PODCAST · leisure
The Backlog Files
by Adam Taylor
On The Backlog Files, host Adam Taylor dives into retro classics, cult favorites, and indie standouts—stacking entries franchise by franchise, platform by platform. Every Tuesday at 9 AM EST, we rank, review, and recommit your next must‑play.From Game Boy gems to Switch surprises, Pokémon deep-dives to horror indies, Adam explores what made each game essential, or stray, and why it still matters today. Expect thoughtful takes, nostalgia, and plenty of “game snack” episodes under 20 minutes.New weekly. Always insightful. Occasionally unexpected.
Episodes
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Backpack Syndicate Demo: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Meets Inventory Tetris
Sometimes the best sign that a demo works is realizing you've been playing it much longer than intended. Adam checks out Backpack Syndicate, a dungeon crawler with strong Pokémon Mystery Dungeon energy and a deceptively complex backpack-management system built around weapon placement and synergy....
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Bills Must Be Paid Review: Great Loop, Not Enough Depth
Bills Must Be Paid has a very simple proposition: smash piggy banks, make money and try to keep up with your increasingly expensive life. Adam looks at the game's smooth performance, satisfying incremental loop and surprisingly good moment-to-moment feel, along with the progression problem that...
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Does Luigi’s Mansion Still Hold Up?
More than two decades after helping launch the GameCube, the original Luigi’s Mansion remains one of Nintendo’s most distinctive experiments. Adam revisits one of his earliest GameCube games to look at the room-by-room puzzle design, portrait ghosts, E. Gadd’s surprising influence on the larger...
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Pokémon Pokopia: Bubbly Basin Brings Me Back In
The first major Pokémon Pokopia DLC takes players underwater; but Bubbly Basin succeeds because it does more than simply move the existing gameplay loop beneath the surface. Adam looks at the submerged remains of Cerulean City, the surprisingly effective swimming mechanics, Pokopia’s…
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PlayStation’s All-Digital Gamble and the Death of Game Ownership
As Sony doubles down on an all-digital PlayStation future, Adam considers what the industry is asking players to surrender in exchange for convenience. Without physical games, consumers could lose the ability to buy used copies, lend games to friends, discover overlooked releases in stores and...
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Splatoon Raiders Is the Game That Sells the Switch 2
Adam has never played a Splatoon game in his life, and Splatoon Raiders might be his game of the year. A look at why this single-player looter-shooter spin-off is the clearest argument yet for what the Switch 2 can actually do, how the grind hits that rare Pokémon-level joy that never becomes a...
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News Tower and the Tycoon Game That Respects You
Adam dives into News Tower, an indie tycoon game about running a 1930s New York newspaper that turns out to be far deeper than it looks. Why the simple weekly loop hides three interlocking games, a newspaper sim, an HR-and-employee-happiness game, and a Factorio-style optimization puzzle, and why...
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It Is March 2008 In The Games Industry
Microsoft just cut thousands from its gaming division and pushed out four studios, and Adam argues it's the first crack warning of a coming collapse, like Bear Stearns to the industry's coming housing crisis. Why the "billion monthly players" mandate is structurally impossible and what it really...
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Rhythm Heaven Groove and the Switch's Last Dance
Another week, another new release, and this one's a pleasant surprise. Adam digs into Rhythm Heaven Groove, the first new entry in the series in over a decade, and finds a WarioWare-style collection of musical minigames that nails the feel even when the hardware fights it. Why the catchy,...
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Sony Ditches Discs, and Why Indie Might Save Us
Sony has announced it will end physical disc production for all new PlayStation games starting January 2028, and Adam has feelings. An extra episode on the slow death of ownership, why a license you can lose isn't the same as a disc that works for fifty years, and how Sony managed to argue…
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Star Fox and the Lost Art of the Manual
Nintendo has opened a console generation on an Ocarina of Time and a Star Fox 64 remake for the second time, and Adam dug into the new Star Fox on Switch 2 as a series newcomer. Why the remake's tutorials, voice acting, and cinematic story fill the gap left by the death of the instruction manual,...
