• Wow, 10 Episodes Already?! Let's Catch Up! | NMR Ep. 10
    Sep 16 2025

    Kirby Air Ride is officially back! In our huge 10th episode, we're breaking down the massive Nintendo Direct announcement for the new Kirby Air Ride on Switch, including the 16-player City Trial mode. We also celebrate the return of a cult classic, as Chibi-Robo is finally coming to the GameCube app on Nintendo Switch Online!This is our 10th episode, so we're also taking you behind the scenes of No More Respawns. We discuss our journey so far, the challenges of finding the right podcast software, what we've learned, and what the future holds for the NMR channel. We want your feedback!Plus, we cover the latest gaming news, including the upcoming horror games Cronos: New Dawn and the Balatro-inspired Cloverpit. In our recent plays, we're diving into Baldur's Gate 3's monastery, starting Deltarune Chapter 4, and Ben shares his buyer's remorse after buying Madden 26 and Hogwarts Legacy on the Switch 2.Tune in for all this, our thoughts on The King is Watching and Civilization V, and find out which one of us has actually been "touching grass."TIMESTAMPS(0:00) Intro & Touching Grass(10:10) What We've Been Playing: Baldur's Gate 3, Deltarune, Hogwarts Legacy(25:00) HUGE News: Kirby Air Ride Remake & Chibi-Robo on NSO(40:15) Main Topic: 10 Episodes of NMR - Our Journey & Future(55:30) Outro & Final Thoughts#podcast #gaming #nintendo

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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • New Games AND Doom Scrolling Is KILLING Your Mental Health!?
    Aug 21 2025

    Are our phones and social media algorithms hijacking our brains? In this episode of No More Respawns, we have a deep discussion about our internet usage, phone addiction, and the "dopamine drip feed" that keeps us doom scrolling through TikTok and Reddit. We look at our own screen time habits and talk about how algorithms are designed to keep us hooked.We also recap the latest Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, giving our thoughts on the big announcements like Monster Hunter Stories 3, Once Upon a Katamari, and Persona 3 Reload. Plus, Ben gives his hands-on impressions of the demo for Square Enix's new HD-2D action RPG, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales.In our recent plays, Ryan is back into his Baldur's Gate 3 campaign and has finally reached Chapter 3 of Deltarune! We also cover the new Phasmophobia update, the retro fun of Mario Paint and SoulCalibur II on Nintendo Switch Online, Ben's quest to unlock the Donkey Kong theme in Tetris 99, and Ryan's addiction to the indie game The King is Watching.Tune in for all this, plus a nostalgic look back at a 10-year-old Banjo-Kazooie playthrough! Let us know your thoughts on screen time and dopamine in the comments.TIMESTAMPS (0:00) Intro & Ben's Retro Banjo-Kazooie Playthrough(05:15) What We've Been Playing: Baldur's Gate 3, Deltarune, Tetris 99 & more(15:45) Gaming News: Nintendo Direct Recap & Phasmophobia Update(21:00) Main Topic: Internet Addiction, Dopamine, and Doom Scrolling(31:30) Outro & Mini-Game#podcast #gaming #nintendo

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    34 mins
  • Donkey Kong Bananza, The Never Ending Backlog, & More! | NMR Ep. 8
    Aug 12 2025

    Is your gaming backlog out of control? You're not alone! In this episode of No More Respawns, we confess our gaming sins and dive deep into our ever-growing "piles of shame." We're talking about all the legendary games we own but have never finished, including massive RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3, Final Fantasy 7, and Hogwarts Legacy, as well as classics like The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Silent Hill 2, and the Kingdom Hearts collection. Find out which of us has over 1200 games waiting in their Steam library!

    Of course, we're also covering what we have been playing. Get Ben's first impressions of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on the Switch 2, including the hilarious co-op chaos. We also discuss Ryan finally beating the story in Kingdom Come: Deliverance and starting Chapter 3 of Deltarune.

    In the news, we talk about the announcement of Grounded 2, Ryan's desire to finally tackle the Death Stranding series, and getting accepted into Nintendo's official Playtest Program. Stick around for Ben's wild vacation stories from Cancun and our thoughts on playing retro classics like Mario Paint on the SNES Nintendo Switch Online app.

    Let us know the most embarrassing game on your backlog in the comments!

