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[[File:dplogo_5415.png|frame|"And this... is ''[[Title Drop|The D-Pad]]''." Cue music.]]
[[File:dplogo_5415.png|frame|"And this... is ''[[Title Drop|The D-Pad]]''." Cue music.]]


⚫
''[[The D-Pad]]'' is a weekly hour-long video game [[podcast]] starring [[Challenge Gamer|Rick]] [[Face of the Band|Desilets]], [[Cool Teacher|John]] [[Absentee Actor|Selig]], and [[Hipster|Nick]] [[Cloudcuckoolander|Bebel]], with recurring guests [[The Chick|Holly Fletcher]], [[The Sixth Ranger|C/J Haley]], and [[The Movie Buff|Dan Suitor]]. It debuted in April 2011 as a spinoff of the ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20190902000013/http://www.openloungecast.com/ Open Lounge]'' podcast. Turns out they were [[Similarly Named Works|the fourth podcast called "The D-Pad"]], and hadn't noticed.

⚫
''[http://dpadup.com The D-Pad]'' is a weekly hour-long video game [[podcast]] starring [[Challenge Gamer|Rick]] [[Face of the Band|Desilets]], [[Cool Teacher|John]] [[Absentee Actor|Selig]], and [[Hipster|Nick]] [[Cloudcuckoolander|Bebel]], with recurring guests [[The Chick|Holly Fletcher]], [[The Sixth Ranger|C/J Haley]], and [[The Movie Buff|Dan Suitor]]. It debuted in April 2011 as a spinoff of the ''[http://openloungecast.com Open Lounge]'' podcast. Turns out they were [[Similarly Named Works|the fourth podcast called "The D-Pad"]], and hadn't noticed.


While the show is primarily geared toward video games, it also spends time on movies, television, music, and pop culture in general. The podcast got off to a good start, but suffered a failure to launch after a major special guest for the second episode<ref>* (later revealed to be [[Gamer Chick|NintendoFanGirl]])</ref> was suddenly unable to appear, leaving the show without much of a fanbase, whom the hosts now refer to as "The Threes" (see [[Fan Community Nicknames]] below).
While the show is primarily geared toward video games, it also spends time on movies, television, music, and pop culture in general. The podcast got off to a good start, but suffered a failure to launch after a major special guest for the second episode<ref>* (later revealed to be [[Gamer Chick|NintendoFanGirl]])</ref> was suddenly unable to appear, leaving the show without much of a fanbase, whom the hosts now refer to as "The Threes" (see [[Fan Community Nicknames]] below).
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Recent additions to the format include the segments ''Nick Bebel's Video Game Short List'' (Nick reviewing games new and old) and ''Putting Our Guests to the Test'' (having guests and hosts alike record a course time in the ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' course Mario Circuit 2).
Recent additions to the format include the segments ''Nick Bebel's Video Game Short List'' (Nick reviewing games new and old) and ''Putting Our Guests to the Test'' (having guests and hosts alike record a course time in the ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' course Mario Circuit 2).


As of May 2020, their original website is long-defunct, but a [[Wayback Machine]] archive of it can be found [https://web.archive.org/web/20131003000037/http://dpadup.com/ here]. They have a [https://discord.gg/MUuqwv5 Discord server] and a [http://patreon.com/dpadFM Patreon page]. They're also on [http://twitter.com/downrightdpad Twitter] and [http://www.youtube.com/user/downrightdpad YouTube].
They're also on [http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-D-Pad/ Facebook], [http://twitter.com/downrightdpad Twitter], [http://www.youtube.com/user/downrightdpad YouTube], and are available for download on [http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-d-pad/id430239568 iTunes].


''You game?''
''You game?''


