Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The Best Casters on Twitch TV

We here at Dynamic Impact Gaming love the Twitch community.  All of us have been around for quite a while, back to when everyone was on Justin.tv.  It's been kind of amazing to watch the gaming section of JTV blossom into it's very own website in Twitch.  It's a testament to all the casters who helped make it possible.  There's so many casters on Twitch, it's almost impossible to really narrow this sort of list down, but we managed to do it.  This was definitely a collaborative project, after I (BAMxMike) came up with the initial idea of creating a post dedicated to the best of the best, my fellow DIG members ran with it.  

Names were thrown out, people I hadn't even heard of.  It opened my eyes to a lot of casters that are really doing a fantastic job.  All in all, this is a post from my own personal viewpoint.  I will not call myself a Twitch junkie, it's not a website I spend all day on, but I know a good caster when I see it.  I'm not someone who is going to be impressed by someone with a ton of followers or views - that honestly doesn't mean a thing to me.  I watch a cast if I find the caster to be entertaining, first and foremost.  If you're a prick or douche, I won't watch your channel, plain and simple.  If I find I don't have respect for a caster, odds are I'll avoid his/her casts.  This is all about the people on Twitch who have found success and done it in the right way.  

If I had to summarize this list in one way, I'd say this - if you had just created a new Twitch account and were looking for people to follow, these are the 30 casters to begin with.

All banners included in this post are lifted directly from the caster's Twitch sites, which I vehemently encourage you to check out if you haven't already!  The links are right below each banner.  If any casters wish for me to remove the banners, you can contact me on twitter.com/michael_ryne or on Twitch TV (bamxmike) and I will do so immediately, no questions asked.

ariablarg

You are not going to find a better caster on Twitch than Aria.  As a whole, this is exactly what every Twitch caster should strive to be.  She has a community that loves her, an infectious bubbly personality that is endearing, and the skills as a gamer that makes her casts a blast to watch.  It's a chat in which it is difficult to lurk in simply because it's so much fun and entertaining, you always want to be part of the action.  She also allows friends of her's to cast on the channel as well, showing that even though she has become one of the more popular casters, she hasn't forgotten the people who have gotten her there.  Far too many bigger casters forget this.

awoozl
http://www.twitch.tv/awoozl

Finland's sexiest man alive and someone I have grown very close to this past summer, Awoozl!  He's been casting quite a bit lately and if you've missed out, then I feel sorry for you.  He's currently playing through all Sam & Max episodes and they've been a treat to sit through.  The game itself is entertaining, filled with ton of hilarious and eye rolling puns and Awoozl just makes it that much better.  His random comments on the game and fantastic sense of humor makes any of his casts extremely entertaining.


This is an example of a caster I had never heard of before a few weeks ago when we began tossing out ideas for this post.  It's exactly why such an idea resonated so well with me, I wanted to learn about the gems of Twitch I had not become aware of yet.  Bagel is a caster that plays classic games and especially Mega Man.  He actually has a graphic where he has replaced Mega Man's body with a bagel.  This amuses me to no end.  He's great with his chat and entertaining, definitely someone I am glad my fellow DIG members introduced me to.

bigrichie2004

Like I said in my introduction, I'm no Twitch expert.  Big Richie was another caster brought to my attention.  I've lurked in several of his casts in the past couple weeks and the guy is absolutely hilarious.  His Grand Theft Auto casts are insanely entertaining and I highly suggest checking him out in the very near future.  He just recently surpassed 5,000 followers on Twitch, so congratulations to him.

cherokia666

You know what I love in a caster?  Someone who doesn't take themselves overly seriously.  Here's a guy who has casted games in which he seemingly hates, but it's entertaining for the chat to watch him grind his teeth through it as he interacts with everybody.  When it comes down to it, casting should be fun.  Cherokia is a prime example of someone who is having fun while he casts and it leaks through to the chat.


http://www.twitch.tv/crazyday2606

Probably the most influential and well known member of our DIG group, Fat Jesus has been casting since early 2011 and his improvement has been a joy to watch.  He's gone from a guy who casted mostly Pokemon to someone who covers a wide spectrum of games.  Pokemon is still played, but expect to see some Madden, Uncharted, and maybe a children's game here and there for some laughs.  His casts really are a family affair with all the regulars knowing each other on a personal level.  He is truly a hidden gem on Twitch TV.

