Retronauts

767: The Wind Waker Out of Context

Retronauts — Mon, 11 May 2026 12:03:00 +0000

With Ocarina of Time in the bag, it’s time for a belated British look at a toon-shaded titan. Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer and Seumidh MacDonald preside.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

765: Retrogaming in Print

Retronauts — Mon, 04 May 2026 12:01:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Pat Contri, and Ryan Burger discuss their respective print projects about chronicling video game history—the good, the challenging, and the weird.

764: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The rumors are true: they made another Super Mario movie. And, as licensed podcasters, we're legally obligated to see it and report back. On this installment of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Stuart Gipp, Drew Mackie (from Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games), and Jess O'Brien (AKA Voidburger) as the crew uses their most powerful analytical skills to fully deconstruct a movie made for preverbal audiences. Will Illumination survive?

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

762: Silent Hill Cinematic Universe

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:46:00 +0000

Lights, camera, Pyramid Head! Diamond Feit, Jess O'Brien, and KC Green analyze Silent Hill's cinematic roots and breakdown all three Silent Hill movies—including the recent Return to Silent Hill.

761: Shiny Entertainment

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

After making their mark on the world with the Earthworm Jim series, Shiny Entertainment set out to create bold, weird video games that weren't specifically engineered to sell action figures and Saturday morning cartoons. As the '90s rolled on, the developer released unique creations like MDK, Messiah, and Sacrifice, but the shift to the 21st century saw the studio transform into just another maker of movie tie-ins. And, as responsible, thoughtful podcasters, we can only ask "What the hell happened?" On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, and Digital Foundry's John Linneman as the crew digs into Shiny's eclectic catalog to discover the joys of playing as chubby angels and snipers with incredibly odd heads.

759: Love and Fandom in the Time of Dial-Up

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:08:11 +0000

Nadia Oxford and David Oxford talk about how early '90s online game fandom brought them together 25 years ago.

758: Dark Castle & Hamumu Games

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:22:00 +0000

Is the castle Dark, or Spooky? In this episode—featuring Dark Castle creator Mark Pierce and Hamumu Games owner and operator Mike Hommel—it is both!

757: Episode 757 Preview: Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!

Retronauts — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 757 Preview: Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

756: Sonic Fangames Pt. II

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:32:00 +0000

This time delving into the Sonic fangame > official game pipeline, Ryan Langley (Rlan), and Lewis Clark (SonicYoda) return to educate host Stuart Gipp!

755: The Magic of GBA Soundtracks

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:22:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford, Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Victor Hunter talk up the Game Boy Advance's under-sung music hardware.

753: Street Fighter V

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:05:00 +0000

The virtuous Diamond Feit, valiant Kevin Bunch, voluminous John Learned, and vindictive Brian Clark venture back 10 years to assess the value of (and possibly vindicate?) Capcom's Street Fighter V.

752: MAGfest: Star Trek & Sega R360

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:10:00 +0000

Spin you right round baby, right round baby! Kevin Bunch and Brian Clark talk about Sega’s gravity-defying R360 arcade hardware, followed by Kevin’s MAGfest panel about Star Trek fan games.

751: Episode 751 Preview: SimCity Spinoffs

Retronauts — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 745: SimCity Spinoffs. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

750: The Legacy of Zelda

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:30:00 +0000

To celebrate The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary AND the Retronauts' 750th episode, we assemble the Triforce of Cool People Who Like Zelda Games [Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and John Ricciardi] to discuss the OG Zelda's impact and legacy.

749: Duke Nukem 3D

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

As the sun was setting on the 2.5D FPS, one game emerged to pull out all the stops: Duke Nukem 3D. While Duke 3D was mostly known for its brash main character and his many violent acts, those who actually sat down to play it realized that 3D Realms' creation actually contained some extremely clever level design and a variety of player interactions that just weren't seen in the mid-90s. Duke Nukem Forever might have left a stain on the legacy of Duke, but we're here to remind you that, even 30 years later, his initial 3D outing still kicks ass.

This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Dominic Tarason, and John Linneman as the crew hails to the king and replenishes their supply of bubble gum.

748: Episode 748 Preview: Final Fantasy Tactics Revisited Pt. II

Retronauts — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:36:06 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kaye Ross, John Learned, and Greg Melo take to the battlefield again to go in-depth into the first chapter of Final Fantasy Tactics and explore its deft blend of narrative, systems, and gameplay.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content—including this full-length (nearly 3 hour!) episode. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

747: Asterix, Pt. 2

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:02:00 +0000

A belated return to a certain pair of violent Gauls, courtesy of Thomas Nickel, Audi Sorlie, John Linneman, and Stuart Gipp. Paf! By Toutatis!! etc.

746: Resident Evil 2 vs. REsident Evil 2

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:58:00 +0000

Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and Brian Clark look back at the game that transformed Capcom's survival horror series twice over: Resident Evil 2 (the 1998 version, and the 2019 version).

745: Episode 745 Preview: Earthworm Jim

Retronauts — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 745: Earthworm Jim. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

742: Dartmouth TSS and the Birth of BASIC

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:39:00 +0000

This computer network speaks BASIC! Kevin Bunch, Dr. Joy Lisi Rankin, and Annette Vee talk about the Dartmouth Time Sharing System, the birth of BASIC, and how it brought computer games to the public.

743: Mega Man Zero 4

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:38:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford, Victor Hunter, Stuart Gipp, and David Oxford talk about a rare definitive ending for a video game saga with Mega Man Zero 4 for the Game Boy Advance.

741: Sonic CD

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:19:54 +0000

Tele-pod-tation, yeah! Stuart Gipp, Seumidh MacDonald, and Dave Bulmer get the Sonic team back together to investigate Big S’ optimal, optical option.

740: The Years-in-Review Revue: 1976 & ’86

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:16:00 +0000

The end is nigh! The end of 2025, that is, and the kick-off to 2026 with our annual look back through the decades at the biggest gaming events of 40 and 50 years ago. Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, Benj Edwards, & Jared Petty tag team to wrestle Father Time.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

739: Episode 739 Preview: Gaming in the Year 2006

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 739: Gaming in the Year 2006. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

738: 2025: In Memoriam

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:23:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Kevin Bunch take a moment to reflect on some of the most influential figures in video games who passed in 2025: how the work they created touched lives, and what their loss means for the medium. (This episode was recorded before Infinity Ward founder Vince Zampella's passing.)

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

737: Holiday Special 2025 - Video Power

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

It's that time of the year again, so hang your stockings, haul home a coniferous tree, and pack the required survival gear for another harrowing trip to the Retronauts Holiday Cabin in Parts Unknown. And for this 15th outing, we'll be taking a long, mostly confused look at Video Power: the Captain N also-ran that assembled a team of C-list protagonists for some poorly animated, Acclaim-promoting fun. (Before being completely retooled into a game show the following year.) So listen in as Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Drew Mackie as the crew assembles and attempts to learn the true meaning of brand integration.

Cover art by Nick Daniel.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

735: Intellivision

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:24:54 +0000

It's the closest thing to the real thing! Kevin Bunch and expert guests Tom Boellstorff and Braxston Soderman talk about the Atari 2600’s chief rival, the Mattel Intellivision.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

734: Shadow Labyrinth

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:06:00 +0000

Diamond Feit and Christa Lee chow down on the recent Bandai Namco star-studded lore-laden Metroidvania Shadow Labyrinth (featuring Pac-Man).

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

733: Episode 733 Preview: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Retronauts — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 733: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

732: Meet the Flintstones

Retronauts — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 13:08:00 +0000

WIIIILMAAAA! Don’t take Flintstones games for “granite”. Join Stuart Gipp, John Linneman, and Thomas Nickel as we talk the old-school Stone Age family.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

731: The Protomen Acts I & II

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:50:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford, Kevin Bunch, and Lucas White talk about the Mega Man-inspired rock band, The Protomen.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

729: Digging in Video Games

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Video games: can you dig it? Yes, and you can also dig IN them—which is the point of this week's podcast. What started as one man's dream to bury aliens alive has remained a viable concept in video games to this very day; Donkey Kong Bananza, we're looking at you. But how has this simple concept evolved over the years, allowing us to safely simulate tunneling underground without getting our fingernails dirty? On this latest installment of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Diamond Feit, and Jeremy Parish as the crew assembles in a Portland hotel room and imagines a new life underground.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

728: Video Game Lawsuits-Cloned Games

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:04:00 +0000

The clones attack, as Kevin Bunch, Diamond Feit, Meredith Rose, and Mollie Patterson discuss the history of court cases around cloning video games like Pac-Man and Street Fighter II.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

727: Episode 727 Preview: Klonoa

Retronauts — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 727: Klonoa. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

726: Final Fantasy Tactics Revisited

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:14:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kaye Ross, John Learned, and cover artist Greg Melo swear fealty to Lord Matsuno and return to the fray to revisit the isometric battlefields of Final Fantasy Tactics in light of its recent remake as well as [gestures expansively]

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

725: The Best and Worst of CD-ROM Horror

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Greetings, you rancid retro revenants! We're knee-deep in the spookiest of seasons, which means it's time once again to crack open the crypt and gaze in fright at a selection of horror games that tried their best to scare our pants off oh so many decades ago. In the past few years, we've covered NES and 16-bit games, so now it's time to move onto the world of multimedia: where pre-rended ghouls and washed up actors alike did their best to make horror thrive in an era beyond floppies. On this week's episode, join Bob Mackey, Kaye Ross (of Duckfeed.tv) and Michael Sawyer as the crew attempts to appreciate the art of fake blood and FMV.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Cover art by Nick Daniel.

723: Tokyo Game Show 2025

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:05:00 +0000

Diamond Feit reports from the largest Tokyo Game Show ever and interviews Hamster CEO Satoshi Hamada about the Arcade Archives series of classic game rereleases.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

722: Riding the Retro Rails

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:12:31 +0000

Nadia Oxford, Kevin Bunch, and Victor Hunter talk about trains. Trains in retro video games! Game trains! (But maybe not train games?)

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

See Us LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2025!

Retronauts — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:00:00 +0000

WHAT: Our "The Best and Worst of Retro Game Horror" panel, live at PRGE 2025
WHERE: Blue Auditorium (E145 - 146) at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo
WHEN: Saturday, October 18th at 1:15pm
WHO: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Gary Butterfield, Kaye Ross

Additionally, you can catch Jeremy's solo panel "Not the NES: 40 Years of Also-Rans" on Saturday, October 18th at 10:15am in the Blue Auditorium, and you can see Bob and Jeremy together on the Watch Out for Fireballs panel "The Best and Worst 7/10 Games of All Time" on Sunday, October 19th at 2:00pm in the Red Auditorium.

Please check out the official PRGE 2025 schedule for more information!

721: Episode 721 Preview: Hudson's Road to TurboGrafx-16

Retronauts — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 13:25:00 +0000

Inspired by the host's recent deep-dive into TurboGrafx-16 and a chance encounter at Retro World Expo, this episode sees Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, John Andersen, and guest Jimmy Cooney recount the wild early days of former gaming powerhouse Hudson.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

720: Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

No, you're not still in a dream: Metal Gear Solid 3 is now over two decades old. Despite its age, the peak of Hideo Kojima's tactical espionage action series remains more relevant than ever thanks to a shiny, new remake released this year. But is Delta's faithfulness its fatal flaw? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Maddie Copp, and Brendan James (of the Blowback podcast and Chapo Trap House's new MGS miniseries) as the crew decides if feeding on a tree frog in stunning 4K is truly worthwhile.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Cover art by Nick Daniel.

719: The NES Launch Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 11:20:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, John Andersen, and about a hundred of YOU definitively rank the 27 games that debuted with the NES 40 (!) years ago from worst to best. This is the final word on these games!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

718: Episode 718 Preview: Donkey Kong Bananza

Retronauts — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 718: Donkey King Bananza. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

717: The Worst Games You've Ever Played (And How to Save Them)

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:33:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch try to bring a little light into the world as they talk about terrible video games—not by heaping scorn upon them, but by envisioning a better reality where they turned out to be pretty OK.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

719: Terminator 2

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 12:04:00 +0000

Who's back? Diamond Feit, James Eldred, and Drew Mackie are back for a podcast about the 90s blockbuster and cultural touchstone Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

715: Episode 715 Preview: Sega Game Tapes / 3D: Faking It 'Til You Make It

Retronauts — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:30:00 +0000

Live from Long Island: Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch explore the delights of Sega's official VHS tapes from the ’80s and the myriad ways developers faked 3D in the pre-polygon days. Video versions at patreon.com/retronauts!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

714: Mega Man X4

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 12:40:00 +0000

Make mine a Double! Nadia Oxford, Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Victor "Maverick" Hunter talk all about the classic PlayStation platformer Mega Man X4.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

713: Collecting Shiny Things

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 12:39:00 +0000

All that glitters! Join Stuart Gipp and Dave Bulmer for a casual, free-wheeling discussion of the wacky world of gaming’s greatest collectables.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

712: Episode 712 Preview: Steven Spielberg's Gaming Fascination

Retronauts — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 712: Steven Spielberg's Gaming Fascination. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

711: BitSummit the XIIIth

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 11:59:00 +0000

Another year, another sizzling report (plus developer interviews) from Japan’s largest indie game festival from our senior indie game correspondent Diamond Feit.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

710: Shinobi - Mission 2

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 11:55:00 +0000

It’s the revenge of Shinobi… podcasts! Join Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, John Linneman and Thomas Nickel for a second look at the far-from-average Joe.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

709: Episode 709 Preview: Retronauts Radio - Summer 2025

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:57:13 +0000

Jeremy Parish spins up the turntable to take you—yes, you!—through two hours of recent classic game music releases, including a ton of Konami NES chiptunes, official Super Mario jazz arrangements, Super Hang-On, and more. Play it loud!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Enjoy this full episode and learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

708: Sonic's Rough Transition to 3D

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 19:56:14 +0000

The Stu, Dave, and Seumidh dream team returns to tackle the contentious issue of Sonic the Hedgehog’s rough transition into 3D gaming. We were there, and it was.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

707: Monster Hunter

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

What started as an attempt by Capcom to cash in on this new "online gaming" fad has escalated into the developer's biggest cash cow: Monster Hunter. Though the series saw more than its share of growing pains over the passing decades; despite the many attempts to make Monster Hunter a hit in the West, it's only become an incredibly popular crossover success in recent memory. So how did this idiosyncratic, grindy experience grow from niche audience to household name? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Brian Clark as the crew feasts on extraordinarily huge pieces of meat in preparation for the harrowing discussion ahead.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

706: Episode 706 Preview: Switch 2 (A Historical Perspective)

Retronauts — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 12:21:42 +0000

ALL of the Retronauts (yes, that's a full six-pack of Jeremy, Bob, Diamond, Stuart, Nadia, and Kevin) come together to opine about the launch of Nintendo's latest console, the Switch 2, by framing it in the context of all the other Nintendo console launches over the past 40 years.

