Sit with us as we recount the recursive, multidimensional and meta tale of Alan Wake II. Parautilitarians unite with Leon, Karl (who forgot which mic to record with!) and Leah - and community correspondents - as we attempt to unfold and unpick the meshed manuscripts of Remedy's pulpy protagonist.

After handing over development duties on the previous entry in the series to The Chinese Room, Frictional Games had the unenviable task of creating a follow up to widely regarded classic, SOMA.  In an attempt to merge the horror of the Amnesia series with the heavy narrative aspects of SOMA, Frictional risked not pleasing anybody.  We look at how the game stands up in its own right.

You find some GPS coordinates that lead to a buried trove of floppy disks.  What could go wrong? Brian, Chris O'Regan, Jesse and Sean lay down their cards and discuss Inscryption by Daniel Mullins Games. Will they take down Leshy or will they spend another night in the cabin?

Latterly emerging from PlatinumGames' cauldron, Bayonetta 3 conjured a multiverse of magic onto Nintendo Switch in 2022. Leon, Brian, Leah, community contributors and a menagerie of infernal demon puppets dance through this kitchen sink included trilogy-topper.

Celebrating 30 years of high-speed anti-gravity racing and combat with our Wipeout series podcast. Leon, Darren, Karl and Ryan - along with the usual, excellent contributions from the Cane and Rinse community - slipstream back in time to the space year 1995, and follow the neon trace and pumping beats of Psygnosis/Sony's stylishly futuristic vision of motorsport, from the PS1 original, to its many follow-ups through to its seeming swansong with the PS4 Omega Collection in 2018.

Our latest Sonic series show sees us arrive in 1996, and the azure Erinaceidae's final outing on the Mega Drive/Genesis - Sonic 3D Blast (also known as Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island). Leon, Darren, Leah, Ryan and community correspondents ponder whether this Traveller's Tales tilt into isometric suited SEGA's speedy mascot. There's also a little conversation around Sonic's previous isometric outings (SegaSonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Labyrinth), as well as the not 3D Game Gear counterpart Sonic Blast.

Our third podcast on the second Metroid game, sort of. On this occasion, it's MercurySteam's official 2017 remake, Metroid: Samus Returns, that sees us to head back to SR388 once more for another round of vermin eradication. Leon, Brian, Darren and Rich lock 3D sliders to full, and - along with contributions from the Cane and Rinse listenership - consider what this version of Metroid II: Return of Samus brings to - or steals from - the pest-popping party.

Our latest Contra (or Probotector) series show is here, and this time we're all-in on the SEGA Mega Drive (or Genesis) instalment; Contra: (The) Hard Corps (or Probotector). Leon, Dan and Sean - along with the usual, excellent contributions from the listenership - tackle this uncompromising and relentless 16-but run and gunner, taking in and on its myriad characters, weapons, stages and ultimately endings.

Joy, creativity, and PlayStation memories abound in Team Asobi’s post-Playroom tour de force. Join Tom, Chris O'Regan and Karl as they laser-jump their way through the riotous robotic antics of Astro and his 300+ friends.

"It will only cost you your life, and you got that for free!"



A notable cult classic, an idiosyncratic game, a commercial failure and a fan favourite. Landing at a formative time for the JRPG genre in the west, EarthBound (Mother 2: G?gu no Gyakush? / Giygas Strikes Back) loomed very large over the gaming landscape sliding between Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger, two of SquareSoft's biggest hitters from a relatively unknown studio.



Join host Rich with Jon, Leah and guest Eddie Inzauto of the Smashing Bricks Podcast as we get to the bottom of this beloved title, from its peculiar launch, divisive marketing campaign, and underwhelming sales to what has become a darling title for Nintendo and SNES fans.



http://media.blubrry.com/caneandrinse/caneandrinse.com/podcast/cane_and_rinse_issue_679.mp3
 



Music featured in this issue:



1. Sunrise and Onett theme by Keiichi Suzuki/Hirokazu Tanaka2. Good Friends Bad Friends by Keiichi Suzuki/Hirokazu Tanaka



edited by Jay TaylorYou can support Cane and Rinse and in return receive an often extended version of the podcast four weeks early, along with exclusive podcasts, if you subscribe to our Patreon for the minimum of $2 per month (+VAT). 



