Welcome back, comic crusaders and digital daredevils! This week on Play Comics, we’re diving into the gloriously chaotic world of Heavy Metal: Geomatrix for the Sega Dreamcast—a game that asks, “What if Heavy Metal magazine became a button-mashing arena brawler with enough explosions to make Michael Bay jealous?” Released by Capcom in 2001 and featuring the wild art of Simon Bisley, this four-player deathmatch extravaganza throws you into a 23rd-century future where VR-addicted humanity battles it out in submerged cities, all while capturing the magazine’s signature blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and “did my mom just see that?” moments.
Joining us for this high-octane journey through neo-cyberspace mayhem is none other than our beloved returning guest Billy – yes, the same mysterious internet hermit who graced us with his presence during our previous mecha-focused episodes covering Gundam Battle Assault 2 and Gundam Wing: Endless Duel. Billy’s back to help us navigate the testosterone-fueled battlegrounds of teams like the 818 Stompers, 991 Elite, 707 Metal Heads, and 323 Agents, because apparently in the future, gang names are just random numbers followed by edgy nouns.
So grab your favorite energy drink, prepare your best robot voice impressions, and settle in for another episode where we discover if this Dreamcast gem was a faithful adaptation or just an excuse to watch scantily-clad warriors duke it out with bazookas and laser swords in the name of preserving humanity. With Billy’s expert commentary on all things giant robot-adjacent, this promises to be more entertaining than watching someone try to explain the plot of Heavy Metal magazine to their grandmother!
Learn such things as:
Can nano-technology make terrible character names sound cooler?
Is it possible to have too many weapons in one arena, or is that just quitter talk?
How many metal bands does it take to make a video game soundtrack truly “heavy”?
And so much more!
You can find Billy nowhere online because he’s a hermit who hides out in those secret places of the internet that only we know about.
If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you’re interested in.
If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store.
Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix.
You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, @playcomicscast on Twitter and in the Play Comics Podcast Fan Group on Facebook.
A big thanks to the Kickstarter campaign for Starlite and The Last Comic Shop Podcast for the promos today.
Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who couldn’t make a better soundtrack for this game. But he could come pretty close.Read transcript
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Teen Titans (2006) with Eilish Pickett
Read transcriptHold onto your utility belts and prepare for maximum overdrive, because this week on Play Comics we’re crash-landing straight into the chaotic world of Teen Titans for PS2, Xbox, and GameCube – a game that somehow managed to capture the essence of being a superhero teenager while simultaneously making you question whether saving the world is worth the carpel tunnel. Released in 2006, this beat-’em-up bonanza promised players the chance to live out their fantasies of being part of the most dysfunctional yet lovable superhero team this side of Titans Tower.
Joining us for this digital adventure through Jump City’s finest is none other than Eilish Pickett from my friendly neighborhood comic shop – a true connoisseur of all things four-color and someone who’s probably seen more comic-to-game adaptations crash and burn than a Cyborg system malfunction. Together, we’ll dive deep into whether this particular pixelated punch-fest managed to do justice to the beloved Cartoon Network series that ran from 2003 to 2006, or if it ended up being more disappointing than Beast Boy’s attempt at stand-up comedy.
From Robin’s acrobatic staff-spinning to Raven’s dark magic mayhem, this game promised to let you switch between all five Titans in real-time while delivering the kind of cooperative chaos that only comes from trying to coordinate a superhero team where one member transforms into animals and another shoots laser beams from her eyes. Whether you’re here for the nostalgic trip back to simpler times when the biggest worry was whether Starfire would accidentally destroy the kitchen again, or you’re just curious about how well this adaptation stacked up against the source material, grab your communicator and settle in.
This episode is guaranteed to be more entertaining than watching Cyborg try to explain why his breakfast took up half the grocery budget, and definitely more coherent than trying to follow Beast Boy’s logic during a heated argument about tofu.
Learn such things as:
Has there been another rotating team in comics that so ironically across the board has the same lineup?
What happens when you just can’t find the main villain in the game?
How do you limit the power sets of characters who have basically unlimited power sets?
And so much more!
You can find Eilish on Tumbler @aliceheart247 if you really want to. But mostly just figure out where I live and go to my local comic shop.
If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you’re interested in.
If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store.
Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix.
You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, @playcomicscast on Twitter and in the Play Comics Podcast Fan Group on Facebook.
A big thanks the Kickstarter campaign for Aces and Aros and 2 ACT Podcast for the promos today.
Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who definitely has fan fiction floating around somewhere telling us what happened after this show got cancelled.
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Naruto Ninja Council with Luke Herr (D'OhMance Dawn)
Read transcriptBelieve it or not, ninja enthusiasts, this week on Play Comics we’re kunai-diving into the pixelated shinobi wasteland that is Naruto: Ninja Council for the Game Boy Advance – because apparently someone at Tomy thought the best way to honor everyone’s favorite orange-clad ramen addict was to trap him in a handheld prison with combat mechanics more frustrating than trying to explain the Chunin Exams to your grandmother. Released in 2003, this side-scrolling “adventure” promised to let players master the art of ninjutsu while battling through iconic locations from the Hidden Leaf Village, but what it actually delivered was a gaming experience so repetitive that even Naruto’s shadow clone jutsu would get bored of itself.
Joining us for this digital journey through the Land of Mediocre Adaptations is Luke Herr from D’ohMance Dawn – a man who’s witnessed more anime-to-game train wrecks than a rejected Akatsuki recruitment video. Together, we’ll explore how this GBA “masterpiece” managed to spawn not one, not two, but THREE sequels despite having the gameplay depth of a puddle in the desert and graphics that make early Dragon Ball Z filler episodes look like Studio Ghibli productions.
So grab your headband and prepare for an episode that’s more entertaining than actually grinding through the same three enemy types for hours on end – which, let’s face it, isn’t exactly setting the bar at Hokage level. Will this portable ninja adventure redeem itself through sheer nostalgic chakra, or will it vanish faster than Sasuke after a family reunion? Tune in to discover if this manga adaptation belongs in the Hall of Fame… or should be sealed away forever like the Nine-Tailed Fox!
Learn such things as:
Is it dangerous to have pretty eyes?
Is all manga and anime just a giant metaphor for the horrible nature of man?
Does a game being fun make it a good intro to the franchise?
And so much more!
You can find Luke over on D’OhMance Dawn, Exiled, Multiversal Q, and RPG Pals Club. Or catch him on BlueSky @koltreg or his Patreon, found under Luke Herr.
If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you’re interested in.
If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store.
Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix.
You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, @playcomicscaston Twitter and in the Play Comics Podcast Fan Groupon Facebook.
A big thanks to the Glitterjaw Podcast Collective and the Kickstarter campaign for Aces and Aros for the promos today.
Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who doesn’t understand Naruto any better than I do.
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Superman Countdown to Apokolips with Adam Maresh
Holy Kryptonian catastrophe, comic crusaders! This week on Play Comics, we’re diving headfirst into the digital dumpster fire that is Superman: Countdown to Apokolips for the Game Boy Advance – because apparently someone thought the best way to honor Superman: The Animated Series was to trap the Man of Steel in a tiny screen prison with graphics that make MS Paint look like the Sistine Chapel.
Released in 2003 by the brave souls at Mistic Software (after poor Crawfish Interactive literally died during development – talk about your occupational hazards!), this isometric adventure promised to let players soar through Metropolis while battling Livewire, Metallo, and the fashion disaster known as Kalibak. What it actually delivered was a gaming experience so punishing that even Darkseid would file a complaint with customer service.
Joining us for this digital descent into madness is Adam Maresh from my local shop back when he lived by me – a man who’s seen more comic-to-game adaptations crash and burn than a rejected Justice League movie pitch. Together, we’ll explore how this GBA “gem” managed to score a whopping 45% on GameRankings and somehow convinced IGN to give it a 4.5/10 (which in retrospect feels generous).
So grab your emergency kryptonite antidote and prepare for an episode that’s more fun than actually playing the game – which, let’s face it, isn’t exactly setting the bar stratospheric. Will Superman’s portable adventure redeem itself through sheer nostalgic charm, or will it crash harder than a Daily Planet exclusive? Tune in to find out if this animated series tie-in belongs in the Fortress of Solitude… or the Phantom Zone!
Learn such things as:
Should we get Golden Age Superman back?
What powers do you give the man who could have anything?
Where’s Krypto? I want Krypto! Everyone is always talking about Krypto.
And so much more!
You can find Adam at a place that even I technically don’t know the location of.
If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you’re interested in.
If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store.
Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix.
You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, @playcomicscaston Twitter and in the Play Comics Podcast Fan Groupon Facebook.
A big thanks to the Kickstarter campaign for Aces and Aros and to the Kickstarter campaign for Starlite for the promos today.
Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who still believes in Santa and has no idea how those presents get under the tree.Read transcript
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