The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

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.  This episode was recorded live at Retromessa in Norway Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  43:56 - Jeroen Tel Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Play Expo Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/ Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes LAN Party Adventures: https://tinyurl.com/h3kuyevt Xbox 360 Softmod Is Coming: https://youtu.be/0gRHubim8DI Llamasoft & Activision Evercade Collections: https://tinyurl.com/4fpcjtzb Analogue 3D Updates: https://tinyurl.com/3hzc9mky M64: https://tinyurl.com/yxea37te JRPGs Getting Pulled Off Switch Store: https://tinyurl.com/yc4kruea

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/4s3y5p27 Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  37:29 - Aaron Potter Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Liverpool Gaming Market: https://www.liverpoolgamingmarket.com/ Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Vectrex Mini Prototypes Showcased At Gamescom: https://tinyurl.com/mu798csw The A1200 Revealed At Gamescom: https://tinyurl.com/2zydz45m He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe: https://tinyurl.com/2udcvjjf Cubix: 3D Platformer For The Spectrum: https://yrgb.ru/ Bubsy 4D: https://tinyurl.com/2r9pa3vy

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 of a song that became a meme.  Richard's website: https://www.richardjacques.com/home Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  54:42 - Richard Jacques Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Liverpool Gaming Market: https://www.liverpoolgamingmarket.com/ Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Sega Laserdisc Emulation Has Just Taken a Major Leap Forward: https://tinyurl.com/yc3t492v The Settlers II Finally Settles on Amiga 29 Years Late: https://tinyurl.com/y5xjjyvh Modder Builds Windows 98 Handheld Using Original Hardware: https://tinyurl.com/2v7j2y37 Happy 30th Birthday to Internet Explorer: https://tinyurl.com/452j77md Parenting Like It’s 1999: https://tinyurl.com/2etae5m7

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 can reach older and underserved communities, and hear how Alex’s love for tactile play has taken him from cardboard-box cockpits to the heart of the ham radio scene. Alex's website: https://alexvscoding.itch.io/ Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  43:13 - Alex Johansson Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Crawley Gaming Market: https://www.crawleygamingmarket.com/ Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Heretic and Hexen remasters: https://tinyurl.com/k6ueyunb PS1 clone will also play Sega CD and Sega Saturn: https://tinyurl.com/fvd37ypa Monty Mole games: https://tinyurl.com/mtskfsxh AOL is turning off its dial-up after 34 years: https://tinyurl.com/4f95wrf6 40 years of the Amiga as an album tribute by Allister Brimble: https://tinyurl.com/2d4a5c85

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 the Amiga!  Andy Davidson on X: https://x.com/totalwormage Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  35:31 - Andy Davidson Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Crawley Gaming Market: https://www.crawleygamingmarket.com/ Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Rare's 40th Anniversary Blue Plaque: https://tinyurl.com/yfvut7sc Rare Evercade Collection: https://tinyurl.com/bdd3emcb Rare Vinyl Set: https://tinyurl.com/4puzktvw Rick Dangerous Mega Drive Port: https://tinyurl.com/ydr25k9f Zelda Homage NES-Style Spin-Off: https://tinyurl.com/4ahudfru Groundbreaking Game Descent’s Anniversary: https://tinyurl.com/tddfybfa

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 unreleased gems he’s been finding on 30-year-old hard drives. Dovetail Games: https://dovetailgames.com/ Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  37:40 - Matt Porter Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Sheffield Gaming Market: https://www.sheffieldgamingmarket.com/ Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes James Pond Revival and AI Campaign: https://tinyurl.com/9wafa3zx Bitmap Bureau Terminator Game Delay: https://tinyurl.com/yry357hp Game Gear Camera Mod Using GBC Hardware: https://tinyurl.com/msrus64r Rare 3DO M2 Console Withdrawn from Sale: https://tinyurl.com/4z6hv5h7 Super Mario Bros. Remastered Coming to PC: https://tinyurl.com/4dmy62vk

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 stations, and his journey from VIC 20 BASIC to making modern retro PD titles. Rob Smith's website: https://robsmithdev.co.uk/ Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  47:48 - Dave Isherwood Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Sheffield Gaming Market: https://www.sheffieldgamingmarket.com/ Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Atari Classics in Volkswagen Vehicles: https://tinyurl.com/wfner8j2 Paprium Flash Cart Release: https://tinyurl.com/2ucerftm Metro’s Top 20 Amiga Games: https://tinyurl.com/ftz5y86h Grant Sinclair Gamercard: https://tinyurl.com/nzc9uuem Atari x Pac-Man Collection – Limited Edition 2600+: https://tinyurl.com/47ar835w Atari 50 Namco DLC: https://tinyurl.com/bd8xczzs Modern SNES Handheld in Development: https://tinyurl.com/45c8u3jn

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 Isherwood Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Commodore 64 Ultimate Edition: https://www.commodore.net/ Rare Sega Genesis Re-Release: https://tinyurl.com/5n6ftw5a Worms Forever Game Boy Mod: https://tinyurl.com/8j86zb7b Beat ’Em Up Collection – QUByte Classics: https://tinyurl.com/mr4nuuxk YouTuber Copyright Lawsuit: https://tinyurl.com/jbdjdmr5

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/@RetroBytesUK Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  40:03 - RetroBytes Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Events: The Amiga at 40: https://tinyurl.com/4wu2866h NottsVGE: https://www.nottsvge.com/ RetroMessa: https://www.retromessa.no/ Show notes Xbox Mass Lay Offs: https://tinyurl.com/47t45sum New Jazz Mag: https://www.supercellphonegamer.com/ GameCube to Switch 2 Dock: https://tinyurl.com/5k32x59t Flipping Good Game: https://tinyurl.com/bddecmvz 3D Print with Accuracy: https://tinyurl.com/37t6zwsz

