Explore every episode of the podcast One Controller Port Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can I Love Final Fantasy XIV Again? – FFXIV Therapy Episode 1 | 06 Oct 2025 | 02:20:26 | |
I loved the original Final Fantasy XIV version 1.0. However, ever since the 2.0 relaunch, I've grown to like the game less and less each passing year. As of 2025, I almost loathe it. Alex Fraioli, current FFXIV enjoyer, joins me on my likely final attempt to appreciate modern Final Fantasy XIV.Alex's Relics & Rock Stars: Appreciating Final Fantasy XI and XIV Video Alex's Website with Links to His Channels | |||
| The Slowest Action RPG I've Ever Loved – White Knight Chronicles Review | 29 Sep 2025 | 00:27:02 | |
White Knight Chronicles is an odd Action RPG, in the sense that it's so slow-paced you'd think timing wouldn't matter. However, the game is so slow that it loops back around, requiring careful timing to maximize damage. | |||
| Channel Update – Moving Away From Monthly Podcasts | 15 Sep 2025 | 00:32:54 | |
Hey all, Quick update episode where I talk about wanting to move away from the podcast format. I'll still be making videos, likely of similar topics, but more on my own terms as time permits.I'll continue uploading that content here on the podcast feed, though. | |||
| The Value of CRTs and Original Hardware - Hot Pot Gaming Featuring Mr. Jakes | 01 Sep 2025 | 01:53:24 | |
Mr. Jakes from Basement Brothers joins me to talk about why he thinks CRTs are overrated for retro games. We also talk about the value of physical hardware in video games. Basement Brothers' Website | |||
| Throwing Granblue Shade – OCP Podcast Episode 370 | 19 Aug 2025 | 01:22:48 | |
I once again went to EVO this year, and while I feel like I learned a lot, I also continue to stumble over actively disliking Granblue Fantasy.Moga Factory | |||
| Slave Zero X Developer Interview – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 04 Aug 2025 | 01:49:37 | |
Slave Zero X is intensely stylish, not only in its aesthetic but also in its gameplay. With that, I wanted to discuss with the lead game designer and the developer's CEO on how they achieved that vision, the role the Slave Zero franchise played, their commitment to challenging the player, and how they built the world. Game Links Tristan's Socials Wolfgang's Socials | |||
| Making A Difference with Misc. A Tiny Tale Featuring Michael Pearce - Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 22 Jul 2025 | 01:43:41 | |
Misc. A Tiny Tale is a 3D platformer focused on building a better world through small acts of kindness. I spoke with the lead developer, Michael Pearce, about his experience in creating the game and how it makes a difference. Misc. A Tiny Tale Links | |||
| Local Coverage of the Gaming Industry Featuring Lukas Eggen – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 07 Jul 2025 | 02:00:45 | |
In my eyes, game coverage has almost always been global. So I was surprised when I met Lukas Eggen, who previously covered them locally for Las Vegas Review-Journal. We talk about his experience covering games in Las Vegas and his perspective on the future of gaming journalism. Links:Lukas Eggen's Linktree | |||
| The Unsexy Questions – OCP Podcast Episode 369 | 16 Jun 2025 | 01:11:27 | |
This week, we talk VR, looking at sexy games without an eye for sexual content, Gal Guardians, and River City Underground. Bandai Namco to Invest More Heavily in Game Studios using Bandai Namco 021Fund | |||
| Loving Final Fantasy XIV in 2025 Featuring Alex Fraioli – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 02 Jun 2025 | 01:58:37 | |
In this episode, we tackle a long-standing frustration of mine: the current state of Final Fantasy XIV. As someone who loved FFXIV 1.0, I've long been off the Final Fantasy XIV train. Today, I have some negative feelings about the game's current state, so I wanted to talk to someone who still likes it. Alex Fraioli, who previously appeared on our podcast about Love Letter RPGs, returns to discuss his love for Final Fantasy XIV in the modern day. | |||
| Who Are You? – OCP Podcast Episode 368 | 19 May 2025 | 01:22:02 | |
This week I talk about my time at LVL UP EXPO 2025, look at the games announced in the Qureate Direct, and what to call what I do. Links | |||
| Covering the Japanese Games Industry From Japan Feat. Amber Vještica – Hot Pot Gaming | 05 May 2025 | 01:12:29 | |
We spend a lot of time consuming information about Japanese games from fellow English speakers located outside Japan. Amber Vještica, Editor-in-Chief at Automaton Media West, covers games from inside a Japanese games news outlet, giving her team unique access and insight into local Japanese video game culture. We discuss her role at the company, how they choose what types of stories to cover, and Automaton West's goals for bringing Japanese gaming news to English-speaking audiences. | |||
| Your Miintal Health – OCP Podcast Episode 367 | 14 Apr 2025 | 01:34:15 | |
This week I talk about my return to fighting games, DMM Game's AI Translations Process, how age impacts your Tomodachi Life, Konami Medal Games, and Gunvolt 3. Podcast Links | |||
| The Appeal of Japanese Adventure Games feat. Bowl of Lentils – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 31 Mar 2025 | 01:56:04 | |
