The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)
The Retro Hour is a weekly podcast covering retro gaming and technology news, featuring interviews with industry veterans. New episodes are released every Friday.
Episodes
538: Commodore 64: The Birth of a Cultural Icon - The Retro Hour EP538
This week, we’re joined by legendary documentary makers Ant and Nic Caulfield, the team behind From Bedrooms to Billions, The Amiga Years and The Rubber-Keyed Wonder, as they return to celebrate one of the most iconic home computers ever made: the Commodore 64. Commodore 64: The Birth of a Cultural Icon on Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/TRJ0cmHX1Contents:00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories56:23 –
537: The Man Who Made Lemmings Work On Atari ST: DMA Design's Brian Watson - The Retro Hour EP537
This week we’re joined by Brian Watson, formerly of DMA Design who worked on the Atari ST version of Lemmings 1 and 2, and porting it to the Atari Lynx. He later worked for Iguana Entertainment, Acclaim, working on Turok, N64 audio drivers and clever memory systems used across dozens of games. Brian shares brilliant stories from the trenches of 16-bit and 32-bit development, the challenge of mak
536: The 7th Guest: The Inside Story with Trilobyte's Rob Landeros - The Retro Hour EP536
Rob Landeros joins us to share the incredible story behind Trilobyte and The 7th Guest, from discovering the Amiga and working at Cinemaware and Virgin, to teaming up with Graeme Devine and helping ignite the CD-ROM revolution with one of the most iconic FMV horror puzzlers of the 1990s. The 7th Guest Remake: https://the7thguestremake.com/Diddly on Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/9XeHAcgxMContents:00
535: The Game That Took 37 Years to Finish: Ocean Software's Colin Porch - The Retro Hour EP535
This week we’re joined by veteran programmer Colin Porch, whose career took him through some of the biggest names in British gaming history, including Imagine, Software Projects and Ocean Software. Colin shares stories of Imagine’s dramatic collapse, converting arcade hits like Dragon’s Lair, Operation Wolf and Gryzor to home micros, the infamous lost Parasol Stars C64 port, and the technical wiz
534: How Games Like Wipeout and Tony Hawk Changed the Music Industry - The Retro Hour EP534
This week we’re joined by video game music expert Matt Ombler, head of music and gaming partnerships at Laced, to explore the incredible world of game soundtracks, from Sonic on the Mega Drive and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater shaping a generation’s music taste, to Wipeout, Halo 2, retro sound chips, vinyl reissues and the growing importance of preserving game music history. Matt also shares stories fro
533: cyber.cafe: The 90s TV Show That Exposed the Internet's Wild Side - The Retro Hour EP533
This week, we’re joined by Wingham Rowan, creator and host of the pioneering ’90s ITV show cyber.cafe. Long before YouTube, Twitch, Tinder and social media, cyber.cafe explored the strange, funny and sometimes shocking human stories emerging from the early internet, from chat room romances and online communities to JenniCam, alien abductees, moral panics, bizarre websites and late-night web cultu
532: Elite Systems: Inside the 80s Arcade Conversion Powerhouse - The Retro Hour EP532
This week, we’re joined by Elite Systems co-founder Steve Wilcox for a journey through one of the most important names in British gaming history. Steve shares how a family business in the West Midlands evolved from mail-order cassette games into a major force of the 8-bit era, publishing hits like Airwolf, Commando, Ghosts ’n Goblins, Bomb Jack and Paperboy. Chuckie Egg for iOS: https://tinyurl.c
531: Inside Psygnosis: WipEout, PlayStation and the Rave Generation - The Retro Hour EP531
Inside Psygnosis: WipEout, PlayStation and the Rave Generation - The Retro Hour EP531This week we’re joined by former Psygnosis PR manager Glen O’Connell for a brilliant journey through one of the most exciting eras in British gaming. Glen shares stories from Liverpool’s arcade and computer shop scene, his move from rave music promotion into games, and his time at Psygnosis during the huge shift
530: Inside Gargoyle Games: Stuart Cox on Light Force, Scooby-Doo and ThunderCats - The Retro Hour EP530
This week, we’re joined by Stuart Cox, artist at the legendary Midland studio Gargoyle Games, for a brilliant trip through the golden age of British 8-bit development. Stuart shares how he went from the Dragon 32 and early arcade obsessions to working on Scooby-Doo, Light Force, Shockway Rider, Hydrofool, ThunderCats and more, with stories of rapid-fire development, clever tricks to push the ZX S
529: Nightdive, Stardock and the Business of Saving Classic Games: Larry Kuperman - The Retro Hour EP529