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 now. Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  32:53 - Darren Melbourne and Mark Greenshields Interview Games That Weren't: https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/ Antstream: https://www.antstream.com/ Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Animaniacs for GBA: https://tinyurl.com/y3u3ahsk Postal 2 Redux: https://tinyurl.com/32f4f54x Game Boy Camera on Switch 2: https://tinyurl.com/y5t7phw3 Playdate FMV Game: https://tinyurl.com/vtacmh6e Windows 95 on PS2: https://tinyurl.com/2nttad7w

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, Propaganda.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  38:20 - Allen Anderson Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Switch 2 Emulation Issues: https://youtu.be/A3ylCAr0dbs Maplin Returns: https://tinyurl.com/23w9xy5p Duke Nukem Netflix Project: https://tinyurl.com/yc8euk4h Turrican CPC Remaster: https://tinyurl.com/mr3se7jp Linux Format Closes: https://tinyurl.com/5e9dhzcx

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 Retro News Stories  36:41 - Phil Gaskell Interview Our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetroHourPodcast/videos Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Atari beats ChatGPT: https://tinyurl.com/54pr4bxw PS1 custom motherboards: https://tinyurl.com/mtrdfb3j Head Over Heels sequel: https://tinyurl.com/4whtcrnn Mario Kart 64 on Dreamcast: https://tinyurl.com/jjk8uhyt Discord on Windows 95: https://youtu.be/wxdn30G2LE8

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 News Stories  41:51 - Petro Tyschtschenko Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: The Story Behind Resident Evil 2 Cover Art: https://tinyurl.com/muhvzmz4 The G'aime: https://tinyurl.com/bkspfsbw Let’s Buy Commodore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN8r4LRcOXc MK Collection: https://tinyurl.com/226ty4tj

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 & click adventure. VICE Undercover: https://tinyurl.com/476ucjzb Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  32:47 - Cos Lazouras Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes The Bagman for Mega Drive: https://tinyurl.com/8scuchxj Game Boy Camera Manager: https://tinyurl.com/5n78v92s Atari ST turns 40: https://tinyurl.com/mwbzf2v2 Azaran Island: https://tinyurl.com/msphwu2h New Contra arcade: https://youtu.be/5FX6HJl9uZ8

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 and what went wrong (and right) on some of the most ambitious projects of the '90s and early 2000s.  Brain Arcade Podcast: https://coffeewithcross.com/brainarcade Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  38:59 - Chris Cross Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Wii U Game Pad replacement:  https://tinyurl.com/264vu8rn OutRun on Game Boy Colour:  https://tinyurl.com/4z7mdtbe Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun - Words of Vengeance:  ttps://tinyurl.com/3v2b4t36 Retro ruler:  https://tinyurl.com/yvp8vbu3 AROS Live USB: https://tinyurl.com/2b2bu3ae

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/yvhw43et Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  32:29 - Tony Warriner & Stoo Cambridge Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Mario 64 Trigger Found: https://tinyurl.com/52ffytrb Metal Gear for Mega Drive: https://tinyurl.com/47fdc9uw Microsoft Revives Edit: https://tinyurl.com/3z56yt3b Visit 1975 Microsoft: https://tinyurl.com/58nupxu4 Sega Saturn New Fighter: https://tinyurl.com/2wpf4cxs

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 Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Ecco The Dolphin Remastered: https://tinyurl.com/37hdwzw3 Lost Lynx game is revived: https://tinyurl.com/58nav3y3 Fallout 1 and 2 Lost Source Code Found: https://tinyurl.com/297mzhec Batman on the Sinclair QL: https://tinyurl.com/2wttffa4 Bubsy The Purrfect Collection: https://tinyurl.com/5n98dbxy

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 his latest book Hurt Me Plenty which explores the blockbuster FPS era of 2003–2010. Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 37:15 - Stuart Maine Interview Pre-order Hurt Me Plenty: The Ultimate Guide to First-Person Shooters 2003–2010: https://tinyurl.com/mwtf8juz Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour The Retro Hour Book: https://retrohour.myshopify.com/ We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Sega opens first shop: https://tinyurl.com/44mb6amr Sega HQ relocating: https://tinyurl.com/38eyzs3t New Vectrex shooter from Alan Wake dev: https://tinyurl.com/buup3kwp WavePhoenix revives classic controller: https://tinyurl.com/ra7a8y9c Fan remake of Altered Beast: https://tinyurl.com/5n8kn8rs

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 amazing stories, including running demos on ATMs and sending them into space!  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  39:49 - Tobias Kopka Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour The Retro Hour Book: https://retrohour.myshopify.com/ We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Wii Homebrew Channel closes: https://tinyurl.com/yy32spc4 Frontier Force: https://tinyurl.com/53uy5u54 Breakspace Spectrum magazine – Issue 1 released: https://breakspace.itch.io/issue-1 Toys R Us – the movie: https://tinyurl.com/48trvmhm Linecraft for Pico-8: https://tinyurl.com/5cbyrynu

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, we hear about his time at EA, and why being fired from iD turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him! Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  35:28 - American McGee Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour The Retro Hour Book: https://retrohour.myshopify.com/ We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes YouTube Turns 20: https://tinyurl.com/mrx88ybs Windows on Game Boy: https://tinyurl.com/25mkwpdp OutRun the Movie: https://tinyurl.com/5n6r8ntk Neon Hearts City: https://tinyurl.com/yvezebcn Upcoming events RetCon 2025 – https://retconfestival.co.uk/ PT1210 – https://www.ptweekender.com/ RetroMessa – https://www.retromessa.no/