This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others & games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

My guest today is David McCarthy who you'll probably recognise from the radio. He has worn many hats in the video game industry, from staff writer at Edge, to Rockstar Games and ultimtely to Japan, where he's worked for a number of video game companies over the past 6 or 7 years.

There's a bunch of serious video game chat including the allure of Sonic, why Halo was so important, the majesty of Bangai O, the underappreciated brilliance of Dead or Alive Extreme Beach Volleyball and how the latest iteration of Fire Emblem stamps on the glory of the original titles.

We also hit on the magic of pen and paper role playing, his unlikely switch from investment banking to video game journalist, dealing with the Hot Coffee incident while working at Rockstar, the burgeoning Japanese Indie Game scene and that time he was blown up on the tube.

"May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce."

PATREON - patreon.com/checkpoints

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Games discussed: Gauntlet, Sonic the Hedgehog, Magic the Gathering, Puyo Puyo, Goldeneye, Bangai O, Dead or Alive Extreme Beach Volleyball, Halo, Mortal Kombat, Fire Emblem, Mutant League Football, Hearthstone, Shadowverse, Snooker, John Madden, Super Monkey Ball, AKB48 - the game.

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Twitter - twitter.com/CheckpointsShow

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki