Latest Articles
Latest Articles
Weekend at Dave’s – Episode 4: David talks the risks of open-world design, a Google Stadia-driven future, and why he’s so darn excited for PAX East 2019.
An OoT Speedrun Like No Other For the speedrunning community, no game is as popular to run and watch as Ocarina of Time–save for (maybe) Super Mario 64. With seemingly as many glitches as there are runners, Link can do…
Welcome to Part One of a three-part retrospective chronicling my experiences with Nintendo’s iconic Super Smash Bros. series. Parts Two and Three will be rolled out in the coming weeks, so if you enjoy the piece, be sure to stay tuned for future entries!
Let’s Talk About That Esports Dress Recently, esports clothing shop Cranium Apparel announced their new, first of its kind esports dress. And its reception has been less than ideal, to say the least. I’m going to tell you how I…
What Happens When You Play a Game Decades After Its Height? Here’s something that everyone on this planet has experienced: Somebody is telling you a story with great enthusiasm hoping to elicit a certain response from you, yet when you…
Daaaaaaaaamn, Nintendo, Back At It Again With the Sexist Design I love Fire Emblem. I really do. For all the plans I have for articles that will seem to contradict that, Fire Emblem is the franchise I always come back…
Examining the Best and Worst of Romance in Games Happy February! Valentines’ Day recently came and went, and Anna and I decided to celebrate in the traditional fashion—arguing! We have pretty different opinions on romance mechanics in games—here are our…
In our OlliOlli: Switch Stance review, learn whether Roll7’s two classic skateboarding games hold up in the move to the Nintendo Switch.
The Punished Podcast
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In this Fantasy Gaming-centric episode, we recap the first half of 2026 before delving into our first waiver wire of the year.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the rise and fall of E3, game trailers, authenticity, and the big bucks.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the past, present, and future of games media and journalism.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we reflect (and debate) the games that should be prioritized in our backlog in 2026.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the role of review scores in the gaming industry, especially for us as critics.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss and listen to the best video game soundtracks, composers, and sound design.
Punished Notes
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In the latest Punished Notes, Sam talks about Splatoon Raiders, Kingdom Hearts, Denshattack!, and…baking?
In a Punished Notes dedicated entirely to Resident Evil Requiem, Sam wonders if the post-zombification of the game’s world bears a resemblance to our own post-pandemic one.
In his latest Punished Notes, Sam gets into some New Year’s Gaming Resolutions, as well as a few predictions (and hopes) for some big gaming anniversaries coming up. Also: Wuthering Heights?
In the latest Punished Notes, Sam covers Doritos and Mountain Dew games, Kirby Air Riders, and… the blues?
In this edition of Punished Notes, Sam discusses how the incredible fall game release lineup is kind of killing him, among other thoughts
In the latest edition of Punished Notes, Sam talks about Lumines, visual novel and Roger, and other random thoughts from random games.
Punished Chat
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Mina the Hollower released last month to rave reviews. How do the writers at The Punished Backlog feel about it?
As part of our Game of the Year coverage, here are some DIFFERENT awards for the year’s best games!
Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of this year’s biggest new releases. What do the writers at The Punished Backlog think of it so far?
From the classics to new releases, we discuss the “Big Three,” the best anime ever, and what makes these series stand the test of time.
Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the biggest game releases of 2025. Does it work? Does it deserve its score of 91? We share our thoughts.
On the fence about Nintendo’s latest console? Six of our writers sat down to share our initial Nintendo Switch 2 impressions.
Punished Favorites
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Some of the best indie games and AAA games of 2026 are already here! Our list covers 18 (and counting) great video games.
From the bird and the bear to the earliest console shooters, here are The Punished Backlog’s top 16 Nintendo 64 games of all time!
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Game Boy Advance, here are The Punished Backlog’s favorite GBA games of all time!
The Punished Backlog writers have already covered their favorite Pokémon games. But what about our actual favorite pocket monsters?
In our list of the best Pokémon Games, find out how the generations stack up in honor of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.
In our list of the best GameCube Games, see how classics like Metroid Prime, Melee, and Double Dash stack up.