The Hill Is Always Greener

The Hedgedel Test (ft. Prismaeya)

Have no fear! Amy Rose is here! Prismaeya returns to the podcast for a discussion about the female face of our favorite franchise. Amy's a character that's changed a lot over the years, running the gamut from starry-eyed fangirl to confident girlboss, and people are VERY vocal about their own preferences. Follow me and listen as we look back at this pink hedgehog's storied career, and try to hammer home whether there's a true balance to be found for a character that is so many people's sweet passion.
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Who is Amy Rose?(0:08:03) Classic Amy(0:14:40) Modern Amy(0:39:00) "Postmodern" Amy and Boom Amy(0:53:46) Archie Amy and STC Amy(0:59:45) Amy's theme songs(1:09:23) Amy's weapon(s) and abilities(1:19:56) Mika's Amy origins(1:31:01) Prime Amy(s)(1:36:15) Amy voices(1:52:45) FangGuu chimes in!(1:54:59) Ship talk(1:57:46) Final thoughts(2:13:35) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree

White Legs

Welcome to a world unique and beyond what you know from the Sega games! A world where black is white, up is down, and everyone's favorite blue hedgehog is...EVIL?! That's right, the gang is getting creative again today as they craft their own take on a mirror Sonic universe that we're calling "Scattered Rings"! What catastrophe could have left the world in such a state? What threat do our former heroes pose now that they've turned to the dark side? And just who is going to be left to stop them? You'll have to listen to find out as we take a peek through the looking glass at what could be...
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Let's create a mirror universe!(0:03:26) previous mirror universe fiction(0:19:37) "Scattered Rings"(0:22:40) Sonic/the status quo(0:42:53) Eggman(0:49:30) Knuckles(0:58:32) Tails(1:08:16) Amy(1:16:50) Metal Sonic(1:23:18) Shadow(1:45:26) Rouge(1:50:49) Team Chaotix(1:54:19) Cream(2:00:34) Team Hooligan(2:03:35) Blaze(2:06:50) Silver(2:09:50) Babylon Rogues(2:10:43) Deadly Six(2:11:20) Infinite(2:12:53) Big(2:14:20) Omochao, Orbot and Cubot(2:17:20) Final thoughts(2:19:16) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Transformers: The Basics on Shattered Glass

Mortality is Cool, Actually

It's our second anniversary, and we're ready for another year of talking about everyone's favorite hedgehog! So why don't we kick off year three by talking about...well, Sonic himself? That's right, all of...er, MOST of the gang are diving deep today into what really drives Sonic as a character. What are his the core aspects of his personality? How about his greatest flaws? Why do so many people believe Black Knight is "peak" as the kids call it? And at the heart of it all, they try to answer the big question: is there really one TRUE Sonic characterization...or does there even need to be?
(0:00:00) Intro(0:03:00) Main topic: Who is Sonic the Hedgehog?(0:10:49) Real quick recent Sonic-y stuff(0:13:30) Who is Sonic "objectively"?(0:27:36) Sonic's pre-Adventure "essence"(0:39:50) Older Sonic media that "gets it wrong"(0:44:30) Perfect examples of what makes Sonic "Sonic"(1:07:06) Black Knight and Unleashed(1:44:15) Sonic's flaws(2:10:17) What should Sonic NEVER do?(2:21:34) Our Sonic headcanons(2:37:46) Who is Sonic to us specifically?(2:51:40) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
The Animation of Sonic Frontiers
Hot Coffee by Adam Bryce Thomas

Well, This Sure is a Towel

Hoo boy, folks. Our journey through Sonic Prime has finally come to an end, as heroes and villains from across the Shatterverse come together for one final showdown against an emotionally compromised child and his robot army. Is it the grand finale we were all hoping for? Or would this ending have been better left banished to the darkest corners of the void? Tune in to find out!
(0:00:00) Intro(0:05:10) Year of Shadow, baby!(0:11:19) Main Topic: Sonic Prime "Season" 3(0:14:00) Grim Tidings(0:30:20) Dome Sweet Dome(0:35:30) No Escape-The Devil is in the Tails(1:05:40) From the Top(1:28:57) Final thoughts(1:50:40) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Police Story reference

Bumpkin Kong

Get ready... GO! It's time for a new episode of The Wood Village is Always Greener, as we hop in our cars, hovercrafts, and planes, traveling back to the late '90s so we can reminisce on a beloved classic kart racer, Diddy Kong Racing. We take a DEEP dive looking back at everything this game has to offer, from its colorful cast, to its many scenic circuits, to all the attempted follow-ups that never quite left the starting line. 
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Diddy Kong Racing(0:07:25) Development history (0:11:09) The characters(0:40:18) Gameplay(0:47:27) Battle mode (0:49:16) Adventure mode(0:59:07) Dino Domain(1:01:48) Snowflake Mountain (1:05:20) Sherbet Island(1:09:29) Dragon Forest(1:15:39) Wizpig's First Strike(1:21:14) Future Fun Land(1:24:31) Wizpig Strikes Back and other features(1:29:10) Diddy Kong Racing DS(1:44:48) The almost-sequels(1:56:23) Other media and merch(2:04:20) N64 vs. DS listening party(2:20:59) Final thoughts(2:22:41) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Diddy Kong Racing's Krunch -- Designing For Frustration
Donkey Kong Racing trailer
Diddy Kong Pilot prototypes
Diddy Kong Racing Adventure
The Fast and the Furriest
Mickey's Speedway USA beta maps
Rare Racers pins at Fangamer
DKR64.com

