Peas, A Rubber Band, And An IPad NPC: Next Portable Console podcast

46:07

This week, Retroid Pocket Flip 2 specs are out, the Legion Go S disappoints, and we try to decipher what AYANEO is doing before reminiscing over a PictoChat clone on the iPhone and discussing the benefits of having a personal videogame shopper in Japan, and Brendon’s experience with the black Miyoo Flip. Links and Show Notes Introducing NPC XL - More NPC, Every Week NPC: Next Portable Console is now weekly for everyone. Enjoy a new episode packed with handheld gaming news and other topics every Tuesday. We’re introducing NPC XL , a brand-new, members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon at $5/month. The video version of NPC will be published here going forward and includes all of the show’s back catalog as well as bonus material. NPC is joining the (awesome) TWG Discord server with a dedicated channel for community feedback and participation. Follow-Up Quiet Retro Handhelds Anbernic RG Cube TrimUI Brick Miyoo Flip The Latest Portable Gaming News New details about the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 https://liliputing.com/retroid-pocket-flip2-is-a-faster-handheld-game-console-with-upgraded-controllers/ Legion Go S reviews Lenovo Legion Go S review an overpriced, underachieving handheld Lenovo Legion Go S review feels good, plays bad Federico’s handheld update Sold: - ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02 See: MacStories Unwind Godzilla vs. Ticci’s Surprise, Part 2 AYANEO is teasing a new version of the Pocket Micro https://x.com/AYANEO__/status/1892869316410036575 Speculation is it’s a version with no analog sticks - https://liliputing.com/ayaneo-classic-will-probably-be-a-tiny-gaming-handheld-with-simplified-controllers/ AYANEO kills its Flip AYANEO says the Flip handheld isn’t cancelled after all Epilogue Operator news The SN Operator from Epilogue is close to taking pre-orders, and the company is working on a 64 Operator. Plus Game Boy Camera support for the original operator is close. The Game Boy Camera as a Webcam I Used a Game Boy Camera for FaceTime Video Calls in iPadOS 17 and It Was Glorious Interesting project to make Windows better on handhelds Winhanced Brings SteamOS-Like Experience to Windows Handhelds - Retro Handhelds Winhanced - A better Windows Handheld Also Mentioned: Playnite Topics PicoChat or PictoChat Can You Tell the Difference - MacStories A visit to the in Kyoto Brendon’s thoughts on the black Miyoo Flip Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/…

1
Brick Gang 53:17

9 days ago53:17

53:17

On the latest NPC, ASUS gaming phones, Retroid’s big surprise, and more Nintendo emulation drama, plus 8BitDo tries to solve the iPhone vertical controller problem, Federico weighs in on the Any Odin2 Portal, and the whole gang has nothing but love for the TrimUI Brick. Links and Show Notes Follow-Up Bazzite Potential Effect of Tariffs on Retro Handheld Collectors The Latest Portable Gaming News Chris Plante of Polygon reviews the AYANEO 3 Asus ROG Phone 9 FE launches as a (somewhat) cheaper gaming phone Asus ROG Phone 9 FE launches as a (somewhat) cheaper gaming phone Retroid Pocket Flip 2 Officially Teased Powkiddy taking pre-orders on V20 The Nintendo DS Drastic emulator is gone from Google Play 8BitDo Micro Clip 8BitDo Micro controller Amazon Direct Link to Clip Federico’s First Impressions of the Ayn Odin2 Portal Ayn Odin2 Portal TrimUI Brick The gang shares their love for the Brick Amazon Keepretro Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy…

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SteamOS on Windows with Bazzite 44:51

23 days ago44:51

44:51

This week, Brendon, Federico, and John consider how the Switch 2 will impact the wider handheld market, recap the specs and benchmarks for the Legion Go S and 2, and cover new devices coming from Anbernic and AYANEO. Then, Brendon shares his experience running Bazzite on the ASUS ROG Ally X. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News What handheld PCs should do to fight the Nintendo Switch 2 Everyone is Underestimating Mouse Mode No screen, no controller, and absolutely no sense, just a power button and a USB port. Steam Brick Mod Legion Go S and 2 Legion Go S Benchmarks Legion Go 2 - Hands on first impressions CES 2025 How to Play Steam Games on Android [Pluvia Guide] The $900 Ayaneo 3 is the most exciting PC handheld the company’s yet made Anbernic seems to have a new SP model called the RG34XXSP Running Bazzite on the ASUS ROG Ally X ASUS ROG Ally X Bazzite Dbrand Killswitch Also mentioned: RGB Docking Station Genki SavePoint Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy…