This is a preview a patron-exclusive episode! Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

705: Prince of Persia The Lost Crown - Metroidvania Book Club - Book II Pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 11:44:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kate Willaert, Chris Sims, and Stuart Gipp open the book on their next collaborative community playthrough (Prince of Persia: The Lost Sands) by discussing the game's heritage and sharing listener thoughts on the first half of the quest.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

704: Resident Evil Revelations

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, & Richard Eisenbeis reflect on the Resident Evil Revelations spinoff series which nurtured the franchise's horror roots while the mainline games embraced blockbuster action.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

703: Episode 703 Preview: Back to the Future: The Game

Retronauts — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 703: Back to the Future: The Game. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

702: Fatal Fury, Pt. 2

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:10:00 +0000

We’ve got the old stuff back! Kevin Bunch, Diamond Feit, Will Cuevas, and Brian Clark return to Southtown to cover the rest of the Fatal Fury series.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

701: Sonic Fan Games

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:17:00 +0000

Stuart Gipp dashes into the long-running, passionate world of Sonic fan games at a hundred Miles Prower with guests Ryan Langley (Rlan) and Lewis Clark!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

699: 30 Years of EarthBound

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Good Giygas, EarthBound is 30 years old!? Yes, and because we gave this cult SNES RPG the standard Retronauts treatment nearly a decade ago, this time around, we'll be taking a slightly different approach. To celebrate three decades of EarthBound greatness, on this follow-up episode we're digging into the fandom behind the game, and the communities that rose in the wake of its unceremonious 1995 launch. So this week, join Bob Mackey, Reid Young, Charlie Verdin, and Everdraed (all of Fangamer) as the crew looks back on the dusty message boards of the past and the modest empires that grew from them. You'll never look at a fuzzy pickle the same way again!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

698: The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 12:22:00 +0000

When is a prince not a prince? When he’s a frog or a snake! Diamond Feit, Christa Lee, and npckc laud one of Nintendo’s lesser-known games outside of Japan, The Frog For Whom The Bell Tolls.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

697: Episode 697 Preview: Fan Translations, Revisited

Retronauts — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 697: Fan Translations, Revisited. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

696: Suikoden, Revisited

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:09:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, and Nadia Oxford may not be able to change fate, but they can certainly weigh in on Konami's PS1 RPG classic Suikoden and its place in history after revisiting the game through the recent HD remaster.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

695: The Years-in-Review Revue: 1995

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 12:22:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, Benj Edwards, and Jared Petty bring our 50-40-30-years-ago retrospective series for 2025 to a close by looking at the major events and games of 1995—just in time to get ready for 2026's Years-In-Review Revue!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

693: Capcom's Vertical Shooter Legacy

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 11:27:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, and Brian Clark take a moment to reflect on the history of Capcom, beginning with the genre that got them started in the first place: shooting games where a little guy moves up the screen and blasts everything in sight.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

692: Perfect Dark

Retronauts — Sun, 25 May 2025 12:06:00 +0000

Celebrating 25 years of Rare's other groundbreaking first-person shooter for the Nintendo 64, Diamond Feit, Kevin Bunch, and Cara Ellison share their mutual affection for Perfect Dark.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

690: Mario & Luigi

Retronauts — Mon, 19 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Two Mario RPG brands launched at the dawn of the 21st century, and while Paper Mario had the more immediate gimmick, Mario & Luigi devoted itself to standard RPG mechanics dressed up in Mushroom Kingdom finery. Though the series burned bright in its early years, the back half saw a decline with undercooked sequels, unpopular remakes, and the seeming death of Mario & Luigi—the brand, not the characters. And now that it's back once again, we must ask ourselves: is Mario & Luigi worth celebrating? This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Mike Drucker (author of Good Game, No Rematch), and Stuart Gipp as the crew times out their button presses to deliver you a perfect podcast.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

689: Dragonstrike

Retronauts — Mon, 12 May 2025 12:51:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford, William SRD, and Greg Melo talk about DragonStrike, a retro flight / combat game based around D&D's Dragonlance universe.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

688: Episode 688 Preview: Muppet Games

Retronauts — Fri, 09 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 688: Muppet Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

687: Attack & Dethrone God, Book 2:1

Retronauts — Mon, 05 May 2025 13:27:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Chris Sims, Benito Cereno, and Shivam Bhatt congregate once again to talk about video gaming's difficult relationship with the concept of "God." (This episode was a recorded a couple of months ago, so the opening quip is unrelated to/uninspired by recent world news!)

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

686: Sigma Star Saga DX

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:46:00 +0000

Sigma Start listening to this Saga of sound as Stuart Gipp chats to WayForward’s Matt Bozon and Adam Tierney about a GBA gem. Psyme me up!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

685: Episode 685 Preview: 30 Years of Chrono Trigger

Retronauts — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 13:55:03 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, and Brian Clark regale a packed Milwaukee convention hall with tales of the greatness of Chrono Trigger—and then Jeremy and Kevin explore the wonders of 1980s Japanese game tapes (and LaserDiscs!).

This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive episode. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and enjoy this full episode (plus countless other exclusives!) at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

684: SNK Vs. Capcom

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:37:00 +0000

Now it's time to have the REAL answer: who is THE STRONGEST!? Diamond Feit? Kevin Bunch? John Learned? TheSeventhForce? We're ALL winners when we remember the SNK vs CAPCOM series of fighting games.

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Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

683: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia - The Metroidvania Book Club Pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:16:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Stuart Gipp, Chris Sims, and Kate Willaert kick off a new feature to play and discuss great metroidvania in depth. Play along and join the conversation! This time: we tackle the first half of the final true Castlevania game.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and join our Discord to take part in this ongoing metroidvania chat at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

682: Episode 682 Preview: Bloodborne

Retronauts — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 682: Bloodborne. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

681: Space Invaders

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 12:47:00 +0000

Break up with basic browsers. Get Opera GX here: https://operagx.gg/Retronauts Sponsored by Opera GX!

Aliens are on the move! Kevin Bunch, Brian Clark, Matt Alt and Diamond Feit talk about 1978’s Space Invaders and its legacy.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

680: Axiom Verge

Retronauts — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:23:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Diamond Feit chat with Tom Happ and Dan Adelman about origins, design, and 10th anniversary (it's retro now!) of the indie metroidvania tour-de-force, Axiom Verge.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

679: Episode 679 Preview: Doom (The 2005 Movie)

Retronauts — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 679: Doom (The 2005 Movie). To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

678: Years-in-Review Revue: 1985 Pt. II

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 12:34:00 +0000

Break up with basic browsers. Get Opera GX here: https://operagx.gg/Retronauts Sponsored by Opera GX!

Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Kevin Bunch, Chris Sims, and Jared Petty channel the power of five to continue their discussion of the ’5s (1975, ’85, and ’95). This time, the focus is on the pivotal gaming events of the year 1985.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

677: Type-In Games

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:39:00 +0000

Kevin Bunch, Dustin Hubbard, and Ozidual talk about the joy of type-in game programs and the process of preserving them in this Retronauts.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

676: Episode 676 Preview: Vagrant Story

Retronauts — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 20:12:38 +0000

Nadia Oxford gathers with Jeremy Parish and translator Alexander O. Smith to talk about Vagrant Story's 25th anniversary and its localization.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and listen to the full Vagrant Story episode at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts!

675: Shinobi - Mission 1

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 13:31:00 +0000

With the series poised for a comeback in 2025, Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and Thomas Nickel uncover the secrets of the ninja in this first podcast about Sega's Shinobi games.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

674: The Years-in-Review Revue: 1975 & ’85

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 14:07:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, Kevin Bunch, and Jared Petty look backward in time 40, even 50 years to discuss some of the biggest and most personally beloved video gaming events of 1975 and ’85. To be continued...

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

673: Episode 673 Preview: SimCity 2000

Retronauts — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 673: SimCity 2000. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

672: Attack and Dethrone God, Book 1:1

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 13:14:00 +0000

What's up with all those JRPGs making you kill God? Having weathered the ’80s Satanic Panic, Jeremy Parish, Chris Sims, Benito Cereno, and Shivam Bhatt seek the answers by tracing the history of Christianity's spread into Japan—including JRPGs.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

671: Golden Axe, Second Swing

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:56:00 +0000

The screen scrolls ever onward to the end of the stage, as the second part of Retronauts’ Golden Axe-tion is upon us. Linneman, Nickel, Feit, Gipp!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

670: Episode 670 Preview: Bikini Warriors

Retronauts — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:30:10 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Kate Willaert, and Kurt Kalata tip their fedoras to the ladies who save the world with minimal encumbrance penalties, diving into the history of the "heroines in bikini armor" trend that exploded in Japan in the mid ’80s.

Enjoy this preview? Listen to the full episode (and hundreds more!) by subscribing. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

669: Silent Hill 2 Remake

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:13:00 +0000

Radio? Check. Pocket flashlight? Check. Ultra high-res graphics? Check! Diamond Feit, Jess O'Brien and Josh Stinson tick all the boxes as they break down the 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

668: Sonic 3 & Knuckles Part 5

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

We’ve reached the Doomsday Zone. At last, the final instalment of Gipp, Bulmer, and MacDonald’s investigation of Sega’s greatest game is upon us.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

667: Episode 667 Preview: Gaming in the Year 2005

Retronauts — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 667: Gaming in the Year 2005. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

666: The ’80s Satanic Panic

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 14:30:00 +0000

The devil is in the details as Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Chris Sims, and Benito Cereno look back at a major cultural moment for America in the 1980s—the so-called Satanic Panic—and the knock-on effect it had on video games and other media.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

665: Fatal Fury

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 13:05:00 +0000

Are you OK? Fatal Fury busts out, as hungry wolves Kevin Bunch, Diamond Feit, Brian Clark and Will Cuevas discuss the early years of SNK’s breakout hit fighting game series.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

663: Golden Axe, First Swing

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 13:09:00 +0000

Ax Battler! Tyris Flare! Gilius Thunderhead! And the rest. Gipp, Linneman, Nickel and Feit begin their exploration of Sega’s belt-scrolling behemoth.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

662: The Metal Gear Storyline, Pt. II

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 13:50:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, and Tomm Hulett dial in their Codecs and resume their transmission about the story of the Metal Gear series from where it left off. Don't expect things to suddenly start making sense, though...

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

661: Episode 661 Preview: Nintendo Museum

Retronauts — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 661: Nintendo Museum. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

660: Gaming's Chillest Snowscapes

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 13:19:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford joins Kat Bailey and Victor Hunter as they recall the best snow levels in retro games.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

659: Holiday Special 2024 - Captain N: The Game Master

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

657: Sonic 3 + Knuckles, Part 4

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:23:00 +0000

No need to get blue spheres! The penultimate part of Stuart, Dave, and Shay’s forensic examination of Sonic’s greatest adventure is finally upon you!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

656: Retronauts Radio: Farewell to STS

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:09:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Nadia Oxford chat with Aaron Hamel about the history, hits, and great video game music releases of the late and lamented Ship to Shore Phono Co.—featuring tunes aplenty!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

654: Worms

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 14:31:00 +0000

Oi, nutter! Host Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer and Ben Paddon activate annelid analysis for Team 17’s long-running Worms series. You’ll regret that!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

653: The Bronze Age of Arcade Games

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 13:57:00 +0000

Kevin Bunch, Benj Edwards, and Nate Lockhart enter the era of TTL circuits and early microprocessors as they celebrate the world of 1970s arcade games.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

For a very limited time, upgrade your wardrobe instantly and save 25% off during the @PublicRec Holiday Sale at www.publicrec.com/RETRO

651: Marvel vs. Capcom

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:07:00 +0000

With its recent re-release making the series available on all modern platforms, Diamond Feit, Kevin Bunch, and John Learned team up again to discuss the Marvel vs Capcom fighting franchise.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

650: Modern Retro: Antonblast & Grapple Dog

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:16:00 +0000

A talkative Stuart Gipp talks to Tony Grayson about Antonblast, and Joseph Gribbin about Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines. It’s a jam-indie-bo-jump-a-ree!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

649: Episode 649 Preview: Dead Rising

Retronauts — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 649: Dead Rising. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

648: The First Games That Scared Us

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 14:38:00 +0000

For Halloween, Nadia Oxford, Ash Paulsen, and Victor Hunter talk about retro games outside the horror genre that scared them. Boo!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

647: The Terminator

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:35:00 +0000

Forget the time displacement device: in this podcast Diamond Feit, Jeremy Parish, and James Eldred take you back 40 years to 1984 to the debut of the sci-fi action classic, The Terminator.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

645: The Best and Worst of 16-Bit Horror

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Last year, we explored the NES era's few horror games and ranked them on their general spookiness levels—given the standards of the time. And now we're back to do the exact same thing for a whole new generation of consoles! This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Kole Ross (of Duckfeed.tv), Diamond Feit, and Drew Mackie (of Gayest Episode Ever and Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games) as the crew unites to discuss a magical time when horror games could have evocative titles like "Decap Attack" and "Zombies Ate My Neighbors."