This week, we’re joined by Larry Kuperman, former VP of Business Development at Nightdive Studios, former Business Development Manager at GameStop, Stardock veteran, and co-founder of the IGDA Ann Arbor Chapter. Larry shares incredible stories from the business side of games, from discovering Wolfenstein 3D on a mighty 486, selling custom PCs in the ’90s, and Stardock’s early digital distribution
528: The Man Behind the Atari Jaguar: John Mathieson- The Retro Hour EP528
This week, we’re joined by John Mathieson, the hardware designer best known as the father of the Atari Jaguar. John takes us through an extraordinary career that began at Sinclair Research on the ZX Spectrum, before moving through ambitious and often misunderstood projects including Loki, the Konix Multisystem, Atari’s Panther and Jaguar, and later the Nuon. Along the way, he shares brilliant beh
527: The Untold Story of the Amstrad Scene PD Libraries, Magazines and More - The Retro Hour EP527
On this week’s podcast, we celebrate 42 years of the Amstrad CPC with special guest Jo Cook, who takes us deep inside the Amstrad scene of the late 80s and 90s. From growing up with a CPC 464 and helping run the legendary King Arthur’s Domain PD library and Merlin-Serve, to writing for Amstrad Action and seeing the community evolve into the modern day, Jo shares a warm, funny and fascinating insi
526: Galloping Ghost: The Story of America’s Biggest Arcade - The Retro Hour EP526
On this week’s podcast, we’re joined by Galloping Ghost Arcade owner Doc Mack and filmmaker Craig Bass to explore the story behind one of the most legendary arcades on the planet. From Doc’s earliest memories of Pong and the golden age of the arcade, to rare prototypes like Primal Rage 2 and the making of Craig’s upcoming documentary Ghostlord and the Quest for Dark Presence, this is a fascinatin
525: 9/9/99: What Really Happened on Dreamcast Launch Day - The Retro Hour EP525
On this week’s podcast, we’re joined by Alexander Danielian, the Electronics Boutique retail manager whose Sunset Galleria store became Sega’s official US Dreamcast launch location on the legendary 9/9/99 release day. Alexander takes us inside one of the wildest retail events in gaming history, from building Dreamcast hype against all odds and working directly with Sega and Bernie Stolar, to the
524: Confessions of a Pirate BBS SysOp: The Arcadia Story - The Retro Hour EP524
Step back into the underground world of 90s dial-up piracy as we’re joined by Beast of Quartex, SysOp of Arcadia, once the largest pirate bulletin board system in the UK. From trading disks in the post to running a five-line elite BBS packed with the latest cracked Amiga games, Beast shares how the scene really worked: the hierarchy, the rivalries, and the race to release first. Plus, the secret
523: What It Was REALLY Like Working at Sony PlayStation in the 90s - The Retro Hour EP523
Alex Sulman joins us to share his journey from typing in code on the ZX Spectrum to designing major titles at Sony, Blizzard, DICE and beyond. We hear about his early days in QA at Sony Cambridge, working on classics like Medievil, Frogger and Primal, and hear behind-the-scenes stories from PlayStation’s golden era, the launch of the PS2 and PS3. Alex also discusses developing 24: The Game, contr
522: The Untold Story of TDK Mediactive: Nintendo, Star Wars & More - The Retro Hour EP522
This week we’re joined by Vincent Bitetti, former CEO of TDK Mediactive, for a fascinating look at one of gaming’s most unusual industry journeys. Starting in the early days of BBS networks and sound-effect licensing, including iconic properties like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Babylon 5, Vincent helped pioneer digital media distribution before leading TDK’s push into video games during the CD-ROM
521: The Story Behind the Vectrex Mini - The Retro Hour EP521
This week we’re joined by David Oghia, the man behind the upcoming Vectrex Mini. We explore his journey from discovering the ZX81 in the early 80s to working on official Star Wars publications and visiting Skywalker Ranch, before diving into the revival of one of gaming’s most unique consoles. David explains why the original vector-display Vectrex remains so special, the challenges of recreating
520: The Graphics of Core Design - The Retro Hour EP520
This week, we’re joined by Core Design artist and animator Billy Allison, whose incredible career spans hand-drawn children’s TV classics like SuperTed and The Forgotten Toys through to iconic 16-bit games including Chuck Rock, Wonder Dog, Bubba 'n' Stix and more. Billy shares how he went from experimenting with animation on a ZX Spectrum and Deluxe Paint to pushing early 3D on Shadow Man and rev
519: Three Red Lights: The Wild Story of IGN’s Xbox 360 Podcast - The Retro Hour EP519
This week we’re joined by Hilary Goldstein and Dave Clayman, two of the voices behind IGN’s legendary Three Red Lights podcast, the loud, chaotic and gloriously irreverent Xbox 360 show that helped define mid-2000s gaming culture. From sleeping on office couches and playing Halo 2 before anyone else, to Don King promos, 50 Cent interviews and the early days of podcasting when you had to manually
