KnockBack: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

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#49: The Ren & Stimpy Show Jan 24, 2019

Show notes

When Nickelodeon launched its original Nicktoons lineup in the late summer of 1991, it did so with an eclectic collection of three shows. You had the young adult-friendly Doug, Rugrats for the younger viewers, and The Ren & Stimpy Show for... well... for some other strange reason. For four years, from '91 until 1995, only 52 episodes of Ren & Stimpy would be produced and aired, but the misadventures of the Odd Couple-like cat and dog duo enraptured cartoon fans around the world with its absurd characters, heinous humor, and completely bizarre aesthetic. But where did it come from? Who made it, anyway, and why? And where has it gone these last two-plus decades? Let's jump in and find out. And then, when we're done, I'll teach you to be happy. I'll teach your grandmother to suck eggs!

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#48: The Super Mario Bros. NES Trilogy Jan 17, 2019

Show notes

There's probably no single trilogy more responsible for the trajectory of the video game industry than Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, and 3 on NES. The first game, in particular, was revolutionary, while the third game showed the true power of what Nintendo's aging hardware could do. (As for the second game, well, we love that one, too.) Today's episode of KnockBack is dedicated to remembering these three classic games, not only for what they meant, but for what they are: Master classes in design, graphics, music, and -- perhaps most importantly of all -- gameplay.

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#47: The Films of Don Bluth Jan 10, 2019

Show notes

If you're one of the many KnockBack listeners that loves when Dagan dives deep into animation, this episode is for you. Today's nearly two and a half hour-long chat is dedicated to Don Bluth, a man famous for his work at Disney in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. And then there's his own independent work in the decades since, works ranging from An American Tail and The Secret of NIMH to The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go To Heaven. So sit back and let Dagan regale you about the career and films of an extremely fascinating man, a man far more important to the American (and global) animation scene than he may get credit for.

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#46: Metal Gear Solid Jan 03, 2019

Show notes

For those of us that grew up with the NES, Metal Gear was a fun -- albeit strange -- game that kinda just came and went. It wasn't until 1998's Metal Gear Solid, about a decade later, that we understood the full ramifications of what creator Hideo Kojima was really trying to say and do. A tale of politics, espionage, and warfare, Metal Gear Solid is a beloved franchise today, and although it didn't technically begin here... it kinda, sorta did. So let's chat about one of PSone's very best titles, a mind-bending adventure that exerted incredible influence on many a game that came after it. And don't forget to change controller ports, either, or we may just be able to read you.

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#45: Holiday Memories Dec 24, 2018

Show notes

For a podcast about all about nostalgia, we'd be crazy to skip the so-called Holiday Season, the section of the annual calendar perhaps most rife with memories. Today's episode of KnockBack is dedicated to Christmastime (or whatever you might celebrate), and all of the amazing remembrances of festive times past. Presents. Family. Food. Togetherness. And that time Colin knocked down the tree, and claimed he had nothing to do with it. So let's explore all of the grand memories this time of year gives us (and some painful recollections, too). And if there's time, we'll get to an Airing of Grievances, too.

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#44: SEGA vs. Nintendo Dec 20, 2018

Show notes

In the early '80s, the home console vanished as quickly as it arrived. But only a few years later, a new champion emerged -- Nintendo -- and gaming on your television has only grown since. Nintendo was a force to be reckoned with during the NES era, with no real competition, but as the decade turned and the Super Nintendo appeared poised to continue NES' dominance, a fresh-faced challenger arrived on the scene: SEGA. A corporate afterthought in the '80s, SEGA's Genesis console rose to battle the SNES, and the melee that ensued is one of gaming's most memorable multi-year fights, one that coined the term Console War. So let's dive into what it was like to be a Nintendo or SEGA kid growing up, and all that entailed. Mario vs. Sonic. SNES vs. Genesis. And Big Kids vs. Little Kids... or so some people thought.

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#43: The Back to the Future Trilogy Dec 13, 2018

Show notes

In the early-to-mid '80s, Michael J. Fox was a household name because of his work on Family Ties, the beloved American sitcom. But by 1985, Fox was catapulted even further into the stratosphere by Back to the Future, a film about time travel, and the unexpected -- and often fun and zany -- results of utilizing such advanced technology. Today's episode of KnockBack is dedicated not only to the original Back to the Future, but to its two sequels, as well, and was voted on by Colin's Last Stand's Patrons. Is your Flux Capacitor ready? We sure hope so. We just ask that you stop saying "gigawatt" incorrectly.

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#42 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Dec 06, 2018

Show notes

It's not terribly uncommon for Nintendo fans to feel that The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the best Zelda game ever released. The third title launched in the series -- coming to stores in 1991 in Japan and 1992 elsewhere -- A Link to the Past marks the fledgling franchise's first jump to new hardware, and represents a serious retooling of the original's winning formula. Of course, it's also impossible not to connect it to today's games, too, both in and outside of Zelda's continuity. We do just that on this episode of KnockBack, delving deep not only into a classic, but discussing at length the newest spin on our Hyrulian Hero, and which style we prefer: The "Old," the "New," or somewhere very much in between.

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#41: Disney Animated Films (1937-1959) Nov 29, 2018

Show notes

In 1937, Walt Disney and his fledgling animation company executed a quantum leap when they released Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, the first animated feature film of its kind. The rest, as they say, is history. Today's episode of KnockBack is dedicated to those early days of Disney features, from Pinocchio and Dumbo to Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, as well as many others. And who better to learn about it all from than a professional animator with more than two decades of experience, who just so happens to be an authority on these films, the people who made them, and the art scene that fostered their amazing work? See, there's no need to whistle while you work. Just listen to this podcast instead.

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#40: Caddyshack Nov 22, 2018

Show notes

There are a lot of classic sports films, from the somber and serious to the wacky and insane. Caddyshack squarely falls in the latter camp. Released in 1980, Caddyshack tells the story of a midwestern American country club via the antics of its most colorful patrons and employees. With an all-star cast including Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Ted Knight, and with Harold Ramis helming the film as both writer and director, Caddyshack's cult status isn't happenstance. It's the result of a brilliant mixture of talent, talent that rewrote, reworked, and improvised through much of production in order to take advantage of their greatest comedic assets. So join us as we show love and appreciation for one of film's great comedies. And put on some weight, will ya?

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