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

644: Bayonetta

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 12:07:02 +0000

Welcome to our fantasy zone! Stuart Gipp and Seumidh MacDonald get all hot under the collar about Bayonetta in a podcast both gracious and glorious.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

643: Episode 643 Preview: Beetlejuice

Retronauts — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 643: Beetlejuice. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

642: Terry Pratchett's Discworld

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 11:49:00 +0000

That doesn’t work. But this does! Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer and Desert Island Discworld’s Al Kennedy convene for Ankh-Mortalk. Now THAT doesn’t work.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

641: Tales of Games Journalism & Games That Hold Up

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:09:00 +0000

Nadia and David Oxford join with Jeremy Parish, and Diamond Feit to talk about the challenges of half-analogue, half-digital game journalism circa 2006 and games that stand the test of time.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

639: Building SimCity

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 12:15:00 +0000

Host Kevin Bunch is joined by author and historian Chaim Gingold to talk about SimCity and the winding road that led to its creation with his new book Building SimCity.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

646: See Us LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2024!

Retronauts — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:00:00 +0000

WHAT: Our "The History of Bowser" panel, live at PRGE 2024

WHERE: Auditorium 1 (E141 - 144) at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo

WHEN: Saturday, September 28th at 5:00pm

WHO: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Gary Butterfield

Please check out the official PRGE 2024 schedule for more information!

638: Dreamcast Turns 25

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 14:25:12 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Diamond Feit look back a quarter of a century to the launch of Sega Dreamcast in America and contemplate where the system sits as a part of video game history, Sega's legacy, and the... future of gaming?

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

637: Episode 637 Preview: Zelda

Retronauts — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 637: Zelda. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

636: The 8-Bit Mascot Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 12:24:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Nadia Oxford, and an entire room full of people take stock of the mascot characters of the 8-bit era and (loudly) rank the value of their existence. Who comes out on top?!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

635: Five Nights at Freddy's

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:14:00 +0000

Nadia and guest Mat Bradley-Tschirgi talk about the 10th anniversary of the animatronic animal horror game phenomenon Five Nights at Freddy's.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

633: Donald Duck

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:06:00 +0000

Quacking the case! Throwing an apoplectic tantrum about that most Disneyest of ducks with host Stuart Gipp and guests Thomas Nickel and John Linneman.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

632: BitSummit '24

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 11:26:00 +0000

Blatherin’ BitSummit! Diamond Feit reports on the latest retro-esque games from Kyoto’s annual indie event and raps with Chris Kohler, Shane Bettenhausen, and Tina Carter.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

631: Episode 631 Preview: Ganon

Retronauts — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 631: Ganon. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

630: Battle of the Master System Mascots

Retronauts — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 01:29:56 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Kurt Kalata, and Nicole (of Nicole Express!) dare ask the burning question that no one else has had the courage to approach until this point: Which Sega Master System mascot was the best Sega Master System mascot?

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

629: Darius

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 12:21:00 +0000

WARNING: A huge podcast “Retronauts” is approaching fast! Join host Kevin Bunch, Brian Clark and Christa Lee as they discuss Taito’s long-running shooting game franchise Darius.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

628: Episode 628 Preview: Megami Tensei I & II

Retronauts — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 19:24:47 +0000

Shin who? Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, and Dia Lacina boot up their homebrew app and summon some demons to thrash Tokyo as part of their discussion of the first two entries in the Megami Tensei series.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and enjoy the full version of this episode (and hundreds of other Patron exclusives!) at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

627: Mortal Kombat 4

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 12:16:00 +0000

Digitized no more, Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and David L. Craddock enter a new dimension as they podcast about Mortal Kombat 4.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

626: Asterix, Part I

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 13:29:53 +0000

These Retronauts are crazy! Stuart Gipp, Audi Sorlie, John Linneman, and Thomas Nickel begin their Gaul-ing journey through the Astérix franchise. PAF!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

625: Episode 625 Preview: Nicktoons Games

Retronauts — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 625: Nicktoons Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

624: The Metal Gear Storyline, Part I

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 11:45:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, and Tomm Hulett inject their daily dose of nano machines and attempt to tap into the mind-bending matrix of unreality that is the Metal Gear saga storyline—a web so tangled we only manage to unravel the first half!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

623: The Wario Land Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 12:43:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, Stuart Gipp, and the Retronauts community gobble garlic, punch a wall for coins, and let rip a big ol'... hootenanny! This time, we rank the Wario Land games. Perhaps the most important conversation you'll hear all week.

Art by Greg Melo. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

622: Episode 622 Preview: Retronauts Radio Summer 2024

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:15:12 +0000

PREVIEW: Jeremy Parish spins up the turntable to explore some recent video game soundtrack reissues (mostly from Konami). Plus: YMO, Cotton, NiGHTS, some Momoku Kikuchi city pop, and more!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

621: Mad Max

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When an Australian emergency room doctor set out to make a humble little car chase movie in the late '70s, he had no idea it would turn into an incredibly long-lived franchise that would light our minds on fire and cause us all to drive just a little bit faster. And now that nearly 50 years have passed, the Mad Max franchise has remained incredibly pure, with only five movies and a whopping two video games to speak of. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp as the crew enters a veritable Thunderdome of podcasting to chat about Mad Max. WITNESS US!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

620: Micro Machines

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 11:50:00 +0000

What if a car was small? Stuart Gipp, Lewis Clark, and Guy Kelly shrink themselves down, dive into a teeny-weeny jalopy and race to Retronauts Studios!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

619: Episode 619 Preview: Dune

Retronauts — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 619: Dune. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

618: The World Ends With You

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 11:53:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, and Stuart Gipp put on their trendiest threads and rub Hachiko's nose for good luck as they work their way through the Shibuya-shaped maze that is Square Enix's iconoclastic DS classic The World Ends With You.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

617: N.A.R.C.

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 11:52:00 +0000

Just say "yes" to Diamond Feit, Jeremy Parish, and David Oxford as they D.A.R.E. to remember NARC, a classic ’80s arcade game that took the War on Drugs literally.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

616: Episode 616 Preview: Video Game House Bands

Retronauts — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 22:31:05 +0000

Kevin Bunch, Diamond Feit and Brian Clark take an aural voyage into that moment in time when Japanese game companies formed their own bands to record and perform game music.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy this complete episode, ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

615: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.

It's taken nearly four years, but it's finally here: part two of Square-Enix's ambitious trilogy of Final Fantasy VII remakes. And guess what? It's HUGE! While Remake proved the viability of a modern Final Fantasy VII reimagining, Rebirth absolutely blows the doors off with an open-world take on this classic RPG. But does this chunk of the original game's disc one make a smooth transition into a 100-hour journey? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Will Hughes, and Henry Gilbert as the crew discusses the remake that's now taken up a significant portion of their lives.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

614: Video Games and the Nuclear Apocalypse

Retronauts — Mon, 27 May 2024 13:40:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford, Jaz Rignall, and Jeremy Parish look back at gaming's best (and scariest) depictions of nuclear apocalypse.

...is it 'Into this station" or "onto this station?"

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

613: Episode 613 Preview: Final Fantasy VI (Live From Midwest Gaming Classic 2024)

Retronauts — Fri, 24 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 613: Final Fantasy VI (Live From Midwest Gaming Classic 2024). To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

612: Documenting Game History from Virtual Boy to J-Pop

Retronauts — Sun, 19 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish speaks to Benj Edwards, Jose Zagat, Mark Flitman, and Brian Clark about their efforts to publish books about a wide swath of game history: A platform analysis of Virtual Boy, a history of games about Japanese rockers, and a career memoir. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

611: The Contra: Operation Galuga Wail

Retronauts — Mon, 13 May 2024 13:28:00 +0000

Wrapping up Contra series with a look at WayForward's Contra: Operation Galuga, with Stuart Gipp, Thomas Nickel and John Linneman. Bandanas on!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

609: The State of Emulation

Retronauts — Mon, 06 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.

While it started exclusively as an activity enjoyed by a small demographic of ultra-nerdy young people with knowledge of obscure websites, emulation has gradually blossomed over the past thirty years into something we all do regularly—often while obeying copyright laws. Without emulation, most retro games would be entirely inaccessible to all but the select few with the cash available to purchase pieces of decades-old plastic that are only increasing in price and decay. And would our little podcast even exist without emulation? It's a thought too terrifying to dwell on.

This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Read Only Memo's Wes Fenlon, and Zophar's Domain founder Zophar (check out his YouTube and Twitch channels) as the crew discusses the many big moments from emulation's history—and how the subject has recently become more relevant than ever.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

620: The Capcom Marvel Universe

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 12:09:00 +0000

Before there was an MCU, video game arcades played host to the CMU. Join Diamond Feit, Kevin Bunch, and John Learned as they recount the early 90s giant-sized collaboration between Capcom and Marvel.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

607: Episode 607 Preview: Final Fantasy VI Character Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 607: Final Fantasy VI Character Ranking Hootenanny. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

607: Farewell, Akira Toriyama

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:57:00 +0000

Diamond Feit, Kevin Bunch, Bob Mackey, and special guest Matt Alt bid farewell to a legendary artist, cartoonist, and cultural force for good in a podcast dedicated to the memory of Akira Toriyama.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

605: Dragon Quest VIII

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 12:43:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford forms a party with GvG's Derrick Bitner to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Dragon Quest 8, one of the PlayStation 2's best RPGs. Art by Nick Wanserski, edits by Greg Leahy.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts.

604: Episode 604 Preview: The Hunt for Red October

Retronauts — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:33:00 +0000

Retrogaming buckeroos Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Ray Barnholt put their faith in the power of Glasnost and dive into the deepest channels of video game and media history to take part in The Hunt for Red October.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

603: King's Quest

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In the 18 years we've been putting out this little podcast, we've never produced a single episode wholly devoted to classic Sierra games. Well, that sin against listenerkind ends TODAY as we peer back 40 years in the past to discuss the monumentally important adventure game, King's Quest. Originally intended as a means to sell a platform that died shortly after its release, this interactive fairy tale unexpectedly went on to define Sierra and spawn many more Quests over the next decade-plus. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, patron Daniel Glass, and Sierra speedrunning correspondent (and Adventure Game Fan Fair affiliate) OneShortEye as the crew gathers to discuss the series that made this California developer synonymous with adventure—and frustration!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

602: Evercade

Retronauts — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 01:58:04 +0000

New hardware is always nice, especially when it’s focused on physical media. Stuart Gipp speaks to Blaze Entertainment about Evercade’s remarkable (and exclusive) Duke Nukem Remastered, their upcoming carts, and about The Fidgetts being impossible. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.

Art by Leeann Hamilton. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

See Us LIVE at Midwest Gaming Classic 2024!

Retronauts — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 22:00:00 +0000

WHAT: Our "Final Fantasy VI: 30 Years of the Greatest* RPG of All Time" panel, live at MGC 2024

WHERE: The Panels and Presentations Room at Midwest Gaming Classic 2024

WHEN: Saturday, April 6th at 3:00pm

WHO: Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Diamond Feit, Nadia Oxford

Please check out the official MGC 2024 schedule for more information!

601: Episode 601 Preview: Final Fantasy XVI

Retronauts — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 601: Final Fantasy XVI. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

600: Toe Jam & Earl

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:08:00 +0000

Patron Scott Rothman presses Start to join a bunch of weenies (Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch) in their randomly generated conversation about Sega's most jammin' Genesis franchise, Toe Jam & Earl.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

599: Resident Evil 5 & 6

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:29:00 +0000

Remember when Capcom pursued complete global saturation? Diamond Feit, Richard Eisenbeis, and Alex Aniel team up to recount the ultimate horror entertainment of Resident Evil 5 & 6. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

597: Bowser, Part 2

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Back in December, we thrilled you with the first 20 years of Bowser's history. And, given that he's nearly at the "lordy, lordy" stage of his life, we still have a few more decades to discuss. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Drew Mackie (of Gayest Episode Ever) as the crew discusses that large lizard's adventures in the 21st century.

596: Retro Game Lyrics

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 12:57:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford, Bob Mackey, and Diamond Feit revisit early examples of lyrics in game music: The Good, the Bad, and the Discordant.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

595: Episode 595 Preview: Modern Remakes

Retronauts — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 595: Modern Remakes. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

594: Ys Books I, II, & III

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 12:17:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, and patron Scott Rothman wash ashore and dive into the daily bump-and-grind as they recount the origins of Nihon Falcom's Ys series.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

593: The Contra Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:52:00 +0000

Let’s argue aggressively! No, wait, that sounds unpleasant. Let’s have a lovely time nicely. Stuart Gipp, John Linneman, Thomas Nickel, and Audi Sorlie Probotect and serve up the definitive ranking of Konami’s hit run n’ gun series: Contra.