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Peas, a Rubber Band, and an iPad 1:21:27

5 weeks ago1:21:27

1:21:27

It’s a packed episode with a post Switch 2 reveal vibe check and more on iPhone game controller innovation, plus John’s early impressions of the Ayn Odin2 Portal, Brendon’s review of the Miyoo Flip, and Federico’s long 2DS/3DS emulation journey. Links and Show Notes iPhone Controller Innovation MCON’s Kickstarter Campaign 8BitDo’s Micro Controller Clip GamSir’s Unnamed Combo Controller and Battery Prototype More on Wavelengths and MacStories The Bitmo Lab GAMEBABY Ayn Odin2 Portal Website Retro Game Corps Review Miyoo Flip On AliExpress Brendon’s review on Wavelengths Brendon’s video on YouTube Federico’s 3DS Journey Microsoft Surface 2 Duo Steam Deck EmuDeck Emulation Station iPad Pro 4 Lenovo Legion Y700 (2024 model), available only from China Note : Brendon mentioned that it const $300, but that’s the 2023 model Example of graphics quality Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 , which will be available worldwide soon Nintendo 2DS Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/…

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Nintendo Switch 2: Reactions and First Theories 26:55

7 weeks ago26:55

26:55

On this special edition of NPC, Federico, John, and Brendon react to Nintendo’s video announcement about the Switch 2, dig through every detail of the video for clues, and consider how things are likely to play out in the coming months. Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Reactions Nintendo Switch 2 – First Look Trailer Nintendo Switch 2 Experience Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been announced, releasing 2025 GameCube Keyboard Controller GameCube Accessories Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/…

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Unpacking CES 2025 58:04

7 weeks ago58:04

58:04

In the first NPC episode of 2025, Brendon and John recap their CES experience with Federico, highlighting AMD’s new Z2 chips, the SteamOS-powered Legion Go S, and more. Together, they explore the technologies and trends poised to define the next generation of portable consoles. Sponsored By: Pika – Sign up today to start telling your story and use code NPC20 for 20% off your first year of Pika Pro. Links and Show Notes Unpacking CES 2025 More from Brendon and John on the MacStories YouTube channel AMD Announces the Z2 Chip The new AMD Z2 chips are nice, ok, and weird Other Devices Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025) brings AMD Strix Halo to tablets Up close with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 FE, an incredibly compact flagship video card Thunderbolt 5 and ASUS’s new XG Mobile eGPU ASUS just announced the world’s first Thunderbolt 5 eGPU — the 2025 XG Mobile SteamOS News GeForce NOW CES 2025 Steam Deck and Mixed-Reality Devices Lenovo Legion Go S pre-orders are happening now at Best Buy Polygon SteamOS expands beyond Steam Deck Lenovo Legion Tab Lenovo’s new Legion Tab is an 8.8 inch Android gaming tablet for $500 and up GameSir X2S Controller Nitro Blaze 11 Hands-on with the Nitro Blaze 11, Acer’s massive new PC gaming handheld Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web Federico and John: MacStories.net Brendon: Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/…

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The 2024 Handhelds of the Year Awards 1:06:19

