Y2Gamers
Y2Gamers
Ming Xie & Nick Quante
Welcome to the Y2Gamers Podcast, a place where two long time friends and gaming rivals co-op and talk about a golden age of gaming, anime, and geek culture at the turn of the millennium. Each week, across the Pacific Ocean, we explore a fun new topic through our unique and wacky vantage points and share plenty of laughs along the way! About the hosts: Ming is a long-time gaming enthusiast with a special love for fighting, racing, and role-playing games. He also loves anime, sci-fi, and all things Japanese language and culture. He currently works and lives in Beijing, China...where he misses driving and unfettered internet access a lot! On the US east coast, Nick is an active member of the North Carolina gaming community with a specialty in fighting games and impossibly hard bullet-hell shooters. He is also an avid runner and eats marathons for breakfast!
Chow Yun-Fat + 2 Guns + Baby = Hard Boiled
This week on Y2Gamers, we travel to the bloody streets of Hong Kong's underworld with action legends Chow Yun-Fat and Tony Leung in John Woo's epic Hard Boiled - his magnum opus before moving to America! And yes, there will be babies! :D So what are you waiting for? Time to squeeze those triggers and press that 'Play' button!
Apr 24
1 hr 36 min
WTF Is Happening?! The Unholy Difficulty of Gradius III
This week, we fly deep into the Bacterian Empire and face the insane challenge that await us in the original arcade version of Gradius 3! For those who grew up playing Gradius 3 on the SNES and have fond memories of it like I did, this certainly AIN'T IT! Prepare to experience some of the most difficult shooting levels ever to reach into your pocket and dissolve quarters by the truckload. Will we prevail or will the endless barrage of indestructible bubbles or homing crystals crus...
Feb 16
2 hr 32 min
Watching Gundam for the Very First Time!
Universal Century 0079... A lone BonusLizard sits down in front of his television and after decades of otaku fandom, finally embarks on a journey to the front lines of the epic One Year War in Mobile Suite Gundam...for the first time ever. Join us as we take a closer look at Japan's biggest anime franchises that has endured the test of time for nearly 50 years -- filling our man-child lives with great stories, toys, and games! So what are you waiting for? Time to press that 'Play' button!
Jan 13
1 hr 34 min
Riker’s Hell Part 2
This week on Y2Gamers, we return to the chaos that the Borg is reigning down on the Alpha Quadrant, but more specifically, everyone’s favorite first officer - William T. Riker. Join us as we recap the action and drama-packed episode of Best of Both Worlds Part 2, revisit some of the Nexf Gen classic games of the time, and share many many laughs at Warp Speed! So what are you waiting for? Time to hit that Play Button!
Dec 13, 2025
1 hr 5 min
Assimilating the Best of Both Worlds from Star Trek TNG
Captain's Log: November 19, 2025. After an extended shore-leave, the Y2Gamers crew has embarked on another fascinating mission: to explore a seminal moment in Star Trek history - the ambitious Best of Both Worlds from the Next Generation! Join us on the bridge of the Enterprise as we re-live some of the most challenging moments facing Picard's crew as they confront the Trek universe's most fearsome foe: the BORG Collective! Resisting this episode is futile!
Nov 19, 2025
1 hr 45 min
Ninja Turtles Arcade vs. NES: Our Impressions Shocked Us!
This week on Y2Gamers, we take a hit from Shredder's de-mutation ray-gun and crawl back into our shells to play two 90's uber-classics: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Arcade) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game (NES). Being arguable the centerpiece of many of your arcade and living room gaming experiences growing up, we put these two versions head-to-head and see which one gets the Pizza Pie! The results will surprise you! If you enjoy this episode, please considering li...
Jun 5, 2025
1 hr 52 min
You Mustn't Run Away...From This Special Evangelion Episode!
For our very last episode of 2024, we are bringing you a very special conversation about the Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series...a category-defining show that remains as powerful today as was almost 30 years ago. In this very special edition, we discuss how NGE TV has impacted us over the last 3 decades and how our impression of the show, as well as our understanding of its themes continue to transform as we age through life. This analysis is accompanied by discussions of how the maste...
Dec 31, 2024
1 hr 27 min
It's Not "Game Over, Man!" Until the Alien Queen Sings!
Just in time for Halloween, we travel this week into deep space, revisiting the terror on LV-426 in James Cameron's epic horror-action film: Aliens. Undoubtedly one of the most memorable blockbusters of the 80's, the film is full of iconic moments and quotes that live on nearly 40 decades later! Today, we take you through many of those classic moments, while providing some fun behind-the-scenes insights that will be sure to make your next watch-through an even richer experience! So ready th...
Oct 30, 2024
2 hr 6 min
Final Fight: Street Fighter II's Big Bad Daddy-O!
This week on Y2Gamers, Nick and I punch, kick, and piledrive our way through the rough, crime-filled streets of Metro City in Capcom's Final Fight. For the game that was intended to be Street Fighter's direct sequel, Capcom pulled out all the stops to ultimately craft a masterpiece that would literally define a new category of arcade brawlers for generations to come. Join us as we explore the revolutionary gameplay mechanics of the time, dish on our favorite baddies, and poke fun at th...
Oct 2, 2024
1 hr 53 min
Nick’s Tokyo Geekfest
Welcome to part two of Nick’s Tokyo adventures. After beating the Tokyo Marathon, Nick hung around for an additional week checking out all the geekiest delights Japan had to offer. From maid caffès to retro gaming arcades, we get into the nitty gritty details of how the holiest of destinations for Otaku culture has changed since Nick last set foot in Japan over 25 years ago! So settle in for another very special extended episodes of Y2Gamers! Time to press that Start Button! And as always,...
Sep 1, 2024
1 hr 52 min
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