Despite what some people might assume, Japanese adventure games and visual novels are a big blind spot for me. And while I've enjoyed the games, most titles in the genre rarely grab my interest. In this episode, I talk to Bowl of Lentils, who has created videos about the genre's history and why these games matter. We go in-depth into the genre's core appeal, history, and future outlook. We also talk a bit about the Trails series. Bowl of Lentils Links Twitter | |||
| Man and Tower in Balance – OCP Podcast Episode 366 | 17 Mar 2025 | 01:06:44 | |
This week, I talk about my final thoughts on Sanctum 2 and Ed-0: Zombie Uprising, give a little postmortem on my Nintendo video, and talk the new VR Chat webcam support and Copilot for Xbox. Opening Music from Sanctum 2 | |||
| The Essence of Modern Nintendo – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 03 Mar 2025 | 01:35:22 | |
As weird as my gaming tastes are today, I think I'm still ultimately a Nintendo fan at heart. Reflecting on my recent Nintendo video made me want to talk to a younger fan to better understand what they love about Nintendo today. Josie of the Josie Woah YouTube channel took the time to talk to me about how she got into Nintendo, her view on classic Nintendo games, and what she loves about the Nintendo Switch. | |||
| I Don't Know Mermaid Lore – OCP Podcast Episode 365 | 17 Feb 2025 | 01:22:04 | |
This week I go through some recent picks ups, talk about some small mobile games, and give my thoughts on Storybook Workshop and Super Bunny Man. Opening Music From Storybook Workshop
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| Machine Translation's Impact on Japanese Translation feat. Cargodin – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 10 Feb 2025 | 01:51:35 | |
I have a long history of using machine translation to help me read Japanese news stories, talk to fan bases online, and sometimes even play games. However, when you don't know the original language, it's hard to understand what impact these tools may have on how we interact with the Japanese language. I talked with Cargodin, a fan translator on games like Napple Tale and Blue Legend of Water, about how she views the English audience's relationship with the Japanese language as changing over the years. Cargodin's Links Translations | |||
| Confusing Cloud Wii U Memes – OCP Podcast Episode 364 | 20 Jan 2025 | 00:57:32 | |
This week, we return to video and talk about Wizardry Variants Daphne's success and my thoughts on Super Mario Wonder, Shining Blade, and 007 Quantum of Solace. Podcast Links Opening Music from 007 Quantum of Solace
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| Connecting Our Experiences with Games feat. Luis Aguasvivas – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 06 Jan 2025 | 01:48:59 | |
I used to want to be a game journalist, but I gave it up once I left college. Recently, I was contacted by Luis Aguasvivas, a modern-day game journalist who also contributes to the non-profit New York Videogame Critics Circle. I asked him about his view on the present and future of game journalism, how his personal experiences affect his work, and what he thinks he contributes to the conversation about games. Luis' Works Luis' Links New York Videogame Critics Circle | |||
| Game of the Year 2024 – OCP Podcast Episode 363 | 30 Dec 2024 | 01:35:13 | |
This week is Game of the Year 2024! We give rewards for various categories that highlight the games I played this year. We also have a last-minute emergency news story about Million Arthur and a new podcast scheduled for next year.
Podcast Links | |||
| I Don't Know Your Game – OCP Podcast Episode 362 | 16 Dec 2024 | 00:50:30 | |
This week we talk about the Game Awards announcements and trailers, as well as review One Controller Port output in 2024. | |||
| Jeep Thrills is Art – OCP Podcast Episode 361 | 02 Dec 2024 | 01:06:15 | |
This week we talk Koei Tecmo's reasoning for investing in AAA, Dragon Quest III mod drama, Media Vision shutting down Meggido 72, and Square Enix's use of AI in game development.
Opening Music from Shining Blade
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| The Value of Games for Kids – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 25 Nov 2024 | 02:26:13 | |
Games designed for kids can be enjoyable even for adults, though they often require looking at them with a different mindset than traditional games. In this episode, I talk to Vinnk of the Famicom Dojo podcast about his enjoyment of games for kids, how his kids grew up with games, and the impact they've had on his family life. Vinnk's Links | |||
| Joy-Con Butt Pocket – OCP Podcast Episode 360 | 18 Nov 2024 | 00:51:50 | |
This week we talk about a butt-controlled switch game, FFXI on consoles, and how Square-Enix's gamified investment's impact on game design.
Opening music from Trauma Center
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| Baten Kaitos Boyz – OCP Podcast Episode 359 | 04 Nov 2024 | 00:56:00 | |
I talk about the role of modern booth babes, Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition, and navigating what's next for me in FFXI or FFXIV.