518: GameShark: The Rise, Fall & Return with Todd Hayes – The Retro Hour EP518
This week we’re joined by Todd Hayes, original US CEO of GameShark, the device that changed how a generation played games. From arcade beginnings to building a $252 million video game empire, Todd shares the story of bringing Action Replay to America, battling Sony in court, navigating Nintendo’s lockout chips, and launching the ambitious SharkWire online service for the N64. We also hear aboutth
517: From Zzap!64 to Thalamus: How a C64 Legend Came Back - The Retro Hour EP517
This week we’re catching up with Andy Robert of the legendary Thalamus Software, for a chat about one of the most fascinating careers of the 8-bit era. From discovering computers via library games and typing in listings, to writing for Zzap!64 and Commodore Format, Andy shares incredible stories from the golden age of the Commodore 64. We dig into Creatures, Mayhem in Monsterland and that infamou
516: Celebrating the Best (and Worst) Video Game Controllers - The Retro Hour EP516
This week on The Retro Hour, we’re getting hands-on with the unsung heroes of gaming: video game controllers! We’re joined by Christian Wenk, author of Trigger Happy, a stunning visual celebration of over 200 iconic (and sometimes downright bizarre) controllers from gaming history. From mushy Commodore joysticks to the ergonomic oddities of the N64 and beyond, Christian shares the nostalgic stori
515: "We Felt Like Part of the Beatles" - Rock Band with Sean Baptiste - The Retro Hour EP515
What makes a truly great gaming community? Sean Baptiste, who helped grow Harmonix’s forum from a dozen diehards to hundreds of thousands of fans, shares what it really takes. From the secret struggles behind QA on Karaoke Revolution, to rocking out with the stars at the Grammys, Sean reflects on how fan feedback shaped Rock Band, how social media changed the game, and why authentic engagement st
514: Fatboy Slim and the Atari ST: How a 1980s Computer Made Chart History – The Retro Hour Podcast EP514
This week we welcome Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, for a chat about the retro tech behind his biggest hits. From discovering MIDI to refusing upgrades for decades, Norman explains how the Atari ST became the backbone of his workflow, powering Beats International, Freak Power and every Fatboy Slim track right up to Eat Sleep Rave Repeat. We talk step-time sequencing, floppy disks, crashing STs, pi
513: Terminator 2D No Fate: The Inside Story – The Retro Hour Podcast EP513
This week we’re joined by Mike Tucker and Quang DX from Bitmap Bureau to talk about the making of Terminator 2D: No Fate. We hear how their lifelong love of Terminator 2 turned into a three-year obsession, why so many classic T2 games missed the mark, and how this project set out to put that right. From painstakingly recreating iconic film moments in pixel art, to difficulty balancing, licensing
512: The Top 5 Tech & Gaming Innovations of 1994-2024 - The Retro Hour 512
Happy New Year! As we kick off 2026, we’re treating everyone to something special: a FREE episode of The Retro Hour: After Hours, our podcast that’s usually exclusive to our Patreon supporters.After Hours is where Dan, Ravi, and Joe loosen the ties a bit and go deeper into retro gaming and technology. Longer chats, more personal opinions, and plenty of nostalgia that doesn’t always fit into the ma
511: Retro Gaming Christmas Quiz 2025 – The Retro Hour EP511
It’s our absolute favourite episode of the year once again, the Retro Hour Christmas Quiz is back! 🎄🎮This year, Paul Drury and Oliver Wilmot are taking on hosting duties, armed with festive cheer and plenty of tricky questions. Meanwhile, Dan, Ravi and Joe have each drafted in some of our wonderful Patrons to join their teams, because what’s Christmas without a bit of friendly competition and chao
510: “We Hid Gabe Newell in Our Game!” – Powerhoof - Making Retro Point & Click Adventures – The Retro Hour Podcast EP510
We go Down Under with Powerhoof’s David Lloyd, the brain behind award-winning indie hits like The Drifter and Crawl. From hiding DOS games as a kid to creating their own game engine and scooping Game of the Year at the Australian Game Developer Awards. From swapping floppies in the schoolyard to creating retro-inspired adventures, and why the Sierra era still casts a long shadow over indie devs to
509: “This Shouldn’t Be Possible on an Amiga 500!” – H0ffman - Demoscene and Game Ports – The Retro Hour Podcast EP509
This week, we catch up with the legendary H0ffman to hear some tales from the demo scene trenches, Amiga wizardry, and porting classic arcade titles. From brigning Metal Gear and Knightmare from the MSX to the Amiga, to pushing Neo Geo boundaries with Sega classics, and how he accidentally created a global DJ community with a bit of Amiga code. h0ffman Website: https://hoffman.home.blog/h0ffman It