    (TIMESTAMPS )(0:00) Intro & Ben's Cancun Vacation Stories(10:30) What We've Been Playing: Donkey Kong, Deltarune, Kingdom Come & more(25:00) Gaming News: Grounded 2, Death Stranding & Nintendo Playtesting(38:15) Main Topic: Our Massive Gaming Backlogs (Baldur's Gate 3, FF7, etc.)(58:00) Outro & Final Thoughts

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    1 hr and 47 mins
  • Is AI the FUTURE of Gaming or a Total DISASTER?
    Jul 23 2025

    Is AI coming for game developers' jobs? In this episode of No More Respawns, we dive into a deep discussion about the role of AI in game development, prompted by recent reports of Microsoft and King potentially replacing level designers with AI tools. We share our thoughts on the pros and cons, and the fine line between speeding up creativity and losing the human element. We also cover all the latest gaming news, including the confirmed September release date for the highly anticipated horror game Silent Hill F, the October launch for Little Nightmares 3, and the exciting rumors of Alien: Isolation 2 being in the works! Plus, we look at the new Analogue 3D, a third-party console that plays original N64 cartridges in high resolution.In our recent plays, we're sharing stories from our co-op sessions in Brotato and Mario Kart World, Ben's journey to the final boss in Hades, and Ryan getting back into Pokémon Violet and continuing his adventure in Deltarune Chapter 2.Tune in for all this, our thoughts on the upcoming Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, and a fun Wikipedia Race mini-game to close out the show! Let us know your thoughts on AI in gaming in the comments.(TIMESTAMPS)(0:00) Intro & Our Weekend Hangout(10:15) What We've Been Playing: Hades, Deltarune, Brotato & more(20:30) Gaming News: Silent Hill F, Little Nightmares 3 & Analogue 3D(35:00) Main Topic: Is AI Taking Over Game Development?(53:45) Mini-Game: The Wikipedia Race(1:00:00) Outro

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    1 hr and 55 mins
  • Has Modern Gaming Lost Its Soul?
    Jul 18 2025

    Is Super Smash Bros. 64 secretly coming to Nintendo Switch Online for the Switch 2? In this episode of No More Respawns, we dive into the latest N64 app rumor making the rounds, and what it could mean for future classics like Donkey Kong 64. We also discuss the "gamification" of modern gaming and our thoughts on DLC, battle passes, and loot boxes.

    We're sharing our recent plays, including Ben's deep dive into the incredible rogue-like Hades and his excitement for the upcoming Hades 2, and Ryan's first playthrough of the quirky and beloved RPG, Deltarune. Plus, we're still addicted to Brotato, playing Super Mario Strikers on the GameCube NSO app, and giving our thoughts on the indie RPG Sunderfolk.

    This episode also gets personal, as Ben shares the story of being featured in a negative light on a major YouTuber's (George Kamel) channel for being a GameCube fan. We also highlight indie developer JacksonGameStudios and his new project, Sky World 64, and Ryan shares a story about getting gaslit. Tune in for all this, our recent plays in Nintendo Switch Sports, and much more!

    (TIMESTAMPS )(0:00) Intro & Being Featured on YouTube(10:30) What We've Been Playing: Hades, Deltarune, Brotato & more(25:15) Gaming News: Super Smash Bros 64 Rumor & The Gamification of Games(40:00) Indie Developer Spotlight: Sky World 64(45:10) Outro & Final Thoughts

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    1 hr and 44 mins
  • You Can't Guess All of Our Top 3 Games | NMR EP.5 with Guest Brandon!
    Jul 14 2025

    What are the best video game series of all time? In this episode of No More Respawns, we're joined by our special guest Brandon to debate our personal Top 3 favorite game series ever! Get ready for a passionate discussion as we defend our picks, including iconic franchises like The Legend of Zelda, the Souls series (Dark Souls, Demon's Souls), classic 3D Mario, the legendary RPG Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR), the atmospheric masterpiece BioShock, the terrifying Dead Space, and the competitive giant DOTA.We also give our 'first few weeks' follow-up review of the Nintendo Switch 2, discussing our updated impressions on performance, game chat, and the screen "ghosting" issue reported by Digital Foundry. Plus, we cover the important consumer warning about bricked Switch 2 consoles from third-party carts and the rumor of an Animal Crossing 2026 teaser.In our recent plays, we're sharing our thoughts on the underwater horror of Still Wakes The Deep, finishing the lore-heavy FNAF: Secret of the Mimic, climbing to the top in PEAK, and diving into retro classics like Golden Sun and Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones on GBA. Plus, we talk about the newly announced Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition and the ongoing Steam Summer Sale.Stick around for some hilarious and relatable stories about social anxiety and why Ben got paid $900 for a Switch! Let us know your Top 3 game series in the comments below!

