The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Chris Blok, the co-owner of Amsterdam’s legendary Blast Galaxy and Europe’s largest arcade importer. Chris takes us on an incredible journey through his life as an arcade enthusiast, from his earliest gaming experiences in the Netherlands to witnessing the boom and decline of arcades. We discuss everything from the challenges of importing and restoring rare machines, to his plans for keeping arcade culture alive and thriving.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  36:44 - Chris Blok Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Analogue 3D: https://tinyurl.com/5277bbe3 SpeedBall Reboot: https://tinyurl.com/4bsywekv Fable Demake: https://tinyurl.com/3a9t982v New Mega Drive Evercade Cart: https://tinyurl.com/2s3enynr Atari Decanter Set: https://tinyurl.com/4upd3nz8

1 Nov 20241h 34min

This week we're joined by Tara Hernandez, former manager of Netscape Navigator development, as she takes us inside the legendary 90s browser wars. Tara shares her experiences working at the cutting edge of Internet technology, from joining Netscape in 1995, to the heated competition with Microsoft's Internet Explorer, and the iconic decision to open-source the Mozilla code. Hear about the challenges of working 120 hour weeks, wild office celebrations, and pranks during the battle for Internet dominance.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  36:13 - Tara Hernandez Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Mode 7 on NES: https://tinyurl.com/yukdj9m2 Cyclopean: https://tinyurl.com/4xzzndcm Yoshi DS leaked: https://tinyurl.com/8hu5nzjj 1986 Mac Plus online: https://tinyurl.com/4x4chsub

24 Okt 20241h 34min

This week we chat with legendary composer and game designer Matt Furniss, delving into his role in creating football platformer Soccer Kid! Not only did Matt compose the game's unforgettable soundtrack, but he was also one of the key designers behind this classic. We explore the creative process that went into blending sports and platforming, how Soccer Kid was brought to life across platforms like the Amiga, DOS, and 3DO, and how Matt ensured its European football vibe resonated through both gameplay and music.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  35:00 - Matt Furniss Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Worms DC Update: https://tinyurl.com/25m2jk3z NES Hub: https://tinyurl.com/4a33e4s2 Green Day on Game Boy: https://tinyurl.com/5yt6fa83 Tetris Forever: https://tinyurl.com/4ryx9wyn

18 Okt 20241h 19min

This week, we chat with the amazing Dan Cermak, whose remarkable career has spanned key roles at Strategic Simulations Inc., Westwood Studios, and Volition. Dan takes us through his early days as a self-taught programmer, his love for military history, and the challenges of developing iconic strategy games like Silent Hunter for the C64 and other classic systems. We also delve into his time at Volition, discussing how Saints Row stood out from the crowd, the evolution of online multiplayer, and its lasting impact on the open-world genre.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  42:08 - Dan Cermak Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Bleem is back: https://tinyurl.com/yc7cttry Fake PS1 discs flood the market: https://tinyurl.com/csueseuz BBC found in dump ends up in museum: https://tinyurl.com/2xs8c95s Atom Controller: https://tinyurl.com/ydbw6fcw Unreal Tournament 99 Intro reimagined: https://tinyurl.com/mrckwf4r

11 Okt 20241h 41min

This week, we’re honoured to welcome Mark Cale, founder and CEO of System 3, one of the longest-running British software houses. Mark takes us back to the early days of the UK gaming scene, revealing how System 3 pushed the technical limits of classic platforms like the Commodore 64 with hits like International Karate and The Last Ninja, which is back for 2024 with an amazing new collection! Back The Last Ninja Collection on Kickstarter: https://tinyurl.com/3pk2fr8a Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  43:44 - Mark Cale System 3 Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: AI powered light gun: https://tinyurl.com/p84r4m7k Rocky Horror the game: https://youtu.be/M4ORgvYXHxM Game Boy Advance Cube Prototype: https://tinyurl.com/yc4n7538 Lethal Wedding: https://tinyurl.com/25x7786c Retro pirates ring smashed in Italy: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1k7387pmrpo

4 Okt 20241h 46min

This week, we catch up with Jason Bradbury, long-time host of The Gadget Show and self-confessed retro tech lover. We reflect on 20 years of The Gadget Show and how the industry has changed in that time, his love for cassette tapes, gadgets that should have changed the world—but didn’t, and we hear all about his latest project, Ctrl A.I Delete, a thrilling new film where retro gamers are humanity’s last line of defence against a rogue AI! Cntrl A.I Delete: https://www.ctrlaidelete.net/ The Gadget Show Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGadgetShow/videos Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  46:33 - Jason Bradbury Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: PS5 PS1 version: https://tinyurl.com/2p9wn5ds Sega Saturn Slim: https://tinyurl.com/uxc6hswz DID is back: https://tinyurl.com/yskpve37 Sega are hiring an official archivist: https://tinyurl.com/23hcw2bz Top 10 greatest innovations in video game history: https://tinyurl.com/2hfw7uh3

26 Sep 20241h 47min

This week, we catch up with one of the most influential video game music composers of all time, Chris Huelsbeck! Chris takes us back to his early days with the Commodore 64 and Amiga, his groundbreaking work on classic games like Turrican, The Great Giana Sisters, and R-Type, and his innovative techniques that pushed the boundaries of game audio.   Recorded live at Retromessa in Norway. Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  43:04 - Chris Huelsbeck Panel Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs Get 3 months of ExpressVPN for FREE: https://expressvpn.com/retro 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Sonic Ultra Saturn: Fan-made 2D Sonic game: https://tinyurl.com/45dufpkt C64 Games on YouTube: Transmitting games at 30 bits per second: https://tinyurl.com/ysxs7cpx PS2 Gold Mine: Rare game drops in value: https://tinyurl.com/2xxzjexy Jason Bradbury Film: Retro gamers vs AI: https://tinyurl.com/5n98b649 Spelunky C64: Official port for the Commodore 64: https://tinyurl.com/ysbxx52y

19 Sep 20241h 35min

This week, we bring you an all star panel with legends from Rare Ltd and Core Design! Hear first-hand accounts from Heather Stevens, Kev Bayliss, Chris Marlow, and Paul Machacek as they reveal how the industry transitioned from 2D to 3D graphics and worlds in the mid 90s, resulting in classics like Tomb Raider and Golden Eye 007 for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. Discover how they tackled challenges, learned new skills, and designed unforgettable worlds that set the stage for the future of gaming.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  43:52 - Rare & Core Design 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 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Dreamcast 25 merchandise: https://tinyurl.com/5n9369vn Duke Nukem 3D on Dreamcast: https://tinyurl.com/yce65djc  Golden Axe Debug Menu Found 29 Years Later: https://tinyurl.com/2xr5hmce The Last Job PS2 Game Found: https://tinyurl.com/3jkut5p4 PlayStation celebrates its 30th anniversary: https://tinyurl.com/mv7rbmfd

13 Sep 20241h 43min