Retronauts

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 745: SimCity Spinoffs. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

To celebrate The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary AND the Retronauts' 750th episode, we assemble the Triforce of Cool People Who Like Zelda Games [Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and John Ricciardi] to discuss the OG Zelda's impact and legacy.Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

As the sun was setting on the 2.5D FPS, one game emerged to pull out all the stops: Duke Nukem 3D. While Duke 3D was mostly known for its brash main character and his many violent acts, those who actually sat down to play it realized that 3D Realms' creation actually contained some extremely clever level design and a variety of player interactions that just weren't seen in the mid-90s. Duke Nukem Forever might have left a stain on the legacy of Duke, but we're here to remind you that, even 30 years later, his initial 3D outing still kicks ass.This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Dominic Tarason, and John Linneman as the crew hails to the king and replenishes their supply of bubble gum.Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Jeremy Parish, Kaye Ross, John Learned, and Greg Melo take to the battlefield again to go in-depth into the first chapter of Final Fantasy Tactics and explore its deft blend of narrative, systems, and gameplay.Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content—including this full-length (nearly 3 hour!) episode. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

A belated return to a certain pair of violent Gauls, courtesy of Thomas Nickel, Audi Sorlie, John Linneman, and Stuart Gipp. Paf! By Toutatis!! etc.Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and Brian Clark look back at the game that transformed Capcom's survival horror series twice over: Resident Evil 2 (the 1998 version, and the 2019 version).Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 745: Earthworm Jim. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

This computer network speaks BASIC! Kevin Bunch, Dr. Joy Lisi Rankin, and Annette Vee talk about the Dartmouth Time Sharing System, the birth of BASIC, and how it brought computer games to the public.Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

Nadia Oxford, Victor Hunter, Stuart Gipp, and David Oxford talk about a rare definitive ending for a video game saga with Mega Man Zero 4 for the Game Boy Advance.Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

Tele-pod-tation, yeah! Stuart Gipp, Seumidh MacDonald, and Dave Bulmer get the Sonic team back together to investigate Big S’ optimal, optical option.Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

The end is nigh! The end of 2025, that is, and the kick-off to 2026 with our annual look back through the decades at the biggest gaming events of 40 and 50 years ago. Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, Benj Edwards, & Jared Petty tag team to wrestle Father Time. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 739: Gaming in the Year 2006. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Kevin Bunch take a moment to reflect on some of the most influential figures in video games who passed in 2025: how the work they created touched lives, and what their loss means for the medium. (This episode was recorded before Infinity Ward founder Vince Zampella's passing.) Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

It's that time of the year again, so hang your stockings, haul home a coniferous tree, and pack the required survival gear for another harrowing trip to the Retronauts Holiday Cabin in Parts Unknown. And for this 15th outing, we'll be taking a long, mostly confused look at Video Power: the Captain N also-ran that assembled a team of C-list protagonists for some poorly animated, Acclaim-promoting fun. (Before being completely retooled into a game show the following year.) So listen in as Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Drew Mackie as the crew assembles and attempts to learn the true meaning of brand integration. Cover art by Nick Daniel. Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

It's the closest thing to the real thing! Kevin Bunch and expert guests Tom Boellstorff and Braxston Soderman talk about the Atari 2600’s chief rival, the Mattel Intellivision. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

Diamond Feit and Christa Lee chow down on the recent Bandai Namco star-studded lore-laden Metroidvania Shadow Labyrinth (featuring Pac-Man). Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 733: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

WIIIILMAAAA! Don’t take Flintstones games for “granite”. Join Stuart Gipp, John Linneman, and Thomas Nickel as we talk the old-school Stone Age family. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

Nadia Oxford, Kevin Bunch, and Lucas White talk about the Mega Man-inspired rock band, The Protomen. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts 

Video games: can you dig it? Yes, and you can also dig IN them—which is the point of this week's podcast. What started as one man's dream to bury aliens alive has remained a viable concept in video games to this very day; Donkey Kong Bananza, we're looking at you. But how has this simple concept evolved over the years, allowing us to safely simulate tunneling underground without getting our fingernails dirty? On this latest installment of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Diamond Feit, and Jeremy Parish as the crew assembles in a Portland hotel room and imagines a new life underground. Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.