9 weeks ago1:06:19

1:06:19

To close out 2024, Federico, John, and Brendon present the first-ever HOTYs: the 2024 Handhelds of the Year awards, celebrating the best handheld gaming devices, custom firmware, and, of course, the Handheld of the Year. Links and Show Notes The 2024 Handhelds of the Year Awards Best Handheld under 4" Winner: Anbernic RG35XXSP Runners-Up: Anbernic RG Cube AYANEO Pocket Micro TrimUI Brick Also Mentioned: Anbernic RG28XXH and RG49XXV Best Handheld Between 4 and 7" Winner: Any Odin 2 Runners-Up: Ayn Odin Mini Retroid Pocket 5 Best 7" or Larger Handheld Winner: Steam Deck OLED Runners-Up: Legion Go Asus ROG Ally X Best Custom Firmware Winner: MuOS Runners-Up: Spruce MinUI Best Overall Handheld for Retro Gaming Winner: The Smartphone Runners-Up: Anbernic RG35XXSP TrimUI Brick Ayn Odin 2 Best Overall Handheld for Modern Games Winner: Steam Deck Runners-Up Ayn Odin 2 Handheld of the Year Winner: Ayn Odin 2 Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Follow us on Threads MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Instagram MacStories Federico John Brendon Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/…

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Worst Cable, Favorite Handheld 1:09:44

11 weeks ago1:09:44

1:09:44

As the year comes to a close, handheld makers haven’t slowed down. We have new devices in hand and on the horizon, plus Legion Go S and Switch 2 rumors, Brendon’s first impressions of the TrimUI Brick, Federico’s latest NDI streaming experiments, new AR glasses and more. Sponsored By: Pika – Sign up today to start telling your story and use code NPC20 for 20% off your first year of Pika Pro. Links and Show Notes The MacStories DS Skins for Delta Celebrate the MacStories Selects App of the Year with the MacStories DS Skins for Delta Available for $3.00 on the new MacStories Store Follow-Up Jason Snell gets a Miyoo Mini+ Upgrade+ segment Based on Brendon’s recommendation The Two Best Entry-Level Handhelds Are On Sale Anbernic RG35XXSP hardware updates Pokémon Emerald Legacy Video Update: Pokémon Emerald Legacy Out Now The Latest Portable Gaming News Android XR Sony, Lynx, And Xreal Are Building Android XR Devices Too Android XR is Google’s new operating system for headsets and smart glasses Android XR and Project Moohan hands-on Gemini is the killer app Hands-On With Samsung’s Android XR Headset, Shipping In 2025 Anbernic Hour: Anbernic RG34XX Anbernic is Just Making a Game Boy Advance No Tweaks Necessary Miyoo Flip Watch Demo video A trailer First Miyoo Flip Reviews (Sort Of) Pop Up On Youtube Lenovo Legion Go S leak shows renders of the cheaper handheld gaming PC Blurry shots of purportedly leaked Switch 2 Joy-Con Topics TrimUI Brick: Brendon’s First Impressions No Tweaks Necessary My Simple TrimUI Brick Setup (MinUI Guide) Available from AliExpress and Amazon Federico Levels Up His NDI Setup Old device: Kiloview N40 New device: Kiloview N60 Vxio A Comprehensive Guide to Gaming on the Apple Vision Pro The XREAL One AR glasses On Amazon Satechi Mobile XR Hub Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Follow us on Threads MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Instagram MacStories Federico John Brendon Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/…

1
Putting the 'P' in Portable 1:08:14

13 weeks ago1:08:14

1:08:14

Tencent and Intel announce a huge handheld, Sony is taking its time, reviewers share early hands-on testing of the Ayn Odin Portal, the Miyoo Mini Flip is spotted across the Internet, Samsung files an intriguing portable gaming patent, and a new eGPU is on the way. Plus, Brendon revisits the Anbernic RG35XXSP, Federico has a mini-surprise, and John and Federico share their first impressions of the Retroid Pocket 5. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News An NPC reader poll Which will be first a Steam Deck console or Xbox handheld Mastodon : Steam Deck Console first (57% to 43%) Threads : An Xbox handheld will be first (73% to 27%) Tencent and Intel Announce the Sunday Dragon 3D One News about Sony’s upcoming handheld from Bloomberg Ayn Odin Portal first impressions are out Retro Game Corps - First Impressions The Miyoo Flip Returns Surfaced images of the carrying case, final hardware, and packaging 11 Anbernic Handhelds in 2024 Samsung Patents Foldable Gaming Handheld Design AOOSTAR AG02 EGPU Dock with OCulink/USB4 Port，Built-in Huntkey 500W Power Supply Topics Brendon Revisits the Anbernic RG35XXSP Anbernic RG35XXSP Anbernic RG351P Into the Aether - GBA episode Federico’s Surprise White Steam Deck Retroid Pocket 5 First Impressions Retroid Pocket 5 Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Threads MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Instagram MacStories Federico John Brendon…

