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Yo Joe! Or should we say “Yo NES!” because this week on Play Comics, we’re tackling G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero—the video game adaptation of everyone’s favorite cartoon about freedom-loving heroes battling against Cobra’s endless supply of bad ideas. With explosive levels and a cast of characters straight out of your childhood toy box, this game promises big action… but does it deliver?

Chris teams up with SerpyMatt, an internet personality who probably knows more about G.I. Joe lore than Cobra Commander knows about losing battles. Together, they’ll uncover what makes this game tick—from its ambitious level design to its occasional moments of “Wait… what just happened?” Is it a victory for retro gaming or just another casualty in the war against bad licensed games? Tune in and find out!
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Attention, pixel-pushing pals and manga maniacs! Prepare to embark on a thrilling journey through the digital pages of gaming history as we dive into the world of The Mafat Conspiracy, the NES sequel to Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode. This episode of Play Comics is locked and loaded with more action than Duke Togo’s sniper rifle!

We’re joined by the legendary Dean Guadagno from The Video Game Library, who’s here to help us unravel the mysteries of this 8-bit espionage extravaganza. Get ready to dodge bullets, navigate 3D mazes, and race Ferraris as we explore how the world’s deadliest assassin made his mark on Nintendo’s beloved console.

So grab your favorite controller, adjust your scope, and get ready to infiltrate the Mafat Revolutionary Group’s hideout. It’s time to discover if The Mafat Conspiracy lives up to its manga roots or if it’s just another case of pixel propaganda. Let’s dive in, agents!Continue Reading

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Lace up your cleats and dust off your NES cartridges because this week’s Play Comics is kicking off with a real goal-scorer! We’re diving headfirst into the pixelated pitch of Tecmo Cup Soccer Game, the NES classic that’s more RPG than FIFA. Join us as we explore this 8-bit reimagining of the beloved Captain Tsubasa manga, where special moves are more powerful than Pelé’s right foot and every match is a turn-based tactical showdown.

And who’s that coming onto the pitch? Oh sweet we’re joined by the incomparable Luke Herr from D’OhMance Dawn, who’s here to add some romantic flair to our soccer shenanigans. Will Luke score a hat-trick of puns? Can our host avoid getting a red card for excessive enthusiasm? And just how many soccer metaphors can we cram into one episode? Tune in to find out!

So grab your controller, warm up those thumbs, and get ready to shout “GOOOOOAAAAAL!” at your podcast app. It’s time to see if Tecmo Cup Soccer Game lives up to its manga roots or if it’s just playing offside with our nostalgia. Let’s kick off this episode!Continue Reading

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Welcome to another spine-tingling, joystick-wiggling episode of Play Comics, where the pixels meet the page and the game controllers are always at risk of being thrown in excitement or frustration. This week we’re diving into the dark cobwebbed corners of the gaming world to unearth the 1992 classic The Addams Family, a game that dared to ask “What if we took a beloved, macabre family and turned their life into a platforming adventure?” Based on the 1991 film of the same name, this game sprawled across the NES, SNES, Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, and Game Boy, proving that no console was safe from its kooky, spooky charm.

In this episode we’re thrilled to welcome back the illustrious Adam Williamson, a man whose knowledge of games is only rivaled by his ability to survive encounters with the supernatural—or at least supernatural-themed video games. Adam, who last graced us with his presence in a bodyslammin’ discussion on WWF No Mercy, returns from the depths of the gaming archives to help us navigate the twisted halls of the Addams’ mansion.

Prepare for a journey where every jump is a leap of faith (into a pit of who-knows-what), every enemy is as bizarre as an Addams family member, and the only thing scarier than the game’s difficulty is the thought of turning it off before finishing. Will Gomez find his beloved family members, or will he be doomed to wander the pixelated corridors forever? Join us as we explore the mystery, the humor, and the sheer Addams-ness of The Addams Family game.

So tighten your seatbelts, adjust your monocles, and make sure your hand (Thing, is that you?) is firmly attached to your wrist. It’s going to be a wild ride through the Addams Family estate, where the only guarantee is laughter, nostalgia, and maybe, just maybe, a newfound appreciation for games that make you want to pull your hair out—in the most delightful way possible.Continue Reading

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Get ready for a dragon duel of epic proportions! In this corner, we have Dragon Power, the janky NES game that tried and failed to cash in on Dragonball mania. And in this corner, we have the original Dragonball manga, which captures all the absurdity and excitement that Dragon Power completely whiffed on! Let’s get ready to ruuuuumble!

