The Hill Is Always Greener – Details, episodes & analysis

With CyberLink's voice temporarily out of commission, we're joined by voice actor, writer, and fanfiction connoisseur Marin M. Miller as we flex our creative muscles and improvise yet another fanfic! In this world unique & beyond what you know from the Sega games, Vector and Jewel are two hopeless college students just looking to graduate, but when a chance encounter brings them together, they find themselves pegged by a hidden figure to join him on a quest beneath the university in search of untold riches. But can this mysterious benefactor be trusted? Is someone else secretly pulling all the strings? And as this spooky yarn reaches its climax, our heroes had better hope that they ain't afraid of no ghost...

(0:00:00) Intro/Marin's history with Sonic (0:06:51) Main topic: Let's write another fanfic! (0:10:34) Character select (0:13:54) Chris - Dramatic speech that is in some way cut off for comedic effect (0:22:13) Jake - Everything gets spooky (0:27:58) Jeremy - Tragic backstory out of nowhere (0:35:00) Marin - Truth or dare (0:42:47) Chris - Characters denigrate other video game franchises (0:47:59) Jake - Inexplicable crossover that doesn't compliment either universe (0:53:28) Jeremy - Another character blocks the way, looking for a fight (1:01:07) Marin - Finale (1:12:10) Final thoughts (1:14:30) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

Marin's website

It's time to go back. Back before Mega Man crossovers, before echidnas turning green, before even cheap character deaths. No, we're going back to where it all began as we revisit Sonic Firsts, a graphic novel compiling some of the earliest Archie adventures! From the first comic ever printed to Bunnie's big break, from a Super Sonic spotlight to a red rival's reveal, this mega collection of early comics is not to be missed, no matter what the CCA might tell you!

(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic Firsts (0:12:54) A brief divergence about the Comics Code (0:21:48) "Don't Cry for Me, Mobius!" (Issue #0) (0:40:40) "Rabbot Deployment" (Issue #3) (0:56:02) "The Lizard of Odd" (Issue #4) (1:13:24) "This Island Hedgehog" (Issue #13) (1:33:30) Final thoughts (1:43:41) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

Hoo boy, folks. Our journey through Sonic Prime has finally come to an end, as heroes and villains from across the Shatterverse come together for one final showdown against an emotionally compromised child and his robot army. Is it the grand finale we were all hoping for? Or would this ending have been better left banished to the darkest corners of the void? Tune in to find out!

(0:00:00) Intro (0:05:10) Year of Shadow, baby! (0:11:19) Main Topic: Sonic Prime "Season" 3 (0:14:00) Grim Tidings (0:30:20) Dome Sweet Dome (0:35:30) No Escape-The Devil is in the Tails (1:05:40) From the Top (1:28:57) Final thoughts (1:50:40) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

Police Story reference

Get ready... GO! It's time for a new episode of The Wood Village is Always Greener, as we hop in our cars, hovercrafts, and planes, traveling back to the late '90s so we can reminisce on a beloved classic kart racer, Diddy Kong Racing. We take a DEEP dive looking back at everything this game has to offer, from its colorful cast, to its many scenic circuits, to all the attempted follow-ups that never quite left the starting line. 

(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Diddy Kong Racing (0:07:25) Development history  (0:11:09) The characters (0:40:18) Gameplay (0:47:27) Battle mode  (0:49:16) Adventure mode (0:59:07) Dino Domain (1:01:48) Snowflake Mountain  (1:05:20) Sherbet Island (1:09:29) Dragon Forest (1:15:39) Wizpig's First Strike (1:21:14) Future Fun Land (1:24:31) Wizpig Strikes Back and other features (1:29:10) Diddy Kong Racing DS (1:44:48) The almost-sequels (1:56:23) Other media and merch (2:04:20) N64 vs. DS listening party (2:20:59) Final thoughts (2:22:41) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

Diddy Kong Racing's Krunch -- Designing For Frustration

Donkey Kong Racing trailer

Diddy Kong Pilot prototypes

Diddy Kong Racing Adventure

The Fast and the Furriest

Mickey's Speedway USA beta maps

Rare Racers pins at Fangamer

DKR64.com

After much teasing, the gang is finally beginning their journey through the UK Sonic novels written by Martin Adams, who is totally a real person that exists, we swear. First up is Sonic in Robotnik's Laboratory, as Sonic and Tails race to rescue their friends from Robotnik's FAROUT machine, a device that is anything but. It's a tale filled romance, betrayal, fast food, rats, toasters, obscure localizations, bad-taste jokes about public figures, incomprehensible cockney rhyming, and a bunch of other stuff someone saw in a video once...what more could anyone ask for?

