Thanks to everyone who's been listening! I'll try to feature comments here, if that's OK with people, until I get some content posted on youtube.
From Ryan, via email--
I'm really glad that you opened up your podcast with Buzz Buzz! Every time I replay EB, I gain a greater appreciation for Buzz Buzz, what he has to say, and what he represents in the grander scheme of the game. I used to think that Pokey's foil is Ness, as maybe would be fitting, for they are peers of a sort. But after hearing your thoughts and chewing on things more, I think Buzz Buzz is Pokey's foil. They are introduced together (practically), and their characters stand so diametrically opposed to one another's. Where Pokey is shallow, banal, selfish, Buzz Buzz is wise, selfless, couragous. And I can't help but think that after Pokey's mom smacks Buzz Buzz, and he is thrusting the Soundstone upon you, that in that moment there isn't also somewhat of a choice. Which road will you walk? The Pokey road or the Buzz Buzz one. Now, since it is a game, you don't really have a choice after all, but maybe that is just another, more meta message; that even in life, there isn't really a choice between the Pokey road and the Buzz Buzz road.
I never knew any of that about Shigesato Itoi, sounds like a really interesting dude. It all reminded me of an interview or something that I read a long long time ago, maybe middle school, about EB, in which the interviewee specifically mentioned they had decided that you wouldn't "kill" your enemies, but instead bring them back to their senses and lift Giygas's harmful influence on their minds and actions. I think this dovetails nicely with what you brought up, about the fighting both being a trope from video games generally and RPGs at the time, but also about the existence of conflict in our world more broadly. That we will fight throughout our lives with a variety of foes (so to speak) is a given, be they gruff goats, whirling robos, or cranky ladys. And that's okay, as we learn something from our conflicts (level up) when we win, or dust ourselves off and try again when we lose. But even back then, in our youth, I think something struck me as profound thinking about the lack of killing in EB being deliberate, something that for all the game's weirdness already, makes it stand out a from the rest of the pack, then and now. I think it is to EB's great credit that it embraces the inevitability of conflict, but rejects the "easy" solution killing your enemies offers. And sure, I think with the maturity a couple decades brings, I can't help but think the Japanese response in the aftermath of WW2 to not just our actions (the a-bomb certainly being the most pyschologically scarring), but to their own actions as well explains a great deal of that philosophy.
Giant Step ALWAYS brings to mind for me Neil Armstrong's quote from the moon landing. But to step a year back in time, I think it (the quote and perhaps, Giant Step) also echos Bill Anders's famous Earthrise photo he took during Apollo 8. I'm sure you've both seen it, even if you've not necessarily seen it called Earthrise. If you've never seen the documentary series From the Earth to the Moon, I highly recommend it. It really gives you an appreciation for the men and women who made the whole space program a reality, and their struggles and loss. But anyways, in the episode involving Apollo 8, Bill Anders gives an interview where he describes that prior to that photograph, no one had ever really seen, like, the whole Earth all in one instant like that. How that was the start of something new, a new journey for humanity, one where more people had a appreciation that we are in this together and that we are really just tiny in the grand scheme of things. Anyways, to tie this back to EB...Giant Step is really the beginning of a journey for Ness. But not just a journey for Ness, but really the whole world, as it struggles against the forces of evil (embodied by Giygas). We are all in it together, and Ness needs everyone at the end of things to pull through the final battle.
Keep up the great work Wes! I look forward to more episodes, and more emails, and hearing y'all's thoughts on EB, life, truth, wisdom, courage, and friendship.
-roc
ps, your intro for episode three had me in stitches haha
From Steven, via text--
Just followed you on Twitter. You should tweet when new bookwarm games come out. I was on starmen.net the other day studying up on EB so I can meaningfully contribute.
Also thanks for introducing me to the game. I would have never played it without you :D
From Elliot, via email--
I listened to your podcast finally. It's really something and seems Earthbound and other certain video games can really be taken as high art. I'd have to say you are really on to something talking about all the allusions to other great works, even if I'm not too familiar with them myself. You make some good points and cases. Quite enjoyable listens so far. Seems perfect for you too, talking about about video games, books, the meaning of life, yep, that's about right.
