Honey, we shrunk the Hero of Hyrule! We played The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, a 2004 Game Boy Advance entry in the Zelda series where you get to shrink to the size of a mouse and make magical clones of yourself! Discussion starts ~31:00. But before we get into that, we check in on some stuff we've been reading, playing, watching, and thinking about.
Reading
The Life Impossible by Matt Haig
Playing
Pokemon Legends: Z-A (Switch 2)
Watching
Portrait Artist of the Year (YouTube)
I Know What You Did Last Summer ‘97 (Netflix)
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (Netflix)
Thinking About
The Science of Scare
Queens of the Dead (Shudder)
Junk journaling
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
It's a Glitterjaw crossover! We teamed up with our Distant Echoes friends to discuss the 2021 book 'Star Wars: Ronin – A Visions Novel" by Emma Mieko Candon. Discussion starts right away because the whole episode is about the book!
Check out Distant Echoes: A Star Wars Podcast and other Glitterjaw shows on glitterjaw.com!
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
Living ships, forbidden love, and tentacles! A winning combination found in our most recent book club pick ‘Escaping Exodus’ by Nicky Drayden. Before talking about this 2019 sci-f spacei book, we check in on what we’re playing, watching, and thinking about lately.
Playing
Donkey Kong Banaza (Switch)
Ghost of Yōtei (PS5)
Watching
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992 Film)
The Boulet Brothers' Dragula (Shudder)
Hot Ones featuring Keke Palmer & Kate McKinnon (YouTube)
Thinking About
List Journaling
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
Are you afraid of the dark?? We know a video game couple who is! And one of them looooves writing about it! Join us as we wade through the shadows and talk about our experience with Alan Wake Remastered, a 2021 psychological action thriller. But before that, we check in on what we’ve been reading, watching, and thinking about lately.
Reading
Magic: The Gathering | Marvel's Spider-Man
‘Everything She Does is Magic’ by Bridget Morrissey
Watching
Crowd Control (Dropout)
Pew Pew Bang (MinnMax)
Thinking About
Censorship
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
Pirate and sirens and dragons, oh my! It's a sequel book club episode! This month we read Maggie Tokuda-Hall's 'The Siren, the Song, and the Spy'! Conversation begins around 27:50. Of course, before we do that, we check in on some stuff we've been playing, watching, and thinking about.
Playing
Watching
Thinking About
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
You ever just wanna get in a car, attach a little trailer, decorate it, fill it with books, drive around town, and recommend picks to people who ask? Us too, so that's exactly what we did by playing and talking about 2025's Tiny Bookshop! Of course, before we get into it, we catch up on some stuff we've been reading, watching, and playing.
Reading
The Monsters We Defy by L. Penelope
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Go-Man: Champion of Earth by Hamish Steele
Watching
Super Mario Moment (Glitterjaw/YouTube)
Project Runway 2025 (Disney+)
KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
Talk To Me In Korean - “K-pop Demon Hunters explained by a Korean teacher” (YouTube)
Playing
Nintendo Switch 2 — Mario Kart World, Pokemon Scarlet, Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Chibi-Robo on NSO, Paper Mario on NSO, etc.
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
Been a while since we've read some poetry and been a while since we've read something spooky, so why not both? This month we checked out Robin Gow's 2023 book 'Dear Mothman: A Novel in Verse'. Conversation begins around 41:48. Of course, before we do that, we check in on some stuff we've been playing, watching, and thinking about.
Playing
Watching
Thinking About
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
Do you love farming, getting to know characters, and clearing trash? Then you should play Coral Island! We did and we're talking about it! Conversation about this farming sim game starts around 33:50. Before then we talk about what we've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately.
Reading:
Watching:
Thinking About:
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
Our first nonfiction book! We read the 2024 book 'Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment' by Jason Schreier. Conversation starts around 43:50. Before then, we talk about the things we've been playing, watching, and thinking about... but mostly we talk a looooooot about the Ultimatum: Queer Love Season 2.
Playing
The Star Named Eos (PS5)
Coral Island (Steam)
Watching
Superman (2025 Movie)
Ultimatum Queer Love Season 2 (Netflix)
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to date your dining room table? What about your coffee maker? Surely you've thought about dating your bed, right? Well, we played the game where you no longer have to wonder: Date Everything! But before we talk all about dating the objects in our home, we check in on some stuff we've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately.
Reading:
Watching:
Thinking About:
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
We didn't read a book this month! Instead we read a whole lot of comics. For Pride Month, we decided to read the Marvel's Voices Pride anthology series from 2021 through 2024, which means dozens of stories about several dozens of characters! It's a lot to keep track of, but we highlight our favorites. And as always, before that, we check in on some stuff we've been playing, watching, and thinking about.
Playing:
Watching:
Thinking about:
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
We played Dream Daddy, a 2017 dad dating game! Before we discuss this sweet and punny visual novel (convo starts at 29:00) , we check in on what we're reading, watching, and thinking about lately.
Reading
Watching
Thinking About
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
We've got a vision coming in about this episode! *~We're going to talk about 'The Teller of Small Fortunes' by Julie Leong~* Before we discuss the 2024 book (convo starts at 22:10) , we check in on what we're playing, talking, and thinking about lately.
Playing
Watching
Thinking About
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
This episode we played Sayonara Wild Hearts, a stylish 2019 rhythm action game featuring motorcycles, magical girl transformations, robot wolves, and of course, incredible music. But before we get into that, we check in on some stuff we've been reading, watching, and thinking about.
Reading
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa
Watching
Little Tiny Egg (YouTube)
Revenge of the Sith theatrical re-release
Sinners (in theaters—go see it!)
