This week Todd and Jim start off the show talking about the SSX demo and physics platformer Rochard. Then Ben joins in the mix to talk about PS Vita, and what makes Todd the Snoop Dogg of retail video game outlets. On a more somber note, our longtime friend and co-host Adam Cogswell has bid us farewell. K.I.A. by a random creep, and buried at Summoner’s Rift

This week Adam, Ben, Aaron and Jim talk about Super Monday Night Combat, playing Soul Caliber drunk, and whether ICO is sexist. We also read an email from our friend Todd that incites a discussion about Double Fine’s Kickstarter development model, and Jim learns some fun facts about Thailand.

This week Jim, Todd and Ben get down to business talking about PS Vita and the future of portable gaming. Then Todd gives his early impressions on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, while Jim tells us about Darkness II. Then Ben says a few words about the recent Syndicate co-op demo, and we all recognize that Toddlers & Tiaras is both sad and funny, like a dead clown.

We heard that two man podcasts are all the rage these days, so Jim and Todd gave it a shot this week talkin’ mess about Jessica Schillbot (amirite) and some concerns over Mass Effect 3. Todd already talked about His Shape Fitness last week, so instead he goes on and on about something with an X and a few III’s, then the numeral 2. Then, Todd decides to call it and say Jim with have a Vita by May… with varying results.

This week Adam, Todd, and friend of the show Jeff Connolly sit down to about video games, but it ends up just being a bunch of Karate Kid references. Eventually Ben arrives and things go from bad to worse. On topic discussions include new Modern Warfare 3 maps, obsessing over Mass Effect 3, Star Trek in video game form, and why Sega Game Gear was for rich jerks.

We finally have the gang back together! This week Todd and Ben discuss their experiences with the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo, and Jim gives his thoughts on the microtransaction system in Hero Academy. We also reply to listener email, and have a quick chat about the whole SOPA thing and why you already knew censorship was wrong because you read about it on the internet.

Tonight, while Ben is off learning how to be a better man, and Adam is off not getting a sunburn, Todd and Jim are joined by TouchArcade.com’s Brad Nicholson. We spend the first part of the show yapping about iOS and mobile games in general, focusing on Super Crate Box and Ascension. Then move on to find that Skyrim hasn’t grabbed Jim yet… big surprise there.

You asked for a Game of The Year episode via Twitter at the last minute, so you sort of got it! Jim, Aaron, Todd and Ben deliver their picks for GoTY along with some close runners up that aren’t League of Legends. Then we close out the year with our thoughts on gaming as a whole for 2011, and let Jim do what he does best: Bitch about MMO’s.

The final podcast of 2011 from the Rocket Jump folks has the crew talking about cruises, holidays, Hello Kitty Microphones, and more about The Old Republic. Todd also sings a little song about Kinect Sports 2 and we discuss a little bit about what constitutes a spolier thanks to listener JJ Mahoney’s question. All this and more on this week’s ROCKET JUMP.

In the second to last Rocket Jump podcast for 2011, the crew gathers around the campfire to hear Ben regale us with tales of Vanquish-ing robots and being rogue-like. Jim breaks his “post-RIFT, No MMO” mandate and talks about his experiences with Star Wars: The Old Republic and shooting dudes. Of course, the Steam sale is going on, and Adam has decided to play something other than League of Legends. Holy crap. Happy holidays!

This week we get a chance to talk to Max Schaefer from Runic Games about Torchlight II. He reveals that he’s a roller hockey player, that they’re still trying to get Torchlight II out the door as soon as humanly possible, and that those Steam sales are totally great for their bottom line. After the interview, Jim, Ben, and Todd rap a little more about some random topics like the VGAs and Mario Kart 7. Listen, then go enter some of our giveaways dammit.

This week Adam and Ben are joined by the newest member of the Splitkick entourage, Aaron Phokal! We talk about the new Xbox 360 Dashboard Update, the epic finger swiping majesty of Infinity Blade 2, and what it’s like to hit rock bottom at a Dave and Buster’s. Other topics include impending holiday giveaways and not that game everyone is playing and talking about that has dragons in it.

This week we only get slightly side-tracked by Skyrim as we answer reader mail. We talk about Call of Duty Elite, and how it’s sort of awesome when it actually works right. Then we take a trip down memory lane recalling how Battletoads ruined our childhood. Luckily we can all go to Disneyland and reclaim it.