The 10 best video game podcasts (2011)
A treat for your ears
Podcasts are a wonderful thing.
They allow you to suck up the latest news, reviews, opinions, releases, and announcements from the world of gaming without lifting a finger.
They're perfect for long train journeys, walks home from work, jogs around the countryside, and just about anywhere else you can think of.
The problem with podcasts, though, is that they come in three varieties: the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Yes, there are some real stinkers out there.
Luckily, Pocket Gamer has put in its earphones, cranked up the volume, and selected its ten favourite video games podcasts.
The Pocket Gamer iPhone gaming podcastFrequency: weekly
Running time: 45-60 minutes
We shamelessly begin proceedings with our own weekly podcast, which sees Will Wilson, Jon Jordan, and Keith Andrew get together for about an hour and talk about various iPhone and iPad tidbits.
There are news items, new releases, a chance to find out what the hosts have been playing each week, mishaps, re-recordings, and a selection of Will's rather excellent 'radio voices'.
Although the podcast focusses mainly on Apple's App Store and the waves of new games released for it each week, the Android, PSP, and DS platforms to get a mention occasionally, with Keith mentioning Windows Phone and webOS whenever he gets a chance.
Subscribe IndieGames.comFrequency: intermittent
Running time: 30-90 minutes
It's an understatement to say that Pocket Gamer's Mike Rose knows a bit about the world of the independent developer.
For one thing, Mike's written an excellent book that highlights the 250 indie games you must play. For another, he frequently suggests the many indie titles that pop up in Pocket Gamer's news section. Oh, and he helps produce a podcast over at IndieGames.com.
Each edition of the IndieGames.com podcast sees a different independent developer - such as Team Meat - jump into the hosting seat, before being grilled by Mike and his fellow editor Tim W.
It's a mixture of serious and informative questions, humour, light-hearted banter, and talk of satanic cults.
JoystiqFrequency: weekly
Running time: 45-100 minutes
The Joystiq podcast comes in two varieties: a weekly broadcast known as The Joystiq Show, and the less frequent With a Q, hosted by Justin McElroy, Chris Grant, and Ludwig Kietzmann.
The Joystiq Show is often frequented by special guests, including the likes of Wired's Chris Kohler and Touch Arcade's Eli Hodapp, with regular interviews and round-table discussions filling out the show's schedule.
With a Q, on the other hand, features a more light-hearted approach, complete with questions, banter, soundbites, and swearing on the various current-generation of home and portable consoles.
Subscribe PSM3Frequency: fortnightly
Running time: 50-90 minutes
Focussing on Sony, the PSM3 podcast delivers the latest news, previews, gossip, and opinions on the PlayStation 3, the PSP, and the upcoming PS Vita.
Hosted by PSM3's pun-tastic editor Dan Dawkins and the equally pun-loving Andy Hartup and Andrew Kelly, the podcast manages to strike a nice balance between informative and hilarious.
Subscribe Touch ArcadeFrequency: weekly
Running time: 10-80 minutes
Our arch-rival Touch Arcade also makes it into our top ten video games podcasts list, thanks - once again - to the magic formula of educational yet funny.
The Touch Arcade podcast airs in a weekly slot, usually kicking off with the new releases in the world of iPhone and iPad gaming, before the guys turn to other related topics, such as censorship.
The team's main podcast show is complemented by a smattering of bonus interviews with various iOS developers, which are posted online in between each new episode.
Subscribe
VideoGamer
Frequency: weekly
Running time: 100-120 minutes
The brand spanking new (as of June) VideoGamer podcast rose from the ashes of its previous two 'casts: On Topic and Free For All.
Luckily, it manages to merge the best bits from both, offering the latest news, reviews, and general chat on a wide variety of home, portable, and mobile consoles.
Don't worry, though, if you were an avid listener of the now deceased Free For All series: you'll be pleased to hear / read that Neon and the team never stay on topic for too long.
Subscribe Is It The Future Yet?Frequency: intermittent
Running time: 40-70 minutes
Hosted by Ben, Joey, and Jem, the Is It The Future Yet? podcast doesn't just cover video games: technology, movies, the web, and a plethora of related media are often the topics of conversation.
Games are rated using the world-famous (but very fictitious) Alexander scale, with the best of the best being regarded as 'good, good amazing'.
What's most impressive, though, is the sheer number of predictions made by the guys that turn out to be true.
Subscribe IGN UKFrequency: weekly
Running time: around 50 minutes
.jpg)
Once again, IGN UK's podcast is split into two different shows: your weekly dose of gaming, movie, tech, and entertainment news, and the less frequent Extended Play.
The latter is a brand-new feature series that focusses on a single new release for a period of three weeks.
The IGN team discusses the game for the first week, you guys get to have your say for the second week, and the third week marks the arrival of a guest who worked on the title.
Subscribe TouchGenFrequency: intermittent
Running time: 60-90 minutes
Nigel and the guys over at TouchGen stick to what they know best: the iPhone, the iPod touch, and the iPad.
Through a mix of humour, swearing, and 'Mum' jokes, the gang discusses the latest news, voice their opinions on the latest releases, and preview upcoming gems.
Unfortunately for dedicated listeners, podcasts from the TouchGen team can arrive in your feed months apart, but they definitely remain worth the wait.
Subscribe Slide to PlayFrequency: weekly
Running time: 40-60 minutes
The Slide to Play website focusses on iPhone and iPad gaming, so why would its podcast be any different?
Each week, there's discussion on the latest App Store arrivals, a section devoted to the games that the hosts have been playing, and a chance to ask your own questions.
The team regularly invites special guests into the mix, too, with the likes of ZeptoLab's Semyon Voinov turning up to be grilled on past, present, and future games.
Subscribe