508: "The 3DO M2 demo was mind-blowing... we were dying to ship it!" – Michael Devine (Former 3DO VP of Sales) – The Retro Hour Podcast EP508
This week we’re joined by industry veteran Michael Devine, former VP of Sales at The 3DO Company, key player at TDK Mediactive, and now CEO of Rockit Games, for an incredible look at four decades inside the games industry. From the “mind-blowing” M2 demos and the rise of Army Men, to the chaos of securing Hollywood licences and resurrecting Jaleco’s classic sports titles.Rock It Games: https://roc
507: "A Single MP3 is Bigger Than the NES Library!" – eXo on Emulation, BBS Days & Saving DOS Classics – The Retro Hour Podcast EP507
This week, we’re joined by eXo, the visionary behind the colossal eXoDOS emulation project, dedicated to preserving DOS, Windows 3.x, and interactive fiction games in all their original (and often quirky) glory. We explore how eXo and a global team of volunteers are not just making old games playable again, but restoring everything from lost CD audio to obscure soundcard support and the belief tha
506: “Atari’s Actually Doing Things RIGHT?!” – Ctrl-Alt-Rees - The Retro Hour Podcast EP506
This week, we catch up with the ever-inventive Ctrl-Alt-Rees in his brand new studio. Rees shares his latest projects, retro tech obsessions, and the bizarre story of a Japanese teaching computer with a paper screen. We hear his thoughts on modern Atari’s surprising comeback, his favourite (and most hated) handhelds, the quirks of the Jaguar scene, and why Windows 95 still holds up 30 years later.
505: “I Presented the Amiga Chipset to Atari… and Everyone Freaked Out!” - Atari's Matt Householder - The Retro Hour Podcast EP505
From hating Pong to working for Atari, this week we chat with Matt Householder. From his early days at Gaming Devices Inc. and designing the arcade classic Krull, through to joining Atari right after the video game crash and witnessing the dramatic Amiga chipset saga from the inside. Matt reveals what it was really like working under Jack Tramiel, converting GEM for the Atari ST in record time, a
504: “I’d Never Even Seen a Computer Until I Worked at Sierra!” – Mark Crowe on Space Quest - The Retro Hour Podcast EP504
This week we're joined by Sierra legend Mark Crowe, co-creator of the Space Quest series and one half of the iconic Two Guys from Andromeda. Mark reveals how he went from never touching a computer to helping define the golden age of adventure gaming, working alongside Roberta Williams, Disney, and a hapless space janitor named Roger Wilco. Plus, we hear about the long-awaited reunion that brought
503: “The Demo Scene Taught Us to Do the Impossible” – Erik Simon of Thalion - The Retro Hour EP503
This week's show features Erik Simon, co-founder of the legendary Thalion Software, the minds behind Lionheart, Ambermoon, and No Second Prize. Erik shares hilarious and jaw-dropping tales from the golden age of Amiga development, how the demo scene shaped Thalion’s “make the impossible happen” ethos, why Lionheart used every Amiga graphics mode. Recorded live at Amiga 40 in Germany.Contents:00:0
502: “From Modems to Headlines” – Jason Compton on the Amiga Report Revolution - The Retro Hour EP502
This week, we’re joined by former Amiga Report editor, writer, and This Week in Retro host Jason Compton, who takes us into the golden age of 90s computing news. From chasing stories during Commodore’s dramatic collapse (“we may not make more chips, but we can sell the floor scrubber!”) to the birth of one of the first online tech magazines, Jason recalls the chaos, creativity and sheer enthusiasm
501: “Michael Jackson Just Said ‘Okay, I’ll Do It All’” – SEGA's Roger Hector Tells the Inside Story of Sonic 3
For years, it’s been one of gaming’s biggest urban legends, how much did Michael Jackson really work on the music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3? In part two of our exclusive chat with Roger Hector, former Director of the Sega Technical Institute, we get the full story. Roger reveals how Jackson’s unexpected visit to STI turned into hands-on involvement with Sonic 3’s soundtrack. Plus, we explore Roger’
500: "No One Had Storyboarded Games Before - So I Did!" - Atari Legend Roger Hector - The Retro Hour EP500
This week marks our milestone 500th episode, and we’re celebrating in style with part one of an epic two-part chat with industry legend Roger Hector. From working under Nolan Bushnell and Al Alcorn in the very earliest days of Atari, to helping bring classics like Super Breakout and Battlezone to life, Roger shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories of arcades, coin-ops, and pioneering design th
499: "Nintendo Made Us Cut the Bikini Girls from Duke Nukem 64" - Eurocom's Kev Harrison - The Retro Hour EP499
This week we chat with designer Kev Harrison, whose career began at Eurocom working on Duke Nukem 64 and Duke Nukem: Zero Hour. Kev shares what it was like adapting Duke’s outrageous world for Nintendo, from cutting bikini girls to sneaking in Simpsons gags, as well as why his team saw Duke as a tongue-in-cheek Bruce Campbell figure while publishers insisted he was a deadly serious hero. We also c
