The MinnMax Show

We’ll DM you a Steam code for Queen’s Domain if you're a new MinnMax Patreon supporter at the $5 tier before 11/17/26 - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Kyle Hilliard, guest cohort Haley De Boom, and Game Informer's Charles Harte share and play their favorite game music from 2026. They also relay the most interesting music picks from the community as well. Check out the links below for a full round-up of all of the music played on this episode. It's not all music though folks, as we then dive into some great community questions about GTA VI, Sonic, and more. Sadly, this episode is the final one for our guest cohort Haley De Boom, so show her some love in the comments. You can submit community questions in future episodes by supporting MinnMax at any tier here - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Watch and share the video version - https://youtu.be/P-hQWXCYfH4

Follow Haley De Boom and help thank her for a great month.

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

https://www.instagram.com/hdeboom2654/

The Full Give To The Max Charity Stream -https://youtube.com/live/ndYZKxhgld4

Highlights from Give To The Max 2026 - youtube.com/watch?v=0A1KKLSUnnE\&feature=youtu.be

Help support MinnMax's supporters!

https://www.iam8bit.com - 10% off with Promo Code: WINTERSWARMTH

https://www.uncommongoods.com/minnmax - Get 15% off

https://rocketmoney.com/minnmax

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below...

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:02 - Give To The Max Thanks

00:04:56 - Announcing The Deepest Dive...

00:06:29 - Queen's Domain Code Giveaway

00:07:38 - The Best Game Music of 2026 (links below)

00:57:25 - Uncommon Goods Ad

00:58:50 - Community Picks - Best Game Music

01:18:41 - Rocket Money Ad

01:20:11 - Thanking iam8bit - https://www.iam8bit.com/

01:22:04 - Community questions

02:01:04 - Get A Load Of This

Kyle’s GALOT - https://www.instagram.com/p/DfX9vaWjLT-/

Charles' GALOT - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pringles

Ben's GALOT - https://careers.nintendo.com/jobs/4458631009/

Haley De Boom's GALOT - https://ktla.com/news/local-news/six-flags-magic-mountain-arieforce-one/

Community GALOT - https://www.verticalslice.news/former-id-software-developers-establish-worker-owned-independent-studio-hidden-horses/

Here's a link to all of the music played on this episode...

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy - Call of the Ancients - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whH1xeCYPnE\&t=1577s

Castlevania: Bemont's Curse - Hall of Mirrors - https://www.youtube.com/watch?vM2iY92xuc\&t=6636s

Scott Pilgrim EX - One More Summer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkpA9ycx3GM\&t=181s

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Gerudo Valley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kulEhouG1vk

Mewgenics - Feline Invader - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGKVAvG67mY\&list=PLjXecJPvi3d0pKZMkIdIBSkmhFX1sW9Rt\&index=20

Orbitals - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCdvAcQv04Y

The Mermaid Mask - Sinthia Seafoam - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C97ryPlJRLw

The Mermaid Mask - J.D. Wirman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEwi8wk78iw

Colorbound - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlBat5NY8QA

Phantom Blade Zero - Crimson-Black Legacy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9yoZNhZyXY

Phantom Blade Zero - Asura of Wrath and Hatred - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTDjEjQViZM

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave - Queen's Gambit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm5XqMWqa7o

Esoteric Ebbb - Waking Morgue - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jddw-zDA6YA

Ace Combat 8 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHwfWtlidsY\&list=PLGzf_95xpbyY\&index=3

Rhythm Heaven Groove - Ado: Love Me Forever - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSuAVkaSC38

Pokemon Pokopia - Fuchsia City - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYqrnJNO-3k\&list=PLltD0VqVxLyNuGockJ7KRMutRRwKUEG3K\&index=6

Screamer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHfWd0u-FpQ\&list=PLvFPRM6jm9bg7S0jPBHnDQk53B_2t95K3\&index=2

Phonopolis - Felix On the Run - youtube.com/watch?v=adRUlnmHmlY

Denshattack! - Fashion Overdirve - https://youtu.be/ZxR8ejsfglo?is=l3BQSHzUROpkkJTh

Queen's Domain - Let's Make A Deal - https://youtu.be/SkMItGqqvRA

Community Picks

Endacopia - Beautiful Creature - https://youtu.be/HDhawsTvm4Q?is=gb3dl3dS6aE6JmC5