=== ''[http://www.youtube.com/user/downrightdpad The D-Pad Let's Play]'' has featured the following video games: ===
{{examples|''[http://www.youtube.com/user/downrightdpad The D-Pad Let's Play]'' has featured the following video games:}}
* ''[[Chzo Mythos|5 Days a Stranger]]''
* ''[[Chzo Mythos|5 Days a Stranger]]''
* ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' (see [[Missing Episode]] below)
* ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' (see [[Missing Episode]] below)
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* ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword]]'' (in-progress)
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword]]'' (in-progress)
* ''[[Pokémon]]: [[Self-Imposed Challenge|Hard]] [[Nuzlocke Comics|Mode]]''
* ''[[Pokémon]]: [[Self-Imposed Challenge|Hard]] [[Nuzlocke Comics|Mode]]''
** ''[[Pokémon Red and Blue|Pokémon FireRed Version]]'' (in-progress, as ''Let's Play Pokémon Hard Mode: FireRed VS LeafGreen!'', with [http://letsplaywithfire.blog.com in-character blog])
** ''[[Pokémon Red and Blue|Pokémon FireRed Version]]'' (in-progress, as ''Let's Play Pokémon Hard Mode: FireRed VS LeafGreen!'', with [http://letsplaywithfire.blog.com in-character blog]{{Dead link}})
* ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]''
* ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]''
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD]]''
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD]]''
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* ''[[Tecmo Bowl|Tecmo Super Bowl 2012]]'' (as ''Let's Predict Super Bowl XLVI!'' {{spoiler|Tecmo got it wrong.}})
* ''[[Tecmo Bowl|Tecmo Super Bowl 2012]]'' (as ''Let's Predict Super Bowl XLVI!'' {{spoiler|Tecmo got it wrong.}})


* Upcoming Let's Plays (according to [[Word of God|the podcast's second season premiere]]) include:
* Upcoming{{when}} Let's Plays (according to [[Word of God|the podcast's second season premiere]]) include:
** ''[[Chzo Mythos|7 Days a Skeptic]]''
** ''[[Chzo Mythos|7 Days a Skeptic]]''
** ''[[Dark Souls]]''
** ''[[Dark Souls]]''
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** ''[[Wonder Boy in Monster World]]''
** ''[[Wonder Boy in Monster World]]''