498: “Arcade Lessons, Nintendo Secrets, and Omega 6” – Takaya Imamura & Junji Seki - The Retro Hour EP498
This week we hear part two of our chat with Nintendo legend Takaya Imamura and game director Junji Seki. We hear about the creation of Omega 6: The Triangle Stars, blending manga, classic adventure game engines, and even a rock-paper-scissors battle system. Imamura reflects on his decades at Nintendo, from the high-stakes launch of the Switch to breaking free with new creative freedom, while Seki
497: “We Wanted Ocarina’s Opposite - That’s Why Majora’s Mask Got So Dark” - Takaya Imamura Interview - The Retro Hour EP497
This week we welcome Nintendo legend Takaya Imamura, the visionary artist behind F-Zero, Star Fox, and Majora’s Mask. We hear some incredible stories from his three decades at Nintendo: from being interviewed by Shigeru Miyamoto, to creating Captain Falcon on a whim, to the wild one-year crunch that gave birth to Majora’s Mask. He reveals how a shrine in Kyoto inspired Fox McCloud, why Tingle was
496: "The SID Chip Was My First Love” - Jeroen Tel: Maniacs of Noise - The Retro Hour EP496
This week we catch up with legendary C64 composer Jeroen Tel of Maniacs of Noise fame. Jeroen takes us back to the early days of programming music directly in machine code, pushing the SID chip to its limits, and soundtracking classics like Cybernoid, Hawkeye, Supremacy, and Turbo OutRun. From cracktros and demo parties, we hear the story of some of the most iconic game music of the 8-bit era. Th
495: PS1 Demo Discs, Bedroom Coders and FMV Revival - Indie Games That Changed The World - The Retro Hour EP495
We're joined by games journalist and author Aaron Potter to chat about his new book, 50 Indie Games That Changed the World. From the roots of the Indie scene with the 80's bedroom coders, the revival of lost genres like FMV games, and how modern indie titles are keeping classic computers and consoles alive.50 Indie Games That Changed The World: https://tinyurl.com/4s3y5p27Contents:00:00 - The Week
494: “Sonic R’s Soundtrack Has a Life of Its Own” - Richard Jacques, The Sound of 90s SEGA - The Retro Hour EP494
This week’s episode comes live from Retromessa 2025 in Norway, where we were joined on stage by legendary video game composer Richard Jacques. From creating music on a ZX Spectrum at age 11 to scoring iconic titles like Sonic R, Jet Set Radio, Headhunter, and Mass Effect, Richard shares his incredible journey through Sega’s golden years, live orchestras at Abbey Road, and the unexpected afterlife
493: “Flash Games Should Never Have Died” – Alex Johansson, Experimental Game Maker - The Retro Hour EP493
This week we are joined by award-winning experimental designer, educator and game maker Alex Johansson of ALYO Games. He is the mind behind wild alt-controller creations like Muppet Boxing, syringe-powered co-op games and his new Morse code-based strategy title Morse. We dive into the wonderfully strange world of odd inputs, discuss why Flash games should have been preserved, explore how gaming ca
492: “My Teacher Said I Wasn’t That Good” – The Story of Worms with Andy Davidson - The Retro Hour EP492
This week, we chat with Andy Davidson, the creator of the legendary game Worms. Andy shares how a quirky artillery game made on a school Amiga evolved into one of the most recognisable franchises in gaming history. From ripping sprites out of Lemmings for a laugh, to a five-minute pitch that landed him a publishing deal with Team17, plus some updates on the upcoming Worms Director's Cut 1.5 for th
491: Croc Was Meant to Be Yoshi - Then It All Changed! - Matt Porter, Argonaut Programmer - The Retro Hour EP491
This week we’re joined by Matt Porter, former programmer at Argonaut Software and one of the key developers behind Croc: Legend of the Gobbos. Matt shares inside stories from the development of titles like Creature Shock, Scooby-Doo Mysteries, and SWAT: Global Strike Team, delves into the challenges of porting games across wildly different platforms, and teases some fascinating lost betas and unre
490: "I Only Found Out My Game Was in a Magazine Years Later" Rob Smith, Retro Inventor - The Retro Hour EP490
This week’s guest is Rob Smith: the mad‑scientist of the retro scene. Rob takes us on a tour of his wild inventions—from a disco‑themed floppy‑disk cleaning workstation that actually plays tunes, to a full‑scale whack‑a‑mole game controlled by an Amiga via Arduino and AMOS, and his glowing levitating Boing Ball built with magnets and LEDs. He also talks about the Retro Directory, disc backup stati
489: “Don’t Press OK – It Will Destroy Your PC!”: QA Testing at Virgin with Dave Isherwood - The Retro Hour EP489
