410: Atari 2600+: The Inside Story With Creator Ben Jones - The Retro Hour EP410

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

28 Mars 1h 26min

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

21 Mars 1h 37min

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

14 Mars 1h 41min

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

7 Mars 1h 35min

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

28 Feb 1h 30min

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

21 Feb 1h 34min

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 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

14 Feb 1h 38min

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

7 Feb 1h 39min