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Too Big to Succeed: GTA 6's Price Problem
GTA 6 finally has a price: $80 standard, $100 Ultimate, and a "physical" edition that's just a download code in a box. Adam unpacks why the number matters less than what it signals, why GTA's discount-driven history makes an $80 launch a tougher sell than it is for Nintendo, why the AAA industry...
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The Backlog Files at Tribeca: 2026 Games Showcase
Adam reports live from Pier 57 at the Tribeca Festival, fresh off hands-on time with seven of this year's indie game selections. A modern 3D Zelda in Demi and the Fractured Dream, a gorgeous paper-airplane journey in DRIFTED, a speedrunner's dream in Rebounder, Devolver's sledgehammer-swinging...
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The Nintendo Direct for People Who Already Bought In
A Nintendo Direct finally arrived, so join Adam as he breaks down what it actually means. The Ocarina of Time remake is real but shown without a frame of gameplay, Kingdom Hearts IV lands on Switch 2 at launch, and Square Enix turns up in force. So why does a stacked lineup feel so empty if you...
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Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure (GBA) and the Death of the On-Ramp
We covered the console version on the channel, so this week on The Backlog Files I'm taking the Game Boy Advance port of Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure out of the backlog. It's Tony Hawk in a Disney coat of paint, squeezed onto handheld hardware that doesn't want to cooperate, and it gets me...
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Pilotwings Resort 15 Years Later: Still Worth the Trip?
Fifteen years after it launched alongside the Nintendo 3DS, does Pilotwings Resort still hold up? Adam revisits the dormant flight series Nintendo resurrected as a glasses-free-3D showcase, and digs into a launch window built almost entirely on tech demos and ports. The controls are still great,...
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Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Review: Charming But Is That Enough?
Good-Feel knows how to make a Yoshi game look and feel inviting, but the question has always been whether there's enough underneath. On today's Backlog Files, Adam reviews Yoshi and the Mysterious Book; the Switch 2 exclusive that has charm to spare and a genuinely clever premise, but leaves you...
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103: Escape From Ever After
Adam discusses the new indie Paper Mario-like: Escape From Ever After.
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102: Pokemon Champions Launches
Pokemon Champions is finally here and Adam discusses the borderline disastrous launch.
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101: Neopets: Mega Mini Games Collection
Adam discusses probably the worst game that's been discussed on this show, Neopets: Mega Mini Game Collection.
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100: Super Mario Galaxy
With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie releasing this week, Adam looks back at the Wii game Super Mario Galaxy.
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099: Super Mario Sunshine
Let's look back at 2002 and Nintendo's kind of risky experimental title Super Mario Sunshine!
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098: Pokemon: Pokopia
Adam discusses what is probably the 30th anniversary Pokemon title - Pokemon: Pokopia!
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097: Hands-On With The FireRed and LeafGreen Switch/Switch 2 Ports!
Well, they're definitely ports of FireRed and LeafGreen.
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096: Pokemon Day 2026!
So Pokemon Wind and Waves will not be arriving in 2026, despite the leaks indicating otherwise. What does this mean for the 30th anniversary of the franchise and a mostly vacant year for releases?
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095: Game Review: Sonic X Shadow Generations
Adam discusses the latest Sonic the Hedgehog game, Sonic X Shadow Generations.
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094: Mario Kart World
Adam finally plays Mario Kart World! Join in as he discusses how this changes the franchise going forward.
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093: A Pokemon Super Bowl Spot And Backyard Hockey '02
Adam continues his quest for a fun hockey game to play on PC and also discusses the ad for Pokemon that aired during the Super Bowl.
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092: F**king GameStop
Adam discusses GameStop's obvious death rattle as it circles the drain.
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091: Pokemon Legends: Z-A - The Mega Dimension
With the first and only DLC pack for Pokemon Legends: Z-A out, Adam gives his thoughts on The Mega Dimension.
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090: Winter Burrow
Adam discusses the new cozy survival crafting game Winter Burrow.