Please give a warm, silly welcome to our special guest judge for today’s podcast, the one and only Kyle “Game Genie” Federline! When he’s not dropping hot takes on the K&K Indie Gaming podcast, Kyle spends his time teaching his kids about the wonders of games from his childhood and trying to find gaming’s biggest hidden gems in the indie scene. Get ready as Kyle lends his unique blend of gaming wisdom and snark to judge today’s retro showdown!Continue Reading

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Spy stories are spy stories. And yet we still love them. There’s just something about spies that sits well in our hearts. Because in the end, spy stories are about an individual overcoming a situation where everything is stacked against them. So while spy stories might have a lot of the same elements running through them, there’s a big variety in how those elements are used and woven in and out of each other.

Listen in as Cory Byrd from Byrds Eye View Comics helps to take a look at Golgo 13 Top Secret Episode. We discuss his connection to the Japanese culture, manga in general, and Golgo 13 means in the grand scheme of history.

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Sometimes things get missed. Like not realizing that a game is based on a comic. Or missing an NES game because you didn’t realize that a game was based on a comic. I know it’s a shock that I could miss something. Or an entire country can miss out on a wonderful franchise that you’d think would be a great fit if only people would know it existed and could give it a chance.

Good thing I have Doc Issues here from Capes on the Couch to help fix that mistake as we take a look at M.U.S.C.L.E. and the Kinnikuman manga that really should have been a hit over here but for some reason wasn’t because “Americans won’t get it” or something silly like that.Continue Reading

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Digging back into the NES days with this one because I somehow missed it. Which in a weird way makes sense because I don’t think anybody that I knew back in the day would have known that Destiny of an Emperor was based on a manga. Or even what a manga was for that matter, but that’s a different issue.

Good thing we have Joey DiCarlo from So Wizard here to help take a look at this early NES RPG. Because we’re both old and can appreciate this one for what it is without wondering why it doesn’t have the sensibilities of a PS4 game.Continue Reading

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Ninjas are cool. Aliens are cool. So why not make a ninja that’s also an alien? And also has a team of rag tag environment saving sidekicks to help him out? Saving the environment via something aimed at kids and hoping they’ll pressure their adult overlords into following suit is still cool right?

Enter Steve Honeycutt from Ray Can’t Sleep to help us take a look at this alien life form that inexplicably wants to save the Earth.Continue Reading

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Post apocalyptic mayhem. New societies and population groups popping up and insisting that they are living the right way. The power struggle between might and right. Giant weaponized vehicles storming across the desert sands. OK, maybe not that last one, but what do I know?

Good thing I have Jordan Forbes from Shonen Flop to help me out with a look at Fist of the North Star on NES. Listen in as we look at yet another game that should have been featured earlier in the run of the show but I just didn’t know it was based on a comic so we’re making up for it now.
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Everyone that I know who knows who The Addams family is knows them from the 1960s TV show or the 90s movies. A few people from this game. But basically nobody that I know knew that The Addams Family was a comic. For real, do you know anybody who knew that? I sure didn’t.

Neither did this week’s guest Michael Bivens from Silent Journeys. But he very much did know about the old TV show. I’m really glad I had someone for this episode that grew up with the show a lot more than I did.Continue Reading

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Pretty much everyone dreams of flying. And of not getting on the wrong side of gangsters and Nazis. But mostly of flying. So imagine how cool it would be if a jetpack just fell into your lap! Or rather the seat of your airplane. Oh who care, YOU’VE GOT A JET PACK!

Listen in as Derek Graziano from Rolling Misadventures comes by the show to take a look at The Rocketeer and a pair of games that really couldn’t have been much more different if they’d tried.Continue Reading

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A lot of you (and by that I mean at least 1 person) has asked if I’d ever look at the Alien franchise. This is as close as I’ll get since the movie clearly came first and didn’t get made with the comic in mind. But you asked for it, and there are comics. So why not?Keith Gawla from Pop Up Film Cast comes by to continue ridiculing me for my horrible appearance on his show. Continue Reading

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The Punisher is a great character with a rich history. From killing the Marvel Universe to hunting Spider-Man to being as close to a hero as a stone cold killer can get, we’re taking a look at a brief glimpse into the Punisher comic universe and then diving straight into the NES and Gameboy games.Continue Reading