Today’s comic is based on a true story! Sarah, much to my surprise and delight, expressed an interest in playing through EarthBound for the first time when watching me go through Happy-Happy Village. She ended up finishing the game last week and loved it (that’s my wife <3), but I distinctly remember when she was fighting Diamond Dog, she scrolled through Paula’s goods and looked for any item that might be useful. The For Sale sign was mixed in with Paula’s stuff so…presto, instant comic! Just add water (or art).
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Now, on the subject of EarthBound…here comes a super-sized podcast!

[Act 1] Introduction (00:01)– Another podcast, another iffy impression from Matthew. Also, the sound file was left at Matthew’s parents, so you’ll have to live with him scatting the main theme (poorly) this time.
[Act 2] Game Discussion–EarthBound (01:40) – The EarthBound coverage starts with a brief look of the game’s tumultuous history, then continues onward as Matthew and Chris talk about the elements of the title that still stand out today, and why gamers still embrace it 18 years later.
[Act 3] Why Did They Do That? Super Mario 3D World (25:53)– Despite his cheerful demeanor, even Matthew can get riled up by some of Nintendo’s decisions. This section runs Mario’s recent games through the ringer a bit–Matthew rants because he loves!
[Act 4] Comic Talk: 476-500 (40:39) – A super-sized Comic Talk is next, although due to the sheer volume of comics here, only a few are covered in detail. Learn about the lazy secret behind the Frederick strips, as well as Chris’s awful initial impression of Mega Man! Includes backstory on the milestone 500th strip too, of course.
[Act 5] Digital Deconstruction: Timelessness in Games (58:11) – In this new segment, Digital Deconstruction, the boys share their ideas on the deeper elements of games. Today’s topic is timelessness–what makes a game stand the test of time, as opposed to simply being reflective of being “trendy”? Activision catches a little heat in this section.
[Act 6] Music Break: “EarthBound Medley”(1:10:54)– I love this game’s soundtrack! Download link to song
[Act 7] Leftovers (1:13:04)– Brawl in the Family: Volume Two? And why is Chris’s head so BIG?
[Act 8] Closing Comments (1:15:40)– We’ll be trying these more frequently! Hopefully. Now BUY EARTHBOUND.
[Epilogue] Sarah’s Weird Voice Mail Ultra-Remix(1:16:00)

Also:

We’ll have a dedicated section to the podcasts very soon, so it’ll be easy to access them all! And the online store will have stuff on sale up until the end of this month, so act fast!

-By Matthew