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!

All of my guests in December have created some of my favourite games of the year, and this week I welcome the creator of Hyper Light Drifter and co-founder of Heart Machine, Alex Preston. We talk about the creation of Hyper Light Drifter, the global community of Indie Game Developers, why you have to be a crazy person to make videogames and how a VHS tape about the making of Donkey Kong Country changed his life.

We also hit on his deep love of Zelda and Super Metroid, the magic of Phantasy Star Online, the elegant thrills of DoDonPachi, why Overwatch is one of of our favourite games of the year and why Destiny is the perfect warm blanket.

I also personally want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. Thanks as always for listening to the show, and I hope you all have a wonderful festive season. You deserve it.

"Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..."

PATREON! - patreon.com/checkpoints

iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW

Games discussed: Godzila, Super Mario Bros. 3, Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Phantasy Star Online, Diablo 2, Destiny, Hyper Light Drifter, Cave Story, Overwatch, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy 6 and 12, Samurai Gun, DoDonPachi, Ikaruga and Donkey Kong Country.

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Twitter - twitter.com/CheckpointsShow

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

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