Lazarus (Adult Swim/Max)
Thinking About
Post-Direct Switch updates
Shaboozey
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
We are very excited to discuss 'Sunrise on the Reaping' by Suzanne Collins, the fifth book in the Hunger Games series, taking place 24 years before the events of the original Hunger Games novel, and the original trilogy’s second prequel. (Discussion begins at 15:20, spoilers begin at 24:13.) But before we run off to face the dangers of the Second Quarter Quell, we explore the cornucopia of things we’ve been playing, watching, and thinking about lately.
Playing:
Watching:
Thinking about:
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Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
The Nintendo Switch 2 is on the way so we thought it was only right to celebrate its predecessor - the Nintendo Switch! We talk the launch, features, games and memories of the beloved console. Conversation starts around 41:50. Before then we check in on what we've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately (including a lot of talk about the Nintendo Switch 2).
Reading:
'Sunrise on the Reaping' by Suzanne Collins
Harriet Tubman Live in Concert
Watching:
Severance Season 2 (Apple TV+)
Last Meals (Mythical Kitchen)
Thinking About:
Human Curation
Nintendo Switch 2
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
It's a book club! And we read 'Redemption in Indigo' by Karen Lord. Listen in as we discuss this 2010 retelling of a Senegalese folktale that is... complicated. Conversation begins around 24:40. Before that, we check in on what we've been playing, watching, and thinking about lately.
Playing:
Dragon Age: The Veilguard (PS5)
Farcry 5 (PS5)
Watching:
Satoshi Kon Films
Running Point (Netflix)
Thinking About
Picasso and Paper
Doing Something
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
What's the best music mechanic in video games? What are those songs from video games that stick with you? What musical artist would you mash-up with one of your favorite games? These are the questions we're answering this episode!
A full list of songs played this episode are at the end of the show notes!
But of course, we gotta check in on some of the stuff we've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately.
Reading:
'Murder in the Dressing Room' by Holly Stars
'Howl's Moving Castle' by Diana Wynne Jones
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Watching:
Common Side Effects (Max, Adult Swim)
Say Nothing (Hulu)
Agatha All Along (Disney+)
The Bachelor 29 (Hulu)
Thinking about:
Drawtectives, Season 3 (YT: Drawfee Show)
Music League
Carrying a tiny field notes notebook
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
Memorable music mechanics:
DJ Cutman & Popcorn Kid, “Samurai” (The Metronomicon: Slay the Dance Floor)
Low Roar, “Bones (feat. Jófríður Ákadóttir)” (Death Stranding)
Lektrique, Sam Lamar, “Black Magic” (Pistol Whip)
“Fire Fire!!” (Um Jammer Lammy)
“Mariachi Madness” (Rayman Legends)
Songs from games that stick with you:
Hikaru Utada, “Simple And Clean” (Kingdom Hearts)
Nobuo Uematsu, “Zanarkand” (Final Fantasy X)
Teruo Taniguchi, “Cassiopeia’s Theme” (Pokemon Scarlet & Violet)
Minako Adachi, , “Battle! (Gym Leader)” (Pokemon Sword & Shield)
Yoko Shimomura, “Dearly Beloved” (Kingdom Hearts)
ConcerendApe, “Volcano Mines (Molten Jelly)” (Stardew Valley)
Kenta Nagata, “Dragon Roost Island” (The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker)
Seth Parker, “Wiggle Wigglebottom’s Steamy Walking Tour” (Bugsnax)
Andrew Prahlow, “Travelers” (Outer Wilds)
Rage Against the Machine, “Guerrilla Radio” (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2)
Gaming/artist mash-ups:
Red Dead Redemption 2 🞩 Beyoncé, “SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN’”
Hazelight Studios 🞩 Tegan and Sara, “I Couldn’t Be Your Friend”
God of War 🞩 thrash & groove metal, Pantera “Becoming”
Bonus:
Vincent Diamante, “Lazy Daydream” (Flower)
Britney Spears, “My Baby”
For this month’s book club we read ‘The Full Moon Coffee Shop’, a 2020 magical realism cozy novel by Mai Mochizuki, translated into English in 2024 by Jesse Kirkwood. Spoiler-filled discussion begins at 25:20. But before we unfold our star charts and dig deep into our houses and planetary rulers, let’s talk about what we’ve been playing, watching, and thinking about lately.
Playing:
Far Lone Sails (PS4)
Okami (PS4)
Wave Tale (Switch)
Secret of Mana (2018, PS4)
Watching:
High Potential (Hulu)
Mythic Quest (Apple TV+)
the Legally Blonde duology
the Barbershop film series
Nickel Boys
Thinking About:
PlayStation State of Play 2/12/25
Split Fiction
Pokemon Presents 2/27/25 speculation & wishlist
Death Stranding 2 (trailer)
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux
It's our first "game club" episode of 2025, and we played Oxenfree, a spooky narrative-choice game featuring a group of teens lost on an island with nothing but a radio and each other. Discussion begins at ~21:26. But before we get into our combined five playthroughs of Oxenfree, we catch up on some of the stuff we've been reading, playing, watching, and thinking about recently.
Reading:
'The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires' by Grady Hendrix
'Cuckoo' by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Playing:
The Rise of the Golden Idol (Netflix/iPad)
Watching:
'I Saw the TV Glow' (Max)
RuPaul's Drag Race, Seasons 16 & 17 (Paramount+ & MTV)
The Traitors US, Season 3 (Peacock)
Thinking About:
Chappell Roan & Beyoncé at the Grammys
Find us on BlueSky or Instagram: @NovelGamingPod
Send us an e-mail: novelgamingpodcast@gmail.com
Logo by: Katie!
Theme song: "Bit Bossa" by Azureflux