Podcast Links
Opening Music from Xenoblade Chronicles X
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| Navigating Japanese Games from Overseas with Ray Barnholt – Hot Pot Gaming Podcast | 28 Oct 2024 | 01:33:48 | |
Sometimes, Japanese games have a certain allure to them that I have trouble quantifying. I've really started to question why I and others hold a game on a pedestal partly because of its country of origin. I also sometimes wonder why it's easy to feel awkward when engaging with Japanese gaming communities and personalities, setting aside the language barrier. In this episode, I talk to Ray Barnholt about his experience with Japanese games throughout his life, his passion for Boku no Natsuyasumi, and how he achieved his dream interview with the Director of the series. Ray's Links (rdbaaa.space) | |||
| Welcome to Reeve Land – OCP Podcast Episode 358 | 21 Oct 2024 | 01:08:34 | |
This week I talk about a Final Fantasy VII Reeve fanbook, FFXI crafting guilds, new Switch localizations, and the team behind VR Kanojo. Links PC-FX Fan Club PRGE Podcast | |||
| Playing Phantasy Star Online for 20+ Years – Hot Pot Gaming | 30 Sep 2024 | 01:56:07 | |
Phantasy Star Online played a massive role in popularizing online console games at the turn of the century. However, I often struggle to convey its appeal today. I talked to two YouTubers, DeployableLover and Section Skyly, who actively play the game today, about their experience and what they like most about it. Section Skyly DeployableLover | |||
| Songs About Your Dads – OCP Podcast Episode 357 | 23 Sep 2024 | 01:01:44 | |
This week we talk about the point of beefy new hardware, Himitsu no Aipri's home release, the return of Freedom Wars, and my review of Mercenary Kings.
Opening Music from Mercenary Kings | |||
| The Life of Love and Berry Continues Today – OCP Podcast Episode 356 | 09 Sep 2024 | 00:58:51 | |
This week we talk about the Japanese festival Wii game Ennichi no Tatsujin, a new Love & Berry collab, more thoughts on gamified investment, and a doujin game.
Disney Step 4Gamer Article | |||
| A Year of Final Fantasy XI with HorizonXI – OCP Podcast Episode 355 | 26 Aug 2024 | 01:01:41 | |
This week, I reflect on a year of my time on HorizonXI, a Final Fantasy XI rollback server, and an overview of how the Final Fantasy XI experience evolves on the road to level cap. What Barbie and Bratz Bring to Games with Princess Poki – Hot Pot Gaming Interview The Most PC-FX TRPG – Sparkling Feather – PC-FX Fan Club Episode 8 | |||
| What Barbie and Bratz Bring to Games with Princess Poki – Hot Pot Gaming Interview | 19 Aug 2024 | 01:32:09 | |
Licensed games, especially those aimed at kids, are easy to dismiss and ignore as a traditional game player. However, Princess Poki helped me see the value of games like Barbie and Bratz. In this podcast, we talk about the rise of Cozy Games, Fashion Dreamer drama, and what Barbie and Bratz games mean to her. | |||
| Mind Your Expectations – OCP Podcast Episode 354 | 12 Aug 2024 | 00:50:33 | |
This week is full of cool games – as long as you let them be. Plus, I talk PlayStation Portal's success, Momotaro Densetsu Edutainment, and the re-return of Million Arthur!
Opening Music from Picturebook Games The Royal Bluff | |||
| A Different Level of Chibi-Robo Fan – OCP Podcast Episode 353 | 29 Jul 2024 | 01:07:32 | |
This week we talk about recent Nintendo throwbacks, Coin Musme's closed beta test, a lo-fi study app, and a limb-based brawler. Links Opening Music from Luigi's Mansion 2 Dark Moon | |||
| Healthy Game Criticism with Alex Fraioli – Hot Pot Gaming Interview | 22 Jul 2024 | 01:18:46 | |
Respectful game criticism can be tough, especially when being critical. Alex Fraioli recently had to walk that line when creating a video criticizing the narratives and dialog of the 16-bit RPG love letters, Sea of Stars and Chained Echoes. I talk to him about his experience creating that video and about his hopes for creating his own RPG in the future.
Alex's Links | |||
| Couples Therapy Death Game – OCP Podcast Episode 352 | 15 Jul 2024 | 00:42:31 | |
This week I try to understand why I feel there's a news drought, plus I talk about my final thoughts on Chaos Rings and Back 4 Blood.
Opening Music from Chaos Rings | |||
| Judgy Little Boy – OCP Podcast Episode 351 | 01 Jul 2024 | 01:02:24 | |
This week I talk about the Strinova beta test, me being judgmental about anime, creators and anime girls, plus I finally play Spider-Man 2!