{{tropelist}}
=== ''[http://dpadup.com The D-Pad]'' provides examples of: ===

== The D-Pad ==
== The D-Pad ==
* [[Ad Bumpers]]: Nearly every episode opens with a brief bumper for older-sister program ''Open Lounge''.
* [[Ad Bumpers]]: Nearly every episode opens with a brief bumper for older-sister program ''Open Lounge''.
* [[All There in the Manual]]: Well... [http://dpadup.com/about/ sort of]. <ref>* It's an [[Affectionate Parody]] of the [[So Bad It's Horrible (Darth Wiki)|So Bad Its Horrible]] instruction manual for [[Kung Fu]].]]</ref>
* [[All There in the Manual]]: Well... [http://dpadup.com/about/ sort of]{{Dead link}}. <ref>* It's an [[Affectionate Parody]] of the [[So Bad It's Horrible (Darth Wiki)|So Bad Its Horrible]] instruction manual for [[Kung Fu]].]]</ref>
* [[As You Know]]: Turns up anytime the hosts want to convey news to the audience which they already know themselves.
* [[As You Know]]: Turns up anytime the hosts want to convey news to the audience which they already know themselves.
* [[Beginner's Luck]]: Rick had never put together a March Madness bracket before 2011, then proceeds to beat the rest of the pack ''by a mile''. Naturally, when it came time for Fantasy Football, he took dead last.
* [[Beginner's Luck]]: Rick had never put together a March Madness bracket before 2011, then proceeds to beat the rest of the pack ''by a mile''. Naturally, when it came time for Fantasy Football, he took dead last.
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* [[Booze-Based Buff]]: Somehow, Rick's [[Drunk Driver|drunk lap]] of Mario Circuit 2 gave him the fastest times on the show thus far, even though he wasn't exclusively in first sober.
* [[Booze-Based Buff]]: Somehow, Rick's [[Drunk Driver|drunk lap]] of Mario Circuit 2 gave him the fastest times on the show thus far, even though he wasn't exclusively in first sober.
* [[Butt Monkey]]: Rick made the mistake of saying in an early episode that he used a Google spreadsheet to keep track of his progress in ''[[Pokémon Black and White|Pokémon Black Version]]''. John and Nick have reminded him about this in nearly ''[[Running Gag|every episode since]]''.
* [[Butt Monkey]]: Rick made the mistake of saying in an early episode that he used a Google spreadsheet to keep track of his progress in ''[[Pokémon Black and White|Pokémon Black Version]]''. John and Nick have reminded him about this in nearly ''[[Running Gag|every episode since]]''.
** Rick finally responded by just putting a [http://dpadup.com/p1/ visual representation] of it online, deciding it's better just to own it and run with it rather than fight it.
** Rick finally responded by just putting a [http://dpadup.com/p1/ visual representation]{{Dead link}} of it online, deciding it's better just to own it and run with it rather than fight it.
* [[City Shout Outs]]: To Worcester, Massachusetts, where the show is normally recorded. Also occasionally to Somerville, MA; Providence, RI; and New Haven, CT.
* [[City Shout Outs]]: To Worcester, Massachusetts, where the show is normally recorded. Also occasionally to Somerville, MA; Providence, RI; and New Haven, CT.
* [[Crossover]]: Occasionally the hosts of ''Open Lounge'' appear on ''The D-Pad'', and vice versa.
* [[Crossover]]: Occasionally the hosts of ''Open Lounge'' appear on ''The D-Pad'', and vice versa.
** Cranks up to [[Bat Family Crossover]] when five of the six hosts appeared in ''The D-Pad'''s debut episode.
** Cranks up to [[Bat Family Crossover]] when five of the six hosts appeared in ''The D-Pad'''s debut episode.
* [[Documentary Episode]]: [http://dpadup.com/2011/08/safe-haven/ "Safe Haven"] follows Two-Bit Pictures through the 48 Hour Film Project in New Haven, CT.
* [[Documentary Episode]]: [http://dpadup.com/2011/08/safe-haven/ "Safe Haven"]{{Dead link}} follows Two-Bit Pictures through the 48 Hour Film Project in New Haven, CT.
* [[Drinking Game]]: Every tenth episode features a drinking game [[Audience Participation|you can play with the hosts]]. The hosts usually have a drink or three while recording, but these specials usually crank it [[Up to Eleven]].
* [[Drinking Game]]: Every tenth episode features a drinking game [[Audience Participation|you can play with the hosts]]. The hosts usually have a drink or three while recording, but these specials usually crank it [[Up to Eleven]].
** Episode 10: [http://dpadup.com/2011/06/highway-to-the-danger-zone/ "Highway to the Danger Zone"] invites the audience to join the hosts in a [[Schmuck Bait|Power Hour]].
** Episode 10: [http://dpadup.com/2011/06/highway-to-the-danger-zone/ "Highway to the Danger Zone"]{{Dead link}} invites the audience to join the hosts in a [[Schmuck Bait|Power Hour]].
** Episode 20: [http://dpadup.com/2011/08/volume-up/ "Volume Up"] has the hosts volume-chugging from two-liter fishbowls.
** Episode 20: [http://dpadup.com/2011/08/volume-up/ "Volume Up"]{{Dead link}} has the hosts volume-chugging from two-liter fishbowls.
** Episode 30: [http://dpadup.com/2011/10/waddle-dre/ "Waddle Dre"] was played a bit looser, as the group had been drinking heavily already (see [[Missing Episode]] below).
** Episode 30: [http://dpadup.com/2011/10/waddle-dre/ "Waddle Dre"]{{Dead link}} was played a bit looser, as the group had been drinking heavily already (see [[Missing Episode]] below).
** Episode 40: [http://dpadup.com/2012/05/thors-hammered/ "Thor's Hammered"] features a game of Edward Fortyhands. Followed by [[Drunk Driver|a drunk lap]] in ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''.
** Episode 40: [http://dpadup.com/2012/05/thors-hammered/ "Thor's Hammered"]{{Dead link}} features a game of Edward Fortyhands. Followed by [[Drunk Driver|a drunk lap]] in ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''.
* [[Drunken Master]]: Rick claims to be good at video games sober, but substantially better when drunk. Recent feats include setting the lap/course records for Mario Circuit 2 and performing "Master Exploder" on expert guitar and vocals flawlessly.
