Game Theory

Season 1

Matthew Patrick delves into common questions about video game stories and tropes and develops theories to explain them.

Where to Watch Season 1

25 Episodes

  • Is Chrono Trigger's Time Travel Accurate?
    E1
    Is Chrono Trigger's Time Travel Accurate?Original Title: Chrono Trigger/Time Travel This inaugural episode looks at what, if anything, the RPG masterpiece Chrono Trigger can teach us about the science of time travel.
  • Super Mario, Pipe Dreams
    E2
    Super Mario, Pipe DreamsOriginal Title: Super Mario/Sewers Take the plunge into the sewers with Mario as we cover everything from alligators under New York to albino pot in this second episode of Game Theory.
  • Illusion of Gaia, World Wonders
    E3
    Illusion of Gaia, World WondersWe're looking at ancient cultures, mysterious landmarks, and beautiful women as we save the world in ILLUSION OF GAIA.
  • Mortal Kombat, Fatalities IRL
    E4
    Mortal Kombat, Fatalities IRLCan you rip out a human heart? Be poisoned with a kiss? Frozen and shattered? Find out as we explore the cute and cuddly world of MORTAL KOMBAT!
  • The Science of Sonic the Hedgehog
    E5
    The Science of Sonic the HedgehogOriginal Title: Sonic/Zoology Is Sonic the fastest thing alive? What the heck is an echidna? And does anyone really remember Espio the Chameleon or Storm the Albatross? All that and more as we look at the animals of the Sonic franchise.
  • Frogger, Australian for Games
    E6
    Frogger, Australian for GamesWhat species of frog stars in Frogger? Where does the game take place? And how does Slippy Toad fit in with all this? We’re answering the unasked questions surrounding this Atari/arcade classic this week on Game Theory!
  • Batman: Arkham Asylum
    E7
    Batman: Arkham AsylumWe’re putting Joker, Poison Ivy, and the rest of Arkham’s criminals on the Freudian couch to diagnose their mental disorders. But are they really crazy or better off in jail? Find out this week on Game Theory.
  • Kirby’s Epic Yarn
    E8
    Kirby’s Epic YarnThis week we unravel the truth about Kirby's Epic Yarn and its role in an up-and-coming counterculture war.
  • Duke Nukem
    E9
    Duke NukemPull out your AK-47 and rip off your shirt ’cause we’re diving headfirst into 80s action flicks to discover the roots of Duke Nukem and the reasons why the character “doesn’t really work in 2011.”
  • Viewers' Choice
    E10
    Viewers' ChoiceYour voices have been heard! As thanks for supporting the show, we're looking at topics you've requested and submitted from the first nine episodes.
  • Locating Adventure Island
    E11
    Locating Adventure IslandDeadly octopi, spitting snakes, bizarre fruit, and a war America has kept buried in its past all factor in this week as we pinpoint where in the world to find Hudson’s ADVENTURE ISLAND.
  • Halo
    E12
    HaloNow you're playing with power...armor! Science isn't too far behind Master Chief's tech, but it'll cost you a couple thousand bucks. Find out all about it this week on Game Theory!
  • The Dark Side of Earthbound
    E13
    The Dark Side of EarthboundTerrorist cults, police violence, and sexual crimes are dark themes hidden under Earthbound’s happy-go-lucky tone and quirky humor. Explore the game’s mature content and what it means this week on Game Theory!
  • Bioshock/Rebuilding Rapture
    E14
    Bioshock/Rebuilding RaptureIs it possible to build an underwater city like Rapture? The realism of the game and how it’s inspired modern-day Andrew Ryans may Bioshock you.
  • Final Fantasy VII
    E15
    Final Fantasy VIIThis week, we’re looking at the anatomy of a murder that has rocked the gaming world since 1997. Should Aerith have died based on her wounds? Did she die at all? The results will shatter what you thought you knew about this iconic and heartbreaking moment of game history.
  • Deus Ex: Human Revolution
    E16
    Deus Ex: Human RevolutionA man who controls electronics with his mind. A camera that fits in your eye socket. A USB drive…in your finger? How close are we to our own Human Revolution?
  • Can Dig Dug Pop a Human?
    E17
    Can Dig Dug Pop a Human?Human balloons? Explosive decompression? Inflating body parts? In defense of the helpless tomato-like Pookas, we’re turning the tables on Dig Dug’s Taizo Hori to see if you can inflate a human until they pop!
  • Pokemon vs. Creationists (Pokemon, Part 1)
    E18
    Pokemon vs. Creationists (Pokemon, Part 1)Scientific brainwashing. Animal brutality. Racism?! For such an adorable game, Pokemon sure is controversial. But do the haters have a case here? This week starts a Pokemon trilogy where we look at the complaints made against Pikachu and the gang. Is this game pro-science propaganda or have creationists been skipping their biology lessons?
  • Pokemon, PETA, and Plasma (Pokemon, Part 2)
    E19
    Pokemon, PETA, and Plasma (Pokemon, Part 2)Are Pokemon battles gaming’s equivalent of a blood sport? Does the series teach neglect towards animals? And is Team Plasma, the self-proclaimed Pokemon Liberators, the true heroes of the Poke-verse? Find out this week, during part 2 of our Pokemon trilogy!
  • Castlevania
    E20
    CastlevaniaI’m a Vlad-aholic. So, in honor of a (belated) Halloween, we’re looking at the ENTIRE Castlevania franchise, nearly 40 games, to see which version of Dracula stays the most loyal to Bram Stoker’s original novel. The answer may surprise you!
  • League of Legends
    E21
    League of LegendsThis week, it’s a 5v5 match of Legendary proportions. Which champions in the League of Legends would win based on their real-world lore? Will good or evil triumph? Find out on today’s episode of Game Theory!
  • Pokemon Part 3
    E22
    Pokemon Part 3Is Pokemon racist? We’re covering everything from religion and world history to opera, Norse mythology, and 90s fashion to find out! Eleven years after Jynx was accused of being based on black stereotypes, how well does the argument hold up?
  • Star Fox
    E23
    Star FoxTeam Star Fox has a dirty little secret, and it’s made the gaming community look like fools. This week we uncover the truth and learn the basics of midair dogfights along the way. Half Cuban 8 FTW!
  • Shinra, FF7, and Oil (The Lost Episode)
    E24
    Shinra, FF7, and Oil (The Lost Episode)Final Fantasy 7, Shinra, Mako, and Oil World-dominating utility companies? Sounds farfetched. But there may be a little more reality that you’d expect in the seventh installment of the Final Fantasy series. A formerly unreleased episode that I’ve updated, check out Game Theory’s second look at Sephiroth and the Midgar gang!
  • A Merry Racist Jynx-mas
    E25
    A Merry Racist Jynx-masRhyming couplets, international holiday racism, and Pokemon…The perfect recipe for a seasonal episode. It’s Pokemon Part 3: Part 2: The Game Theory Christmas Special, Starring Jynx!

 

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