Y-Button

Reset: Awestuck

Kyle Starr — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:35:21 -0800

On this special epsiode of Y-Button, host Kyle Starr takes a moment to reflect on his relationship with games and games related media in a time of life changes, growing responsibilitites, and future considerations.

------

Social

Host: Kyle Starr
Bluesky | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Bluesky | Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

16. Kevin Nguyen (Author, Features Editor @ The Verge)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 08 May 2025 00:00:00 -0700

Kevin Nguyen, author and Features Editor at The Verge, discusses his new novel "Mỹ Documents", what it means to write about video games, comparisons between mediums as a critic, and the unfortunate sale of Polygon.

(01:30) - Intro and Blue Prince
(03:08) - The sale of Polygon to Valnet
(06:42) - Pivoting to My Documents
(15:04) - Brazil and Bossa Nova in New Waves and My Documents
(16:34) - First gaming memory
(18:47) - How does gaming come up in the writing?
(30:08) - Gaming sweet spots
(34:40) - A-ha moments
(37:24) - Favorite games
(39:37) - What is the draw to games?
(46:36) - Lightning round
(50:43) - The future of games
(51:58) - Blue Prince pro strats
(52:46) - Final thoughts

------

Links

"Mỹ Documents" (Penguin Random House)

"New Waves" (Penguin Random House)

Strong Songs Podcast (Website)

Game Maker's Toolkit - Developing (YouTube)

Press Reset: The Story of Polygon (YouTube)

------

Social

Guest: Kevin Nguyen
Bluesky

Host: Kyle Starr
Bluesky | Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Bluesky | Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

15. Andy Robertson (Ludocene, Family Gaming Database, Taming Gaming)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:00:00 -0800

Video game journalist Andy Robertson discusses his new project Ludocene — a game discovery service in the form of a deck-building dating app. Ludocene is based on human-curated data and offers users the ability to augment their recommendations with filters and "Expert cards" — games journalists and trusted curators who've been paid to provide recommendations — to offer a truly one-of-a-kind discovery experience.

Andy also dives into his origins with video games and why he thinks they're important for people of all ages and the culture at large.

------

Links

Ludocene (Kickstarter)

Family Gaming Database (website)

Taming Gaming (Unbound | Amazon)

------

Social

Guest: Andy Robertson
Bluesky | Twitter/X

Host: Kyle Starr
Bluesky | Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

14. Alanna Okun (Writer, Programmer)

Kyle Starr — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Writer and programmer Alanna Okun shares how video games influenced the recent decision to leave her tenured career in journalism for an education in interactive technology — a conversation through the boom and bust of the 2010s media landscape to a revelation of control and expression found in making video games.

------

Links

bitsy (website)

Knit a Hat: A Beginner's Guide to Knitting (Microcosm Publishing)

NYU Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) (website)

------

Social

Guest: Alanna Okun
Website | itch.io | Instagram

Host: Kyle Starr
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

13. Tasha Sounart (Creative Director @ Pixar, Theme Parks)

Kyle Starr — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Pixar Creative Director (Theme Parks), Tasha Sounart, discusses her career journey, from animating at Pixar on A Bug's Life through Cars to directing Double Fine's Costume Quest, to her return to Pixar and overseeing the implementation of Pixar properties in Disney Parks. She shares how video games influence physical attractions, gaming as a family, and her fondness for RPGs and MMOs.

[DISCLAIMER: Kyle here. My Host audio quality is subpar in this episode. I failed to realize that I was peaking a bit when captured. AJ did everything in their power to clean this up, but there's only so much that can be done with poorly captured audio. I've listened back to this episode a few times and I don't feel it detracts from Tasha's interview whatsoever. That said, I'll be more mindful in the future.]

------

Links

Pikuniku (website)

Pixar pixel-art tile artwork (LinkedIn)

------

Social

Guest: Tasha Sounart
Mastodon | LinkedIn

Host: Kyle Starr
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

12. Simon Parkin (Journalist @ The New Yorker, My Perfect Console)

Kyle Starr — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Award-winning journalist and non-fiction writer, Simon Parkin, discusses his journey into journalism, curiosity about video games, the transition from 2D to 3D gaming, and informing the broader culture about the medium.

------

Simon Parkin's website (with links to his books, articles, and audio)
simonparkin.com

My Perfect Console
shows.acast.com/my-perfect-console

Pushing Buttons newsletter from The Guardian
theguardian.com/games/series/pushing-buttons

Raiden (Youtube)

DoDonPachi (Youtube)

Return of the Obra Dinn
obradinn.com

Chants of Sennaar
rundisc.io/chants-of-sennaar/

"The Wager" by David Grann
davidgrann.com/book/the-wager/

------

Social

Guest: Simon Parkin
Instagram | Twitter/X

Guest Show: My Perfect Console
Instagram | Twitter/X

Host: Kyle Starr
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

11. Chris Plante (Editor-in-chief @ Polygon; The Besties podcast)

Kyle Starr — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800

Chris Plante, Editor-in-chief of Polygon and co-host of The Besties podcast, chronicles his journey into games journalism, his fondness for "7/10 (rated)" video games, and what makes video games different (and the same!) as other mediums.

------

Polygon: Gaming and Entertainment News, Reviews, and More
Polygon.com

The Besties (podcast)
themcelroy.family/besties

The Besties (newsletter)
thebesties.substack.com

GameDiscoverCo (Simon Carless's awesome newsletter)
gamediscover.co

1994 Fisher Price Magna Mover Town
Youtube

------

Social

Host: Kyle Starr
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

10. Stephen Hilger (Into the Aether podcast)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Stephen Hilger, co-host of Into the Aether podcast, discusses the power of video games on childhood, art, and imagination.

