Last Save Lounge: Stories About Video Games

About Last Save Lounge: Stories About Video Games

Last Save Lounge is a weekly video game podcast where host Aaron “TurboHoodie” Amendola interviews gamers, game developers, streamers, writers, and content creators about their favorite video games of all time. Each episode explores the personal stories, nostalgia, memories, and emotional impact behind iconic games, indie games, retro classics, horror games, JRPGs, and modern favorites. From Final Fantasy to Silent Hill, Last Save Lounge dives into why certain games stay with us long after the credits roll. If you love thoughtful gaming conversations, video game storytelling, gaming nostalgia, and deep dives into the games that shape people’s lives, Last Save Lounge is your new favorite gaming podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Aaron Amendola

Category

leisure · leisure · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Jan 2026

Latest episode

13 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

28 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Aug 2026

   Aaron got a new job! (A brief note on programming!)

   Aaron got a new job, which means his recordings time are FUNKY. Here's a note on what to expect. 🎮 About Last Save Lounge A show about the video games that saved our progress, and a little bit of us. Each week, host Aaron talks with a guest about the single video game that means the most to them. 💸 Becoming a Patreon member at Patreon.com/HoodieWeather (http://patreon.com/HoodieWeather) - Get ad-free episodes, bonus segments, and free games! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   4 Aug 2026

   Why Tears of the Kingdom Made Pea Cry Actual Tears at Midnight for HylianPeaPod

   What happens when the video game you've been waiting years for arrives during the hardest week of your life? This week on Last Save Lounge, the cozy gaming podcast about the games that saved our progress (and a little bit of us), I'm joined by Zelda content creator Pea of HylianPeaPod (Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube) to talk about her favorite game of all time: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for the Nintendo Switch. Pea didn't fall for Breath of the Wild right away — her first reaction at the midnight launch was that it wasn't "a normal Zelda game." But by the time Tears of the Kingdom arrived, everything had changed: the release landed during a genuinely difficult week, right after her dog was diagnosed with two illnesses, and she describes opening the game at midnight and bursting into actual tears. We talk about how Tears became her comfort and her escape that weekend — and still is today — why she thinks it improves on Breath of the Wild in nearly every way, her Twitch community built almost entirely around 100%-ing the game on stream, and her advice for anyone looking to start their own Zelda journey. In this cozy gaming podcast episode, we explore: The emotional midnight launch that turned Tears of the Kingdom into more than just a game for Pea Why she says "Breath of the Wild walks, but Tears of the Kingdom runs" Building her Twitch community and content career around Zelda Her favorite in-game builds, including the now-legendary "Korok Crusher 3000" Where to start if you've never played a Zelda game before If you love Zelda, cozy gaming podcasts, gaming memories, comfort games, games as escapism, Nintendo Switch games, or stories about the games that show up for us exactly when we need them, this episode is for you. Last Save Lounge is my weekly hangout for people who still think about the games that shaped them. Come find me @lastsavelounge on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. If you'd like to buy me a metaphorical coffee (I run on good conversations and caffeine), you can do that at patreon.com/hoodieweather. And if times are tough, you are too — you can still become a free Patreon member and get exclusive benefits. 🎮 About Last Save Lounge A show about the video games that saved our progress, and a little bit of us. Each week, host Aaron talks with a guest about the single video game that means the most to them. 💸 Becoming a Patreon member at Patreon.com/HoodieWeather (http://patreon.com/HoodieWeather) - Get ad-free episodes, bonus segments, and free games! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   21 Jul 2026

   Why Kevin Cortez Says Donkey Kong Country 2 Is the Pinnacle of 90s Platformers

   Is there a single greatest platformer of the 1990s? Kevin Cortez thinks so, and he's not shy about it. This week on Last Save Lounge, the cozy gaming podcast about the games that saved our progress (and a little bit of us), I'm joined by journalist and content creator Kevin Cortez — whose work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, HuffPost, and Mothership — to talk about his favorite game of all time: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest for the Super Nintendo. Kevin lays out exactly why — the tightened controls, the soundtrack, the level design that escalates from world to world, and a difficulty curve he calls "just right." We also dig into the distinction he draws between his favorite game and the most important one (that'd be Super Mario World), how DKC2 was the first game that taught him a sequel could actually surpass its predecessor, and what it was like revisiting the game as an adult to prep for this conversation. In this cozy gaming podcast episode, we explore: Why Kevin stands firmly behind Donkey Kong Country 2 as the best platformer of the 1990s The soundtrack, controls, and level design choices that set it apart from its predecessor Why Kevin draws a distinction between his "favorite" game and the "most important" game he's played How DKC2 taught him what a great sequel could look like His career writing for Popular Mechanics, HuffPost, Mothership, and more. Last Save Lounge is my weekly hangout for people who still think about the games that shaped them. Come find me @lastsavelounge on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. If you'd like to buy me a metaphorical coffee (I run on good conversations and caffeine), you can do that at patreon.com/hoodieweather. And if times are tough, you are too — you can still become a free Patreon member and get exclusive benefits. 🎮 About Last Save Lounge A show about the video games that saved our progress, and a little bit of us. Each week, host Aaron talks with a guest about the single video game that means the most to them. 💸 Becoming a Patreon member at Patreon.com/HoodieWeather (http://patreon.com/HoodieWeather) - Get ad-free episodes, bonus segments, and free games! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.