danielleorama

She hasn't been casting for very long, but Danielle has QUICKLY established herself as one of the best on the site.  The combination of her and her husband Edmund (creator of Twitch favorite Super Meat Boy) goes beyond a simple entertaining thing to watch.  It's something that can enthrall you and take you over with laughter.  Danielle has stepped out of her husband's shadow and created a name for herself.  She creates toys for Super Meat Boy and Binding of Isaac which any fan of the games would kill to have.  Some new items have been trickling into her site's store and I hope even more continue to spawn.  I have some Christmas gifts to buy!

dansgaming

Dan is a Twitch admin, but may be more well known for his spectacular casting.  The most chill stream on Twitch.TV has had a copious amount of legendary moments.  The vast gaming selection he showcases can go from Skyrim to a simple dating simulator flash game.  It really doesn't matter what he plays, it's, without a doubt, going to be highly entertaining.  He's one of the nicest guys on Twitch and one of the most popular streamers going right now.  He has giveaways for his subscribers, some of which coming very soon in September, which goes to show how much he cares about his viewers.  If someone goes so far as to pay money to a caster, when they don't even have to, it's nice to see a caster give back.  It does not go unnoticed.  By the way, if you're lucky enough to catch a drunk cast of his, then you'll learn the meaning of entertaining Twitch caster.

destructoid

I'm not sure you're going to find a better community than Destructoid.  There's plenty of groups that have popped up on Twitch, but this is the one that has set the bar.  It's literally an all-star team of casters that have come together to create one of the most recognizable names in the streaming community.  Their website is extremely well run and is filled with delicious gaming content.  Niero created something huge in 2006 and now has King Foom, Ryuusei, Awdamn, Conrad Zimmerman, Jordan Devore, Katrina, Brett Zeidler, Caitlin Crooke, Philanthr0py, Jonathan Holmes, Johnny Luchador, Bill Zoeker, and Cruz pioneering one of, if not the most influential groups on Twitch.

doncairo

Don Cairo is basically my wet dream come true when it comes to casting.  I am a sports fanatic and Don Cairo is as well.  You'll often see him playing a sports game on cast (very few good casters do this) and even if he isn't, it isn't unusual to have him discussing sports with his active chat.  Take a look at this guy's biography on Twitch.  It's a quote from Arrested Development.  This guy is made of awesome.  This is someone who, if you aren't already, you need to follow.  And not just follow, go check out his casts!  One of the best casters going on Twitch right now, if you ask me.

eddieruckus
http://www.twitch.tv/eddieruckus

Say hello to the caster I believe has the highest potential to REALLY make a name for himself.  Don't get it twisted, Eddie is already a big name in the Twitch community, but he can only go up from here.  It is so difficult to break through the glass ceiling of Twitch TV.  Majority of casters reach their peak and stay there. Don't tell that to Eddie who has skyrocketed over the past year and a half into one of the more recognizable and well liked casters going.  He's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and has the skills in gaming and immense knowledge to really become one of the biggest casters on Twitch.

gaming_4_a_cure
http://www.twitch.tv/Gaming_4_a_cure

Every single time G4AC begins an event of casting, it's one of the most talked about streams on Twitch.  The stream, which was created by KitsuneKyon in early 2011, has risen in popularity in a very short time.  I don't think there's a more influential and respected charity stream going on Twitch.  Ariablarg has really helped make this channel grow since its legendary beginnings.  The staying power is there and it's always done with an amazing cause.  It's a chance to enjoy the streams and give back a little bit to those who need it.  I've donated multiple times to their causes and they really make you feel great about what you're doing.

thegreatgq
http://www.twitch.tv/thegreatgq

TheGreatGQ was one of the first streams I checked out when I broadened my Twitch (at the time it was JTV) horizons.  He's another example of someone who has always had a great stream and garnered a following for it.  GQ loves his viewers and does an amazing job of not only making things entertaining for them, but often including as well.  He has Mario Kart Thursday where he plays online with his viewers.  Far too often big casters lose touch with what made them big, without the viewers, none of these casters would be anything.  Major kudos go out to casters like GQ who has set a spectacular example for all aspiring casters.

heyot6
http://www.twitch.tv/heyot6

HeyOT is someone I feel is on the verge of really making it big.  I often times find myself comparing him to Eddie Ruckus and then eventually, Ariablarg.  He's someone who has made a name for himself by doing it the right way and is constantly on the way up.  He has a following that he loves and loves him, very much like Aria, in a sense.  If there is someone on Twitch I think you should keep an eye on, it is this guy.  You give me a choice to watch any caster, he'd be up there as one of my top guys.  I'm a sports nut and in sports, you'll have a prospect.  Someone who experts predict will be the next great player in their league.  HeyOT is one of those top can't miss prospects who is going to become great, sooner rather than later.