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089: GigaSword
Adam discusses the new metroidvania Gigasword from Akupara Games. A copy of the game was provided by Akupara Games for review purposes at no cost.
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088: Out Of The Park Baseball 26 And Internet Controversies
Adam discusses Out of the Park Baseball 26 and the fact that apparently Gamergate is still a thing.
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087: Let's Talk About Randomizer Mods
So with video games getting more expensive, Adam explores the appeal of the randomizer mod for older games.
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086: Once Upon A Katamari
Adam discusses the new Katamari game: Once Upon A Katamari.
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085: Game Review - Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Adam discusses what works and what doesn't in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
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084: Revisiting Pokemon Legends: Arceus
With two days to go until the release of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Adam looks back at Pokemon Legends: Arceus and what the next entry could bring to the table.
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083: PAC-Man World 2 Re-PAC
Adam discusses the new remake of PAC-Man World 2 for modern consoles and PC.
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082: The September 2025 Nintendo Direct
Adam discusses the latest Nintendo Direct and what this means for people who do not have a Switch 2 yet.
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081: Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue (PS1)
Adam goes back to the PS1 to revisit Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue.
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080: Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (PS1)
Adam looks back at the PlayStation game Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
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079: Maybe I Was Wrong About Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Adam discusses the response to the new battle system in Pokemon Legends: Z-A and what this could mean for the franchise in the future.
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078: Spore
Adam looks back at the much-maligned PC game Spore and whether or not it deserves a second look.
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077: Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure (2003)
Adam discusses Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.
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076: Cardboard Towns and Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac
Adam checks out a new deck-building rogue-like city-builder (a lot of hyphens) called Cardboard Towns and discusses the announcement of the remake of the classic game Pac-Man World 2.
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075: Uh-Oh
The July 2025 Pokemon Presents has come and gone so Adam breaks down what little we can learn from what was announced for Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
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074: Replaying Final Fantasy (1987): Is the Original Still Worth It?
The crystals are calling! On this episode of The Backlog Files, we revisit the original Final Fantasy, the 8-bit classic that saved Square and sparked a global RPG phenomenon. From turn-based battles to dungeon crawling, we discuss what holds up, what doesn’t, and why this game still matters....
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073: Indie Spotlight: Time Is Honey
How does Time Is Honey keep players coming back for ‘just one more upgrade’? We explore its idle mechanics, progression loops, and bee-themed charm. Support the show by donating at ko-fi.com/MWPNews and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@MWPNewsGaming
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072: Nanomon - Virtual Pet
Adam discusses the upcoming background game Nanomon - Virtual Pet from Akupara Games. A code was provided at no cost for this game for review purposes.
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071: Pokemon Legends Z-A Has A Release Date
We finally know that Pokemon Legends Z-A will be coming out on both the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2 on October 16th, 2025. Why is Adam lowering his expectations?
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
On The Backlog Files, host Adam Taylor dives into retro classics, cult favorites, and indie standouts—stacking entries franchise by franchise, platform by platform. Every Tuesday at 9 AM EST, we rank, review, and recommit your next must‑play.From Game Boy gems to Switch surprises, Pokémon deep-dives to horror indies, Adam explores what made each game essential, or stray, and why it still matters today. Expect thoughtful takes, nostalgia, and plenty of “game snack” episodes under 20 minutes.New weekly. Always insightful. Occasionally unexpected.
HOSTED BY
Adam Taylor
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Backlog Files have?
The Backlog Files currently has 123 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Backlog Files about?
On The Backlog Files, host Adam Taylor dives into retro classics, cult favorites, and indie standouts—stacking entries franchise by franchise, platform by platform. Every Tuesday at 9 AM EST, we rank, review, and recommit your next must‑play.From Game Boy gems to Switch surprises, Pokémon...
How often does The Backlog Files release new episodes?
The Backlog Files publishes regularly with 123 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Backlog Files?
You can listen to The Backlog Files on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Backlog Files?
The Backlog Files is created and hosted by Adam Taylor.
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