Art by Leeann Hamilton. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

591: Gaming's Cruelest Challenges

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:05:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, Stuart Gipp, and Jess O'Brien crowd onto a therapist's couch as they work through the trauma of playing the cruelest video games ever made. From poison mushrooms to broken puzzle translations, it's PTSD all the way down.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

590: Dragon Quest: Rocket Slime & Slime Morimori

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 13:12:00 +0000

Big Stretch! Diamond Feit, Jeremy Parish, and Alex Fraioli squirm their way through Square Enix's forgotten works to remember the Slime Morimori Dragon Quest trilogy (aka Rocket Slime).

Art by Greg Melo. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

589: Episode 589 Preview: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 589: Super Mario Bros. Wonder. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

588: Videopac Insiders

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 13:11:00 +0000

A rarely-heard European perspective on the Odyssey2 (or Videopac) is revealed as former Philips staffers Oscar Groosman and Ton Kemmere join host Kevin Bunch to discuss their insider perspectives on marketing the console, its distribution, and its end.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

587: Sonic 3 + Knuckles Pt. 3

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 12:52:00 +0000

The gleesome threesome of Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer, and Shoogles return for even more gushing over the best game ever made. Yes, it is. It IS. Do not argue with me, I’m just a podcast description. I can say anything I want.

Edits by Greg Leahy; art by Amanda Neipris.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

586: Episode 586 Preview: Zelda II and the Action RPG

Retronauts — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 11:04:56 +0000

Jeremy Parish raises the Triforce of Podcasting to summon Kevin Bunch, Nadia Oxford, and WayForward's Tomm Hulett to talk about Zelda II vis-a-vis its place in the evolution of the action RPG—both its influences and the games it influenced.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts and enjoy this full episode... plus hundreds more!

585: The Years-In-Review Revue: 1994

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 14:33:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, Kevin Bunch, AND Jared Petty all somehow manage to cram into a single podcast to finish up out conversation about the year 1984 before leaping through time a decade to wrangle the facts about ’94! Amazing!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

584: Contra: Operation Galuga & Toxic Crusaders

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 13:50:00 +0000

It’s clean-up time! Let’s attack aggressively! Stuart Gipp offers up twinterviews with Tomm Hulett (WayForward) about the upcoming Contra: Operation Galuga, and Sam Beddoes (Freakzone) about the also- upcoming Toxic Crusaders. Strap yourselves in!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

583: Episode 583 Preview: Gaming in the Year 2004

Retronauts — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 583: Gaming in the Year 2004. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

582: 1974 & ’84: The Years in Review Revue

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 14:40:00 +0000

As we move into 2024, Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, and Kevin Bunch look back in time to the years 1974 and ’84 to explore the gaming events taking place 40 and 50 ago. History! Events! Happenings! Bad jokes! It's all here, friends.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

581: Holiday Special 2023 - Pac-Man Christmas Album

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The holidays are here once again, which means its time for all you listeners to take your thirteenth trip to Parts Unknown for yet another exploration of a Yuletide-related video game creation. And this time around, we're examining the Pac-Man Christmas Album: a collection of holiday songs and sketches that very little to do with Pac-Man, but everything to do with hurting. So remember who you are right now, because the following 90 minutes will change you as Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Diamond Feit thoroughly pore over this musical atrocity. Apologies in advance for ruining Christmas.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

579: Writing About Video Game History

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 13:21:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch have one thing in common: They've published books about video game history. In this episode, they break down the work involved in making the magic happen.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

578: Mega Man Comics

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 14:22:00 +0000

Nadia talks about Archie's late Mega Man comic series with her husband and fellow author David Oxford, as well as former series writer (and current Sonic Comic writer) Ian Flynn. Archie Megaman was gone too soon. Is there any hope for a Mega-revival?

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

577: Episode 577 Preview: Bowser

Retronauts — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 577: Bowser. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

576: Pitfall! [The Later Years]

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 13:49:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch dig in the underbrush to find the games in the Pitfall! series that its original creator had no involvement with. From the infamous Super Pitfall to the cartoon-like Pitfall: The Lost Expedition, it's all here.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

574: Episode 574 Preview: Pitfall! [The David Crane Years]

Retronauts — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:43:46 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, and Stuart Gipp swing on vines and leap across a succession of crocodile heads in order to unearth the treasure that is the history of Activision's first true masterpiece: Pitfall! for 2600. And its first few sequels, too!

This is a preview of the full-length episode, available exclusively to Retronauts patrons. Head over to patreon.com/retronauts to sign up and enjoy instant access to this episode and years worth of other patron exclusives, Discord access, and weekly columns! Your support makes this show possible.

575: The Making of The Making of Karateka / Double Dragon Gaiden

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 14:22:00 +0000

Double main event! Stuart chats with Chris Kohler about The Making of Karateka, then speaks to Raymond Teo about the recent Double Dragon Gaiden.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

573: DOOM Clones

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:15:00 +0000

Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and David L. Craddock resurrect and re-examine the term "DOOMclone" as they recount their favorite examples of other first-person shooters from the 1990s.

Edits by Greg Leahy and art by John Pading.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

572: The Revenge of Listener Comments Catch-Up

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

We at Retronauts are pleased to report it's once again time for our listeners to do most of the work. Hey now; fair is fair. And since it's been a good two years since we've done one of these episodes, our fans have generated a wealth of questions and comments worthy of response. (Thanks for that.) So this week, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as the crew turns the tables on their audience—but in a nice way.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

570: Gex

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:41:20 +0000

It is, at last, Tail Time for Stuart Gipp and lizard-loving pals John Linneman and Thomas Nickel as they enter YOUR Media Dimension (brain and ears)!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

569: The Odyssey2

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 13:56:00 +0000

This episode of Retronauts is Voice-enhanced with sync-sound action, as Kevin Bunch, Jared Petty and Earl Green delve into the topic of Magnavox's Odyssey2! Join us for a chat about the only game console to feature keyboards, board games, AND Killer Bees!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

568: Episode 568 Preview: The Best and Worst of NES Horror

Retronauts — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 568: The Best and Worst of 8-Bit Horror. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

567: Night of the Living Dead

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 12:56:00 +0000

Diamond Feit, Bill Mudron, and James Eldred are coming to get YOU with this podcast all about George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead and its legacy as patient zero for modern zombie fiction.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

566: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 13:11:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford joins Stuart Gipp and David Oxford as they talk about Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door's charm and wit. There's a reason this game is still folded tightly in the hearts of GameCube owners. Art by Amanda Neipris; edits by Greg Leahy.

This episode sponsored by Harry's. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

565: Episode 565 Preview: The Wonder of Mario

Retronauts — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 17:29:28 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, Stuart Gipp, and Diamond Feit marvel at the wonder of games and series like Super Mario Bros., whose popularity and influence refuses to fade many years later. What makes these works so timeless and beloved?

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and enjoy the full episode at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

564: Grim Fandango

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In 1998, Tim Schafer decided to leave LucasArts on a high note with Grim Fandango: the Day of the Dead-themed adventure game that leaves pointing-and-clicking in the past—for better or worse. This one-of-a-kind experience mixes the trappings of film noir with Mexican mythology, resulting in one of the greatest gaming backdrops of all time. But after 25 years and despite the endless acclaim, it's hard to ignore the fact that Grim can't help but stumble over itself in its desire to innovate.

On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Kole Ross, and Everdraed as the crew lights their totally-safe-for-skeletons cigarettes and sinks into the moody, pulpy vibe of Grim Fandango.

And if you'd like to order Bob's Day of the Tentacle book, head on over to Boss Fight Books!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

541: Episode 541 Preview: OutRun

Retronauts — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 18:02:31 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, and Jaz Rignall put the top down, crank up the car stereo, and take a thrilling cruise through the history of Sega's OutRun series. From the Super Scaler to sequels (both good and bad), we leave no route undriven!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content—including this full episode. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

See Us LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2023!

Retronauts — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 19:00:00 +0000

WHAT: Our "Many Adaptations of Mario" panel, live at PRGE 2023

WHERE: Panel Room 2 at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo

WHEN: Saturday, October 14th at 5:00pm

WHO: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Gary Butterfield, Henry Gilbert

Please check out the official PRGE 2023 schedule for more information! And if you happen to be in Portland, be sure to check out the Talking Simpsons Halloween Live Show with Special Guest Bill Oakley that very same night! Tickets are going fast—or perhaps they've already gone!

563: Fist of the North Star

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:02:00 +0000

YOU WA SHOCK! Diamond Feit, Kurt Kalata, & Brian Clark combine their strength for an overview of the manga/anime/game franchise Fist of the North Star.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

562: Episode 562 Preview: Portal

Retronauts — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 562: Portal. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

561: Blade Runner

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Ridley Scott's 1982 cyberpunk classic came into being as a total flop, yet managed to claw its way into our collective psyches as the definitive portrayal of a dark future that would shape all sci-fi (and reality) to follow. Over the past 40 years and multiple revisions, this former cult favorite has become a respected part of the canon, but does it truly deserve its lofty status? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Kevin Bunch, and Henry Gilbert as the crew dons their snazzy raincoats to explore the very wet and very influential world of Blade Runner. Turtles will be flipped!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

560: Metroidvania's First Decade & A History Of Epoch

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 13:38:00 +0000

Another live presentation from Long Island! Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Diamond Feit, Kat Bailey, and Jared Petty mull the prehistory of the metroidvania genre. Then, Jeremy Parish and Kevin Bunch dive into the history of Epoch, the original also-ran.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

558: Disney's Illusion Games

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 13:59:00 +0000

A real Mickey Mouse operation from Stuart Gipp, John Linneman and Thomas Nickel, covering Sega’s iconic “...of Illusion” series of Disney games!

557: What's So Great About Video Game History, Anyway?

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 17:43:47 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, Nadia Oxford, and Kevin Bunch take a moment to answer the question in the title: Why is video game history worth celebrating and preserving at all? Plus: Jeremy takes the question to a panoply of other retro gaming luminaries!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

556: Episode 556 Preview: Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Retronauts — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 556: Who Framed Roger Rabbit. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

555: Street Fighter IV

Retronauts — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 02:11:12 +0000

Kick! Punch! It's all in the minds of Diamond Feit, Shivam Bhatt, and John Learned as they Focus on Capcom's franchise-reviving Street Fighter IV.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

554: Valiant's Nintendo Comics

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 12:09:00 +0000

When the NES was born, so too were books based on Nintendo's characters. Nadia Oxford leads an essential conversation about the gilded age when Valiant Comics took a crack at putting Mario et al. on paper.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

553: Episode 553 Preview: Retronauts Radio Summer 2023

Retronauts — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 00:58:38 +0000

Jeremy Parish spins some analog tunes, sharing the highlights of recent classic game music releases including Gimmick!, Persona, Phantasy Star III, Virtua Fighter, Suikoden, and more. PLUS: Vintage tape cassettes and City Pop!

To enjoy this full episode and unlock access to YEARS of biweekly patron exclusives (and more!), check out patreon.com/retronauts!

529: Episode 529 Preview: Super Metroid and the Metroidvania

Retronauts — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 23:32:16 +0000

This is a preview of a patron-exclusive episode! To enjoy the full podcast, go to patreon.com/retronauts and subscribe today—you'll also unlock access to years' worth of biweekly exclusives!

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp add Nadia Oxford to their arsenal and, now fully powered-up, backtrack to the topic of Super Metroid and its influence on the metroidvania genre (and game design in general).

552: Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 12:39:00 +0000

Phantasmagoria 2! Jess O'Brien chats with two of its actors (Paul Stetler and Ragna Sigrunardottir) about this kinky and queer 1996 FMV disasterpiece.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

551: Retro Indies at BitSummit ’23

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 12:12:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Diamond Feit emerge blinking into the Kyoto sunlight to discuss the most intriguing, the most entertaining, and above all the most authentically retro indie games they experienced only moments before at BitSummit 2023.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

549: Video Pinball

Retronauts — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 12:40:00 +0000

Clang! Blong!! Flenk!!! and other pinball noises. Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit and Ralph Barbagallo (Demon’s Tilt, Xenotilt) bring their multi-balls to this fast-paced discussion of the fine sport of pinball on the television. Tilt!

548: Mortal Kombat II & 3

Retronauts — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 01:58:15 +0000

DUN DUN DUN…Podcast? Again? Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and author David L. Craddock return to Outworld—and the ’90s—for a bone-crunching conversation about Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3.

