 The iDOLM@STER series PSM Magic Knight Rayearth Triforce Nintendo DS Kyary Pamyu Pamyu LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Magic Cards, Odyssey Block Edition (51:05) Acceptable Losses Cunning Wish Basking Rootwalla (not a real animal, but based on the real Chuckwalla) Faceless Butcher Gallantry Hunting Grounds Bamboozle Recommendations and Outro (58:32): Brandon: Skip Tracer (1977) Mathew: Backyard Bloodbaths Frank: Thunderbean Esper: Blippo+ This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

    1h 9m
  5. Ep. 434 - Go Home and Be a Family Man

    MAR 30

    Ep. 434 - Go Home and Be a Family Man

    Your Insert Credit Panel covers bargaining with publishers, sordid secrets of video game couples, and the Zohran Mamdani of esports. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Cookie’s Bustle Linux Steam Deck Fleetwood Mac - Landslide Stevie Nicks “Nothin here except a stinkin’ pile of manure.” Coke Zero Looney Tunes 1: What’s your favorite cartridge shape? (03:19) Atari Jaguar Sonic & Knuckles Game Boy Game Gear Sega Genesis HuCard TurboGrafx-16 WonderSwan Game Boy Advance 2: As a game developer, how do you buy more time from your publisher? (08:21) Ysbryd Games Demonschool Hollow Knight: Silksong Yu Suzuki Space Harrier Hayao Nakayama 3: What are the most important skills people don’t talk about in esports? (13:16) Esports Zohran Mamdani Holes Filled SonicFox Bovine spongiform encephalopathy Sumo 4: Given recent drama, what are some other secrets of video game character couples? (18:55) Capcom Addresses Street Fighter 6 ‘Incest’ Controversy Alex Street Fighter III Bayonetta 3 Sonic ’06 Sonic Princess Elise the Third Shadow Maria Robotnik Tails Mary Shelly Frankenstein 5: What video game would you recommend to Mary Shelly? (27:15) Date Everything Elden Ring White Day: A Labyrinth Named School Yume Nikki Silent Hill f Fatal Frame Frankenstein: The Monster Returns Monster Mash Amiga Guitar Hero series Spooky Scary Skeletons Final Fantasy XV 6: SteveWithaB asks, was there a time you remember being bullied for enjoying video games? (30:04) Columbine High School shooting Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Sega Saturn 7: What is the waking up just a few minutes before your alarm of video games? (37:47) Treasure Co., Ltd. Ironic Batman: Arkham series Resident Evil: requiem Crimson Desert Grand Theft Auto VI LIGHTNING ROUND: ARE YOU F*****G STUPID? (41:26) The inspiration for this Lightning Round archive.gamehistory.org Recommendations and Outro (58:38): Frank: Kinetica, actually donate the stuff you set aside to donate Brandon: Suddenly In The Dark (1981) Ash: Out of the Closet Thrift Stores Jaffe: Donate goods to Housing Works This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