Do you have an opinion about a game we're covering that you'd like read on the podcast? Then venture over to our forum and check out the list of upcoming games we're covering. Whilst there you can join in the conversations with our friendly community in discussing all things relating to videogames, along with lots of other stuff too. Sound good? Then come and say hello at The Cane and Rinse forum

Time jumping, legendary dragons, and an arsenal of playable characters. Join Brian, Chris Worthington, Leah and Rich as they dissect Chrono Cross, the much discussed sequel/follow-up to legendary JRPG Chrono Trigger. Does it provide a satisfying next chapter or are the Chrono Trigger sized shoes too large to fill?

Pikmin skipped a full generation as Miyamoto and co. bided their time before unleashing the third instalment on the Wii U in 2013. Another seven years after that a few more people actually got to play the game as it arrived on the rather more successful Switch. Leon, Chris O'Regan and Darren - along with community contributors - once again round up the little creatures, consider this game's changes and refinements (across the two versions), as well as indulge in a little speculation about the 'science' that lead to their existence. Darwin or Dandori awards all around?

Caprine capers with Sybil in rittzler's love-letter to the fifth generation of games that popularised third-person character action in three dimensions. Leon, Brian, Ryan and Sean - along with community contributors - get figuratively and literally lost in the dreamlike world of Pseudoregalia. Can the game's celebrated flexible character control and versatile locomotion help our panel find their way through this largely unguided adventure?

So how could a 40-year-old film about a dystopia in which capitalism has run amok and the overreach and militarisation of the police combined with fears of increased automation and the dangers of artificial intelligence possibly be relevant today LOL? Leon and Dan (who selected this one - the best-selling home computer game of the 1980s - for the show) plod and blast through the many versions of Ocean and Data East's side-scrolling interpretation of the 1987 violent, dystopian movie classic.

This week, Ryan, Jesse, James, and Chris talk Mighty Coconut's Walkabout Mini Golf, both in VR and on iOS. From the depths of Atlantis to the heights of the Seagull Stacks, the minigolf adventure extends through licensed properties, mythical realms, and cozy cottages.

Hot on the space boots of our - oh - 2021 podcast on the original (and official) Game Boy Metroid II: Return of Samus, we take a rare look at an unauthorised fan project: Another Metroid Prime 2 Remake, or, AM2R. Leon, Brian, Leah and Rich - along with correspondents from the listenership - brave the dark web and dodgy torrent sites to bring you this Nintendo's lawyers-defying show.

Our Darren rightfully and righteously nominated the venerable Bomberman (also known by several other names) series for inclusion in our 2025 roster. Blasting off as a single-player only affair way back in 1983, this Hudson franchise saw no fewer than 80, mostly local multiplayer focused, entries released over the subsequent 40 years. So it's high time (High-10?) that Leon, Darren himself, Karl and Michiel - along with contributors from the Cane and Rinse Patreon and forum - gave the little dude (and multiplayer pals) his dues.

In 1989, the vision of Shigesato Itoi brought about the creation of Mother, a subversion and a pastiche of the incredibly popular Dragon Quest series, and birthed the Mother trilogy containing the cult classic Earthbound. Rich, Leah and Jon discuss the creator of the series and the impact Mother had on the gaming landscape of Japan, and the near 20 years that passed before the game made it’s way to the western markets.

Perhaps the archetypal 'cult classic', SEGA Smilebit's Jet Set Radio (aka Jet Grind Radio) made a splash when it landed on Dreamcast in the year 2000. Quarter of a century on, Leon, Dan, Michiel and Tony - along with contributions from the Cane and Rinse listeners - get inline to rattle on about the game's striking visual aesthetic, iconic music and, also, yes, the gameplay. This podcast also touches upon the GBA version, the official 'sequel' and some of JSR's spiritual successors.

Somehow Cane and Rinse returned. We dawn our blasters and lightsabers once more as we venture once more to the precipice of the Dark Side (Electronic Arts) to discuss the acclaimed sequel STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor. Ryan, Chris and Jon follow Cal's ongoing adventures and anticipate how the forthcoming trilogy-capper might end his story.