1
A Handheld in Paris 1:04:48

15 weeks ago1:04:48

1:04:48

For the latest episode, Brendon explains the cronut, the AYANEO 3 Windows handheld has been announced, we consider Anbernic burnout, Federico shares his PS5 Pro first impressions, we speculate about Microsoft’s handheld future, and on the heels of Brendon’s trip to France, we have thoughts on traveling with handhelds and downsizing our handheld setups. Links and Show Notes Is the Cronut from New York? Cronut The Latest Portable Gaming News Hori’s officially licensed Steam controller is coming to the US Imagine if Valve made a Steam Deck controller tomtoc Carrying Case for Hori Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact The story of the Nintendo Switch in 15 slides VentureBeat The story of the Nintendo Switch in 15 slides VentureBeat AYANEO 3 handheld gaming PC will be available with RDNA 3.5 graphics and OLED display options - Liliputing The Anbernic RG406H Looks Like a Stretched RG Cube Nvidia’s new app replacement for GeForce Experience is now out of beta - The Verge Microsoft’s Gaming Chief Is Still Open to Acquisitions After Activision Deal - Bloomberg Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White - Launching Worldwide Next Week The Miyoo Flip Has Appeared Again Also mentioned: Federico got a Sony PS5 Pro Hori Splitpad Pro Compact Beelink SER8 A Travel Handheld AYN Odin2 Mini Any Odin handheld could be your only handheld console Waterfield CitySlicker for Steam Deck GPD Win4 2024 Retroid Pocket 5 vs AYN Odin 2 Mini: is $129 too much more? from Adin Walls Beelink GPU Docking Station Games Mentioned Dragon Age: The Veilguard Cool Bird! (feat. Dragon Age: The Veilguard Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Mario & Luigi Brothership Dragon Quest III HD–2D Remake Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky: NPC MacStories Federico Viticci Brendon Bigley John Voorhees Follow us on Threads MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Instagram MacStories Federico John Brendon…

1
Dream Devices 1:13:01

17 weeks ago1:13:01

1:13:01

This week, we have lots of smartphone gaming news, console mods, a first peek at the future of Windows handheld gaming, and more. Plus, John shares his first impressions of the Ayaneo Pocket Micro, while Brendon digs into OG hardware with the Nintendo DSi and Sony PSP. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News iOS Gaming News: Pokémon TCG Pocket Nintendo Music Console Mods: PS4 turned into a handheld Xbox handheld Other Handheld News: Anbernic RG ARC XX rumors Ayn Odin Portal Indiegogo campaign launched Ayaneo EVO and Pocket DMG delayed by a few weeks but the Pocket Micro shipped. Next-Gen Windows Handhelds: AMD’s Ryzen Z2 chips could bring Strix Point graphics to handhelds in 2025 (Updated) OneXFly F1 Pro Unveiled with 144Hz OLED, Ryzen Power, and ‘Zero Drift’ Sticks Smartphone gaming Asus ROG Phone 9 is coming on November 19 (gaming smartphone with Snapdragon 8 Elite) - Liliputing Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor featuring Oryon CPU cores and next-gen Adreno graphics 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller Apple rumored to be working on new App Store-like app dedicated to games Netflix is laying off gaming staff New Handhelds John covers the Ayaneo Pocket Micro Brendon has a new matte black Nintendo DSi and modded Sony PSP DSi Guide to modding the DSi Also mentioned: Kit & Krysta YouTube channel PXPlay app Other games mentioned: Soma Bringer Brave Story: New Traveler Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Threads MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Instagram MacStories Federico John Brendon…