http://www.twitch.tv/hotbloodedgaming
http://www.hotbloodedgaming.com/

If there's a gaming site/community that can be on par with Desctructoid, it's Hot Blooded Gaming.  It's a stream that is less active, but the website is booming.  It's one of the first sites I go to if I'm looking for gaming news because it's done professionally and without gloves on.  You'll get a wide variety of news from a slew of writers who know what they're talking about.  Headed by one of the hardest working people on twitch, Craig, HBG was one of the first partnered channels on Twitch and it all started with a charity stream.  It comes from great roots and its history is unmatched on the site.

kenshinesca
http://www.twitch.tv/Kenshinesca

I am literally watching Kenshinesca cast right now as I write this.  He's a guy that knows his games well, clearly someone who has quite a bit of experience under his belt.  There's plenty of casters out there who are goofy and happy-go-lucky while they play, while there are some who you watch, you think to yourself "This guy would wreck me if we played together."  I get this feeling while watching Kenshinesca.  He's definitely a caster on the rise and his popularity should only grow from here.

lethalfrag
http://www.twitch.tv/lethalfrag

If you're looking for inspiration or someone to copy in your casting career, then Lethal Frag is your guy.  He has become huge in Twitch over the past year and it's because of his innovation and dedication.  Currently in the middle of his 2 year live stream goal, Lethal Frag has casted every day for the past 244 days and plans to continue up until day 731.  He's almost halfway to his goal and his star is rising for sure.  He's at the top of my list as the best caster on Twitch, as well as many others.  If you haven't seen a cast of his yet (where have you been?) do yourself a favor and check one out.  It's not like you'd have to wait long, he casts every day.

liteyear
http://www.twitch.tv/liteyear

Liteyear is one of those casters that has you in awe.  He's a speed run caster who is so good at the games he plays, it's damned impressive to watch him dominate a game.  He's definitely someone you'd like to model your gaming habits after and a person you can't help but watch, simply because you know he's going to do something iconic.  He tops his ridiculous speed runs constantly and the way he can breeze through Super Meat Boy is jaw dropping.  He always has a chill cast and the chat is never unruly.  A bad chat can lead to a bad cast, but you definitely don't have to worry about that with Liteyear.  It really doesn't matter what game he's beasting through, you know you're going to have a great time.

meat_jesus
http://www.twitch.tv/meat_jesus

I have been watching Meat Jesus since I first came to Twitch at the beginning of 2011 and he remains as one of my favorite casters.  His Grand Theft Auto casts remain as one of my favorites ever and he has remained consistent as one of the better people on Twitch.  He's hilarious and his quips/yelling at the game he's playing make for a fantastic cast.  He has had a very loyal group of viewers that return for every cast, which I maintain is how you should judge a caster.  If people keep coming back, you must be doing something right. Meat Jesus absolutely is.

medlow
http://www.twitch.tv/medlow

Medlow is someone I think has a very high upside.  He's garnering more and more recognition as of late and it's warranted.  He's slowly progressed throughout the summer and continues to become more popular.  He's been casting on Ariablarg's channel and getting his name out there.  He's a funny guy, always has a memorable cast who could become a very big caster if he continues doing what he's doing.  It's fun to watch someone grow and show that they can get big on Twitch if they remain persistent.  Far too often you have casters who don't seem to want to cast, but feel obligated.  You don't get that feeling with Medlow and it means a lot in the long run.

minoko_
http://www.twitch.tv/minoko_

You know what one of my favorite things is when it comes to casters?  Someone who is genuinely nice and personable.  Minoko is one of the best overall PEOPLE on Twitch that I have come across and she's beyond hilarious.  You're never going to leave feeling upset or disappointed because she's going to make sure you feel welcomed.  The entertainment is there, she has the skills at gaming to make her a good caster, but she also has the personality to transform her into a great caster.

naotoronin
http://www.twitch.tv/Naotoronin

Whenever I go into a channel, especially if it's a new one to me, I check out the biography/rules section.  One of the first things you'll see there in Naotoronin's channels is him letting you know he's a relaxed caster.  Not someone who takes everything that happens as life or death.  Someone who can sit back and relax, not someone who is going to be on edge the whole time, can make for a very fun cast.  It's a trait in a caster that can bring back viewers for more because they know exactly what they're going to get.  Naotoronin is someone I root for, a caster I would like to see become one of the most well-known casters on Twitch.

