8-Bit Christmas – Super Merry-o

8-Bit Christmas chronicles a boy's quest to get a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) for Christmas in 1988. That plot evokes memories of both A Christmas Story—which it clearly pays homage to—and How I Met Your Mother—a show also starring one Neil Patrick Harris. As a more modern take on the familiar tale of a child's quest to attain what his parents are reluctant to get, 8-Bit Christmas doesn't feel entirely fresh; but that doesn't make it any less fun or nostalgic for those who grew up grinding away on the NES. This is a film built for kids of the 80s. Yet it also has a spirit of adventure sure to please the younger crowd. Its reviews—81% on Rotten Tomatoes with 27 of them—point to those attributes. That said, this movie won't be for everybody. It certainly wasn't everyone on the podcast's cup of tea. But, unlike the Power Glove, it doesn't suck. And who doesn't love shopping mall hijinks, projectile vomiting, and using Billy Ripken as a crucial plot point? Now sit back, reminisce over a couple of O'Fallon Dad's Oatmeal Cookie Stouts, and ready player two! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Chumpzilla are buying black market Cabbage Patch Kids to appease our children! This Week’s Segments: Introduction/Plot Breakdown – An epic quest for an NES? What's not to like? (00:00) Lingering Questions – We hear from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA and then share some of our favorite NES/video game memories. (27:31) The "Now, You're Playing with Power" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast puts in a cheat code for unlimited finishing moves, and then I challenge the field to trivia about the original NES. (49:15) Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We finish off "Hops and Jingle Bell Flops" by ringing in the New Year with Satan's wrath and the End of Days! (1:03:52) And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—a boat load of NES trivia and more—from this week’s episode! You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!