Episode 440 - Honoring Twenty Years of Twilight Princess!
Summary
Andy and Allison discuss the 20th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, reflecting on its 2006 release, the iconic E3 2004 reveal, and their personal memories of playing it on the Wii. They also share updates on the community, including Cal’s new fan fiction "Devotion," Retro Kid’s "Ocarina Wave" album, and upcoming Halloween bonus episodes featuring a live-acted version of the Clock Town Conspiracy.
Topics discussed
Intro and sponsor read
Host health update and rest advice
Football game recap and upcoming 49ers match
Calgary Flames NHL season analogy
New poutine shop near their house
Episode overview: Riff format and detours
Cyberpunk game pitch and Cal's special project
Retro Kid's 'No AI' music policy
Revealing upcoming show segments
Live Clock Town Conspiracy and long-form episodes
Unfinished mystery book and podcast plans
Green Day listening habits in Washington
Playing Zelda with brother Shad
Wii U delay strategy for Switch launch
Late adoption of Twilight Princess and OoT
Age and timeline of game purchases
GameCube design and online features
Wind Waker controversy and reveal
Link losing to Cloud Strife in tournament
Hype for Twilight Princess trailer
Long development gap and release date
Vivid memory of the game's launch
Watching trailers at school in early YouTube era
Second trailer and Phantom of the Opera vibes
Wii launch parallels with Switch
Critical reception and scores
Personal love for the game
Zelda fanaticism cooling off
Twilight Princess as a life milestone
Museum anecdote and GameCube to Wii transition
Dual console release novelty
Naming the game and Twilight movie coincidence
Watching New Moon and audience differences
Critique of the art style
Highlighting good character designs
Reaction to art style after Wind Waker
Specific visual complaints: Gorons and Twilight
Zora's Domain and PC port Dusklight
Nintendo's response to Wind Waker feedback
Retrospective on Wind Waker and Link's design
Overall art style impression and horseback riding
Ganondorf fight and Bridge of Eldin duels
Motion controls as a starting point
Incorporating Wii gimmicks into gameplay
Boomerang and fishing rod motion controls
Nintendo innovation and Kinect comparison
Forced motion controls and difficulty
Comparison with Okami and pacing issues
Wolf gimmick potential and execution
Wolf gimmick underbaked but fun
Wolf Link design and final Ganon fight
Story overview and dungeon micro-stories
Monkey story and Arbiter's Grounds
Time since last playthrough
Ganondorf's late introduction
Zant and Ganondorf relationship
Zelda, Link, and Ganondorf story moments
Midna as a companion and King Bulbin
Midna-Link-Zelda relationship dynamics
Brother Shad's name in the game
Gameplay and story balance
Redoing game rankings
Dungeon quality and boss fights
Playing Twilight Princess at the marathon
Marathon attendance history
Fishing and blindfold goat herding memories
Rivalry with Gu at the marathon
Physical toll of marathon gaming in 30s
Rivalry with Catherine and teaching her
Twilight Princess as a marathon staple
Refusing to play in one sitting
Taco tradition during marathon
Taco day game and Lex Crossbow training
Manga release and fan favorite status
Twilight Princess as the face of Zelda
Personal legacy and playing with brother
Launch console success and OoT comparison
Twilight Princess as the teen of the series
20th anniversary and NSO release speculation
Episode wrap-up and apology for length
Outro and where to find the show
Goodbye
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