Marvel Tokon - Iron Man's Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDOZuTcaxQQ

Marathon - Code Race - https://youtu.be/-wQfCuKxC5c?si=OVIXGOfCiud5BEQ7\&t=49

Titanium Court - https://youtu.be/eyxmH9DJVeY?is=GMNjqWZNWBSyWO2W

Skate Story - Blood Cultures - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vI_xrmc8gE

Sulfur - Man's Best Friend - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7F3qzVDBYM

Splatoon Raiders - Happy Hideout - https://youtu.be/7Pwspf12Pao

Delatune - Garden of Hopes and Dreams - https://youtu.be/MzEHcwoNlbE

Doom: The Dark Ages - Revelations - Valley of Bone - https://youtu.be/x_kWCBrJSf0?si=_XLZqkJ2Vh00lz_u

Street Fighter 6 - Alex's Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu4pDfXRsMA

Mina The Hollower - A Sinking Feeling - https://youtu.be/0AB3484czNE?is=wfIV2E4vua6OaI4d

Disclosure - Games discussed on MinnMax content are most often provided for free by the publisher or developer.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Give To The Max 2026! Check out the full auction schedule and game code giveaways for Friday's stream - https://bit.ly/nicecity26

MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Kelsey Lewin, Kyle Hilliard, and guest cohort Haley De Boom prepare for our big charity stream with Give To The Max 2026 before sharing full thoughts on Nintendo's big remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Switch 2. Then we check in on the slicing action of Phantom Blade Zero, go back in time to Tales of Eternia Remastered, and weigh in one more time with final spoiler-free thoughts on Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave. Then Leo Vader joines as we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and award the iam8bit question of the week! You can win a prize and help make the show better by supporting us on Patreon and submitting a question! https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Watch and share the video version here - https://youtu.be/IxF5qPGaYzI

Join The Deepest Dive on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, learn more here - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/posts/join-deepest-on-174168426

Help support MinnMax's supporters!

https://www.iam8bit.com - 10% off with Promo Code: WINTERSWARMTH

https://www.brooklynbedding.com - 30% off from 11/12-11/29

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below...

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:20 - Give To The Max - Bit.ly/nicecity26

00:06:33 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

00:34:15 - Phantom Blade Zero

00:43:50 - Brooklyn Bedding Ad

00:46:04 - Tales of Eternia Remastered

00:56:44 - Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

01:09:31 - Thanking iam8bit - https://www.iam8bit.com/

01:11:19 - Community questions

02:02:45 - Get A Load Of This

Leo’s GALOT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YIbhCSfLLA

Haley's GALOT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eom68J-XZA4\&pp=ygUQdGhlIGJvb2sgbGVvIGFvMw%3D%3D

Ben's GALOT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hD__iF3JGM

Kyle's GALOT - https://youtu.be/3b4mgnjTqbc

Community GALOT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ZgzNv0nO0

Disclosure - Games discussed on MinnMax content are most often provided for free by the publisher or developer.

Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Support MinnMax directly on YouTube - https://youtube.com/minnmax/join

Follow us on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/minnmaxshow

Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/minnmax

Subscribe to our solo stream channel - https://www.youtube.com/@minnmaxstreamarchives

Buy MinnMax merch here - https://minnmax.com/merch

Follow us on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/minnmax.com

Go behind the scenes on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/minnmaxshow

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Check out the game codes and charity auction items for MinnMax's Give To The Max 2026 on Friday, November 6th here - https://bit.ly/nicecity26

MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Jeff Marchiafava, Janet Garcia, Kyle Hililard, and guest cohort Haley De Boom touch a bit on Phantom Blade Zero before talking about the leaked trailer for Mass Effect: Universe. Since she was just working on Apple's Vision Pro for years, Haley De Boom offers her review of the Steam Frame from Valve. Then JeffM weighs in on Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, raves about The Message From Deep Space, and we kick off a big group discussion about the game featured in the MinnMax Spotlight from Valencia, Spain called Virtue and a Sledgehammer. Then we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and award the iam8bit question of the week! You can win a prize and help make the show better by supporting us on Patreon and submitting a question! https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Watch and share the video version - https://youtu.be/TmsVL864DJU

Help support MinnMax's supporters!

https://www.iam8bit.com - 10% off with Promo Code: COSTUMEQUEST

https://alienware.com/gameyourway

https://ProtonVPN.com/minnmax

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below...