546: Ace Attorney, Part 2

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

After the initial trilogy, Ace Attorney took some find to find itself once the book was seemingly closed on Phoenix Wright. From spinoffs to crossovers to soft reboots featuring new characters, Capcom's beloved adventure game series went through some ups and downs before returning to the steady level of quality we've come to expect. On this weeks episode, join Bob Mackey, Nina Matsumoto, and Maddie Copp as the crew explores just where Ace Attorney has been in the 15 years since its first finale.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

545: Mass Effect

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:02:00 +0000

Captain Jeremy Parish assembles a crack team of galactic heroes (Wes Fenton and Diamond Feit) to venture into territory never before explored by Retronauts: BioWare's sci-fi role-playing classic Mass Effect. Romance options and plot branches abound!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

544: Episode 544 Preview: Game Over

Retronauts — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 544: Game Over. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

543: Nintendo Power Comics

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:50:00 +0000

We tackle the finest form of pop culture hybridization: Video game comics that showed up in Nintendo Power! Nadia, Anthony John Agnello, and Peter Malamud Smith talk about Star Fox, Super Metroid, Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Super Mario Adventures.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

542: Sonic 3 & Knuckles Pt. 2

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:19:00 +0000

The deepest dive ever undertaken into this prickly masterpiece continues with Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer, and Seumidh MacDonald.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

540: Kirby, Part 5

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

We've covered every Kirby platformer to date over the course of four episodes, so what territory is left to trod when it comes to Nintendo's pink puffball? If you're a Retronauts listener, it may not surprise you, but Kirby has starred in a shocking amount of games that involve more than just left-to-right traversal. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, Henry Gilbert, and patron Andrew Oliveira—who sponsored this installment—as the crew examines the many, many Kirby spin-off games. This episode is so exciting, you may have a mass attack!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

539: Minesweeper + Shareware

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 05:43:00 +0000

Book editors Jeremy Parish and Jared Petty talk to book authors Kyle Orland and Richard Moss about their books about the history of landmark computer games: "Minesweeper" by Boss Fight Books and "Shareware Heroes," respectively.

538: Episode 538 Preview: Thimbleweed Park

Retronauts — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 538: Thimbleweed Park. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

537: Final Fantasy ROM Hacks

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 11:33:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford talks with special guests Andrew Vestal and Steve Tramer about Final Fantasy fan games. Some are built from the ground-up, some alter the original adventure via ROM patches, and some add hours of new content to gems like Final Fantasy VI.

Edits by Greg Leahy; cover illustration by Leeann Hamilton.

536: Below the Root

Retronauts — Tue, 30 May 2023 00:30:54 +0000

Diamond Feit and Jared Petty open their shubas and set sail for the early 1980s in this look at edutainment pioneer Spinnaker Software and their adventure game adaptation of Below the Root.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

534: Fallout: New Vegas

Retronauts — Mon, 22 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

With 2008's Fallout 3 bringing the fabled RPG series to a new generation of players who couldn't—or didn't want to—play the first two games, Bethesda had an audience poised and ready for more post-apocalyptic RPG fun. With Skyrim currently in the works, the developer turned to Obsidian Entertainment to transform an abandoned Fallout project into a fitting sequel in just 18 months. And what could have felt like a cheap cash-in ended up being the series' finest moment to date.

On this week's episode, join Bob Mackey, Gary Butterfield, and Kole Ross as the crew drinks plenty of refreshing Sunset Sarsaparilla and talks about the sprawling, somewhat messy masterpiece known as Fallout: New Vegas.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

533: The Zelda Timeline

Retronauts — Mon, 15 May 2023 11:59:52 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, and Nadia Oxford join together like a Triforce of knowledge (with a bonus piece) to explore the absolute mind-boggling inanity of The Legend of Zelda's chronology. Which timeline is canon? (And which is thirstiest?)

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

532: Episode 532 Preview: The Wizard (1989) Commentary

Retronauts — Fri, 12 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 532: The Wizard (1989) Commentary. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

531: Toonstruck

Retronauts — Mon, 08 May 2023 13:06:00 +0000

Christopher Lloyd and Toons, together again! New contributing host Jess O'Brien, Cohen Edenfield, and KC Green unpack Toonstruck, the 1996 cult point-and-click that makes us wonder "Who is this for?" and "Why is it so horny?"

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

530: Atari Archive and the 2600 Launch

Retronauts — Mon, 01 May 2023 13:42:23 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Jared Petty chat with author Kevin Bunch about the launch of his book, Atari Archive Vol. I, and dig into the lessons he learned about the creation and launch of the groundbreaking VCS console.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

528: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Mama mia! The Super Mario Bros. Movie is here, and currently dominating the box office with the biggest global opening weekend ever for an animated film. It's clearly won the popular vote at this point, but is the first new Mario movie in 30 years worth its weight in box office gold? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Jess O'Brien, and Stuart Gipp as the crew readies their thumbs to assume either the down or coveted up position. Danger: opinions ahead!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

527: South Park Games

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 11:41:00 +0000

Oh my god! They recorded a podcast about South Park! Stuart Gipp, Bob Mackey, and Henry Gilbert unite as What A Cartoon! meets Retronauts in sweary effect. All together now! Weeeelllll… Kyle's mom's a b—

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

526: Episode 526 Preview: The Many Adaptations of Mario

Retronauts — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 526: The Many Adaptations of Mario. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

525: Worlds of Power

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:13:00 +0000

Nadia talks to special guest Gary Butterfield about the Worlds of Power books that were the jewels of '80s book fairs. These short game novelizations have their quirks, but they're still teaching us a lot about education versus marketing.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

524: Sonic 3 + Knuckles, Pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:44:31 +0000

Stuart Gipp begins his threatened deep dive into the Sonic the Hedgehog series, joined by stalwart hogmaniac Seumidh MacDonald and just regular maniac Dave Bulmer. You ain't ready for this.

This episode is brought to you by ExpressVPN. Visit ExpressVPN.com/retronauts to learn more!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

523: Episode 523 preview: Super Metroid + The Metroidvania, Pt. I

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:31:14 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp touch down on the doomed planet Zebes to give Super Metroid a proper in-depth retrospective while looking at its place in the history of metroidvania and exploratory action game design.

The full version of this episode is exclusive to our patrons! Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

522: Kirby, Part 4

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

After an uneven 2000s, the Kirby series found itself in a real sweet spot during the following decade. Yes, the 2010s signaled a brand new era of Kirby, one that saw HAL returning to their beloved brand to be more hands-on at a time when the wildly popular New Super Mario Bros. made 2D platforming cool again. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, and patron Andrew Oliveira (who sponsored this episode) as the crew explores this highly fruitful time for Nintendo's spherical hero.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

521: Taito, Pt. IV

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 11:51:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Brandon Sheffield do a deep dive into the amazing mid-’90s output of Japanese developer Taito, from shooters like Raystorm to role-playing adventures like Lucia. And lots of other stuff! It's an episode packed full of deep-cut classics that you will absolutely want to add to your to-play list.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

520: Episode 520 Preview: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Retronauts — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 520: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

519: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Chapter 2

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 12:33:00 +0000

ZA WARUDO could wait no longer, so Diamond Feit, Jeremy Parish, Voidburger, and Chris Person team up again to tackle JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, this time focusing their mental energies on the franchise's official video game adaptations.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

518: Mega Man Feature Phone Games

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 14:17:00 +0000

How do you archive Japan's unique feature phone games when so many—like Capcom's many Mega Man titles—are bound to dead overseas networks? Preservationists RockmanCosmo and Naoya Shinota talk all about it.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

517: Episode 517 Preview: Great Games That Never Clicked For Us

Retronauts — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 00:38:46 +0000

A free-for-all outpouring as Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Henry Gilbert, and Kat Bailey confess the undisputed video game masterpieces and fan favorites that they've never enjoyed. Will they learn to love, or are they doomed to remain churls?

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

516: Willow

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

In 1988, as the Star Wars fields lay fallow, George Lucas gave us a fantasy epic he assured us he'd been dreaming up for years: Willow. This tale of magic and mystery spun the story of a humble hobb—er, Nelwyn—and his incredible journey to deliver a thing to a place in the manner of J.R.R. Tolkien. Needless to say, Willow didn't amount to the next Star Wars, and after a few video game adaptations, the book on Willow seemed forever closed... until very recently!

With the recent Disney+ series freshly behind us, there's never been a better time to look at the legacy (if any) Willow left behind. So join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Chris Baker (of Willow Talk) as they dress in their finest Renaissance Faire gear to discuss this blast from Lucas' past that's gotten a new lease on life.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

515: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Chapter 1

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 12:56:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Voidburger, and Chris Person summon their Stands to talk about the history, themes, and video game connections of one of the most influential manga series of all time: Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. GO GO GO GO GO!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

514: Episode 514 Preview: Mortal Kombat (1995) Kommentary

Retronauts — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 514: Mortal Kombat (1995) Kommentary. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

513: Popeye

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 12:56:00 +0000

His hairline is fading, he talks about gaming, he's Stuart the podcast man! Let's dive into the mostly-forgotten world of Popeye games, once again accompanied by the hilarious and thoroughly wise Dave Bulmer.

511: Episode 511 Preview: Listener Mailbag - Winter 2023

Retronauts — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 01:00:42 +0000

A PREVIEW OF THE FULL PATRON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE: Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor multiple COVID scares could stay these commenters from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, and Kevin Bunch respond to YOUR mail queries and comments!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

512: Oddworld, Part 1

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

It's impossible to talk about Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee and its bigger, bulkier sequel Abe's Exoddus without talking about farting. Okay, that's not true, but we do talk about farting in this episode, because we want to, dammit! I, Stuart Gipp, am joined by the prestigious John Linneman of Digital Foundry, and the persuasive RJ Lake of D-Cell Games, in this first discussion of Lorne Lanning's moneyhatted magnum opus, Oddworld! It's too big a subject for just one episode, but here we get into the nitty-gritty of the first two games in the planned quadrilogy, these 2D stealth-action-atmosphere pieces that resonated with almost everybody who played them. Except for the prudes who found the act of passing gas to be either childish or abhorrent. Still! Join us as we try to rescue all the Mudokons from their terrible fate, but end up dropping them down trap doors for a laugh. Hello. Follow me. Straight into those meat saws.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

510: Sonic Frontiers

Retronauts — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 01:24:12 +0000

Chaos Emerald novice Diamond Feit seeks the counsel of enlightened echidna experts Stuart Gipp and Dave Bulmer to discuss the recent Sonic Frontiers and its place amongst the hyper hedgehog’s history

509: Stephen King's Influence on Games

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 12:09:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford chants the names Andrew Vestal and Shane Bettenhausen three times in reverse to summon them into an episode recording circle dedicated to exploring the influence of acclaimed horror author Stephen King on video games. We all ’cast down here…

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

508: Episode 508 Preview: Gaming in the Year 2003

Retronauts — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 508: Gaming in the Year 2003. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

507: A History of LGBTQ Representation in Video Games

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:18:00 +0000

For the LBGTQ+ community, video games have always been a way to break barriers, find community, and make friends. Nadia buddies up with her friends Len and Larch to talk about how games have influenced and shaped the LBGTQ+ community over the decades.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

506: Retro Compilations

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 15:11:54 +0000

Double feature! A ramble about retro compilations with Lewis Clark of SegaDriven.com, and an interview with Mike Mika and Chris Kohler of Digital Eclipse about their masterpiece compilation, Atari 50.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

504: Donkey Kong Country

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

As the console wars heated up, Nintendo needed something big that wouldn't necessarily involve investing in new hardware that could potentially wreck the company. And that "something" arrived in the form of Donkey Kong Country, a fairly simple platformer by the technical wizards at Rare that nonetheless impressed millions with its newfangled pre-rendered graphics. This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, and Henry Gilbert as the crew works up a mighty hunger for bananas and discusses the finer points of those damn, dirty apes.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

503: The Years in Review Revue - 1983 & ’93

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 12:34:09 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Jared Petty, Benj Edwards, and Kevin Bunch continue their conversation from four episodes ago, wrapping up the highlights of 1983 before diving into the best and most earthshaking games and events of 1993.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

502: Episode 502 Preview: Holiday Special 2022 - Home Alone

Retronauts — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 502: Holiday Special 2022 - Home Alone. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

501: Retronauts Episode 501: Cho Aniki

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 21:35:32 +0000

It's raining men (and mechs and bombs and protein) on the podcast this week as host Diamond Feit welcomes Retro Pals Danny & Alex to recap a one-of-a-kind franchise, Cho Aniki.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

500: Retronauts Host Roundtable

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Here's a shocking fact for you: Since we started this crazy ride back in 2013, we've released 500 full-length podcasts. (And a whole bunch of other stuff on top of that.) It's been quite a wild ride since we started our independent run, and we've had our share of ups, downs, and global pandemics over the last near decade. So instead of turning the spotlight on a video game topic, on this very special episode, it's time to learn a little something about... ourselves. Now take a seat with Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, and Nadia Oxford as we discuss the past, present, and future of the little retro gaming podcast that simply can't be stopped.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

499: Episode 499 Preview: The Years in Review Revue - 1973 & ’83

Retronauts — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 18:30:00 +0000

Three is the magic number! So say this week's four ’casters: Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Kevin Bunch, and Jared Petty get ready for 2023 by traveling 40 and 50 years into the past to discuss the biggest gaming events of 1973 & ’83! Stay tuned for ’93...

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and listen to the full episode at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

498: Taito, Pt. III

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 11:50:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Brandon Sheffield reconvene for what was meant to be the third and final chapter of our Taito deep dive but ends up being a middle chapter, if that. It's not our fault! 1989-91 were crackin' years for Taito. Be sure to check out episodes 451 and 463 to bring yourself up to speed with this ever-growing epic of a conversation!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

497: The Metal Gear Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:33:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, and Shane Bettenhausen connect via Codec to debate the ultimate truth of the entire Metal Gear saga: Which Metal Gear was best? Spanning the full history of the franchise, the canonical answer lies within!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

496: Retronauts Episode 496 Preview: Wii U

Retronauts — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 496: Wii U. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

495: The Lemmings Series

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 12:26:00 +0000

Join Stuart Gipp and master of remembering Dave Bulmer as they cling to their respective parasols and float down the Lemmings gameography, taking in classics, missteps, and weird choices that pay off.