* [[Drunken Master]]: Rick claims to be good at video games sober, but substantially better when drunk. Recent feats include setting the lap/course records for Mario Circuit 2 and performing "Master Exploder" on expert guitar and vocals flawlessly.
* [[Fan Community Nicknames]]: The hosts referred to their (questionably existent) fanbase originally as their "threes upon threes of fans", now better known as simply "The Threes".
* [[Fan Community Nicknames]]: The hosts referred to their (questionably existent) fanbase originally as their "threes upon threes of fans", now better known as simply "The Threes".
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* [[Intermission]]: Every episode features a few-minute "pause break" with musical interlude.
* [[Intermission]]: Every episode features a few-minute "pause break" with musical interlude.
* [[Let's Play]]: Originally just a bonus while the podcast celebrated [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic Week]] in June 2011, it soon became a staple of the website experience.
* [[Let's Play]]: Originally just a bonus while the podcast celebrated [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic Week]] in June 2011, it soon became a staple of the website experience.
* [[Live Episode]]: [http://dpadup.com/2011/05/were-doing-it-live/ "We're Doing It Live!"], a live half-hour episode recorded with an audience at ImprovBoston's Geek Week Festival.
* [[Live Episode]]: [http://dpadup.com/2011/05/were-doing-it-live/ "We're Doing It Live!"]{{Dead link}}, a live half-hour episode recorded with an audience at ImprovBoston's Geek Week Festival.
* [[Mascot]]: For a brief time Nick's chinchilla, Zooey, was an unofficial mascot of the podcast.
* [[Mascot]]: For a brief time Nick's chinchilla, Zooey, was an unofficial mascot of the podcast.
* [[Multi-Part Episode]]: ''Sonic Week'' consists of [http://dpadup.com/2011/06/sonic-week-act-1/ Act 1], [http://dpadup.com/2011/06/sonic-week-act-2/ Act 2], and six Let's Plays in-between.
* [[Multi-Part Episode]]: ''Sonic Week'' consists of [http://dpadup.com/2011/06/sonic-week-act-1/ Act 1]{{Dead link}}, [http://dpadup.com/2011/06/sonic-week-act-2/ Act 2]{{Dead link}}, and six Let's Plays in-between.
* [[Never Trust a Trailer]]: The loudly touted ''[[Alliteration|R-Rated Retro]]'' (or ''RRR''), a review series celebrating games' and systems' 20th anniversaries, never materialized (though [[Word of God]] states there is a replacement series being prepared for 21sts instead.)
* [[Never Trust a Trailer]]: The loudly touted ''[[Alliteration|R-Rated Retro]]'' (or ''RRR''), a review series celebrating games' and systems' 20th anniversaries, never materialized (though [[Word of God]] states there is a replacement series being prepared for 21sts instead.)
* [["On the Next..."]]: Played straight in early episodes, but after a few too many big episodes fell through before they could be recorded it became a frequent lampshade. It made a comeback at the end of their first year.
* [["On the Next..."]]: Played straight in early episodes, but after a few too many big episodes fell through before they could be recorded it became a frequent lampshade. It made a comeback at the end of their first year.
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** Likewise, episodes usually end with someone saying it's time to [[Old Yeller|"shoot the dog"]].
** Likewise, episodes usually end with someone saying it's time to [[Old Yeller|"shoot the dog"]].
** [[Butt Monkey|Rick and his spreadsheets]], just about [[Once Per Episode]].
** [[Butt Monkey|Rick and his spreadsheets]], just about [[Once Per Episode]].
* [[Sequel Episode]]: [http://dpadup.com/2011/04/retcon-and-cats/ "Retcon + Cats"] featured guest Christopher Osborn talking about the book he was working on. A few months later, he returned in [http://dpadup.com/2011/08/a-gran-grimoire/ "A Gran Grimoire"] to plug the now-completed ''[http://chrisoverzero.com/book/ Easily-Distracted Tales]''.
* [[Sequel Episode]]: [http://dpadup.com/2011/04/retcon-and-cats/ "Retcon + Cats"]{{Dead link}} featured guest Christopher Osborn talking about the book he was working on. A few months later, he returned in [http://dpadup.com/2011/08/a-gran-grimoire/ "A Gran Grimoire"]{{Dead link}} to plug the now-completed ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20131219040901/http://chrisoverzero.com/book/ Easily-Distracted Tales]''.
* [[The Shill]]: Averted hard. Usually the hosts waste no time ripping into the Podsmiths when the subject comes up.
* [[The Shill]]: Averted hard. Usually the hosts waste no time ripping into the Podsmiths when the subject comes up.
** Though every episode starts with them [[Enforced Plug|proudly affiliating themselves]] with Podsmiths and Two-Bit Pictures.
** Though every episode starts with them [[Enforced Plug|proudly affiliating themselves]] with Podsmiths and Two-Bit Pictures.

Latest revision as of 00:37, 8 May 2021

"And this... is The D-Pad." Cue music.

The D-Pad is a weekly hour-long video game podcast starring Rick Desilets, John Selig, and Nick Bebel, with recurring guests Holly Fletcher, C/J Haley, and Dan Suitor. It debuted in April 2011 as a spinoff of the Open Lounge podcast. Turns out they were the fourth podcast called "The D-Pad", and hadn't noticed.

While the show is primarily geared toward video games, it also spends time on movies, television, music, and pop culture in general. The podcast got off to a good start, but suffered a failure to launch after a major special guest for the second episode[1] was suddenly unable to appear, leaving the show without much of a fanbase, whom the hosts now refer to as "The Threes" (see Fan Community Nicknames below).

In the beginning, there were extra features on the website including R-Rated (uncensored movie reviews), Game Over (articles calling out individuals or groups), and Live from the Brown Carpet (awards show liveblog, also the only one still going in 2012). A staple of the show since the Summer 2011 has been Let's Plays, which are arguably the biggest draw of the series in 2012. Originally just a series of specials for the 20th anniversary of the release of Sonic the Hedgehog, the series' popularity led to over 20 hours (and counting) of videos online.

Recent additions to the format include the segments Nick Bebel's Video Game Short List (Nick reviewing games new and old) and Putting Our Guests to the Test (having guests and hosts alike record a course time in the Super Mario Kart course Mario Circuit 2).

As of May 2020, their original website is long-defunct, but a Wayback Machine archive of it can be found here. They have a Discord server and a Patreon page. They're also on Twitter and YouTube.

You game?

The D-Pad Let's Play has featured the following video games:
Tropes used in The D-Pad include:

The D-Pad

Nick: It's game over, man! Game over! Now go level up at Podsmiths.com."


The D-Pad Let's Play

Rick: DON'T USE THE FEET! Don't use the FUCKING FEET!

John: So, front yard, tomb... first floor, second floor... this little path right here?

C/J: Oh, Something Remote got distribution?

  • Let's Play: One of the newer, jankier Let's Play groups. At the end of March 2012, there are 12 LPs and over 100 individual videos totaling 22 hours of video.
  • Missing Episode: The group recorded roughly half of a Let's Play of Kirby Super Star (while drinking heavily). Sadly, because the emulator recorded only the button presses and not the video itself, the exact playthrough could not be replicated and recorded.
  • Mood Whiplash: The first four episodes of 5 Days a Stranger feature the hosts joking around about the camp nature of the game. Until Day Three. John starts taking it a bit more seriously after getting properly creeped out by an 8-bit game.
    • An even faster example occurs in the middle of a sentence in this video.

John (reading Matthew DeFoe's diary): I found a new friend. He is behind the door in the kitchen and he doesn't have a name.

I AM JOHN MOTHERFUCKING GODDAMN SELIG

  1. ↑ * (later revealed to be NintendoFanGirl)
  2. ↑ * given up after spending an entire episode struggling with the game's Scrappy Mechanic]]
  3. ↑ * It's an Affectionate Parody of the So Bad Its Horrible instruction manual for Kung Fu.]]
  4. ↑ * Not to be confused with Shooting the Dog.
  5. ↑ * or C/J
  6. ↑ * Also Yahtzee.
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