My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin

Latest Episodes:

Brian Gibson, artist, musician (Lightning Bolt, Guitar Hero, Thumper). Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

Brian Gibson is a musician, artist, and game designer best known for blurring the lines between sound, movement, and chaos. As the bassist for the legendary noise-rock duo Lightning Bolt, he’s released seven studio albums and played countless ferocious, high-velocity live shows. But he’s also spent much of his life working on video games, first as an artist for the music-game developer Harmonix, which he joined in 2001, and more recently as the co-designer of Thumper—a rhythm-violence game that marries kinetic speed and hypnotic visuals.

Since its release, Thumper has become a cult classic, earning acclaim for its singular aesthetic and for redefining what a rhythm game could be. A follow-up, Thrasher, originally released for Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro is now out on Steam.

LINKS

Brian's personal site: https://laserbeast.com/

Wishlist Thrasher

Lightning Bolt - Dead Cowboy @ TAICOCLUB'14

Thrasher OST on Bandcamp

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Correspondence Special #7: Zelda snubs, lost gaming communities, and fake monkey languages. Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

In this special correspondence edition, Simon reads out your letters and answers your questions.

Why has The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time never made it onto a Perfect Console? Where have in-person gaming communities gone, and can they be revived? What happened to educational games after the days of Oregon Trail and Carmen Sandiego?

Which made-up game languages are the most memorable? And where exactly is the line between a video game and… not a video game? All this and much more.

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Ralph Panebianco, critic, YouTube creator (Skill Up). Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Ralph Panebianco is an Australian video game reviewer and YouTube creator known for his sharp insights, no-nonsense delivery, and deep love of the medium. His reviews have been watched more than three hundred million times, and since 2015 his channel, Skill-Up, has become one of the most popular destinations for game criticism, both in Australia and around the world.

He has built a loyal following with his in-depth reviews, industry commentary, and honest takes on everything from blockbuster releases to cult indie gems. With a growing reputation as one of the most thoughtful voices in games criticism online, he’s earned the trust of viewers looking for substance over spectacle.

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

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Greg Jenner, historian. Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

Greg Jenner is a historian, author, and broadcaster who has made the past delightfully accessible to millions. Born in Kent, he studied Archaeology & History at the University of York, then mediaeval studies, before serving as historical advisor to the BBC’s hit children’s series Horrible Histories. He has since authored several acclaimed books that combine rigorous research with witty storytelling, including Dead Famous, Ask A Historian, and You Are History.

Since 2019 he has been the host of the award-winning podcast You’re Dead To Me, bringing together comedians and academics to explore everything from ancient Rome to Victorian medicine with clarity, humour, and heart. His latest book, out now, is Totally Chaotic History: The Stone Age Runs Wild. With a rare gift for making history feel alive, urgent, and wildly entertaining, he’s helped redefine how we learn about the past.

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Nathan Brown, writer, analyst, former editor Edge. Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

Nathan Brown is a writer, editor, and consultant with a deep well of experience in the video game industry. After starting his career in finance he switched to become a journalist, he spent more than a decade at the British publication Edge magazine, where he eventually rose to the role of editor.

Since leaving traditional games media, he has carved out a unique space with Hit Points, a widely read industry newsletter offering sharp analysis and insider perspective on the ever-evolving world of games. Beyond writing, he also works as a consultant, advising developers and publishers on how to build and communicate their work effectively.

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Kat Abughazaleh, influencer, politician. Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

Kat Abu is a journalist, influencer, and digital powerhouse who’s taken her sharp wit and political insight from the internet to the campaign trail. Best known for her viral videos dissecting right-wing media as a senior video producer at Media Matters for America, she built a vast following online by blending incisive commentary with biting humour.

Now, she’s making a leap into politics as a candidate for Congress in Illinois, bringing her fierce advocacy, media savvy, and Gen Z energy to the national stage. Whether holding cable news accountable or challenging power directly, she is attempting to redefine what political engagement can look like in the 21st century.

Links

Kat's Campaign Site

How 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' Fuels Extremism - New York Times

Tucker Carlson interview: Fact-checking Putin's 'nonsense' history - BBC News

Louis Theroux's Forbidden America - 'Extreme and Online'

'Alt-right groups are targeting young video gamers' - ABC News

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Jimi Famurewa, food critic. Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

Jimi Famurewa is a British-Nigerian author, broadcaster and food critic whose writing blends cultural insight, wit, and deep empathy. As the former restaurant critic for the Evening Standard, he’s become one of the most recognisable voices in British food writing, known for capturing not just what’s on the plate, but also the people, stories, and histories behind it.

A regular guest judge on the BBC One series MasterChef, he was also one of the lead judges on Channel 4’s The Great Cookbook Challenge with Jamie Oliver. His debut non-fiction book, Settlers, explored the lives and legacies of Black immigrants in the UK. His new book, Picky, charts his journey from being a child who refused all vegetables, to becoming a Guild of Food Writers’ Restaurant Critic of the Year.

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Ed Night, comedian. Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

Ed Night is one of the sharpest and most original voices in British stand-up. He began performing comedy as a teenager and, in 2017 his debut hour at the Edinburgh Fringe, Anthem For Doomed Youth, saw him become one of the youngest ever nominees for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. Since then, he’s established a reputation for his darkly funny, politically charged material.

His writing has been featured on shows including The Mash Report, 8 out of 10 Cats, The News Quiz, Mock the Week, and Comedy Central's Roast Battle, on which he also appeared. With a style that veers from laid-back charm to blistering satire, he’s become a cult favourite on the live circuit and beyond, and is about to embark on a new tour.

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Cabel Sasser, co-founder Panic (creators of the Playdate console). Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Cabel Sasser is a designer, developer, and co-founder of one of the most beloved indie software companies in tech. In 1999, he co-founded Panic, the Portland-based studio known for its beautifully crafted Mac software and, later, its publishing work on standout indie games like Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game.

Most recently, he helped lead the creation of Playdate—a quirky handheld console that blends nostalgia, invention, and delight, to reimagine what portable gaming can be.

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Peter Whalen, game director (Hearthstone, Teamfight Tactics). Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

Peter Whalen is a game designer and creative lead known for his work at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and competitive play. After graduating from Princeton with a degree in Mathematics, he earned his doctorate in algorithms at Georgia Tech.

He then began his career in video games, first at Blizzard, where he was a senior designer on Hearthstone. He then moved to Riot Games, where he now serves as the Game Director for Teamfight Tactics, Riot’s ambitious chess-like game set in the world of League of Legends.

With a deep background in systems design and a love for games that reward smart, skilful play, he’s helped shape some of the most beloved and finely tuned experiences in digital card gaming and beyond.

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

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