494: The Resident Evil Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 13:35:00 +0000

Wow, what a hootenanny! Host Diamond Feit recruits Stuart Gipp and SuperGreatFriend to enter the world of survival horror and rank every canonical game in the Resident Evil series.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

493: Dragons in Games & Sega's 8-Bit Journey preview

Retronauts — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 15:48:13 +0000

Coming to you live (or formerly live) once again! Nadia Oxford kicks things off at Retro World Expo with a look at the grandest dragons in video game history, and Jeremy Parish follows up with a look into Sega's forgotten 8-bit arcade history in Portland.

Enjoy this preview, then listen to the whole thing by subscribing at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts! Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content.

492: Retronauts Episode 492: Star Fox, Part Two

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Throughout the '90s, Star Fox transitioned from technical showpiece to extremely reliable rail shooter; but in the following decade, Fox McCloud and the gang didn't fare nearly as well. The 2000s saw the Star Fox brand transform into a sandbox for gameplay ideas, with each attempt disappointing players still chasing the high of Star Fox 64. Then, the series went into hibernation for a decade, only to emerge when the Wii U desperately needed a hit. Still, one question remains: are these various tamperings with the Star Fox formula really all that bad?

On the finale of this two-part series, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Diamond Feit, and Kat Bailey as the crew barrel rolls into the back half of the Star Fox library to explore the lower moments of Nintendo's most tortured IP.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

491: Blaster Master

Retronauts — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 12:39:20 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Todd Ciolek talk about BMs. But no! This is not a scatological episode. Well, no more than usual, anyway. These BMs are Blaster Masters, the frog-savin' franchise that Sunsoft kicked off back in 1988 on NES.

Edits by Greg Leahy; cover art by Greg Melo.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

490: Retronauts Episode 490 Preview: Star Fox, Part One

Retronauts — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 490: Star Fox, Part One. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

489: Inside Star Control with Pistol Shrimp

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 13:36:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford, Shivam Bhatt, and Scott Sharkey are joined by legendary developers Paul Riche and Fred Ford in a discussion about Star Control. What makes this RPG-adventure pioneer so compelling and popular? What comes next for the Ur-Quan Masters?

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

488: Retronauts Episode 488: Jak & Daxter

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:14:00 +0000

Join Stuart Gipp with guests John Linneman and Thomas Nickel for a hop, skip, and headshot through this fantasy future world. Jak's gonna kill Praxis, and we here at Retronauts are gonna kill praxis.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

487: Retronauts Episode 487: Misunderstood Games preview

Retronauts — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:40:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, Jared Petty, and Joe Modzeleski collectively make amends to all the great games that we and many others failed to appreciate. They were good games! We were simply bad players, because we didn't understand them in their day.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

486: Retronauts Episode 486: Return to Monkey Island

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 07:00:00 +0000

It's been 11 years since the last proper Monkey Island entry, and more than three decades since series creator Ron Gilbert left Guybrush and company in the hands of others. So it goes without saying fans were more than delighted when mid-2022 saw the announcement of Return to Monkey Island, a proper sequel to 1991's Monkey Island 2—and one that somehow doesn't discount all the installments made in between. And now it's here! On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto as they set sail for yet another Monkey Island journey; but this time, it's to formerly uncharted waters.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Come See Us LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2022!

Retronauts — Sat, 08 Oct 2022 19:00:00 +0000

What: Our "History of Food Mascot Games" panel, live at PRGE 2022
When: Saturday, October 15th at 11:00 AM
Where: Auditorium A (E141-E144)
Who: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Gary Butterfield
Please check out the official PRGE 2022 schedule for more information!

485: Final Fantasy IV - The After Years

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 12:47:00 +0000

Oh no! Final Fantasy IV: The After Years! Square Enix's belated sequel isn't exactly well-loved, but it casts a weird spell over anyone who has the patience for it. Nadia, Victor Hunter, and Ash Paulsen talk about its weaknesses... and its strengths?!

Edits by Greg Leahy. Cover by Nick Wanserski.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

484: Retronauts Episode 484 Preview: Live from PAX West 2022

Retronauts — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 478: Live from PAX West 2022. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

483: Retronauts Episode 483: The Warriors

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 11:42:53 +0000

197!

Boppers of the world, unite! Diamond Feit, James Eldred, Diana Goodman, and Mikel Reparaz gang up to talk about The Warriors, the landmark 1979 Walter Hill film and the video game(s) based upon it.

482: Retronauts Episode 482: Retronauts Radio Summer 2022

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 11:01:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish spins up the ol' turntable and activates Public Radio DJ mode to look at some of the best new old game music releases for 2022, including Metal Gear, Mega Man, Scott Pilgrim, Bomberman, Breath of Fire, Darius… and even some non-game tunes. Cover art by Amanda Pruitt.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

481: Retronauts Episode 481: The Localization Gap & Sega SG-1000 preview

Retronauts — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 00:24:45 +0000

Live from the East Coast! First, Jeremy Parish and Nadia Oxford explore the different game experiences ’80s kids had growing up in the U.S. vs. Japan. Then, Jeremy flies solo to relay his findings from a year-long trip through Sega's SG-1000 library.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

480: Retronauts Episode 480: Breakout

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 12:57:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Kevin Bunch spin back into the 1970s to talk about one of gaming's most important and influential foundational works and where it fits into the grand scheme of the medium's evolution: Atari's Breakout.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

479: Retronauts Episode 479: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is finally here, meaning we now have the chance to officially play over a dozen TMNT games from the eight and 16-bit era—most of which never saw a re-release! But how did this compilation come together, and what are the specific quirks of the many, many turtle-based games it contains? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Digital Eclipse's Chris Kohler for an inside look at how the ooze is made.

This episode is sponsored by Konami, who provided us with pre-release copies of TMNT: The Cowabunga collection.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 478 Preview: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 478: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

477: Retronauts Episode 477: Back 2 School

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 22:56:00 +0000

It’s about time to go back to school with stern taskmaster Stuart Gipp and mischievous but likeable head boy, Dave Bulmer, as they explore the ridiculously esoteric world of edu-tainment software.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

476: Retronauts Episode 476: Darkstalkers

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 11:50:00 +0000

Recorded under the light of a full moon and surrounded by hordes of otherworldly creatures, Diamond Feit and Ant from GamingHell.co.uk brave the night to celebrate the DarkStalkers series.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

475: Retronauts Episode 475: Jumping Flash! and Exact preview

Retronauts — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 22:55:32 +0000

By patron request: Jeremy Parish, Todd Ciolek, and patron Scott Rothman triple-jump into history, their eyes unerringly fixed upon their collective destination: The history of Jumping Flash! creators Exact, from Geograph Seal to Ghost in the Shell.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Come See Us LIVE at PAX West 2022!

Retronauts — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 19:00:00 +0000

What: Our "Video Games Based on TV Shows" panel, live at PAX West 2022
When: Sun, Sep 4, 2022 at 2:00 PM
Where: Sphinx Theatre (Sheraton, Level 3)
Who: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Mike Drucker

Please check out the official PAX West 2022 schedule for more information!

Retronauts Episode 474: Evil Dead 2

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 07:00:00 +0000

The '00s Spider-Man movies might have put Sam Raimi on the map for most filmgoers, but the previous 20 years saw him experimenting in just about every genre. And most Raimi fans agree his greatest work to date is Evil Dead 2, an unexpected horror/comedy that—over the past 35 years—went from underground sensation to the most re-released film in the history of physical media. This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and We Hate Movies' Steven Sajdak as the crew examines this incredibly unique and innovative movie that went on to inspire countless video games. You'll never look at chainsaws the same way again!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

473: Retronauts Episode 473: Star Wars Episode I

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 11:54:00 +0000

A Retronauts crew from far, far away (Retronauts East) gets together to revisit the topic of Star Wars for first time since a long time ago (99 episodes ago!) to talk about the first prequel—1999's The Phantom Menace—and its impact on pop culture. You would not believe Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin's collective midichlorian count!

Edits by Greg Leahy, art by Shaan Khan.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 472 Preview: Street Fighter: The Movie Commentary

Retronauts — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 472: Street Fighter: The Movie Commentary. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

471: Retronauts Episode 471: Star Control

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 12:44:00 +0000

By the fetid breath of Dogar and Kazon! Nadia Oxford, Shivam Bhatt, and Scott Sharkey have traveled to this insignificant quadrant of the galaxy to evangelize about two games that changed space adventure games forever: Star Control I & II.

Cover art by John Pading. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 470: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Shredder's Revenge

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 14:05:00 +0000

Two halves of the same shell, as Stuart Gipp speaks to Limited Run's Joe Modzeleski about TMNT: Shredder's Revenge. Afterwards, an interview with the game's lead designer Frédéric Gémus! Turtle power!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 469: The Zelda 2D Ranking Hootenanny preview

Retronauts — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 19:02:10 +0000

The Triforce of Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Diamond Feit Courageously commune to share their deep Wisdom of the 2D-style Legend of Zelda games by ranking a dozen games according to the Power of their design and appeal. Which Zelda reigns eternally?!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 468: Text Adventures

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Text adventures: what are they, and where did they hide all the graphics? Until now, these questions have gone unanswered. But this week, we'll be looking at the world of games that existed before any kind of mandatory visual component—and continue to exist to this very day. And we have a real expert on hand: Aaron Reed, author of the upcoming comprehensive text adventure respective, 50 Years of Text Games: From Oregon Trail to A.I. Dungeon. So listen in as host Bob Mackey helps steer the Retronauts podcast ship through these formerly uncharted waters. (By us, anyway.)

Retronauts Episode 467: Boktai

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 12:54:57 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Shane Bettenhausen emerge from their caves, blinking and frightened, to face the ferocious fury of the sun as they lift their GBA solar sensors skyward and discuss the Metal Gear offshoot that gave nerds suntans: Boktai.

Edits by Greg Leahy. Art by John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 466 Preview: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Retronauts — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 07:00:21 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 466: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 465: Metal Slug

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 13:12:06 +0000

MISSION START! By patron request, three brave soldiers (Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and arcade expert Lord BBH) battle their way through the history of the NEO GEO's premier run-and-gun series, METAL SLUG. Cover art by Shaan Khan, edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 464: Mega Man Zero

Retronauts — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 04:17:41 +0000

The early aughts were all about 3D games on consoles, but the humble 2D platformer didn't vanish: it merely migrated, and 2002 gave us Mega Man Zero. Stuart Gipp and Brian "Protodude" Austrian dissect this action classic and lament its bananas difficulty.

Retronauts Episode 463 Preview: Taito, Pt. II

Retronauts — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 12:11:35 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Brandon Sheffield explore the second era of Taito's history: The late 1980s. From arcade all-timers like Bubble Bobble and Arkanoid to a major push to home consoles, it's two hours of wall-to-wall classics!

Retronauts Episode 462: Kirby, Part 3

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 07:00:25 +0000

After taking off during the go-go '90s, Kirby had a bit of an identity crisis in the 2000s. With HAL hard at work on the resource-intensive Smash Bros. games, they barely had time to work on their once-signature series, outside of a few remakes—leaving them with no choice but to leave their pink puffball in the hands of other developers. And all of this was happening as Kirby's hit 100-episode anime hit the airwaves! So what did this terrible decade have in store for HAL's famous food monster? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Kallie Plagge, and patron Andrew Oliveira (who generously sponsored this episode) as the crew continues their Kirby journey.

Retronauts Episode 461: LIVE ~ The Games That Shaped Japan / Documenting Video Game History

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 12:38:41 +0000

Live from MGC! Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Kevin Bunch, and Brian Clark explore the 8-bit games that shaped Japanese design tastes. Plus: Kelsey Lewin and Norman Caruso share their thoughts on documenting the history of games.

Recorded by Jason Gares. Art by John Pading. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 460 Preview: Beavis and Butt-Head Games

Retronauts — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 07:00:45 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 460: Beavis and Butt-Head Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 459: Sonic the Hedgehog Comics

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 16:43:15 +0000

You know Sonic from his video games, but did you know he has also appeared in the most debased medium known to mankind: Comic books? In the interest of science, Stuart Gipp assembles a crack team of Sonic comic experts (Bobby Schroeder and Dave Bulmer).

Retronauts Episode 458: Street Fighter III

Retronauts — Mon, 30 May 2022 13:30:16 +0000

We awaited your return, warrior! Continuing our series on Capcom's famous fighting franchise, Diamond Feit, Shivam Bhatt, and John Learned parry an innumerable amount of blows in order to cover the entire saga that is Street Fighter III.

Art by Greg Melo. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 457: Mini Console Madness Preview

Retronauts — Sat, 28 May 2022 12:47:06 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Kevin Bunch, and Brian Clark shrink to visit an arcade for ants and discuss the highs, lows, and history of the mini-console trend: From the early days of Jakks Pacific to the NES Classic to the teensy Game Gear Micro.

Retronauts Episode 456: Kirby, Part 2

Retronauts — Mon, 23 May 2022 15:08:55 +0000

Thanks to the generous patronage of Andrew Oliveira, we're continuing our Kirby journey right where we left off in episode 401. This time around, we see the passing of the torch, as series creator Masahiro Sakurai completes his Kirby trilogy and begins working on the Smash Bros. series for the rest of his natural life. The next iteration of Kirby may be a little slower and puzzle-based, but it brings to an end an era of HAL-crafted games before the developer puts the series on the back burner for nearly a decade. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Stuart Gipp, and Andrew Olivera as the crew continues their examination of a series that's closer to an EGOT than ever before!

