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The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

Technology Podcasts

Your weekly dose of retro gaming and technology news and interviews with industry veterans. New episodes released every Friday!

Location:

United Kingdom

Description:

Your weekly dose of retro gaming and technology news and interviews with industry veterans. New episodes released every Friday!

Twitter:

@retrohouruk

Language:

English


Episodes
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484: The Man Who Tried To Save the Amiga: Petro Tyschtschenko - The Retro Hour EP484

6/13/2025
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

Duration:01:37:08

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483: Last Action Hero to Chronicles of Riddick: Cos Lazouras Tells All - The Retro Hour EP483

6/5/2025
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

Duration:01:27:21

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482: Medal of Honor: The Inside Story with Chris Cross - The Retro Hour EP482

5/29/2025
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

Duration:01:38:16

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481: Tony Warriner & Stoo Cambridge’s UrbX Warriors: A Masterpiece for the ZX Spectrum Next - The Retro Hour EP481

5/23/2025
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

Duration:01:22:00

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480: Diablo, StarCraft & Comix Zone: Stieg Hedlund Reveals All - The Retro Hour EP480

5/15/2025
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

Duration:01:25:31

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479: Psygnosis, G-Police & Writing FPS History with Stuart Maine - The Retro Hour EP479

5/9/2025
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

Duration:01:31:55

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478: Why The Demo Scene Is Now a Cultural Treasure - The Retro Hour EP478

5/2/2025
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

Duration:01:31:38

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477: American McGee - From Doom to Dark Wonderland - The Retro Hour EP477

4/25/2025
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/

Duration:01:27:41

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476: The Commodore Amiga at 40: The Original Developers' Story - The Retro Hour EP476

4/18/2025
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 📺 YouTube: youtube.com/@AmigaBill 🌐 Website: AmigaBill.tv Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 45:00 - Amiga 40th Panel 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 New Sega Saturn homebrew racer: https://tinyurl.com/2sn87by7 Compute’s Gazette returns: https://tinyurl.com/yc7km7yn Limited Run DOOM I & II collection: https://tinyurl.com/yyw46vhc AmigaOS update released: https://tinyurl.com/4fzbs2d8 Mechanoids 2 – The Final Conflict: https://tinyurl.com/3mkh48rs

Duration:01:56:13

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475: The Story of Unreal Tournament – With Producer Neil Haldar - The Retro Hour EP475

4/11/2025
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 Week's Retro News Stories 42:36 - Neil Haldar 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 AI-generated Quake mixes reactions: https://tinyurl.com/tcevvphu John Carmack defends AI Quake II level: https://tinyurl.com/55kne3rm New N-Gage release: https://tinyurl.com/28rzes4x The World Is Not Enough prototype: https://tinyurl.com/54vwzw6p GameCube comes to Switch 2: https://tinyurl.com/3v7cujsc

Duration:01:42:29

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474: The Dark Origins of Horror Games - The Retro Hour EP474

4/4/2025
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 and gore, and what really makes a game scary… TerrorBytes website: https://terrorbytesdoc.com/ Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 35:09 - TerrorBytes 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 Long Lost NES Populous Found: https://tinyurl.com/y434kfzw Ghosts ’N Goblins Tribute Gladmort: https://tinyurl.com/ymr98anx Krogharr – New Amiga Slasher: https://tinyurl.com/79xfph5p Exploding PSPs Warning: https://tinyurl.com/mvj9msph

Duration:01:27:22

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473: What Gen-Z Can Teach Us About Retro Tech – Kari Lawler Joins The Show - The Retro Hour EP473

3/27/2025
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-growing fanbase. Kari's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@karilawler Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 39:46 - Kari Lawler 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 Sensi Soccer on NES found: https://tinyurl.com/4mdu5bp3 Another Nintendo PlayStation: https://tinyurl.com/yhw79w7x Wipeout Dreamcast: https://youtu.be/01MuoxLTQ9o Full Size Amiga 1200 delayed: https://tinyurl.com/y7e9jhet

Duration:01:26:11

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472: RogueCraft: Making The Ultimate Modern Amiga Game - The Retro Hour EP472

3/21/2025
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 Games: https://www.badgerpunch.com/ Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 44:48 - Badger Punch Games 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 Sega Saturn games streamed from Wi-Fi: https://tinyurl.com/4jft5txa You can now order CEX from JustEat: https://tinyurl.com/3cdhfxew Cancelled SNES title ‘Mortal Kombat Nitro’: https://youtu.be/n8ovAVUZroU USB hyper hack for Xbox 360: https://youtu.be/IUK__yGXmds Counter-Strike remake: https://tinyurl.com/44axx4nk