TL Note: Keikaku Means Roaming Romans

After much teasing, the gang is finally beginning their journey through the UK Sonic novels written by Martin Adams, who is totally a real person that exists, we swear. First up is Sonic in Robotnik's Laboratory, as Sonic and Tails race to rescue their friends from Robotnik's FAROUT machine, a device that is anything but. It's a tale filled romance, betrayal, fast food, rats, toasters, obscure localizations, bad-taste jokes about public figures, incomprehensible cockney rhyming, and a bunch of other stuff someone saw in a video once...what more could anyone ask for?
(0:00:00) Intro/our recent Sonic-y stuff(0:06:01) Main Topic: Sonic the Hedgehog in Robotnik's Laboratory(0:20:21) Story recap(2:09:56) Final thoughts(2:16:16) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Sonic the Comic the Podcast
STCTP interview with "Martin Adams"
Sonic the Hedgehog in Robotnik's Laboratory

Knuckles is a Short King (ft. Green Bones Dommy)

People don't always say what they mean, and things are not always what they seem. For example, we could say "the Sonic Underground episode 'Friend or Foe', Knuckles' first appearance in a western Sonic cartoon, is terrible and nobody should watch it." But what we actually mean is "we and special guest Green Bones Dommy watched this terrible episode, and had a blast laughing at its ridiculous animation, its often nonsensical plotting, and the Sonic franchise's all-time wolf-face power couple." So grab a plate of Krupnik and join us for our first ever look back at Sonic Underground...for better and for worse.
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic Underground - "Friend or Foe?"(0:12:15) The history (and OUR history) of Sonic Underground(0:30:50) The cast and thoughts on some other episodes(0:48:43) Theme song(0:53:13) "Friend or Foe?" episode discussion(1:37:56) Final thoughts(1:42:57) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
Sonic Underground - Friend or Foe
Ben Hurst interviews - Saturday Morning Sonic
Sonic Underground: The Greatest Hits
Sonic Underground commercial
"The Best of Anime II" commercial

Hydrokitty (Part 2)

We've locked on and locked in for the second half of our Sonic 3 & Knuckles retrospective! And this week, it's all about the "& Knuckles" part, as Sonic continues to clash with Robotic and his new red-dreaded rival across mushrooms, deserts, lava, and even space, in the conclusion to this epic Mega Drive duology.
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic & Knuckles(0:03:07) Mushroom Hill Zone(0:17:08) Flying Battery Zone(0:26:12) Sandopolis Zone(0:37:15) Lava Reef Zone/Hidden Palace Zone(0:56:00) Sky Sanctuary Zone(1:10:26) Death Egg Zone(1:27:49) The Doomsday Zone/Ending(1:38:40) Other bits and bobs(1:48:09) Final thoughts(1:57:09) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree

Hydrokitty (Part 1)

Happy anniversary to us! To celebrate 50 episodes of The Hill Is Always Greener, we're taking a look back at a game currently celebrating its own milestone anniversary, Sonic the Hedgehog 3! The capstone to the original trilogy provides for endless discussion, including how a whole separate game was made because of McDonald's, the *multiple* renditions of many music tracks, and the ongoing debate as to just what color Knuckles actually is. In fact, this episode ended up being so huge that, much like Sonic 3 itself, we had to split it in two! Tune in next week for our second half, all about Sonic & Knuckles!
(0:00:00) Intro/Main topic: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (& Knuckles)(0:08:45) The box art(0:11:38) The split/"lock-on technology"(0:21:58) Competition mode(0:24:55) Knock knock, it's Knuckles(0:28:20) Other changes and new features(0:36:32) The story(0:40:19) Our various versions(0:46:47) Angel Island (and Blue Spheres)(1:04:25) Hydro City(1:11:36) Marble Garden(1:17:32) Carnival Night(1:23:30) Ice Cap(1:30:03) Launch Base
Amie Waters on Linktree
The Sonic 3 and Laputa Connection
Retronauts Episode 524: Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Part 1
Retronauts Episode 542: Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Part 2

Barrot Cake (ft. Gospel)

I've heard of killing a franchise, but this is ridiculous! Sonic has been found dead, and everyone is under suspicion! To figure out just whodunit, it's going to take our crack team of podcast detectives, joined by special guest and visual novel creator Gospel, to find all the clues, interrogate all the suspects, and discover the truth behind what makes this free game from the Sega social media team such a delightful labor of love. And make sure you keep an eye out in the coming weeks for a full playthrough of the game by the cast of Sonic F!
(0:00:00) Intro(0:05:23) Main topic: The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog(0:18:45) Tutorial(0:30:57) Think!(0:42:09) Saloon car(0:51:00) Library car(0:55:40) Casino car(1:05:50) Lounge car(1:09:27) Conductor car(1:19:26) The finale(1:28:19) Final thoughts(1:45:00) Outro
Amie Waters on Linktree
The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
The Making Of The Sonic Murder Game That Took The Internet By Storm - Kotaku
How Sega Murdered Sonic The Hedgehog - Game Informer
SHINRAI - Broken Beyond Despair