nokanoka
http://www.twitch.tv/nokanoka

Maybe you don't want to watch someone speed through Super Meat Boy in 5 minutes or watch someone strategically blast someone's head off from across the landscape.  Perhaps, maybe, you just want to have a relaxed cast of someone interacting with their chat and show off their rad drawing skills.  You'll get the gaming with noka, but also some unique casts as well.  It makes sense, she's a very unique and engaging person.  Her personality is infectious and it's literally impossible to be in a bad mood while watching her casts.

projectleet
http://www.twitch.tv/projectleet

If you want someone who casts on a consistent basis, look no further than Projectleet.  I still get e-mail notifications when the people I follow go live and all too often I look at my phone and see that Projectleet has gone live.  It's that consistency and dedication to casting that us fans strive for.  We don't like having to wait for another cast, we want to watch our favorite people play their games and it's very much appreciated when a caster dedicates themselves.  The top rule in Projectleet's cast is "Don't talk about fight club."  That right there shows you how awesome he is.

razgaming
http://www.twitch.tv/razgaming

Quite possibly my favorite banner in all of Twitch right here.  His casts are fun, he's good at what he does and the graphics/design of the channel are superb.  While it isn't the be all and end all for a channel, having a slick design and presentation can really enhance a very good channel into becoming a great one.  It shows the caster cares and motivates me as a viewer to return.  I like showing support for casters who really show they care and Raz is absolutely one of them.

soggy_pronoun
http://www.twitch.tv/soggy_pronoun

I love Soggy Pronoun.  I won't hide it, I don't care if my parents don't approve, he has my heart.  That being said, his casts are also pretty damn good too.  He billdozered through Darksiders II with minimal sarcastic rage and kicked that game's ass.  His drunk casts for 7th Guest are a thing of gold.  They're truly legendary.  You don't want to miss one, if they happen.  He also has some days where he'll bring his son, Soggy Noun, on cast with him to play and in the midst of all the dirty jokes and rage of Twitch TV, you have a cast that just makes you smile.  You can't help but enjoy yourself in his channel and he makes sure everyone is welcome.  I have never heard Soggy rage at a person in his chat and he's someone I will always support, no matter what.

spamfish
http://www.twitch.tv/spamfish

Spamfish likes sports, so I like Spamfish.  IT'S SIMPLE AS THAT, FOLKS!  Actually, he's one of the more respected casters and people on Twitch and he's quickly establishing himself as one of the best.  I've been sitting in on some of his Madden NFL 13 casts lately and they've been a joy to watch.  Even if you don't even like the sports, you'll enjoy the hell out of Spamfish's casts.  When you have a caster who plays a niche game or one with a central audience, but they still make it entertaining for everyone, then you know you've got something golden.  Spamfish does just that.

thorin181
http://www.twitch.tv/thorin181

I lobbied pretty hard, personally, for Thorin to be included on this post.  He's someone I have watched cast pretty extensively over the past few months and I really enjoy myself in there.  He's been establishing himself as good caster ever since his inclusion to We Play Games and is managing to let his name become more well known.  He's a genuine person, someone who you'd trust to help you out and is just nice.  Simply put, he's someone you root for to get popular and have no issues supporting along their way.

trihex
http://www.twitch.tv/trihex

I know his banner is just one he's using to promote his upcoming event, but I laughed really hard at "Yo! I'm gonna be gettin' maad charitable."  Also, don't remotely mind advertising his events, especially one for such a good cause, here.  So make sure you check out his channel for more details.  Like Liteyear, Trihex is someone you just watch in awe while he casts.  He speeds through games like it's nothing and you often find yourself wondering just how someone can become so great at video games.  It's astounding, impressive, and just good enough to make you jealous.  It's a competitive community, with the speed runners, and Trihex is one of the best.

x4ryuusei
http://www.twitch.tv/x4ryuusei

If I was someone who had a group on Twitch, ryu would be one of the first casters I turned to.  I'd want to recruit this person to my group because it's obvious he has the ability to make a name for himself, with or without a group to help out.  There's a reason big name groups like Destructoid and Game On have latched on to his growing popularity and why ryu has quickly established himself as one of the most respected people going on Twitch today.

6 comments:

  1. great work on this blog post! Keep up the good work.


    -druminfected from fourbeatgamers

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey thanks for including me in the article guys. Makes me feel like I'm doing something right with my stream.

    kenshinesca

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, this is such a great list! Thanks for including me and the rest of the Dtoid crew! :]

    ReplyDelete
  4. Absolutely guys! Thanks for reading :D

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fantastic description in this blog. Its goog for me to get solution of my problem.
    Visit :- watch twitch together

    ReplyDelete