Starter Quest
A podcast where we look at classic video games through the eyes of a noob. Each episode, Alessandro Crolla shares his 30 years of gaming experience with gaming newcomer Jen Hughes by taking a deep dive through a classic game, to see how it holds up to fresh eyes and beginner thumbs.
Episodes

Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Side Quest 01 - DLC 2022
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Welcome to our very first bonus episode of the podcast; Side Quest.
In this inaugural episode, we take a look back over our first full year (and the 2 episodes from 2021) of the podcast. We give our thoughts and feedback on each episode, share our highlights, and make some corrections to the mistakes we made. We also share some cut content from our first 8 episodes to bring you a few outtakes, derailed discussions, and other hilarious pieces we salvage from the cutting room floor.
CONTENTS(00:26) Introduction(02:08) Super Mario Bros 3(10:36) Secret of Monkey Island(14:58) Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen(18:47) Sonic the Hedgehog 2(25:49) Doom(31:07) Earthbound(34:02) Street Fighter 2 vs Mortal Kombat(40:16) Resident Evil(44:32) Final thoughts, and favourite & worst episodes(48:10) Outtakes(01:21:23) Outro

Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Kirby Superstar
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Our first episode to feature a guest host as we invite our editor Mark O'Hare out from the editing booth to come talk about one of his favourite games. We go back to the world of platforming for a game (or should I say 8 games) with Nintendo's most adorable pink abomination, in Kirby Superstar. Come join us for platforming’s last chance to impress our resident noob before she writes the genre off as something she doesn’t like.CONTENTS(00:14) Introduction (04:30) Pre-playthrough interview(16:41) Rules of gameplay(18:02) Intermission to post-playthrough(25:32) History & design (33:30) Music(36:14) Spring Breeze(42:12) Gourmet Race(43:43) Dyna Blade (52:13) Megaton Punch(53:20) The Great Cave Offensive(01:00:27) Samurai Kirby(01:01:26) Revenge of the Meta Knight(01:07:59) Milky Way Wishes(01:21:04) Final Ranking(01:22:53) Aftermath, legacy, & Final analysis(01:33:08) Write-in stories(01:36:08) Conclusion - The 3 Jens

Monday Oct 31, 2022
Resident Evil
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Happy Halloween! To celebrate the month of scares we play our first PlayStation game to play the highly influential zombie classic Resident Evil. Come join our cowardly noob as we try to spend a night alone in the house of survival horror.
CONTENTS(00:20) Introduction (03:52) Pre-playthrough interview(17:79) Rules of gameplay(20:03) Intermission to post-playthrough(25:01) History & design (35:14) Music(42:03) The back story & opening scenes(51:10) Chapter 1 - Meeting the Mansion(01:11:18) Chapter 2 - To the Guardhouse(01:17:16) Chapter 3 - Back to the Mansion & into the Sewers(01:26:05) Chapter 4 - Finding the Secret Laboritory(01:42:13) Chapter 5 - The Final Escape(01:49:10) Compared to Chris - The other playthrough(01:55:50) Aftermath, legacy, & Final analysis(02:08:16) Write-in stories(02:12:34) Conclusion - The 3 Jens

Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Street Fighter II v Mortal Kombat
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Come join us for our first double feature episode! We take the battle to the arcades to find out which classic fighting game is going to take home the title of Starter Quest Champion; between the Japanese legend Street Fighter II, and the American classic Mortal Kombat. Two games will enter, and only shall leave with the title of being better for our resident noob!
CONTENTS
(00:37) Introduction (05:19) Pre-playthrough interview(26:29) Rules of gameplay(27:43) Intermission to post-playthrough(33:03) History & design (50:17) Street Fighter II - The plot (ish)(52:30) The Fighters 1 - Chun-Li, Ryu, Ken, E. Honda(01:12:21) The Fighters 2 - Blanka, Zangief, Guile, Dhalsim(01:30:43) The 4 Heavenly Kings - Balrog, Vega, Sagat, M.Bison(01:47:51) Victory! Ending cutscenes(01:54:12) Jen's Street Fighter II tier list(01:57:13) Mortal Kombat - The plot(01:58:21) The Fighters 1 - Liu Kang, Raiden, Kano(02:08:57) The Fighters 2 - Johnny Cage, Sub Zero, Scorpion, Sonya(02:22:39) The Final Fights - Endurance run, Goro, Shang Tsung(02:33:08) Victory! Ending cutscenes, and the absence of Reptile(02:45:30) Jen's Mortal Kombat tier list(02:47:53) Aftermath, legacy, & Final analysis(03:01:43) Write-in stories(03:05:26) Conclusion - The 3 Jens (plus a bonus Jen)

Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Earthbound
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
We play our first game on the Super Nintendo to play a proper J-RPG this time with the deeply underrated Earthbound. Come listen along as we hear the tale of Jen’s out of this world experience with a game that is supposedly a stinker (according to the ads).
CONTENTS
(00:18) Introduction (06:27) Pre-playthrough interview(21:46) Rules of gameplay(23:50) Intermission to post-playthrough(36:36) History & design(46:04) Prologue(50:15) Starting off - Onett & Twoson(58:55) Jeff joins the jam - Threed & Fourside(01:13:59) I dream of Poo - Summers to Scaraba(01:21:16) The last notes - Deep Darkness to Lost Underworld(01:25:17) All the melodies - Magicant to Giygas(01:31:14) Giygas... Just Giygas... And epilogue too(01:41:41) Aftermath and analysis(01:46:35) Write-in stories(01:51:55) Conclusion - The 3 Jens

Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Doom (1993)
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
We go back to the world of PC gaming to introduce Jen to her very first FPS game, as we summon the highly influential Doom from the depths of hell. Come listen in as Jen starts to descend into madness by putting herself through the worst that hell has to offer.
CONTENTS
(00:25) Introduction (03:47) Pre-playthrough interview(14:23) Rules of gameplay(19:30) Intermission to post-playthrough(25:11) History & design(38:05) Story recap(43:11) Episode 1 - Knee Deep in the Dead(58:25) Episode 2 - The Shores of Hell(01:03:48) Episode 3 - Inferno(01:09:19) Episode 4 - Thy Flesh Consumed(01:17:33) Aftermath, analysis, and legacy(01:28:29) Write-in stories(01:32:41) Conclusion - The 3 Jens

Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
We take our first trip to Sega’s side of the nineties to see how they do what Nintendon’t with their mascot franchise, as we review Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (the game, not the movie). Listen in as we take a journey to see if Jen can keep up with the fastest character in gaming and his bizarre influences.

Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
We get out our Game Boy Advance SPs and go through our first RPG game to play the legendary Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen. Listen along and find out how Jen handles an adventure of catching Pokémon, winning gym badges, fighting Team Rocket, and trying to find silly nicknames for all her monsters.

Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
The Secret of Monkey Island
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
We take our first look at the adventure game genre and play the PC cult classic of The Secret of Monkey Island. Come join us as we find out which makes us laugh first; this game's sense of humour, or Jen's ability to handle point & click mechanics.

Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Super Mario Bros. 3
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
We welcome you through the wonderful journey of exploring classic video games through the eyes of a newcomer. In the first episode, we go back to the NES and play one of the best titles on the system in Super Mario Bros. 3. Join us to see how a platforming noob can handle gaming's most iconic character.