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 o...
Jul 11, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 488
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 I...
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 487
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...
Jun 27, 2025•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 486
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/@TheRe...
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 485
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 supp...
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 484
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...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 483
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....
May 29, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 482
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 Tak...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 481
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 S...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 480
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 ...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 479
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'...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 478
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 tha...
Apr 25, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 477
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 VCF Event: https://vcfed.org/ Contents: 00:0...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 56 min•Ep. 476
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 t...
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 475
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/ Conte...
Apr 04, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 474
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 R...
Mar 28, 2025•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 473
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 ...
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 472
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/B0...
Mar 14, 2025•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 471
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.co...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 470
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 o...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 469
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/ Kel...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 468
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's book her...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 467
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: Bitm...
Feb 07, 2025•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 466
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: Bi...
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 465
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 phenomenon Mortal Kombat to home consoles, discussing the hurdles of limited hardware and the origi...
Jan 24, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 464
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 to modern trends, supports countless platforms, and even improves the retro gaming experience withou...
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 463
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 experiences, and built Argonaut into a pioneering powerhouse. Plus, exciting insights into the upcomi...
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 462
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 did Ravi react to the sleazy BMX XXX? And Dan revisits his 1994 Christmas present and gives Rise o...
Jan 03, 2025•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 461
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 this year's champ. Grab a mince pie, and enjoy! Merry Christmas to all our amazing listeners, we'll ...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 460
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 sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com The Retro Hour B...
Dec 13, 2024•2 hr 14 min•Ep. 459