his week, we go behind the scenes of ’90s game testing with QA veteran Dave Isherwood! From the chaos of Virgin Interactive’s wild office parties to uncovering show-stopping bugs just hours before launch. Hear about the day Virgin fell apart, the mystery of the deadly red screen, and why he had to fake losing video game tournaments. Contents:00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 37:37 - Dave Isher
488: "My Spectrum Caught Fire on Boxing Day!" - RetroBytes - The Retro Hour EP488
This week, we’re joined by John from the awesome YouTube channel RetroBytes - a creator who dives into the obscure corners of computing history. From his childhood memories of a flaming Spectrum, to restoring Unix workstations, the beauty of operating systems that time forgot, and why Gopher might’ve beaten the web, if not for one fatal mistake. RetroBytes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Retr
487: “We Cold-Called Nintendo After a Few Ciders” The Story of Enigma Variations - The Retro Hour EP487
This week, we’re joined by Darren Melbourne and Mark Greenshields to unravel the untold story of British software house Enigma Variations. From bargain licensing deals for Postman Pat and Bugs Bunny to cold-calling Nintendo after a few ciders. Plus, their recent efforts to preserved lost classics, the truth behind NES Lion King, and why some of their best work never saw the light of day... until n
486: He Cracked Games at 14, Then Made Game Genie and Rock n’ Roll Racing - The Retro Hour EP486
We’re joined by Allen Anderson, a veteran SNES coder, and one of the key programmers behind Rock n’ Roll Racing. Starting as a teenage game cracker in Arkansas, he shares how hacking games led him into the industry, the chaos of SNES development with homemade dev kits, and how he programmed the Game Genie under insane deadlines, and the story behind the legendary cancelled Sega Saturn title, Propa
485: Psygnosis to PSN: Phil Gaskell on Shaping Sony’s Early Playstation Era - The Retro Hour EP485
This week, we chat with game developer and producer Phil Gaskell, whose career spans from typing BASIC on a ZX81 to shaping titles at Psygnosis, Sony Playstation and Warthog. Phil shares behind-the-scenes tales of early PlayStation days, cancelled games, missed payrolls and mafia connections at Gizmondo, and rebooting iconic games like Lemmings and Super Stardust HD. Contents:00:00 - The Week's Re
484: The Man Who Tried To Save the Amiga: Petro Tyschtschenko - The Retro Hour EP484
This week we hear about the turbulent post-Commodore years with former Amiga Technologies President, Petro Tyschtschenko. From scrambling to find buyers after Commodore’s collapse to selling Amiga 1200s out of a warehouse in India, Petro shares his story, from the courtroom battles, the backroom deals, and the community spirit that refused to let the Amiga die. Contents:00:00 - The Week's Retro Ne
483: Last Action Hero to Chronicles of Riddick: Cos Lazouras Tells All - The Retro Hour EP483
This week we welcome Cos Lazouras, a true veteran with over three decades in the games industry. From blagging his way into Bits Studios to working with Vin Diesel on The Chronicles of Riddick, Cos shares incredible stories from working on Spider-Man, The Simpsons, Wolverine and Last Action Hero including why that one remains his most ‘disastrous’ game. And his incredible new 80's themed point &am
482: Medal of Honor: The Inside Story with Chris Cross - The Retro Hour EP482
This week we’re joined by Chris Cross, the original lead designer of Medal of Honor, who cut his teeth at Blizzard on Warcraft II and Diablo, worked on Small Soldiers: Squad Commander, survived Trespasser: The Lost World, and brought us gritty realism in Homefront. Chris shares some amazing behind-the-scenes stories, from Spielberg’s influence and arcade obsessions, to why he loved PS1 development
481: Tony Warriner & Stoo Cambridge’s UrbX Warriors: A Masterpiece for the ZX Spectrum Next - The Retro Hour EP481
This week, we chat with two legends of the British gaming scene, Tony Warriner (Revolution Software) and Stoo Cambridge (Sensible Software), who’ve teamed up to create UrbX Warriors, an incredible new title for the ZX Spectrum Next. UrbX Warriors Kickstarter: https://tinyurl.com/yvhw43etContents:00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 32:29 - Tony Warriner & Stoo Cambridge InterviewPlease visit
480: Diablo, StarCraft & Comix Zone: Stieg Hedlund Reveals All - The Retro Hour EP480
This week we hear about the incredible career of game designer Stieg Hedlund! From his early days tinkering with BASIC on a Bally Astrocade to shaping some of the most iconic titles of the '90s like Comiz Zone, The Ooze, and the legendary Diablo. Contents:00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 42:26 - Stieg Hedlund InterviewPlease visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:Bitmap Book
479: Psygnosis, G-Police & Writing FPS History with Stuart Maine - The Retro Hour EP479
