Markers on the Map: A Gaming Adventure

It's time to bring the noise. On the mid-season finale of Markers on the Map, join us on a journey to the year 2005 set up by our newest lore cutscene. We find ourselves in a generation where gaming was different, where hundreds of games dropped constantly, with no DLC or battle passes in sight. Movie tie-ins, platforming collect-a-thons, and the reinvention of first-person shooters - so many sixth generation games to discuss: Smash Bros Melee, Lego Star Wars, Battlefront, Destroy All Humans, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, GTA San Andreas, Metroid Prime 2, and so much more. Seriously, we talk about a record-breaking number of games this time. New episodes of Markers on the Map will return mid-January. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap for information and updates!

Markers on the Map's hottest episode is Gameageddon Part 2. This episode has everything. It has lore flashback to set the stage for next week's milestone episode. It has a big introduction to Super Mario Bros Wonder, a game so full of joy we'll be bringing multiple episodes on it come next year. It has a look at Hot Wheels Unleashed 2's many changes and improvements. It's even got a call to the Gameland helpline for some advice on Metal Gear Solid, a synopsis for an upcoming Dark Souls Christmas movie, and a look at some potential game of the year contenders. Put simply, this episode is full of stuff. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

In this issue, Peter and Miles are on their way to heal video games. This week, it's finally here: Spider-Man 2, and we have some spoiler-free early impressions of Insomniac's followup to their 2018 and 2020 masterpieces. So much has improved in all the right ways, and Spider-Man 2 is sure to be a game of the year frontrunner. We've also got a bunch of positive things to say about the Modern Warfare 3 beta, and discuss a little about that Activision Blizzard deal finally going through. It's been nearly two years. It only just now happened. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Season of the Glitch. After two years, the Gamekeeper brings you the newest installment of his Tales from the Map! Full spoilers are here for this year's top secret game, as well as the DLC of another game. We explore the plot and mechanics of a product that's been discussed for thirteen years now. Trapped between light and darkness, a seemingly normal vacation is turned into a horrifying case of fiction colliding with reality. And it just may be the episode's singular news story that is the most strange of all. Journey back in... to Tales from the Map. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

A brand new record! This week, in preparation for the upcoming specials and the advent of October's wild games release schedule, we tackle the long-running list of games we've meant to talk about for weeks and weeks. This includes things like Need for Speed Unbound, Saints Row, the Pokemon DLC, Lost Judgment, and a whole bunch more. Seriously, it's a lot. We also briefly discuss the new Sonic Frontiers update and our Modern Warfare 2 progress. After we clear the list, we've got some news this week, including Nintendo shutting down the 3DS and WiiU online, and a 60 frames update for a certain western game. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Starting October off with some spooky audio woes! This week, we delve into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and our experience playing the latest installment in the franchise for the first time. We go into positives, negatives, and everything in between as we begin our Spawn Battle Pass journey. We also take a quick look at Foamstars through its open beta. Is it like Splatoon? Kind of, but there's a lot more going on. We then begin discussion on some of the wild stories coming out of the gaming industry in the past few weeks. It's a lot. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

In the words of Trombone Champ, "Trumpet... the coward's trombone." This week, we delve into some of the best modern couch co-op games. We start with a long look at the fourth and fifth waves of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's DLC tracks, full of new courses and old favorites. Then, we head into madness with Vampire Survivors' truly addicting co-op mode. After that, we get a little silly with Trombone Champ's own brand of zaniness, from its unwieldy control schemes to its hilarious remixes of classical music. Not to mention, aside from all of this, Spawn is headed to Modern Warfare 2 for Halloween. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

New gaming meals featuring Live Service Sandwiches and Microtransaction Milkshakes. This week, the showcase crossover we never knew we needed: a Nintendo Direct and a Playstation State of Play on the same day! Join us as we discuss new games and updates, like Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Princess Peach Showtime, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and so much more. Two decent showcases show that the PS5 has some heavy hitters coming soon, and the Switch continues to dominate, even this far into its life cycle. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Sea of Stars does get a mention in this one. This week, it's a little different as we tackle a few topics in the current landscape of gaming. First, we take a look at the reception and criticisms of Starfield, which currently dominates game discourse. Later on, we talk about EA's patch for Jedi Survivor and how it makes a good case for waiting a few months for a AAA game to be fixed instead of buying it at launch. In the middle of this, we take a look at the Need for Speed series through the lens of Need for Speed Carbon. We also begin the X and Y season of Pokemon Drip! Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

The Markers on the Map Jumbo Coloring and Activity Book. This week, our special Launch Lineup segment returns for a third round - the Game Boy Advance. With its mid-2001 release date, a handful of interesting games were released alongside Nintendo's latest portable device. From Super Mario Advance to Castlevania, we'll take a brief look at each of them. After that, we discuss some of the new features and ideas revealed in the Super Mario Bros Wonder Direct, as well as the ridiculous price hikes in PlayStation Plus' three tiers. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.