Duration:01:37:40

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471: The Elder Scrolls: How It All Began with VJ Lakshman - The Retro Hour EP471

3/14/2025
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 Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online. VJ on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07B3T9RLG Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 40:53 - VJ Lakshman 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 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Remakes Announced: https://tinyurl.com/3vje2vhr Spectrum Next Gets 3rd Kickstarter: https://tinyurl.com/4nbfst6p SNES Is Getting Faster, Nobody Knows Why: https://tinyurl.com/ms8dfj62 Acclaim Rises from the Ashes: https://tinyurl.com/yrtuw56v PS3 Gets an Update: https://tinyurl.com/4ucx5enu

Duration:01:41:06

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470: GOG: Meet the Heroes Saving Your Favourite Childhood Games - The Retro Hour EP470

3/7/2025
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 classic titles, and GOG’s commitment to DRM-free gaming. GOG Preservation Program: https://www.gog.com/en/gog-preservation-program Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 44:05 - Good Old Game 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 Terminator 2D No Fate: https://tinyurl.com/2jcsa8mn RIP Skype: https://tinyurl.com/3ahrj2cp Lost PC game Big Brother archived online: https://tinyurl.com/33kt64td Sonic Unleashed 360 Recomp: https://tinyurl.com/pe34prja Bandai Namco want to license out classic IPs: https://tinyurl.com/4ez98jhn

Duration:01:35:40

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469: Behind the Scenes of GTA 3 & Guitar Hero with Kelly Sumner - The Retro Hour EP469

2/28/2025
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://reactionalmusic.com/ Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 41:18 - Kelly Sumner 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 Sonic & The Moon Facility playable demo: https://tinyurl.com/2yjjezte MSX laptop: https://tinyurl.com/3e5rzs44 Samurai Pizza Cats game: https://youtu.be/jErZx5DekeI Nightmare Busters: https://tinyurl.com/3njnctrs Official WinRAR bag: https://in.tern.et/en-gb

Duration:01:30:45

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468: What Really Killed Commodore? UK MD Kelly Sumner Tells All - The Retro Hour EP468

2/21/2025
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, and his surprising appearance on GamesMaster! Recreational Music: https://reactionalmusic.com/ Kelly Sumner on GamesMaster: https://youtu.be/oZ4XbkJ2sIA Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 43:35 - Kelly Sumner 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 Dreamcast cloud save support: https://tinyurl.com/stk3vu65 1 in 4 Gen Z Brits owns a retro gaming console: https://tinyurl.com/2emuu7cv Flesh Made Fear: https://youtu.be/_n55OCtkM4U E-Reader handheld console: https://inkconsole.com/ The new Shinobi: https://tinyurl.com/46xpav7u

Duration:01:34:19

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467: The Games of a Lifetime with Jaz Rignall - - The Retro Hour EP467

2/14/2025
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 journalist who launched iconic game magazines like ZZAP!64, CVG and Mean Machines. Buy Jaz' book here: https://jazbook.com/ Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 40:17 - Jaz Rignall 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 Programming language for making NES games: https://tinyurl.com/mrx7jvzt Doomlings on the MSX: https://tinyurl.com/msyn3c38 Balatro C64 sad update: https://tinyurl.com/mrxftszr Combined Arms RTS: https://tinyurl.com/yrxrysr7 14% of Americans retro game: https://tinyurl.com/4huhnfz7

Duration:01:38:00

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466: Deus Ex, System Shock & Origin Systems: Harvey Smith Tells All - The Retro Hour EP466

2/7/2025
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 37:43 - Harvey Smith 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 Mortal Kombat II for 3DO: https://tinyurl.com/mjf9hewr PS2 memory card that can run your entire library: https://youtu.be/mdxDRtfEXNg Dream Ride – a new Skidmarks style game for the Dreamcast: https://tinyurl.com/vnysuarv Tang FPGA console: https://tinyurl.com/pp3jhzun

Duration:01:39:46

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465: ZX Spectrum, GamesMaster & Retro Nostalgia with Rose Tinted Spectrum - The Retro Hour EP465

1/30/2025
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/@RoseTintedSpectrum Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 39:45 - Rose Tinted Spectrum Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com 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 New AVGN game: https://youtu.be/ffmrpIeHLzU The Retro Tap: https://tinyurl.com/3etpych9 Heavy Recoil Mega Drive port: https://tinyurl.com/3ew6zcr8 The end for Blu-ray/Minidisc?: https://tinyurl.com/ycyerkv3 Atari Karts re-run: https://tinyurl.com/575jhu6c

Duration:01:29:16