Right now on itunes there are 5 pages of featured game podcasts. With so many podcasts covering the same media, what separates the crappy ones from the great ones? After all, most podcasts do cover the same current events and gaming news. Most even do similar topics such as naming the games they played and talking about the new releases. With all of these similarities how can some podcasts be so much better than others?

 1. The Crew

A podcast doesn't work without the right group of people. GFW Radio worked because it had a combination of Shawn Elliott's antics and childhood stories and Jeff Green's ability to facilitate things and keep the podcast moving. A podcast is best when the hosts aren't strictly following what was written down on the sheet of paper. People like Shawn Elliott and Jeff Gerstmann aren't afraid to go off topic to crack a joke or bring up something unrelated. The Jeff Gerstmanns and Shawn Elliott's of the podcast world are put in check by the Jeff Green's and Ryan Scott's of podcasting who tell you when you're getting on a tangent.

2. The Guests

A special guest can provide a nice change of pace on podcasts.  Most podcasts let you hear things from the press' side of things ; so it's nice to hear a developer's point of view once and a while.  For example the Mobcast's topics shift to questions related to game development and dealing with the press. Guests on the press side also change things up nicely. These guests are often former coworkers of the host and having them often leads to discussion of their antics while working together.

3. The Twist

Every site has its own unique way of reporting on games and their own unique writing style. This leads to each of their podcasts having their own podcasting style. For example the Player One Podcast feels different from most others because they are no longer in the industry and also are much more interested in retro games as well as anime fair. The Bombcast has it random energy drinks and, 1upFM had its, "Anthony Gallegos On" segments. Every podcast does things a little differently and its these little differences that separate the  good ones from the great ones.

4. Audience Interaction

What's a podcast without listeners? Most podcasts have some form of audience interaction. This ranges from emails about topics (The Geekbox) to voice-mails (Player One Podcast). Rebel Fm goes as far as answering relationship questions on air. The Mobcast even lets users submit their own topics.

Well there you have it. I hope I didn't leave anything out.