Lot of negativity around this but I’m glad they’ve expanded Blorko’s role

Sometimes a category name is just a winner.

A maximum of 4 games per platform to keep things mixed up No kill or steal this time. They'll be back next month. Remaster or revival Shooter Episodic game Multiplayer Puzzle Platformer Indie game (with guff huffer energy) Guilty pleasure Free pick Wild card

Coming Friday! The XBLA, PSN and WiiWare Draft, celebrating a whole generation of era-defining download games (plus whatever Nintendo was doing).

Our first 1v1 draft in over a year! These are the categories:

I love that even my Mii is dealing with the fallout 20 years later.

Quality podcast alert!

Honestly a solid suggestion.

A fun format this: people submit their least favourite bits of game design and we - with the insight of an actual designer (the wonderful Jamie Smith) - decide whether to banish the idea for good. Much more nutritional value than me guessing at the worth of pre-owned games.

Episode 274: Game Design Crimes (with Jamie Smith)

New episode! Game Design Crimes. Which annoying parts of games should be relegated to Room 101? Actual designer @smithstock.bsky.social helps us figure it out.

Listen wherever you get podcasts: open.spotify.com/episode/3bKa...

Coming tomorrow! The first of our new podcast series, Game Design Crimes. Which game design sins should be confined to Room 101? (A legally distinct version.)

Actual game dev @smithstock.bsky.social helps us figure it out. Here's a preview about tailing missions in open world games:

If you've been considering getting Super Nintendo as an ebook, it is currently available for an absurd 99p in an Amazon promotion. Apparently this is good for me, somehow, so go ahead and buy it I guess www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Ninten...

You will never, ever see our faces to promote The Back Page unless it's in a dodgy Photoshop. We'd rather be poorer and less popular than on TikTok.

This is supported by 35 blokes in our Discord all trying to pre order it at once right now.

A group of 9 people posing for a photo at a pub.

Another meetup with the Manchester collective of the @backpagepod.bsky.social Discord yesterday! This time with added spilled drinks!

"It even has the overuse of ellipsis like my racist uncle posts on Facebook."

The comment that never stops getting worse.

A colourful cast of all the mascots and yakuza at Promise Mascot Agency wishing the agency a happy 1st birthday. Michi and Pinky☆ are standing at the front amongst all their friends, human and mascot. The text reads: Promise Mascot Agency Happy 1st Birthday! 10th April 2025

Promise Mascot Agency is 1 today!
🥳🎂🎉

THANK YOU to everyone who has played the game in the last year, it means the world to us. We can't do this without you.

Lots of love from Michi, Pinky☆, all your friends and enemies in Kaso-Machi and your pals at Kaizen Game Works. 💝

Matthew's take on Crimson Desert: "It makes no damn sense! Doesn't compel me, either."

Episode 273: What We've Been Playing (Crimson Desert, PS5 Pro, Tomodachi Life, Raccoin, Returnal, The Ratline)

New episode! What we've been playing, featuring Crimson Desert, PS5 Pro chatter, Returnal, Raccoin and Tomodachi Life.

Listen wherever you get podcasts: open.spotify.com/episode/7mwK...

Coming tomorrow! What we've been playing: Crimson Desert, the PS5 Pro, Returnal, Tomodachi Life and The Ratline.

Plus, Raccoin. Here's a preview from our chat about that (and 2p machines):

a big tournament chart of unreadable playstation game names

Get ready for some peak Back Page nonsense with PlayStation Top 50 part 1...

My thoughts on the latest episode:

My discarded Back Page episode 300 idea (because it's too hard to make) was to basically do our podcast's version of Ghostwatch. Horror and shit. Maybe a haunted NES game or something. Then Matthew gets killed off at the end.

Judge Castle would likely forgive the purchase if you owned the correct hardware. Otherwise, it's off to be pulped/drowned/turned into magazines or whatever it was last time.

Happy International Asexuality Day! Ace & Aro: Heart-to-Heart

🖤🩶 Happy International Asexuality day! 🤍💜

I’m excited to announce that my next game "Ace & Aro: Heart-to-Heart” is coming soon to Steam and itchio! Sit down and have a heart-to-heart with several characters across the asexual and aromantic spectrums.

Please share and wishlist! 🙏 shorturl.at/wgIN2

Episode 272: Mailbag

The laziest podcast format hath risen! It's a mailbag episode. Some meaty chatter in this one, including Matthew's take on Crimson Desert.

Listen wherever you get podcasts: open.spotify.com/episode/7xyK...

A birthday card drawn to mimic Tomodachi Life.

Having to work away from home on my birthday, but another excellent Katharine card helps make up for it. Tomodachi Life - topical!

Developer of cult metroidvania Minishoot' Adventures reveals the dark secret behind its baffling apostrophe A hard-hitting investigation no other gaming website would dare to publish.

Finally, some real investigative journalism. 🫡

www.pcgamer.com/gaming-indus...

Mailbag – April 3rd Game Design Crimes (with Jamie Smith) – April 10th XL Episode: PlayStation Top 50 Part 1 – April 13th What We've Been Playing (Returnal, Pragmata, Crimson Desert, Raccoin, Marathon) – April 17th The PSN, XBLA, DSiWare and WiiWare Draft – April 24th XXL Episode: Film Swap – Time Travel Special: Looper (2012) and Timecrimes (2007) – April 27th

April 2026 podcast schedule!

Mailbag – April 3rd Game Design Crimes (with Jamie Smith) – April 10th XL Episode: PlayStation Top 50 Part 1 – April 13th What We've Been Playing (Returnal, Pragmata, Crimson Desert, Raccoin, Marathon) – April 17th The PSN, XBLA, DSiWare and WiiWare Draft – April 24th XXL Episode: Film Swap – Time Travel Special: Looper (2012) and Timecrimes (2007) – April 27th

April 2026 podcast schedule!

Great episode, this