Retronauts Episode 455: Bad Games We Love

Retronauts — Mon, 16 May 2022 15:29:12 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Jared Petty, and Kat Bailey look deep inside their hearts and find that there is indeed room enough for love, even for crummy games that don't deserve it. This week, we discuss the lousy ol' games we love despite themselves.

Retronauts Episode 454 Preview: Jurassic Park Games

Retronauts — Fri, 13 May 2022 07:00:04 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 454: Jurassic Park Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 453: Fan Fiction

Retronauts — Mon, 09 May 2022 13:30:49 +0000

Fanfiction has long been associated with theft, creative bankruptcy, poor writing, and Cloud and Sephiroth from Final Fantasy 7 entangled in a forever-embrace. Join Nadia Oxford and authors Laura Mauro and Sarah Blair as they explain its benefits, too.

Retronauts Episode 452: The Amiga

Retronauts — Mon, 02 May 2022 11:27:56 +0000

Stuart Gipp and Dave Bulmer unite to discuss that most esoteric and exciting of computers, the Amiga. History is revealed, many excellent and emotionally powerful games are discussed, and Gilbert Gottfried sadly passes away—almost derailing the podcast.

Retronauts Episode 451: Taito, Pt. I Preview

Retronauts — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 14:07:48 +0000

Jeremy Parish "chacks'n" with Brandon Sheffield and Ray Barnholt on the "front lines" of history to learn more about how Taito "invaded" gaming's "space" back in the late 1970s and early ’80s, with "action" that "elevates" our discourse to new levels.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content—include this full episode (and hundreds more). Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 450: Super Mario Bros. (The 1993 Movie)

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 07:00:57 +0000

In 1993, Hollywood did the seemingly impossible by releasing the first true video game adaptation: Super Mario Bros. And to put it simply, things didn't exactly go as planned. Thanks to studio meddling, fired directors, injured actors, and compromised visions, Super Mario Bros. lurched into theaters in May of 1993, and quickly retreated in shame when the general public didn't know what to make of it. But are there hidden gems lurking underneath this film's fungus-covered exterior? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Ryan Hoss and Steven Applebaum of Super Mario Bros. The Movie Archive as the crew explores this fascinating mess of a motion picture. Listen in, and learn to embrace mustache-free Luigi!

Retronauts Episode 449: 3DS and Wii U Deathbed Recommendations

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 12:45:11 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Chris Kohler, and Tiny Cartridge's Eric Caoili circle like vultures over the warm corpses of Nintendo's last-generation systems, Wii U and 3D, sharing their recommendations for the games everyone should snag before their eShops die as well.

Retronauts Episode 448 Preview: Super Mario Bros. (The 1993 Movie) Commentary

Retronauts — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 07:00:44 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 448: Super Mario Bros. (The 1993 Movie) Commentary. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 447: Mortal Kombat

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 15:56:29 +0000

Wanna feel mortal? Midway's infamous blood-soaked fighting game turns 30 this year, so Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and author David L. Craddock crank the techno and tell tales of Mortal Kombat.

Edits this week by Greg Leahy; cover art by Nick Wanserski.

Retronauts Episode 446: Secret of Evermore

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 14:35:39 +0000

Nadia Oxford time-skips through the history of gaming with Jeremy Parish, Jared Petty, and Ash Paulsen to discuss one of Squaresoft's most curious experiments: Secret of Evermore, their attempt to create a game in America, by Americans, for Americans.

Retronauts Episode 445: The Mario 2D Ranking Hootenanny preview

Retronauts — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 21:39:34 +0000

Diamond Feit, Nadia Oxford, and Stuart Gipp band together to debate the relative merits of Mario games (the 2D ones, that is) with former professional game-ranker and universally reviled Mario-opinion heretic Jeremy Parish.

Retronauts Episode 444: Advance Wars

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Unfortunately, Nintendo just delayed Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp indefinitely due to real-life circumstances. But this week, in the spirit of American sticktoitiveness (and because we didn't want to change the schedule), we're looking back at Intelligent Systems' surprisingly long-lived turn-based war strategy series. Over the course of 20 years, Advance Wars boiled down the incredibly complex design of PC war strategy games into a colorful, console-friendly experience that could still be surprisingly difficult. So join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Daniel as the crew looks back at the lighter side of inhumanity.

Retronauts Episode 443: Years in Review Revue - 1982 & ’92

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:35:14 +0000

The Retronauts East team finally finishes what they started at the beginning of the year by talking about the rest of 1982's gaming milestones before moving ahead a decade and very nearly not finishing a discussion of 1992. Like you're SO surprised. Edits by Greg Leahy, and cover art by John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 442 Preview: Jurassic Park

Retronauts — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 19:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 442: Jurassic Park. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 441: Dizzy

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 14:04:49 +0000

The time for yolking is over. Or, more accurately, has just begun. Stuart Gipp and Dave Bulmer reconvene to discuss the immortal Dizzy series.

Retronauts Episode 440: Resident Evil vs. Resident Evil vs. Resident Evil

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 15:00:39 +0000

Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and Alex Fraioli break out the ink ribbons and travel back to 1998 to investigate bizarre murders outside Raccoon City in this episode about Resident Evil (1996, 2002, and 2002 again)

Retronauts Episode 439: Q*Bert (With Warren Davis) preview

Retronauts — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 21:16:58 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Kevin Bunch of Atari Archive unleash a cascade of questions to bounce down an isometric pyramid of conversation as they chat with developer Warren Davis about the making of his iconic arcade mascot character action game, Q*Bert.

Retronauts Episode 438: X-Men Games

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Despite existing for nearly 30 years beforehand, it took until nearly the '90s for the X-Men to find their way into video games. And it should come as no surprise that the IP's Renaissance during that decade coincided with some of the most notable games to ever feature Professor X's collection of special youngsters. (Though the aughts blessed us with a few worth talking about as well.) On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Gary Butterfield as the crew examines the most entertaining adaptations of this group of super-powered freaks who just might be an allegory for something.

Retronauts Episode 437: High-Fidelity Classic Gaming Redux

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:18:58 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Joe Modzeleski of Limited Run Games, and Porkchop Express of MisterAddOns.com revisit a topic from long ago (episode 62!): The many evolving options for experiencing classic games in top quality. The play field keeps changing...

Retronauts Episode Episode 436 Preview: GameCube - Game Boy Advance Link Cable Games

Retronauts — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 436: GameCube - Game Boy Advance Link Cable Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 435: Street Fighter Alpha

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 17:00:03 +0000

It's a dramatic battle of conversation as Diamond Feit squares off against Jeremy Parish and Brandon Sheffield to look back at the time Street Fighter counted from II to Zero with 1995's slick (and literally anime-influenced!) Street Fighter Alpha.

Retronauts Episode 434: Squaresoft on PS1 - Beyond RPGs

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 16:55:47 +0000

Noted ancients Nadia Oxford, Jeremy Parish, and Andrew Vestal recall the many non-RPG titles Square Enix (as the trimmer, bolder Squaresoft) piled onto the 32-bit PlayStation. Fighters! Racers! Bird stuff! God bless the podcast.

Retronauts Episode 433: Pokémon Generation 1, Pt. 1 preview

Retronauts — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 22:25:54 +0000

Jeremy Parish wanders into the tall grass and randomly encounters Kat Bailey, Shivam Bhatt, and Casey DeFrietas for the first episode of a deep dive into Generation 1 of Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon series. Be sure to catch (listen to) 'em all!

Retronauts Episode 432: Escape from New York

Retronauts — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 08:00:00 +0000

At the dawn of the '80s, director John Carpenter released Escape from New York, an action thriller that went on to be a modest hit. Sometime after this, and halfway around the globe, a man named Hideo Kojima saw this movie, and it lit his brain on fire. What do these two seemingly unrelated facts have to do with each other? Well, if you even touched the Metal Gear video game series, you may have some idea. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Cabin from We Hate Movies as the crew examines this fantastic action flick and its massive influence on video games.

431: Retronauts Episode 431: Retrogaming in Print

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 17:23:20 +0000

Jeremy Parish chats with retrogaming book authors Richard Moss (The Secret History of Macintosh Gaming) and Evan Amos (The Game Console 2.0) about the processes, predicaments, and perils of producing print publications about classic gaming topics.

Retronauts Episode 430 Preview: Twin Peaks

Retronauts — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 430: Twin Peaks. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Cover art by Nina Matsumoto.

Retronauts Episode 429: Zool

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 15:30:00 +0000

What is a Zool? Why is there so much fruit? And why do you tilt "up" to jump? All these questions and more answered in a double-feature podcast featuring a chat with Dave Bulmer and a backup interview with the Zool ReDimensioned team!

Retronauts Episode 428: 1080 Snowboarding & Vitei with Giles Goddard

Retronauts — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 15:30:00 +0000

Senior Japan correspondent Diamond Feit goes inside Vitei in Kyoto to speak to studio founder Giles Goddard and Chuhai Labs producer Mark Lentz about 1080 Snowboarding, Giles' history with Nintendo, and indie game development.

Retronauts Episode 427: PlayStation Vita preview

Retronauts — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 23:00:24 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Sandeep Rai celebrate 10 years of Sony getting a life. Because that's what Vita means: Life. The history and highs (OK, and lows) of one of the greatest pieces of handheld video game hardware ever. Truly a touching episode.

Retronauts Episode 426: Gaming in the Year 2002

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Let's be honest: things weren't too hot in the year 2002. In between two pointless wars, and in the midst of a huge economic downturn, Americans couldn't even turn to their friend the television for comfort—this was the explosion of reality TV, after all. But in the midst of all this chaos and depression, the video games were pretty dang good! This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Kat Bailey as the crew peers back into the not-too-distant past to see what 2002 meant for gaming.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 425: Years in Review Revue - 1972 & ’82

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Ben Elgin, Jared Petty, and Benj Edwards greet 2022 by looking back to the major events of gaming 40 and 50 years ago. (Naturally, this episode only covers about half the planned content as we dive deep into the medium's pivotal events.)

Retronauts Episode 424 Preview: Holiday Special 2021 - Totally Pokemon

Retronauts — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 424 Preview: Holiday Special 2021 - Totally Pokemon. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 423: Street Fighter II - Beyond the Game

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 15:30:00 +0000

When is a game not just a game? Continuing our series on the fighting game franchise that changed the world, host Diamond Feit and returning guests Shivam Bhatt & Matt McMuscles explore the world of Street Fighter II-related media.

Retronauts Episode 422: Radiant Historia

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Like dust in the wind, Nadia Oxford leads Jeremy Parish, Anthony John Agnello, and topic-requesting patron Lorenzo Hulzebos across the sands of time to explore (and re-explore) Atlus' cult-classic time-travel RPG, Radiant History. Art by John Pading; edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 421: Golgo 13 preview

Retronauts — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 22:01:17 +0000

Jeremy Parish places a secret message in the classifieds to summon conversational assassins Diamond Feit and Matt Alt to discuss the legacy, history, and video games of the perfect machine of snipe: Golgo-13. Don't stand behind him!

Retronauts Episode 420: Retronauts 15th Anniversary Mailbag

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Can you believe it? Our little podcast has now been around for 15 years! (That's the crystal anniversary for all of you out shopping for gifts.) So instead of reflecting on classic games this week, we've decided to do some self-reflection by talking about where we've been, where we are, and where we're going on this wacky rollercoaster ride we call "podcasting." And, in the back of half of this episode, we respond to your questions and comments about 15 years of Retronauts. Thanks again for all your support, and here's to 15 more!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 419: Pikmin

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Henry Gilbert, Bryan Auer, and Wesley Fenlon heed the call of Jeremy Parish's whistle and race to gather as much information about Nintendo's Pikmin franchise as possible, then return it to the Onion before sunset. Edits: Greg Leahy; artwork: Shaan Khan.

Retronauts Episode 418 Preview: Batman: The Animated Series Games

Retronauts — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 418: Batman: The Animated Series Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 417: Halo - Combat Evolved

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Stuart Gipp, Jeremy Parish, and John Linneman of Digital Foundry crash-land on the bizarre structure known as the 20th anniversary of Bungie's Halo: Combat Evolved and immediately set about blowing things to smithereens. Art: Shaan Khan; edits: Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 416: The Xbox Launch and Legacy

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, Ray Barnholt, and Stuart Gipp turn back the hands of time two decades once again, this time with a too-huge-to-hold-comfortably episode commemorating Microsoft's entrance into the first-party realm with Xbox.

Retronauts Episode 415: Metal Gear Solid 2 preview

Retronauts — Sat, 13 Nov 2021 19:34:53 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, Aaron Littleton, and John Hurst gather together in a top-secret offshore oil reclamation facility to investigate the secrets, the history, and the alarmingly prescient plot twists of Hideo Kojima's divisive masterpiece.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more (and enjoy the full episode) at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 414: The Addams Family Games

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Video games were but the fevered dream of a madman when Charles Addams invented his creepy, kooky cartoon family 85 years ago, but in the futuristic year of 2021, Gomez and his clan of freaks have quite the collection of interactive adaptations under their belts—most of them designed to make children as miserable as Wednesday herself. On this episode of Retronauts, celebrate Halloween as Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Todd Ciolek dive deep into the surprisingly rich and unsurprisingly gloomy world of Addams Family video games. You'll never realize you craved a Dan Hedaya-based platformer until now!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 413: Green Mario Gaiden

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Having explored the legacies and games of the rest of the primary Super Mario franchise cast, Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Stuart Gipp gather together to wrap it up by talking about, uhh, that one guy. The green one. Whatshisname.

