Back in the Old Country, I don't recall us having an OT for GameXplain.
But here in the New Country, we're gonna fix that!
SO WHAT IS GAMEXPLAIN?
First, play this music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW9u_NCUZe8
GameXplain is primarily a YouTube channel (click here) that explains games… But it's also so much more! For diehard Nintendo fans, it's like the spiritual successor to beloved game mag Nintendo Power (with occasional coverage of games on other systems). Their coverage is exhaustive — and I'm sorry to say that if you weren't around for their daily discussions of Smash Bros WiiU/3DS, you missed out!
Some of their recurring features include:
- GAME & WATCH, where one of their shining personalities tries out a new release — from a demo of an obscure indie, up through the latest and greatest blockbusters. This is especially helpful in the Switch era where our cups runneth over with indies!
- COOL BITS, where they examine "small details that really resonated with us." One of my favorite episodes is the one about Ken Griffey Jr's Winning Run on the SNES, where the umpire will turn around and tap on the TV screen if you idle too long!
- PREVIEWS / REVIEWS, where you can get a detailed breakdown of a game's potential and, when all's said and done, a final verdict delivered not with an abstract number, but a simple emoji showing how the game made them feel. The recent spoiler-free Super Mario Odyssey review dove into the hitherto uncharted waters of "Mind-blowing!"
- PREDICTIONS / RAW REACTIONS / DISCUSSIONS, which is part of my ritual for every Nintendo Direct, E3 and major game release. Tune into GX before a big event to hear the crew's feverish speculation, hopes and dreams about what will be shown; then tune into them afterward for their first impressions; and later there may be a more in-depth discussion where they revisit the topic after they've had time to digest it.
Although it feels funny to say "more in-depth" — some of their prediction pieces and raw reactions can run nearly an hour or more… and it's a pleasure the whole way through! Which brings us to…
- THE OLD ANALYSIS MACHINE, which puts the "Xplain" in "GameXplain." These are straight-up astonishing in their thoroughness and attention to detail, dissecting even the shortest scrap of game footage to atoms, and uncovering lots of neat details along the way. Sometimes they'll speculate and make educated guesses that end up off the mark, but even then you'll come away with a deeper appreciation of the craftsmanship that goes into a Nintendo game.
And more often than not, they're right on the money. Andre's incredible analysis of each trailer leading up to Mario Kart 8 pretty much nailed the layouts for each track. Even though Nintendo did their best to chop up and rearrange the footage in a way that normal human minds can't comprehend, the Analysis Machine reassembled it and revealed each track's true form. However hyped you may feel about a Nintendo game going in, you'll come out of an analysis with your hype increased tenfold!
Also, some of these analyses are LONG. Two titans that come to mind are their post-E3 analysis of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (click here — TWO HOURS!) and their analysis of Super Mario Odyssey following the January reveal (click here — nearly an hour and a half!)
Heck, remember the super-short reveal for BotW at E3 2014? Yeah, they squeezed 14 minutes of analysis out of it. They don't waste any time either, breathlessly unspooling detail after detail. They took a single scene of Hyrule Field and found so many details that it's absurd.
It's so good… although it makes you wonder if there are crimes going unsolved because these guys are too busy scrutinizing trailers instead of crime scenes. /thinking.gif
BUT WHO IS GAMEXPLAIN?
The core cast of GX comprises the nicest people you'll ever have the pleasure of listening to geek out about games. Theirs is a friendly, all-inclusive vibe where every guest is treated with utmost respect. Their enthusiasm is infectious; their passion is genuine; and their concerns, when they have them, are measured and fair.
So yeah, I kinda like them! Here's a rundown of the main trio:
ANDRE SEGERS, the Mario of GameXplain. (Stalk him here!).
Andre may have felt "so-so" about Kid Icarus Uprising — which is crazy since KIU is, like, the greatest game ever made — but I'm willing to forgive this transgression because he enjoyed Star Fox Zero. Also, listening to Andre gush about games (and theme parks!) gives me life.
Some of his favorite games I recall offhand include Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart: Double Dash. Andre also has a deep appreciation for Stunt Race FX and City Trial in Kirby Air Ride. He doesn't really like Mario Sunshine, but hey — nobody's perfect.
In addition to his analyses, I also want to highlight his Mario Maker creations, including the recent Blast Corps N64 that does a brilliant job translating the Rare classic into Mario's world. He also arranges community events like tournaments in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe from time to time, which he live-streams and invites fans to join. These are always a good time!
If you're ever feeling down about something, cheer up and listen to Andre get hype, because you'll remember there are a lot of fun things in this world!
DERRICK BITNER, the Luigi of GameXplain. (Stalk him here!)
You'll know it's Derrick talking because he has a soft voice and likes to open with "Hellooooooooo, everyone!" Derrick has a vast portfolio of work on GX, and he brings a decidedly educated touch to many of his productions with what I suspect is a literary background.
His tastes in gaming also skew a bit more cerebral, being GX's go-to guy for JRPGs like Pokémon and Xenoblade Chronicles, and tactical sims from Code Name STEAM to Fire Emblem — the latter of which he has live-streamed several installments in full.
Andre just wants to jump on stuff, but Derrick wants to slow down, consider the statistics, and carefully weigh the pros and cons of each move. Although he does enjoy a good Kirby platformer!
Want some gaming goodness and friendly commentary to veg out to in the background? Find a stream by Derrick and let him take you on an epic adventure! He usually streams twice weekly, on Saturday and Sunday.
ASH PAULSEN, the… hmm, I guess the Yoshi of GameXplain. Yeah, that works — everyone loves Yoshi, and everyone loves Ash! (Stalk him here!)
Although Ash's favorite videogame character is actually X, of Mega Man X fame. Hence the moniker that might be more familiar to those of us from The Old Country — MaverickHunterAsh!
His favorite games (correct me if I'm wrong, Ash) include Chrono Trigger, Okami, The Wind Waker, and pretty much everything with "Mega Man" on the box. He also really, REALLY wants Nintendo to finally bring Smash Bros to Nintendo Switch. And yes, he mains the Blue Bomber!
Ash provides some of the most articulate and thoughtful commentary in discussions, and he has no shortage of trivia to share on his favorite games. When he speaks, you listen! And like the rest of the GX crew, he's one of the nicest people around.
RELEVANT LINKS!
- Bookmark this page, but don't forget to like and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/GameXplain/videos
- Consider supporting them on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GameXplain
- Listen to their podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/gamexplain
And don't forget to take every opportunity to remind Andre that Kid Icarus Uprising is an amazing game.
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