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:13 - Join The Deepest Dive on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

00:05:31 - Phantom Blade Zero

00:09:31 - Give To The Max 2026 - https://bit.ly/nicecity26

00:12:36 - Mass Effect: Universe

00:27:00 - Alienware Ad

00:28:03 - Steam Frame VR Review

00:56:34 - Proton VPN Ad

00:58:07 - Nintendo Switch Sports Resort

01:06:07 - Virtue and a Sledgehammer

01:27:52 - The Message From Deep Space

01:39:25 - Thanking iam8bit

01:40:40 - Community questions

02:26:43 - Get A Load Of This

JeffM’s GALOT - https://store.epicgames.com/news/epic-games-launcher-preview

Janet's GALOT - https://www.audubon.org/app

Haley's GALOT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBO8s_McKjU

Ben's GALOT - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knocking_on_wood

Kyle's GALOT - vulture.com/2011/03/the-lost-roles-of-jim-carrey.html

Community GALOT - https://www.gamefile.news/p/control-resonant-art-galleries?r=j7zsx\&utm_campaign=post\&utm_medium=web

Disclosure - Games discussed on MinnMax content are most often provided for free by the publisher or developer.

Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Support MinnMax directly on YouTube - https://youtube.com/minnmax/join

Follow us on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/minnmaxshow

Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/minnmax

Subscribe to our solo stream channel - https://www.youtube.com/@minnmaxstreamarchives

Buy MinnMax merch here - https://minnmax.com/merch

Follow us on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/minnmax.com

Go behind the scenes on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/minnmaxshow

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Help MinnMax celebrate its 7th anniversary by hitting 7,000 Patreon supporters! If you're a new supporter at even the $2 tier we'll DM you on Patreon with a Steam code for Blippo+ - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Sarah Podzorski, Haley MacLean, and introducing our new Guest Cohort for a month: Haley De Boom! After working at ILM, Square-Enix, and Apple, we're excited to have her insight for the next month of MinnMax content. First up, Haley and Sarah review Planet Zoo 2 from Frontier Developments and share some pros and cons of its complexity. After that we react to the breaking news from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier that EA has laid off 400 employees and closed BioWare, canceling the new Mass Effect game in the process. Then we share thoughts on Final Fantasy Resonance, the HD-2D game from Square-Enix that is a retro rebuild of the mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. There's so many games to cover, as we also talk about the Lovecraftian horrors of Penuin Colony, Double Fine's Thank You Bus Driver, the comedy of Car Park Capital, Welcome to Elderfield, and why Resident Evil 5 is still such a blast to play. Then we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and award the iam8bit question of the week! You can win a prize and help make the show better by supporting us on Patreon and submitting a question! https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Watch and share the video version - https://youtu.be/A1WwknqQuUc

Help support MinnMax's supporters!

https://www.iam8bit.com - 10% off with Promo Code: COSTUMEQUEST

https://www.protonvpn.com/minnmax - 70% off your two year plan

https://www.alienware.com/gameyourway

https://www.rocketmoney.com/minnmax

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below...

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:49 - Haley De Boom's amazing career

00:15:21 - Help MinnMax hit 7,000 supporters for our 7th anniversary

00:17:31 - Planet Zoo 2

00:35:37 - EA kills BioWare and Mass Effect

00:59:04 - Final Fantasy Resonance

01:18:06 - Proton VPN Ad

01:19:32 - Penguin Colony

01:25:33 - Double Fine's Thank You Bus Driver

01:29:45 - Car Park Capital

01:35:08 - Alienware Ad

01:36:35 - Welcome To Elderfield

01:44:52 - Resident Evil 5

01:48:08 - RocketMoney Ad

01:49:44 - iam8bit Ad

01:50:54 - Community Questions

02:31:55 - Get A Load Of This

Haley De Boom’s GALOT - https://ff-resonance.vercel.app/

Sarah's GALOT - https://soranews24.com/2026/10/20/umamusume-horse-girl-concert-in-city-of-angels-is-in-danger-of-being-cancelled-because-of-visa-issues/

Ben's GALOT - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut

Haley's GALOT - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/normandy-fm/id1443859615

Community GALOT - https://shmuplations.com/residentevil/

Disclosure - Games discussed on MinnMax content are most often provided for free by the publisher or developer.

Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Support MinnMax directly on YouTube - https://youtube.com/minnmax/join

Follow us on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/minnmaxshow

Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/minnmax

Subscribe to our solo stream channel - https://www.youtube.com/@minnmaxstreamarchives

Buy MinnMax merch here - https://minnmax.com/merch

Follow us on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/minnmax.com

Go behind the scenes on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/minnmaxshow

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

We'll DM you a Steam code for the excellent The Incident At Galley House if you're a new Patreon supporter at the $5 tier before 10/19/26 - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Kelsey Lewin, Jeff Marchiafava, Kyle Hilliard, Janet Garcia, and Leo Vader convene to unofficially kick off MinnMax's Game of the Year debate for 2026 by letting folks know the games they need more people to play. What's on your list of must-players before GOTY season begins? Then we descend into Metroidvania season with early thoughts on Konami's Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, Well Dweller, Silver Pines, and Echo Weaver. JeffM and Ben also talk about the open-world off-world driving game called Over The Hill. Then we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and award the iam8bit question of the week! You can win a prize and help make the show better by supporting us on Patreon and submitting a question! https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Watch the video version here - https://youtu.be/byuLVZqzgdA

Help support MinnMax's supporters!

https://www.iam8bit.com - 10% off with Promo Code: COSTUMEQUEST

https://www.factormeals.com/minnmax50off- 50% off and more

Alienware.com/gameyourway

Build credit fast and get your first month for just a dollar at getkikoff.com/minnmax today. Thanks to Kikoff for sponsoring us!

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below...

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:58 - Give To The Max Charity Stream on 11/6/26

00:07:24 - Leo and the haunted cabin

00:11:59 - GOTY Debate Prologue

00:12:29 - Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

00:14:26 - GOTY Debate Prologue

00:16:06 - Blood Dungeon

00:17:53 - Cairn

00:21:15 - Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

00:22:48 - Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse

00:26:12 - Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors

00:30:27 - The Blood of Dawnwalker

00:31:15 - Esoteric Ebb

00:33:08 - The Incident at Galley House

00:34:20 - The Mermaid Mask

00:35:52 - Dogpile

00:38:30 - Titanium Court

00:41:38 - Moldrise

00:42:31 - Perfect Tides: Station to Station

00:47:04 - Deadlock

00:48:44 - Welcome to Elderfield

00:49:30 - Orbitals

00:51:12 - Normal Golf Game

00:52:32 - Star Fox and Ocarina of Time

00:55:25 - Phonopolis

00:55:36 - Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream

00:57:33 - Star Wars: Zero Company

00:58:03 - Pokemon Pokopia

00:58:40 - Debating incremental games

01:00:35 - 007 First Light

01:01:37 - Gears of War: E-Day

01:03:22 - Saros

01:04:34 - Control Resonant

01:07:26 - Creature Kitchen

01:09:16 - Factor Meals Ad

01:11:32 - Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

01:19:56 - Well Dweller

01:23:04 - Silver Pines

01:24:58 - Echo Weaver

01:32:43 - Alienware Ad

01:34:15 - Over The Hill

01:36:28 - Beat Weaver

01:45:34 - KikOff Ad

01:47:01 - Thanking iam8bit

01:48:03 - Community questions

02:22:40 - Get A Load Of This

JeffM’s GALOT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYMbF7VH350

Janet's GALOT - https://www.timeshifter.com/

Ben's GALOT - https://kotaku.com/inside-the-failed-fight-to-unionize-one-of-gamings-most-idealized-studios-2000742755

Kyle's GALOT - https://bsky.app/profile/tobyfox.undertale.com/post/3mvnweyco7223

Community GALOT - https://www.reddit.com/r/broodwar/comments/b3kw6t/ben_affleck_loses_at_starcraft_too_according_to/

__

Disclosure - Games discussed on MinnMax content are most often provided for free by the publisher or developer.

__

Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/minnmax

Support MinnMax directly on YouTube - https://youtube.com/minnmax/join

Follow us on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/minnmaxshow

Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/minnmax

Subscribe to our solo stream channel - https://www.youtube.com/@minnmaxstreamarchives

Buy MinnMax merch here - https://minnmax.com/merch

Follow us on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/minnmax.com

Go behind the scenes on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/minnmaxshow

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.