------

Into the Aether
intothecast.online

------

Social

Guest: Stephen Hilger (Into the Aether)
Twitter/X | Instagram

Host: Kyle Starr
Mastodon | Threads | Twitter/X | Instagram

Show: Y-Button
Mastodon | Twitter/X

9. Tom Mullen (Washed Up Emo)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Music industry extraordinaire and founder of Washed Up Emo, Tom Mullen, joins the show to discuss his lifelong fascination with video games, the link between music and games, staying relevant with the youths, and his love of strategy guides. Can you guess the song he brought to Guitar Hero III?

------

Washed Up Emo
https://www.washedupemo.com/

Is This Band Emo?
http://isthisbandemo.com/

------

Music

'Liminal Fields' by Vulture Feather

https://vulturefeather.bandcamp.com/album/liminal-fields

------

Social

Guest: Tom Mullen (Washed Up Emo)
Twitter | Instagram

Host: Kyle Starr
Mastodon | Threads | Twitter | Instagram

Show: Y-Button
Mastodon | Twitter

8. AJ Fillari (Podcast Producer: Into the Aether, Ten Very Big Books, Y-Button)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Y-Button producer AJ Fillari doubles up as a guest to discuss their fascination with games, why video games media doesn't get old, how chip tunes change their world, and why it's important to enjoy the simple act of playing.

Podcasts

Ten Very Big Books - A Malazan Read-through Podcast
https://www.patreon.com/tenverybigbooks

Into the Aether - A Low Key Video Game Podcast
https://intothecast.online/

Asynchronous - A Video Game Catch-Up Show
https://feeds.transistor.fm/asynchronous

Frog of the Week
https://frogpod.online/

Music

'Atebite and the Warring Nations' by Disasterpeace

https://disasterpeace.bandcamp.com/album/atebite-and-the-warring-nations

'Simulant Rain' by _amaranthine
https://amaranthine.bandcamp.com/album/simulant-rain

------

Social

Guest: AJ Fillari
Twitter | Mastodon

Host: Kyle Starr
Mastodon | Threads | Twitter | Instagram

Show: Y-Button
Mastodon | Twitter

7. Paul Levering, Paul Owens (Filmmakers @ Double Fine: PsychOdyssey, 2 Player Productions)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Paul Levering and Paul Owens discuss the history of 2 Player Productions, the game development insights they learned over seven years of filming PsychOdyssey — Double Fine's 32 episode documentary of the making of Psychonauts 2 — and depths of artistry, critique, and misunderstandings of video games.

PsychOdyssey
https://www.doublefine.com/dftv/psychodyssey

2 Player Productions
https://www.youtube.com/user/2PlayerProductions

Behind the Scenes Making of Halo 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q69Msy8ttM

Twitter
https://twitter.com/2pproductions

6. Naoko Takamoto (Principle Producer @ Double Fine)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Naoko Takamoto, Principle Producer at Double Fine Productions, shares how music led her into games and ultimately production, working at Double Fine and on Psychonauts 2, the challenges of working through the pandemic, and what games mean to her.

https://www.naokotakamoto.com/

Double Fine PsychOdyssey
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIhLvue17Sd70y34zh2erWWpMyOnh4UN_

Princess Problems
https://www.princessproblemsmusic.com/

That Handsome Devil
http://www.thathandsomedevil.com/

5. Chris "CJ" Johnston (User Experience @ Enhance, Player One Podcast)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

From creating a self-published zine, to writing for EGM, to working for one of the most innovative game studios in Enhance, Chris “CJ” Johnston shares his extensive journey in the industry, the games that opened his eyes to what’s possible, and the through line that holds it all together.

Mastodon
@superpac

Twitter
@superpac

Humanity
https://humanity.game/

Player One Podcast
http://www.playeronepodcast.com/

"Mystery Box" Vintage Video Game Magazines - Video Game History Foundation
https://the-video-game-history-foundation.myshopify.com/collections/featured-products/products/blind-box-vintage-game-magazine-subscription

4. Robert Ashley (A Life Well Wasted podcast)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Robert Ashley, host of A Life Well Wasted, talks about games journalism, podcasting, music, food, parenting, learning, and why he cares about video games.

A Life Well Wasted
https://alifewellwasted.com/

I Come to Shanghai
https://icometoshanghai.com/

3. Lana Bachynski (Associate Art Director @ Riot Games)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 18 May 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Riot Games (League of Legends, VALORANT, Team Fight Tactics) Associate Art Director Lana Bachynski shares stories about her love of video games from a young age, her journey into animation, community in video games, work... in general... but also what it's like to work on something you love.

The Riot Games Super Art Power Hour | Episode 4: Animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRMCGJk_hN8

DLC Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/dlcpod

2. Brendon Bigley (Into the Aether podcast)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 04 May 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Brendon Bigley (co-host of Into the Aether) shares his experience being around video games since birth, the tolls and triumphs of generating loads of video game podcast content, Sketch Turner, and the excitement of the unknown.

Into the Aether:
https://intothecast.online

Wavelengths Blog:
https://www.wavelengths.online/

Wavelengths Podcast:
https://www.wavelengths.online/podcasts/

1. Christian Spicer (DLC podcast, The Official Last of Us podcast)

Kyle Starr — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Christian Spicer shares his story as a former attorney turned comedian, writer, and podcaster, and why he cares about video games.

https://www.christianspicer.com/

DLC Podcast with Jeff Cannata and Christian Spicer:
https://dlc.fireside.fm/

The Official Last of Us Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-official-the-last-of-us-podcast/id1514792212