We have a special supersized double-length episode for you this week with lots to talk about.  First, I visited Verse, an augmented reality experience that uses the Microsoft Hololens to allow players to explore a surreal garden of animals and the outer reaches of our solar system.  Next, Blake tackled Sega's recently released Sonic Superstars with his son and just had a terrible time of things.  Third, I spent a weekend with Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Wonder and smiled the entire time.  Finally, we have a teaser for our next show in two weeks where we discuss Sony's Spider-Man 2.  That's a lot to cover.  Let's do it!  Download this week's episode directly from PTB, listen with the player below, subscribe via iTunes, Amazon Music Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, toss this RSS feed into your podcast aggregation software of choice, and be sure to catch up on past episodes if you're joining us late. Remember that you can reach us via , you can leave a message on the Power Button hotline by calling (720) 722-2781, and you can even follow us on Twitter at @PressTheButtons and @GrundyTheMan. We also have a tip jar if you'd like to kick a dollar or two of support our way. 

I wouldn't have expected to enjoy PowerWash Simulator as much as I do, but it's become one of my favorite games of this generation because it's just so relaxing.  I turn on a podcast or an audiobook and wash the hours away with mindless fake accomplishment.  Sure, I could go outside and wash my real fence, but I'm much too sick for that anymore, and my recliner is a lot more comfortable and dry.  There's a new expansion coming to PowerWash that I think I may have willed into existence somehow, as on November 16, 2023 the Back To The Future DLC will release, allowing players to clean up iconic Hill Valley locations such as the famous courthouse where lightning struck the clock tower in 1955 and the holomax theater showing Jaws 19 in 2015 plus vehicles such as the DeLorean, the time train, and Doc's van.  New achievements/trophies are part of this pack, too. 

Publisher Square-Enix has an information page about the DLC, but fitting for a time travel expansion, the page says the DLC is available now when it's not yet released.  Incidentally, in what I'm certain is not a coincidence, November 16, 1955 is the date that Marty drove the DeLorean to 1885 to rescue Doc from being shot in the back by Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen in Back To The Future Part III.  Nice bit of timing on that release date.

A few years ago I upgraded my aging television that could "only" output up to 1080p and replaced it with a larger 4K 120Hz unit, but even with the Sony PlayStation 5 hooked up to it, I never felt that I was truly getting everything out of it.  Now here comes Spider-Man 2 from Insomniac Games and it has a number of visual options for high-end displays that I can finally turn all the knobs up past 11, but how do I know if I'm really getting the best image for my screen, and just because it's the best, does that mean it's right for playing the game smoothly?  Thankfully, Samit Sarkar at Polygon has written a thorough explanation of what all of the in-game settings mean and how to get the best image for my (and your) needs.

There are two ways to play Spider-Man 2: Fidelity mode and Performance mode. You’ll find them under the “Graphics” area of the settings menu’s Visual section, and unlike in many other games, you’ll also find detailed descriptions of each mode and the associated options.

As you’d expect, the image quality and resolution are at their highest in Fidelity mode, which has a frame rate target of 30 frames per second (and is the default setting). The Performance mode makes trade-offs in resolution and other areas to target 60 fps. Both options use dynamic resolution scaling, adjusting the amount of pixels being rendered in order to hit the frame rate in question.

Neither mode can quite maintain a flawless locked frame rate. Playing the game’s intro sequence in Performance mode, for instance, I noticed some minor hitching during Sandman’s attack in Lower Manhattan as the screen filled up with billowing dust clouds. But across 15 or so hours with the game thus far, I’ve only run into a few instances of this issue, lasting for a couple of seconds at most.

The Fidelity mode operates in a resolution range from 2160p — i.e., native 4K — down to 1440p, and scales the output to 4K using Insomniac’s temporal injection technique for anti-aliasing, according to the studio. That lower end, 1440p, is where the Performance mode tops out; the average resolution there fluctuates between 1080p and 1440p.

So far I've played on Performance mode to get that sweet fluid 60fps, but after reading this, I'm tempted to switch to the hybrid mode available to 120Hz televisions that lowers to 40fps overall, but it a bump up from the regular Fidelity mode.  I suppose I should play around with the settings and see which looks best to my eye and responds best to my style of play.  Insomniac included so many options and settings in Spider-Man 2 from the visuals to the sound to what should really be industry-standard accessibility tools that I almost feel spoiled. 

This week's podcast is a hodgepodge of smaller topics that don't have the structure needed for a full hour of discussion, so it's a lot more easy-going and breezy than the average show.  Join us as we flit around for 75 minutes through Sea of Stars, Magician Lord, Starfield, simulators for mowing lawns, simulators for power washing, and whatever else is on our minds as we clear out some mental baggage.  Also, I have an important update about my health and how it will impact the recording of upcoming episodes.  Download this week's episode directly from PTB, listen with the player below, subscribe via iTunes, Amazon Music Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, toss this RSS feed into your podcast aggregation software of choice, and be sure to catch up on past episodes if you're joining us late. Remember that you can reach us via , you can leave a message on the Power Button hotline by calling (720) 722-2781, and you can even follow us on Twitter at @PressTheButtons and @GrundyTheMan. We also have a tip jar if you'd like to kick a dollar or two of support our way.