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    2 hrs and 10 mins
  • Hopes for Next Animal Crossing & Is Ranch on Pizza Okay? (Feat. Our First Guest!)
    Jun 27 2025

    We have our first podcast guest!!! Thank you so much Rachel for joining us for EP. 4!We kick off with an introduction to Rachel and dive into her gaming journey and stories with us! Sharing stories from her childhood, like playing the Barbie horse game and watching Ryan play titles such as KOTOR, Skyrim, Oblivion, and Fallout. Rachel also reminisces about teaming up against Ben in Smash and playing Gamecube Golden Eye 007 Nightfire. We even get a laugh out of Ben's weird food combinations, like ranch on pizza, ketchup with mac and cheese or ketchup with pierogies.In our Recent Plays segment, Ryan and Rachel shares their adventures, including resuming BG3 in the Underdark and his struggles with Mario Kart 8 on the WiiU. He also delves into the creepy fun of Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic, where he plays a repairman navigating Murray's Costume Manor while pursued by the Mimic animatronic. Ryan also discusses playing School 666 with Round and Krystal, his progress in Kingdom Come Deliverance including the Siege of Trotsky and a DLC quest, and the physics-based fun of Human Fall Flat. Ryan highlights beating a max level in Brotato with some characters while Rachel and Ben have been enjoying Mario Kart World.For Recent News/Events, we discuss the announcement of Splatoon Raiders, a new spin-off for Switch 2, along with updates to Splatoon 3 that promise improved frame rates and visuals. We also break down the exciting Donkey Kong Bananza Direct, noting Pauline as a sidekick and the game's resemblance to Odyssey, featuring Bananergy, unique transformations like a big DK and a buff zebra, and areas similar to shrines from BotW. Ben also mentions having Ryan's Switch 2 and discusses developer expectations for physical game sales on the new console.We wrap up by sharing our Hopes for the Next Animal Crossing Game. Rachel wishes for more interactive activities with friends, such as playable video game items and mini-games built into items like volleyball nets. Ryan adds his hopes for more things to do, like growing crops and owning a store. The episode concludes with a fun quiz mini-game, where Ben hosts an Animal Crossing quiz for Rachel and a Pokemon quiz for Ryan.

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    2 hrs and 13 mins
  • Ben, brainrot time.. O, Switch 2!
    Jun 10 2025

    General talk, Switch 2 review and Ryan forces Ben to do a brainrot quiz! No More Respawns EP. 3

    We got our hands on the Nintendo Switch 2! In this massive episode of No More Respawns, Ben gives his full hands-on first impressions and in-depth review of Nintendo's new console. We cover everything you want to know: the weight and feel, the new screen, overall performance, the vastly improved kickstand, testing game chat, the new home screen, and how the Joy-Cons feel. Plus, we dive into the brand new GameCube NSO app and see how upgraded Switch 1 games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom perform on the new hardware.We also give our first impressions of the biggest launch game, Mario Kart World! Find out our thoughts on its open world design, the various multiplayer modes, and the revamped battle mode.


    In the news, we discuss the huge Pokémon Z-A release date and preorder information, the drama surrounding canceled Switch 2 preorders from major retailers, and how much better Pokémon Scarlet and Violet look running on the new hardware.


    We also chat about the bizarre "Italian Brain Rot" internet meme trend, our recent plays in the indie horror scene with games like Thunderhead, the cute legal sock game Quilty as SOCK, and pushing the difficulty in Brotato. And the biggest question of all... did Ryan get a Switch 2? Tune in to find out!Looking for a Nintendo Switch 2 review before you buy? This hands-on discussion is perfect for anyone researching the Switch 2 as a gift idea for a birthday (bday), Christmas (Xmas) 2025, or any other holiday. Get our honest first impressions, thoughts on the best launch games like Mario Kart World, and our opinion on the console's future to help you decide if it's the right present for a gamer in your life. We cover everything from performance to build quality to help you determine if the Switch 2 is worth it.

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    1 hr and 32 mins