1
Still Kickin' at the Videogame Store 1:06:02

19 weeks ago1:06:02

1:06:02

This week, Federico and John carry on without Brendon and profess their love of all things OLED. Plus, Federico shares a shopping confession, Anbernic is back to its bi-weekly ways, we explore inventive controllers and answer a listener question about the Ayn Odin 2, before Federico tells the origin story of his Wii, which he modded to offload his game library to his collection of handhelds. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Ayn announces Odin Portal MuOS Banana is out Brendon’s installation guide Federico’s Confession Ayn Odin Mini Hypatia texture pack for Wind Waker Budget Controller A less powerful RG Cube ANBERNIC’s Upcoming Leaked Handheld Could Feature Two Displays Pocket Play : An new iPhone controller coming soon to Kickstarter GameSir Taratuala Pro GameSir reveal trailer Techno Pocket Go A keyboard with a PC in it Alarmo Xbox will let you stream any game from your library Open Source Cartridge Reader CDRDAO How to dump your PSX Games (for Mac) Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Threads MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Instagram MacStories Federico John Brendon…

1
A Little SSD Cage 59:45

21 weeks ago59:45

59:45

This week, Federico, Brendon, and John cover the latest in Nintendo emulation, a mysterious Nintendo device appears at the FCC, John has a Switch surprise, Microsoft reveals its best-looking controller yet, and Federico mods his Legion Go. Links and Show Notes Intro Federico’s new white microphone arm: TONOR Microphone Boom Arm G-STORY 15.6" Inch IPS 4k 60Hz Portable Monitor Gaming Display Integrated with PS5 G-STORY 15.6 inch Portable Monitor | Xbox Series S The Latest Portable Gaming News Wii U on Android with Cemu Beta on GitHub Retro Game Corp. and Nintendo Ryuninx Shut Down What’s this new mystery Nintendo device? N64 Operator from Epilogue GB Operator by Epilogue Save the Hero cartridge reader EmuDeck Cloud Sync M-Con Controller M-Con update Retro Game Corps first look Switch Lite DIY OLED kit Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition Retro Remake Super 5 OLED Kits REDMAGIC gaming tablet Ghost Cipher Special Edition Series Xbox Controller Balatro Makes a Pile of Cash On Apple Arcade On App Store Leak suggests Legion Go Lite will be out soon Topics Federico’s Legion Go SSD Mod Legion Go Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Threads MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Instagram MacStories Federico John Brendon…

1
Switch 2 Ways 54:09

23 weeks ago54:09

54:09

This week, our thoughts on Nintendo Switch 2 rumors, Sony’s PS5 nostalgia-fest, and more handheld news. Plus, Federico explains how Astro Bot makes sense of the PS Portal, a look at the Anbernic RG40XXV retro handled, and we reach peak Joy-Con with Mobapad’s M6 HD. Links and Show Notes Federico’s Espresso Machine DeLonghi EC9355M La Specialista Prestigio Espresso Machine The Latest Portable Gaming News Switch 2 Rumors The Switch 2 may have leaked already Nintendo Switch 2: Everything we know about the coming release Rumor: Chinese Leak Reveals Alleged Nintendo Switch 2 Production Photos and Detailed Specs Also mentioned: Hori Split-Pad Compact Switch Controller Mobapad M6 HD Joycons Nintendo Switch Controller Pro Sony 30th Anniversary PS5 Connected, Episode 519 ‘I Got the RGB Going On’ Celebrating 30 years of PlayStation with a nostalgic look Also mentioned: Who is the PS5 Pro Actually For? FREKVENS speaker Retroid Pocket 5 and Mini Update AMD confirms Z2 Extreme chip, aims to boost PC gaming handheld battery life by over 300% HTC announces the Vive Focus Vision with color passthrough and an eye on gaming Who killed TouchArcade? Also mentioned: Blink PlayStation Portal Astro Bot Also mentioned: PlayStation Remote Play app gets renamed to chiaki-ng (chiaki-next-generation) Chiaki-ng Nintendo Wii Mini PlayStation TV was a baffling idea and I deeply love mine Anbernic RG40XXV Retro Game Corps. Review On Amazon Mobapad M6 HD Joycons Nintendo Switch Controller Pro Games Mentioned Final Fantasy: Rebirth Astro Bot UFO 50 Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Threads MacStories Federico John Brendon Follow us on Instagram MacStories Federico John Brendon…

1
Pillow Talk 57:00

25 weeks ago57:00