Illustration “inspired” by one hilarious photo of the Penny Arcade chaps.

By all accounts, 2006 was a banner year for video games. Two brand-spankin’ new systems launched, existing consoles and handhelds started rolling out their second-generation titles and loads of new functionality, and, generally, the triple-A titles flowed like water. Yet, while everyone else is predictably compiling their “Best Darn Games of 2006″ lists, I’m struck by an entirely different development in gaming that was much more significant to me:

2006 was the year it became more fun for me to listen to people talk about games than it was to actually play them.

Seems an odd thing to say for someone who’s been a bona fide video game junkie for almost 30 years now. Even so, the advent—and rapid proliferation—of gaming podcasts has given me an all-new obsession. Don’t get me wrong, I bought the two new systems (and most the triple-A games) and I’m spending an unhealthy amount of time sampling their pleasures. But, you know, as interesting as it is to play Zelda with the Wii’s innovative new control scheme, it’s orders of magnitude more interesting to hear a cadre of gaming journalists go 15 heated rounds about its merits and shortcomings.

Having a player full of gaming podcasts is like having a radio station tailored to you. In my case, that station is equal parts insightful commentary, candid opinions, inappropriate language, and a maddening level of fanboy myopia that can raise my blood pressure faster than conservative talk radio. I look forward to new episodes of my favorite ‘casts in much the same way one’s mother might anxiously await the night her “stories” are on TV.

So then, in lieu of yet another top games of the year list (which I still reserve the right to foist upon you), here are the five gaming podcasts, from my lineup of just over 30, that were the most significant to me in 2006. Note that I didn’t say they were “the best” or “the smartest” or “the funniest.” There are some of these I listen to expressly because they are none of those things. Try them out and let me know what you think (they’re all available through iTunes or their respective web sites):

5. XBL Radio Live on Live (episodes ending in “.5″)

Ever wonder what it might be like to talk to that prick that kept teabagging you on Xbox Live last night? That’s the (likely unintentional) theme of this podcast. The concept is really quite clever: the hosts round up a handful of Average Joes from the online service, set them all up in a game lobby, and cover the topics of the day—replete with the audio shortcomings you’d expect from such an endeavor. It usually turns out being a pretty telling slice of who and what you’ll find playing Gears, Halo, Rainbow, and [insert more games where you shoot people in the face]. Also offered on every other week is a standard “two-guys-reading-the-news” podcast, but the roundtables are the ones that really pique my interest. All the hosts are tried-and-true Microsoft fans—often using words like “we” and “us” when referencing Microsoft, much like a fan of a local sports team. They’re sort of otherwise casual gamers, as evidenced by their choices for game of the year: Gears of War (predictable), Geometry Wars (inexplicable), and UNO (uh… Christ, I have no adjective to describe that). Funny, scary, boring, revealing, interesting, infuriating stuff. Drinking game: take a shot of Jager and Red Bull every time you get skeeved out by the host’s voice, or every time the co-host says “dude.”

4. The 1up Show

Officially the closest thing you’ll ever find to a legitimate video game-related television program—yeah, I said it, fuck you, G4. It’s not Hollywood slick, but it is substantially more polished than you might expect, thanks to both the ingenuity of 20-somethings with video cameras/computers and the deep pockets of Ziff Davis. More importantly, it’s usually packed to the gills with game footage you haven’t seen anywhere else and plenty of chat about what you’re looking at. The loosely scripted format works most of the time, but some of the “spontaneous” discussions about games are pretty stilted. It also features one of the most insidiously catchy theme songs you’ll ever punch yourself in the face for humming. Drinking game: down a Cement Mixer on every gratuitous slow-motion, fade-out transition.

3. The CAGcast

Cheap Ass Gamer has always been a very useful web site—picture slickdeals.net for video game shoppers. Ever a terrific source for the best deals on games and gaming ephemera, the site is now also an excellent source of weekly entertainment with the addition of the CAGcast. One of the best things about this podcast is the bullshit-, bias-, and fanboy-free manner in which the hosts, CheapyD and Wombat, present information about games. Whereas the typical games journalism site enjoys the benefit of playing anything and everything for free, these cheap ass hosts are careful not to waste their money, or their time, on games that aren’t worth either. The two have a nice rapport and complement each other well. An added hook for this show is the fact that CheapyD lives and games in Tokyo. This gives the program a rather unique international perspective—particularly when, as was the case this year, new consoles launch. Drinking game: slam a Kirin every time Cheapy utters a dismissive “very nice” at Wombat.

2. Downloadable Content, The Penny Arcade Podcast

To call the appearance of these phantom podcasts sporadic would be an absurd understatement. They appear mysteriously at random intervals (they published two in March, four in April, one in June, one in September, and two in October) and with nary an announcement on their main page. But I get all kinds of excited every time iTunes taps me on the shoulder to let me know there’s a new episode. These are fly-on-the-wall recordings of Gabe and Tycho coming up with concepts for their latest strip. In addition to being a fairly fascinating look into the creative process, they also serve as hilarious commentary on the world of games. These two are wicked smart and wickedly funny—which makes for an entertaining ride. Even though they’re few and far between, the shows hold up to repeated listenings (I particularly recommend the episode titled “The Same As It Ever Was”). Drinking game: sip some Courvoisier every time Tycho “Shizzolates” a word.

1. 1up Yours

This show is pretty much my definition of what a gaming podcast should be: take four guys who play tons of games and know their shit, lock them in a room with some microphones and some booze, then let them go at it for a couple hours. It’s interesting to hear professional games journalists take the gloves off and really lay into a game, each other, the industry, etc. It’s the kind of thing you’ll never get from a magazine—it’s just too raw, dawg. Drinking game: take a shot of fine Kentucky Bourbon every time someone says “not so much” or “confirmed.”

Other gaming podcasts to round out your lineup could (and probably should) include:

Gamespot’s HotSpot and On the Spot - Jeff Gerstman is one of only a handful of reviewers I trust. His presence alone makes these worthwhile.

Player One Podcast - Former EGM editors Greg Sewart and Chris Johnston have started their own independent podcast. It’s fairly new, and very low-key—but solid.

EGM Live - Much like the 1up Yours podcast, with a different (and less entertaining, frankly) cast of characters.

GameTrailers.com Video Reviews - Nice, bite-sized review morsels delivered straight to your iPod.

Next Generation Podcast - Tends to be more focused on the business of games, but still contains plenty of interesting information. Has a little more international flavor, as it’s hosted on the other side of the pond.

PC Gamer Podcast - The panel seems to have a serious distaste for consoles and console gamers, but this is a good show nonetheless.

Xbox Live’s Major Nelson - Perfect for Microsoft sycophants and people who are looking for a reason to punch their iPod in the nuts.

The Fanboys Lunchcast - Well, duh.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 1st, 2007 at 2:29 pm and is filed under General Gaming, Podcasts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.