Game journalist and Giant Bomb co-founder Jeff Gerstmann joins the panel to cover The Wheelman, phone phreaking, and Super Sushi Pinball.

Questions this week:

  1. Rachel Weil asks: What are you favorite hidden gem video game reviews? (03:20)
  2. What does Frank have to report on his two-week absence to save video games? (09:20)
  3. What’s going on with the video game speculator market? (14:43)
  4. How and why did Giant Bomb become a wiki for video games, and hows that going? (19:57)
  5. Design a game about phone phreaking in the 20th century. (25:48)
  6. Dirtbag Kory asks: In the year 2050, what will be known as the most ridiculous part of video games in 2021? (31:25)
  7. What game design principles make a really satisfying pinball table? (35:26)
  8. Fifteen years after the launch of the Wii, what do we have to say about casual games? (41:12)
  9. What’s the history and current state of publishers paying for reviews? (46:34)
  10. What is the Francisco Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son of video games? (52:27)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Who’s It For? (56:36)

We have a lovely forum available if you want to discuss the episode!

A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:

Recommendations:

Brandon: The first half of Take Care of My Cat (2001), The Rippington's Weekend in Monaco

Frank: Stop subscribing to the Video Game History Foundations incredible "Mystery Box" Vintage Video Game Magazines

Jeff: Giant Bomb Podcasts, garages

Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.