(0:00:00) Intro/our recent Sonic-y stuff (0:06:01) Main Topic: Sonic the Hedgehog in Robotnik's Laboratory (0:20:21) Story recap (2:09:56) Final thoughts (2:16:16) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

Sonic the Comic the Podcast

STCTP interview with "Martin Adams"

Sonic the Hedgehog in Robotnik's Laboratory

People don't always say what they mean, and things are not always what they seem. For example, we could say "the Sonic Underground episode 'Friend or Foe', Knuckles' first appearance in a western Sonic cartoon, is terrible and nobody should watch it." But what we actually mean is "we and special guest Green Bones Dommy watched this terrible episode, and had a blast laughing at its ridiculous animation, its often nonsensical plotting, and the Sonic franchise's all-time wolf-face power couple." So grab a plate of Krupnik and join us for our first ever look back at Sonic Underground...for better and for worse.

(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic Underground - "Friend or Foe?" (0:12:15) The history (and OUR history) of Sonic Underground (0:30:50) The cast and thoughts on some other episodes (0:48:43) Theme song (0:53:13) "Friend or Foe?" episode discussion (1:37:56) Final thoughts (1:42:57) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

Sonic Underground - Friend or Foe

Ben Hurst interviews - Saturday Morning Sonic

Sonic Underground: The Greatest Hits

Sonic Underground commercial

"The Best of Anime II" commercial

We've locked on and locked in for the second half of our Sonic 3 & Knuckles retrospective! And this week, it's all about the "& Knuckles" part, as Sonic continues to clash with Robotic and his new red-dreaded rival across mushrooms, deserts, lava, and even space, in the conclusion to this epic Mega Drive duology.

(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic & Knuckles (0:03:07) Mushroom Hill Zone (0:17:08) Flying Battery Zone (0:26:12) Sandopolis Zone (0:37:15) Lava Reef Zone/Hidden Palace Zone (0:56:00) Sky Sanctuary Zone (1:10:26) Death Egg Zone (1:27:49) The Doomsday Zone/Ending (1:38:40) Other bits and bobs (1:48:09) Final thoughts (1:57:09) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

Happy anniversary to us! To celebrate 50 episodes of The Hill Is Always Greener, we're taking a look back at a game currently celebrating its own milestone anniversary, Sonic the Hedgehog 3! The capstone to the original trilogy provides for endless discussion, including how a whole separate game was made because of McDonald's, the *multiple* renditions of many music tracks, and the ongoing debate as to just what color Knuckles actually is. In fact, this episode ended up being so huge that, much like Sonic 3 itself, we had to split it in two! Tune in next week for our second half, all about Sonic & Knuckles!

(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (& Knuckles) (0:08:45) The box art (0:11:38) The split/"lock-on technology" (0:21:58) Competition mode (0:24:55) Knock knock, it's Knuckles (0:28:20) Other changes and new features (0:36:32) The story (0:40:19) Our various versions (0:46:47) Angel Island (and Blue Spheres) (1:04:25) Hydro City (1:11:36) Marble Garden (1:17:32) Carnival Night (1:23:30) Ice Cap (1:30:03) Launch Base

Amie Waters on Linktree

The Sonic 3 and Laputa Connection

Retronauts Episode 524: Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Part 1

Retronauts Episode 542: Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Part 2

I've heard of killing a franchise, but this is ridiculous! Sonic has been found dead, and everyone is under suspicion! To figure out just whodunit, it's going to take our crack team of podcast detectives, joined by special guest and visual novel creator Gospel, to find all the clues, interrogate all the suspects, and discover the truth behind what makes this free game from the Sega social media team such a delightful labor of love. And make sure you keep an eye out in the coming weeks for a full playthrough of the game by the cast of Sonic F!

(0:00:00) Intro (0:05:23) Main topic: The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog (0:18:45) Tutorial (0:30:57) Think! (0:42:09) Saloon car (0:51:00) Library car (0:55:40) Casino car (1:05:50) Lounge car (1:09:27) Conductor car (1:19:26) The finale (1:28:19) Final thoughts (1:45:00) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog

The Making Of The Sonic Murder Game That Took The Internet By Storm - Kotaku

How Sega Murdered Sonic The Hedgehog - Game Informer

SHINRAI - Broken Beyond Despair

We've once again reached that strange point where we have to talk about a new game released post-podcast, and this time, Sega is playing the classics once again with Sonic Superstars. Multiple playable characters, giant levels, Emerald powers... It's a whole lot, but the real question is: is it good? Well, that's what we're hopefully going to find out in today's exciting episode.

(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic Superstars (0:03:10) Development history (0:26:09) The game itself (0:41:43) Level layouts (0:53:32) Special stages and Emerald powers (1:09:42) Easter eggs! (1:13:00) Bosses (1:22:15) The second story mode (1:36:11) Trip's characterization (1:41:50) The true final boss (1:56:03) Multiplayer (2:03:27) The music (2:16:25) Final thoughts (2:27:57) Outro

Amie Waters on Linktree

"Stupid liberal lizard"

How to beat THAT boss

Windii's translations