This week, we’re joined by game designer and author Stuart Maine, whose 28-year career spans iconic titles like Theme Hospital, Dungeon Keeper, and G-Police: Weapons of Justice. Stuart shares stories from the heyday of Bullfrog and Psygnosis, reflects on the golden era of first-person shooters, and reveals the wild behind-the-scenes of cancelled games and dev kit coffee tables. Plus, we dive into
478: Why The Demo Scene Is Now a Cultural Treasure - The Retro Hour EP478
This week, we’re joined by the brilliant Tobias Kopka—aka Melkor of Haujobb—as we explore the importance of the demo scene. We explore how this underground digital art movement went from C64 crack intros to global recognition through the ‘Art of Coding’ UNESCO initiative. From the days of 2,000 sweaty kids attending events like The Gathering to international cultural bids, Tobias shares some amazi
477: American McGee - From Doom to Dark Wonderland - The Retro Hour EP477
We’re joined by legendary game developer American McGee, who takes us on a journey from his humble beginnings on the Timex Sinclair and Commodore 64 to designing iconic levels for Doom II and Quake. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from iD Software, reveals how a Ferrari-driving neighbour turned out to be John Carmack, and discusses the gothic inspirations behind American McGee’s Alice. Plus, w
476: The Commodore Amiga at 40: The Original Developers' Story - The Retro Hour EP476
As the Commodore Amiga celebrates its 40th birthday, we hear stories from original developers Dale Luck, Jeff Porter, Andy Finkel, and others. Recorded live at VCF East in New Jersey, our Dan gets the story of this legendary machine direct from the people who made it happen.Thanks to Amiga Bill for recording the interview, and joining us for the news this week!🌟 Twitch: twitch.tv/AmigaBill📺 YouTub
475: The Story of Unreal Tournament – With Producer Neil Haldar - The Retro Hour EP475
This week we’re joined by Neil Haldar, a pivotal figure behind the legendary Unreal Tournament. From dropping out of medical school to leading major projects at Sierra Online, GT Interactive, and MGM Studios, Neil shares incredible stories from his time shaping iconic games. Plus, we rewind to the 3DO era, and get the inside story on licensed games like 007 Racing and Rocky.Contents:00:00 - The We
474: The Dark Origins of Horror Games - The Retro Hour EP474
This week, we catch up with Richard Moss and welcome first-time guest Connor O’Keane, the creative minds behind the spine-chilling documentary series TerrorBytes. In this follow-up to our earlier chat with the TerrorBytes team, we explore the evolution of horror in video games, from lo-fi jump scares to controversial bans and accidental nightmares. Plus, why horror in games is more than just guts
473: What Gen-Z Can Teach Us About Retro Tech – Kari Lawler Joins The Show - The Retro Hour EP473
This week, we’re joined by YouTuber Kari Lawler, who’s breathing new life into vintage systems! At 21 years old, Kari’s love for old-school computing spans BBC Micros, Apple IIs, and even programming from classic magazine listings. We chat about her early coding days, winning a space tech challenge at 15, the origins of her channel, and why treating viewers with intelligence is the key to her fast
472: RogueCraft: Making The Ultimate Modern Amiga Game - The Retro Hour EP472
This week, we chat to the creators of RogueCraft, a stunning new Amiga title that recently won an award at the Debug Indie game awards. Ricki and Henning from Badger Punch Games tell us about their roots in Norway’s Amiga scene to developing for the MEGA65 and building procedural magic on vintage hardware, they share the journey of crafting one of the most exciting modern Amiga games. Badger Punch
471: The Elder Scrolls: How It All Began with VJ Lakshman - The Retro Hour EP471
This week, we hear about the origins of The Elder Scrolls with the legendary VJ Lakshman, co-creator and a key figure in Bethesda Softworks’ early days. From the D&D roots of Elder Scrolls, and how procedural generation shaped an RPG legend. VJ also shares stories from his work on The Terminator, Crash Bash, Spyro The Dragon, and his time at Warner Bros. & Turbine, working on Lord of the R
470: GOG: Meet the Heroes Saving Your Favourite Childhood Games - The Retro Hour EP470
We chat with Marcin Paczyński, Senior Business Development Manager at Good Old Game, and Adam Ziółkowski, Technical Engineer, to hear about their new Preservation Program. Launched in November 2024, this initiative is dedicated to ensuring classic games remain playable on modern and future systems. We hear about the challenges of maintaining compatibility, the process of updating and bug-fixing cl
469: Behind the Scenes of GTA 3 & Guitar Hero with Kelly Sumner - The Retro Hour EP469
In part two of our epic interview with Kelly Sumner, we move beyond Commodore and into his time at GameTek and Take-Two Interactive. Kelly shares behind-the-scenes stories from the launch of GTA 3 and his experiences working with the Houser brothers. We also dive into his time as CEO of RedOctane, where he helped turn Guitar Hero into a global phenomenon. Recreational Music: https://reactionalmusi