    1h 4m
  6. Ep. 433 - The First Video Game

    MAR 23

    Ep. 433 - The First Video Game

    Our panel of experts discuss AI in game development, how to guide players, and Duke Nukem’s actual, real balls of steel. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Xzibit Pimp My Ride Titan Quest Ep. 430 - Pac-Man 2cular Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Ghost Witch of Netor Three’s Company John Ritter Will Eisner “I awakened prematurely, and I have found nothing but filth and destruction.” Pecan pie Cherry pie Pumpkin pie Apple pie Pizza pie Nobou Umeatsu Metaphor: ReFantazio 1: At what point is a production tool considered AI? (08:38) GenAI Claude AI Linux GrapheneOS Unreal Engine 5 2: What are the benefits of setting a game in the post-apocalypse? (15:26) Rage Pokémon Pokopia Pokémon Blue Version Star Wars Cowboy Bebop 3: What’s the worst answer you’ve ever heard from a video game professional to a question? (20:43) Naoki Yoshida Final Fantasy XVI Final Fantasy XVI has a medieval approach to diversity PlayStation 3 Gamasutra Shuhei Yoshida Ouya Simon Carless GameDiscoverCo 4: What video game facts would you put on a Snapple cap? (26:16) Snapple Scrapple Liverwurst Pong IGF Gex series Dana Carvey Dana Gould Viggo Mortensen Broke His Toe In ‘The Two Towers’ Donkey Kong series K. K. Slider Shigeru Miyamoto Sonic the Hedgehog Yuji Naka Duke Nukem Fushigi 5: LeFish asks, what are the best ways of misdirecting players in videogames? (33:49) Yellow paint BioShock Kaizo Dead Space The Secret of Monkey Island Zero Suit Samus Final Fantasy XV Cortana 6: What are historically the smallest decisions that have had the largest impact on video games? (40:30) Magnavox Odyssey Nolan Bushnell Video game modding Game & Watch D-pad Wii Sports Reggie Fils-Aimé Satoru Iwata 7: What is the realizing you were dehydrated when the water you drink is too good of video games? (45:56) Artichoke Super Mario series Crow Country Sonic Mania Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II Shōnen Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Hunter x Hunter YuYu Hakusho Sega Dreamcast LIGHTNING ROUND: Letters Delivery (51:26) Recommendations and Outro (54:52): Brandon: The videogame inspired by Philip Glass that nobody noticed, Demonschool is on sale (please rate and review), check out the library Ash: Do whimsical things outside your normal routine, Frank: Go out and find stuff Jaffe: Stay indoors This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

    1h 7m
  7. Ep. 432 - Brandon Sheffield at GDC 2026

    MAR 16

    Ep. 432 - Brandon Sheffield at GDC 2026

    Necrosoft Games Director and Intrepid Reporter Brandon Sheffield interviews fellow developers and attendees of GDC 2026. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Brendon Chung, Tony Grayson, Laura Michet, Chris Pruett, Phil Salvador, and Antonio Uribe. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Brandon Sheffield GDC 2026 Yerba Buena Gardens 1: Antonio Uribe, AKA Fáyer, creator of PancitoMerge and Dig! Dig! Dino!, on baked goods and making a Playdate game (04:14) Fáyer PancitoMerge Arco Dig! Dig! Dino! Playdate The Whiteout Casual Birder Fulcrum Defender Into The Breach Suika Game Threes Harvest Moon series Stardew Valley PICO-8 Itch.io Game Boy Advance Nintendo DS Nintendo Switch 2: Phil Salvador, Library Director of Video Game History Foundation, on building a library (21:56) Phil Salvador Video Game History Foundation Chuck E. Cheese The Secrets of Sega Channel: VGHF recovers over 100 Sega Channel ROMs (and more) William Volk Papers Game Developer Magazine archive.gamehistory.org NeverDead MLB SlugFest Rejected Audio Activision 1994 Expense Report Form 3: Tony Grayson, Director of Antonblast for Summit Sphere, on platformers (36:08) Tony Grayson Antonblast Wario Land series Pizza Tower Bonk series Persona series Peak Highguard 2XKO Fortnite Apex Legends Demonschool Cuphead It Takes Two 4: Laura Michet, Narrative Director of Blendo Games and writer of Skin Deep, on comedy in video games (50:05) Laura Michet Blendo Games Skin Deep The Substance (2024) Riot Forge Skype 5: Brendon Chung, Creative Director of Skin Deep from Blendo games, on signposting in immersive sims (01:02:03) Brendon Chung Skin Deep Immersive Sim Repo Man (1984) System Shock series Thief series Deus Ex series BioShock series Dishonored Series Prey series Deathloop Brigand: Oaxaca Die Hard (1988) Final Fantasy Tactics series Into the Breach Phantom Brigade 6: Chris Pruett, Director of Games at Meta, on modern horror games (01:17:35) Chris Pruett Robot Invader Silent Hill f Resident Evil: Requiem Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake R.E.P.O. Five Nights at Freddy’s series Mouthwashing 7: Brandon Sheffield, Writer and Director of Demonschool, on AI and being home from GDC (01:29:00) Tripuzz Stahlfeder: Tekkō Hikūdan AirGrave Santos Patrick Miller This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

    1h 35m
4.9
out of 5
344 Ratings

About

A relentlessly on topic smorgasbord of hard hitting video game questions as addressed by a panel of experts. Featuring Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield, and a rotating group of special guests. Hosted by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original music by Kurt Feldman.

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