The finale of Mario Month 2026 is here and it's on a game where you don't play as Mario!? Sort of?

I am joined by Dave Pietrangelo of Remember 64 and Eric Gess of The Unlockables to talk about Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Or better known to all of us normies as, Yoshi's Island. Yoshi's Island is jam packed with whimsy, inventive gameplay, great mechanics and also the worst sound known to man, baby Mario crying.

The three of us break down all we love and don't love about the game, about how Mario's crying is PTSD inducing for 3 grown men with kids of their own now and how this game, even all these years later, continues to leave a mark on gaming.

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Check out Remember 64 HERE!

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Check out The Unlockables Podcast HERE!

Shout-out Song: Goodbye Yoshi
Artist: Helynt
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: Super Lofi World 3
https://gamechops.com/slw3/

End Song: Super Mario Land (Theme) Remix
Artist: Yoann Turpin
Original Composer: Hirokazu Tanaka
Album: Chip Songbook Vol.2
https://yoannturpin.bandcamp.com/album/chip-songbook-vol-2

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When Nintendo transitioned from 8 bit to 16 bit, there was a lot of risk. It was not a sure fire thing that the public would adopt a new system, especially one that did not play the games for the existing Nintendo console they already owned. To help entice consumers they had to come out of the gate swinging and there was no harder punch to throw than launching the system with their flagship game mascot. Mario.

For the fourth episode of Mario Month this year I am joined by Zach from the Classic Gaming Brothers podcast and Chris (aka the British Bond Addict) to talk about Mario's jump into the 16 bit generation. We are talking Super Mario World. We discuss what is so special about this game, about the endless Mario 3 vs World debate, the music, the visuals and a whole bunch of nostalgia.

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Check out the Classic Gaming Brothers website HERE!

Shout-out Song: Overworld (Super Mario World)
Artist: Helynt
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: Mario & Chill
https://gamechops.com/mario-and-chill/

End Song: Overworld (From Super Mario World)
Artist: Qumu
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: N/A
https://smarturl.it/QumuYear4

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Hey Paisanos! It's the 3rd episode of Mario Month 2026!

This week I am joined by Ty Schalter from the FunFactor podcast and Darren Hupke from Pixels and Polygons to chat about Super Mario Bros. 3! The true (?) sequel to Super Mario Bros.

Mario 3 lives in rarified air as a contender for best Mario game along with Super Mario World (which will be next week's episode!). This debate will be forever ongoing but something that is not up for debate is just how amazing and influential this game was and still is. Ty, Darren and I had so much fun getting to dissect this game and it's mechanics. We also chat about it's visuals, music and some of it's development history!

I don't have a huge personal history with this game in terms of amount of time spent playing it but I do credit this game for being the game that helped me fall in love with video games. The game that made me feel like I was controlling a cartoon on the TV. I don't think I'll ever fully be able to articulate how much this game means to me for that.

Check out Ty on social media and support his work!
Ty on Bluesky
Funfactor Podcast on Bluesky
FunFactor Podcast Website

Check out Darren on social media and support his work!
Darren on Bluesky
Pixels and Polygons on Bluesky
Pixels and Polygons Website
Darren's LinkTree

Shout-out Song: Lose-Your-Way Maze
Artist: Dj Orange
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: N/A
https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01063

End Song: Overworld (From Super Mario Bros. 3)
Artist: Qumu
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: N/A
https://smarturl.it/QumuYear4

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For episode 2 of Mario Month 2026 we are talking Doki Doki Pan.... Super Mario Bros. 2. We are talking about Super Mario Bros. 2.

Super Mario Bros. 2 is an interesting entry in the Mario series since, as it has been known for a while it was not originally a Mario game. Joining me to discuss all the ins and outs of the game are two first time guests to the show! Brian Riggsbee of Retro Game Books and Rick Desilets of The D-Pad YouTube channel!

We chat about how this game stands out compared to other Mario games, what still works about it, why the lives system is absolute garbage and more. Where does the US version of Mario 2 rank for you?

Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games article on Birdo
https://www.thrillingtalesofoldvideogames.com/blog/birdo-birdetta-name-controversy

Follow Brian/Retro Game Books at the links below!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/retrogamebooks.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrogamebooks/
Website: https://retrogamebooks.com/

Follow Rick at the links below!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ricdesi.dpad.fm
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_dpad

Shout-out Song: Shiitake Kingdom
Artist: Fxsnowy
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: N/A
https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03213

End Song: G*psy Jazz
Artist: Adrian Holovaty
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: N/A
https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01466

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The theme for Mario Month this year is back to the classics and I figured what better way to celebrate the Super Mario series than to start out with the OG, The Super Mario Bros.

Joining me on this episode are returning guests Ashton Ruby from the Podcurious and Retro Hangover podcasts as well as Try from the YouTube channel My Life in Gaming. The 3 of us stroll down memory lane and chat about the game that kicked of the Super Mario series in earnest and just how much this game means to us all these years later. We chat about it's enduring legacy and how it is still fun to play today despite some flaws here an there. What else more could be said about Mario? Well we try our damndest to say it.

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https://bsky.app/profile/mylifeingaming.bsky.social

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https://www.youtube.com/@mylifeingaming

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Check out Sibling Mode on Twitch!
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https://linktr.ee/retrohangover

Shout-out Song: Mushroom Bounce (Super Mario Bros.)
Artist: bLiNd
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: NESteryears
https://gamechops.com/nesteryears/

End Song: Me and Mario Down by the Schoolyard
Artist: FFmusicDj, Geoffrey Taucer
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: N/A
https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03100

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Free dance lessons from Shabba Doo!? Dexter Morrill returns for this month's mini episode to break down episode 11 of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. This episode features discussions on the geography of the mushroom kingdom, the logisitics of flying with one wing flapping, plunger machetes and much more!

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Instagram
BlueSky

Shout-out Song: Game Over
Artist: Helynt
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: Mario & Chill
https://gamechops.com/mario-and-chill/

End Song: Dire Dire Docks
Artist: Dj-Jo
Original Composer: Koji Kondo
Album: Smooth McGroove Remixed 2
https://gamechops.com/smooth-mcgroove-remixed-2/

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The finale of The Road to First Light series is here. I am beyond excited for the upcoming James Bond game from IO Interactive and to close out this series I thought it would be appropriate to discuss at least one game that IO developed, the game that got me into the Hitman series, Hitman 2016.

I am joined by Seth from the Classic Gaming Brothers podcast to talk about why this game is so damn good. What makes it unique compared to most other 3rd person action games out there and how it feels like IO is the perfect fit for the Bond license. So grab some coins and some bad acting lessons and join us for this wonderful discussion on Hitman.

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https://www.classicgamingbrothers.com

Shout-out Song: Showstopper
Composer: Niels Bye Nielsen
Album: Hitman 2016 Soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqOy0_VIFk

End Song: Skyfall ft. Veektoriya (LoFi Version)
Artist: Rich Douglas
Original Composer: Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
Album: The Spy Who Chilled Me (A James Bond 007 Lofi Project)
https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-spy-who-chilled-me-a-james-bond-007-lofi-project/1808713529

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We have arrived at the last Bond game being covered in this Road to First Light series. This week on the show we are talking James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing and joining me are two friends who are giving me everything and taking nothing, Bill Barber and Thrak from the 3DO Experience podcast among many others.

This one had some spicier takes than normal on the show. I know this game is beloved by a lot of fans but this one did not do it for me. Thrak and Bill were kind enough to help balance out my views on it though. We talk about what this game does well and what it doesn't, we talk about how much of a Bond game is it really and of course we talk about the wild story that seems to be a staple of the Bond games thus far. Is this game everything or nothing for you!?

Check out the behind the scenes article I found on Everything or Nothing!
https://www.commander007.net/2020/everything-or-nothing-inside-look-on-the-development-of-the-game/

Check out all of Bill's shows HERE!
Follow Bill on Bluesky HERE!

Check out Thrak's solo show, Call of Duty Thrak Ops HERE!
Follow Thrak on Bluesky HERE!

Shout-out Song: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (LoFi Version)
Artist: Rich Douglas
Original Composer: John Barry
Album: The Spy Who Chilled Me (A James Bond 007 Lofi Project)
https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-spy-who-chilled-me-a-james-bond-007-lofi-project/1808713529

End Song: Everything or Nothing
Artist: Mya
Original Composer: N/A
Album: Everything or Nothing Soundtrack
https://youtu.be/__Yv3rYspRo?si=9UkOy8pDoEsC31_v

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