468: What Really Killed Commodore? UK MD Kelly Sumner Tells All - The Retro Hour EP468
In the first part of our epic two part interview, we sit down with Kelly Sumner, former Managing Director of Commodore UK, to hear the highs and lows of his 15-year journey at the legendary company. From starting as a trainee engineer in 1979 to marketing the iconic Amiga and C64, Kelly shares never-before-heard stories about selling the Amiga 1000, the infamous C64GS flop, CDTV’s retail struggles
467: The Games of a Lifetime with Jaz Rignall - - The Retro Hour EP467
We catch up with legendary games journalist Julian 'Jaz' Rignall about his epic new book, The Games of a Lifetime, which is a video game time machine that takes you on an incredible journey from the very dawn of the industry, through the decades to the present day. It’s essentially video game history from the inside, seen through the eyes of Jaz Rignall, a hardcore gamer, who ended up becoming a j
466: Deus Ex, System Shock & Origin Systems: Harvey Smith Tells All - The Retro Hour EP466
This week, we chat to Harvey Smith, the legendary designer behind Deus Ex, System Shock, and Area 51! From his early days playing D&D and Ultima Underworld to working at Origin Systems on Super Wing Commander. We hear about the challenges of designing Deus Ex, working alongside Warren Spector, and the technical innovations that made it a classic!Contents:00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 3
465: ZX Spectrum, GamesMaster & Retro Nostalgia with Rose Tinted Spectrum - The Retro Hour EP465
This week, we chat to Dave from the wonderfully nostalgic Youtube channel Rose Tinted Spectrum. From growing up in the arcades of Blackpool to his love of ZX Spectrum budget games, his hilarious takedowns of classic gaming TV, and why he really isn’t a fan of The Bitmap Brothers!Rose Tinted Spectrum: https://www.youtube.com/@RoseTintedSpectrumContents:00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 39:45 -
464: Bringing Mortal Kombat Home: The Crazy Story of the Mega Drive Port - The Retro Hour EP464
Paul Carruthers, the programming wizard behind the Sega Mega Drive’s iconic Mortal Kombat port, joins us this week to share his incredible journey. From his early gaming memories and passion for puzzle games to the challenges of co-founding Astral and developing titles like Archipelagos, Paul delves into the intricacies of game development. He offers an insider’s perspective on bringing the arcade
463: ScummVM: Keeping Classic Games Alive - The Retro Hour EP463
This week, we’re joined by Eugene Sandulenko, project lead of the legendary ScummVM, to explore how this essential tool preserves gaming history. From its origins to supporting classics like Blade Runner and lesser-known gems, Eugene shares fascinating stories about reverse engineering, community passion, and overcoming challenges like LucasArts’ legal battles. Plus, we discuss how ScummVM adapts
462: Argonaut Games: Jez San on Star Fox, Croc, and the SuperFX Chip - The Retro Hour EP462
This week on The Retro Hour, we’re joined by gaming legend Jez San OBE, the mastermind behind classics like StarGlider, the groundbreaking SuperFX chip, and the much-loved Croc: Legend of the Gobbos. From his early days coding on a TRS-80 to working with Nintendo on Star Fox, Jez shares his journey through the golden age of gaming. Hear how he reverse-engineered the Game Boy, created stunning 3D e
461: Forcing Ourselves To Play AWFUL Video Games - The Retro Hour EP461
As we take an extended break for Christmas, we're treating everyone to a FREE bonus episode of our Patron's only podcast, The Retro Hour After Hours.In this special episode of The Retro Hour After Hours, Dan, Ravi, and Joe face a challenge that many gamers fear – giving some of the most notoriously awful video games of all time a fair shot!Will Joe have anything positive to say about Shaq Fu? How
460: Retro Gaming Christmas Quiz 2024 - The Retro Hour EP460
It's our favourite episode of the year, we let our hair down and find out who will be crowned this year's Retro Hour Christmas Super Quiz champions!DJ Slopes from Slopes Game Room on Youtube sets the all important questions this year as regulars Paul Drury from Retro Gamer/Edge magazine and quiz extraordinaire Oliver Wilmot, take on Dan and Joe and Ravi and Ashley to find out who will be crowned t
459: The Best of Retro In 2024: Unforgettable Highlights - The Retro Hour EP459
Join us for an epic look back at 2024 as we celebrate some of the most incredible guests and legendary industry icons who’ve graced the podcast this year. From fascinating stories to behind-the-scenes tales, this bumper episode is packed with highlights you won’t want to miss.Have a very Merry Christmas, and don’t forget to join us next week for our festive Christmas quiz!Please visit our amazing
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