Opening Music from Spider-Man 2 DS | |||
| Loving Kusoge with SnowyAria – Hot Pot Gaming Interview | 24 Jun 2024 | 01:30:40 | |
I talk with SnowyAria about our shared interest in "Bad" and "Kusoge" titles, including what makes them worth playing and loving. SnowyAria Twitter – https://x.com/SnowyAria Kusoge Coffeehouse Import Game Journal and Translation Blog – https://kusoge.cafe/ My Main Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@OneControllerPort If you wanna support me on Ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/onecontrollerport | |||
| 2008, The Hottest Times – OCP Podcast Episode 350 | 17 Jun 2024 | 00:52:30 | |
I tried my best as the new monster on the block at Monster High, plus I talk Final Fantasy XI and break down my struggles with Blade Arcus.
Pokemon Frenda Inside Japan Article | |||
| Lu Bu Builds Flat – OCP Podcast Episode 349 | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:52:12 | |
This week is two firsts! My first time seriously playing Tetris and a Musou game. I get weirdly granular with what are already popular genres.
Opening Music from Tetris
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| 20 Years of Fan Translations with Matt La France – Hot Pot Gaming Episode 1 | 27 May 2024 | 01:43:55 | |
Fan Translations exploded. I talk to Matt La France, a 20-year veteran, about why he got involved, how the scene developed, and his future outlook. Matt's Links Fan Translation Projects Website | |||
| Yoshi Diagnosed Depression – OCP Podcast Episode 348 | 20 May 2024 | 00:50:52 | |
I talk about doing a game-ish diagnosis test, my time with Yoshi's Topsy Turvy, Oreca Battle 2, and studying Japanese with Shashingo. Opening Music from Yoshi Topsy Turvy
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| Nobunaga's Ambitious 401(k) – OCP Podcast Episode 347 | 06 May 2024 | 00:56:23 | |
This week, I discuss LvlUpExpo 2024, a port mortem on my Xeno series Panel, and Square Enix's and Koei Tecmo's Financial Reports. OCP Links: OCP Ko-fi OCP Main Channel PC-FX Fan Club YouTube One Controller Port Website Podcast Links Opening Music from Xenosaga: Episode III
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| Learn Somethin' Will Ya! – OCP Podcast Episode 346 | 22 Apr 2024 | 01:41:23 | |
This episode is about re-embracing portable games, exploring a snack company's virtual museums, my dream Buddy Mission BOND theme park attraction, and the struggle of getting into fighting games.
Opening Music from Granblue Fantasy Versus OCP Links: OCP Ko-fi OCP Main Channel PC-FX Fan Club YouTube One Controller Port Website | |||
| Whisking Away Capcom's Men – OCP Podcast: Episode 345 | 08 Apr 2024 | 01:05:32 | |
I talk understanding addictive tendencies using FFXI, Wii U/3DS shutdown's impact on my view of games, and 2008's ultimate stress relief game. Podcast Links
Opening Music from Zenses: Rainforest OCP Links: OCP Ko-fi OCP Main Channel PC-FX Fan Club YouTube One Controller Port Website | |||
| OCP Podcast – Episode 344: You Will Feel Like Princess Peach Even While Shooting | 25 Mar 2024 | 01:02:53 | |
This week, we talk about Gundam SEED on PS2, Princess Peach Purikura, Million Arthur's Re-death, and hostess club games. OCP Links: OCP Ko-fi OCP Main Channel PC-FX Fan Club YouTube One Controller Port Website Podcast Links
Opening Music from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED | |||
| OCP Podcast – Episode 343: A Game Industry on Fire | 11 Mar 2024 | 00:39:29 | |
This week I ramble on about my feelings on the current view of the game industry and the new Kusogeeeeee platform. OCP Links: OCP Ko-fi OCP Main Channel PC-FX Fan Club YouTube One Controller Port Website Podcast Links
50 Years of Video Game Revenue | |||
| OCP Podcast – Episode 342: Lookin' a Little Too Nice | 26 Feb 2024 | 01:05:30 | |
This week I talk Japanese edutainment games, my weird feelings on Wii revivals, and talk about my thoughts on Granblue Fantasy Relink. OCP Links: OCP Ko-fi OCP Main Channel PC-FX Fan Club YouTube One Controller Port Website Podcast Notes
Opening Music from Granblue Fantasy Relink | |||
| OCP Podcast – Episode 341: The Sideshow Tradeshow | 12 Feb 2024 | 01:09:41 | |
This week we go all over the place, talking Switch's presence in Japan, Konami's actual place in the game market, people's goals for learning Japanese, and Game Genome's deep dive into Love & Berry.
OCP Links: OCP Ko-fi OCP Main Channel OCP Plus! Commentary Channel PC-FX Fan Club YouTube One Controller Port Website Podcast Links
Opening Music from My Japanese Coach | |||