Edits by Greg Leahy; art by Amanda Pruitt.

Retronauts Episode 412 Preview: Dark Souls

Retronauts — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 412: Dark Souls. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 411: Skyrim

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 14:30:00 +0000

10 years ago, Bethesda's open-world role-playing adventure Skyrim took the world by storm. A winter storm. Because… winter is coming? Anyway, Jeremy Parish, Jeff Green, Kat Bailey, and Ray Barnholt look back at a decade of never completing the main storyline.

Art by Nick Wanserski; edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 410: Castlevania Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Show regular Nadia Oxford power-ups to co-host status to challenge Jeremy Parish and Kurt Kalata to a battle of wits (or at least opinions) about the Castlevania series: Which games are best, which are worst, and why are our rankings objectively correct?

Retronauts Episode 409: Game Manuals preview

Retronauts — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 18:15:27 +0000

By request of patron Jeff Vlasek, Jeremy Parish gathers together with Frank Cifaldi, Jason Wilson, and Nadia Oxford to discuss the mysteries and magic of game manuals. They're a lost art! But are we better off that way?! Cover art: Step Sybydlo.

Retronauts Episode 408: Tales of Series

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 07:00:00 +0000

When the plucky developer Wolf Team set out to make a Super Famicom RPG on a grand scale in the mid-90s, the resulting production nearly destroyed the group, but resulted in Tales of Phantasia. Now, nearly 26 years later, the Tales of series stands as one of the few b-tier RPG brands from the 90s that's still going strong with regular installments, while the Star Oceans and Wild Armses of the world have fallen by the wayside. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Victor Hunter, and Destructoid's Eric Van Allen as the crew discusses just where the Tales of series has been over the past quarter-century.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 407: LEGO Games

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Stuart Gipp makes his hosting debut as he intrepidly leads the charge to discuss the history of LEGO games with Jeremy Parish and Jeff Vlasek (by patron request!). This episode is guaranteed to be more enjoyable than stepping on a LEGO brick in the dark!

Retronauts Episode 406 Preview: Crazy 'Bout Chocobos

Retronauts — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 406: Crazy 'Bout Chocobos. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 405: Grand Theft Auto III

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 14:30:00 +0000

This Week in Retro host Diamond Feit carjacks the main mic from Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey this week to steer the crew into a wild and possibly illegal look back at the first truly pivotal game of the 21st century: Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto III.

Retronauts Episode 404: Gravity Rush & Replicade

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Todd Ciolek and patron Bill Nielsen join Jeremy Parish to tackle a request to slip loose the surly bonds of Earth and explore Sony's Vita masterpiece Gravity Rush. Also, New Wave Toy's Shilo Prychak recounts the history of the Replicade mini-arcade line.

Retronauts Episode 403 Preview: The Metroid Legacy

Retronauts — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 23:57:47 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, Shivam Bhatt, and Shane Bettenhausen convene to celebrate Metroid's 35th anniversary AND the finale (?) of the series with Metroid Dread by looking back at all that Samus Aran brought to gaming. Turns out it's a lot!

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more, and hear the full-length version of this episode, at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 402: Kid Icarus

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0000

35 years ago, a tiny team at Nintendo R&D1 crunched their way through a the development of a weird little game called Kid Icarus: a quirky, slightly alienating action-RPG starring a chubby angel who can't stop falling through platforms. Despite the lead character's prevalence in marketing from the early NES days, and his role in the classic Captain N cartoon, Nintendo barely seemed interested in touching this IP ever again, and let it lay dormant after a farmed-out 1991 Game Boy sequel. Then, 20 years passed, and along came Kid Icarus Uprising: a reboot known more for giving players tendonitis than it is for being a faithful, well-crafted revival of a classic series.

So what's the deal with Kid Icarus, and is it doomed to once again sit untouched for decades? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Ray Barnholt as they examine the Kid Icarus trilogy to determine which of its qualities should rise to the heavens, and which should be cast into the Underworld. Secrets of the Eggplant Wizard will be revealed!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 401: Kirby, Pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Henry Gilbert join forces with patron Andrew Olivera to handle a topic request: The Kirby games. It's kind of a big topic! Unlike Kirby, you could say we bit off more than we could chew... swallow... whatever.

Retronauts Episode 400 Preview: Garfield Games

Retronauts — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 400: Garfield Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 399: Formative Gaming Experiences

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:30:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew gets together again for the first (and last?!) time since last year's lockdown to talk about the only topic that truly matters: The games that got us hooked on the hobby. It's a little bit about history, and a lot about love.

Edits by Greg Leahy; art by John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 398: The Super NES Launch

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Chris Kohler, and Stephan Reese muster all their Nintendo knowledge and an alarming amount of fuzzy nostalgia to talk about the 30th anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment System launch and the console's early days.

Art by Greg Melo; edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 397: Wario Land 4 and Shake It! Preview

Retronauts — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 00:38:29 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, Ray Barnholt, and Stuart Gipp waaaaaaind down their in-depth survey of the Wario Land series with this look at the frog-bombin', level-escapin' entries on GBA and Wii, and everyone agrees: We waaaaaant more!

Retronauts Episode 396: Battletoads

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 07:00:00 +0000

When Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles struck gold at the start of the '90s, everyone wanted the piece of the action. That included British developer Rare, who created a similar group of green heroes to capitalize on Turtlemania: the Battletoads. Though it's mostly remembered for a singular stage within the first game, and only lasted a few short years, the Battletoads series attracted enough nostalgia to receive a brand-new release 26 years after the last one. But is there any appeal for this IP outside of sheer irony? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Matt McMuscles, and Stuart Gipp as the crew clings to their speeder bikes and zooms through a history of Battletoads. It'll be mad, bad, and crazy!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 395: Breath of Fire III & IV

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 14:30:00 +0000

By request of Andrew Duff, we jump back into the Breath of Fire series to look at other two traditional entries in the series: Breath of Fire III & IV for PS1. Splice some dragon genes with Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, and Patrick Kulikowski!

Art by John Pading. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 394 Preview: Ace Attorney

Retronauts — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 394: Ace Attorney. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 393: Perils of Peach

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 14:30:00 +0000

We finish our series of Mario series character deep-dives with a look at the Mushroom Kingdom's loyal, royal leader, Princess Peach. Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Nadia Oxford all agree: Peach has got it! Art by Greg Melo.

Retronauts Episode 392: The History of Koei, the Koei of History

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 14:30:00 +0000

By patron request of Christopher Hansen, Jeremy Parish sets the Wayback Machine to sengoku-era Japan, sangoku-era China, and, uh, the airline business to discuss Koei's legacy of historic sim games with Aaron Littleton and Mat Bradley-Tschirgi.

Art: Nick Wanserski; edits: Greg Leahy

Retronauts Episode 391: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Podcast Preview

Retronauts — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 17:03:43 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Aaron Littleton, and JP Swartlander finally pay their late fees and catch up with the 10th anniversary of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game by taking an all-inclusive look at the property, including the comics and the film.

Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more (and listen to this full episode) at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 389: Aliens

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Jonathan Dunn pay a visit to a little up-and-coming colony on LV-426 only to find themselves suddenly under attack by the history and legacy (and video game adaptations!) of the 1986 blockbuster Aliens.

Retronauts Episode 390: Tales of Monkey Island

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Nearly a decade after the last entry, Telltale Games launched Tales of Monkey Island, an episodic take on the classic adventure series—and the first installment in nearly 20 years with input from creator Ron Gilbert. And while it suffers from some of the drawbacks of Telltale's format, this five-chapter adventure game swerves away from the expected formula to deliver some truly memorable Monkey Island moments. On this episode, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto as they explore the final stop on our tour of the Monkey Island series.

And be sure to pre-order Nina's newest graphic novel, Sparks: Future Purrfect!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 388 Preview: Silent Hill 3

Retronauts — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 388: Silent Hill 3. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 387: The Atari 8-Bit Legacy

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 17:30:00 +0000

Retronauts East returns as Benj Edwards and Ben Elgin school Jeremy Parish about the history and greatness of Atari's 8-bit computer line, as well as its unloved console counterpart, the 5200. Art by John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 386: Street Fighter II Redux

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, Shivam Bhatt, and Sam revisit the World Warrior circuit to talk even more about Street Fighter II—or rather, the MANY iterations and permutations it undertook between 1992-2017. Turbo, Hyper, Ultra, even Rainbow! It's all here.

Art by Shaan Khan. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 385: Godzilla - The Games Preview

Retronauts — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 00:35:59 +0000

Forces of chaos collide! Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Matt Alt, and Bill Mudron look in horror as the topic of Godzilla reemerges from the sea to wreak havoc! Humanity's only hope: To finally talk about all the Godzilla games we didn't discuss last time!

Retronauts Episode 384: Pokemon 2.B.A. Master

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 07:00:00 +0000

If you enjoyed our look at the Pokemon Christmas Bash album (and who didn't?) back in late 2019, then get ready for a thorough examination of where the English-language Pokemon albums began. 1999's 2.B.A. Master was clearly made as a cheap cash-in to capitalize on a fad that could end at any minute, but even so, many Millennials have fond memories of this curiosity and its many, many songs about friendship. This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as they explore all 13 songs of this musical monstrosity.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 383: Delisted Games

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 14:06:48 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and delistedgames.com curator Shawn Sackenheim convene to discuss... well, delisted games. Inspired by Sony's recent PSN delisting fakeout, we look at multiple digital platforms whose games can no longer be acquired legally.

Retronauts Episode 382 Preview: Left 4 Dead

Retronauts — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 382: Left 4 Dead. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 381: Ratchet & Clank

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:30:00 +0000

By patron request, Jeremy Parish and Stuart Gipp talk about the full span of Ratchet & Clank's storied history alongside said patron (Bill Nielsen). Thrill to intergalactic escapades! Marvel at sequels! Scintillate at Dr. Seuss conspiracy theories!

Retronauts Episode 380: Breath of Fire I & II

Retronauts — Mon, 31 May 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, and patron Alex Meyers activate their podcast genes and fuse into a super-form conversation about Capcom's first serious attempt to enter the role-playing fray with the Breath of Fire games for Super NES.

Retronauts Episode 379: Retronauts Radio Summer Preview

Retronauts — Fri, 28 May 2021 17:28:36 +0000

Jeremy puts on his "public radio symphony host" voice for a trip through five recent and upcoming classic game (and game-adjacent) soundtracks: Actraiser, Blaster Master Zero, Cowboy Bebop, Halo Remastered, and Klonoa.

The full episode is exclusive to Retronauts patrons, who can enjoy the full 90-minute production in CD-quality stereo. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 378: Moogle Madness

Retronauts — Mon, 24 May 2021 07:00:00 +0000

While chocobos have become the dominant Final Fantasy mascot over the past three decades, moogles don't receive quite as much attention as Square's feathered friends. In some games, they're simply part of the world, while in other games, they're relegated to references and tutorial sections. But what are these strange mole/bat, creatures, where did they come from, and how has Square used (or underused) these little scamps over time? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Chris Kohler, and Henry Gilbert as the crew traces the moogle mythology from 1990 to 2021. It'll be more exciting than a game of Mog House!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 377: Final Fight

Retronauts — Mon, 17 May 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy "Punchy" Parish, Diamond "Final" Feit, and Kurt "K.O." Kalata are your three selectable player-character options in this roaming belt-scroll brawl through the history of Final Fight, a burly side story to our ongoing Street Fighter retrospectives.

Retronauts Episode 376 Preview: The Dig

Retronauts — Fri, 14 May 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 376: The Dig. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 375: Phantasy Star

Retronauts — Mon, 10 May 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, and Alex Fraioli venture across the span of a solar system (or at least a few continents) to look back at Sega's first proper entry in the role-playing genre: The phenomenal phirst Phantasy Star, phor Sega Master System.

Art by Leeann Hamilton and edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 374: Return of the Jedi

Retronauts — Mon, 03 May 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Long, long ago, Retronauts East began a trip through the original Star Wars trilogy (and its games). At last, the circle is complete as Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin blow this thing and go home with Return of the Jedi. Art by Amanda Pruitt.

Retronauts Episode 373 Preview: Final Fantasy X

Retronauts — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 11:52:42 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Chris Kohler Want To Tell You Everything, so they head To Zanarkand to talk about the next entry in our ongoing pilgrimage through the Final Fantasy series: Final Fantasy X. (It's pronounced "ten," not "ecks.")

Retronauts Episode 372: Back to the Future Part III

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0000

The summer of 1990 brought about the end of Back to the Future with Part III, which traded the frantic, high-concept time travel adventures of the second movie for a more grounded finale rooted in the Old West. Though it's gained a bit of a reputation as a lackluster final act to an otherwise stellar series, Part III remains a satisfying conclusion that picks up many of the more emotional beats Part II left behind. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Dave Rudden as the crew discusses the concluding chapter of the trilogy and the many mostly bad Back to the Future games we haven't discussed so far. So listen in, and we'll see you in the future! (Specifically, next week.)

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 371: Wario Land II & 3

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:59:40 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, & Stuart Gipp return to definitely-not-the-Mushroom-Kingdom for the innovative further adventures of definitely-not-Mario. What happens when you play a game where your hero can never die? Only Wario knows for sure.

Retronauts Episode 370 Preview: Live A Live and Square's Episodic RPGs

Retronauts — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 370: Live A Live and Square's Episodic RPGs. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 369: Godzilla, Pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish summons Diamond Feit, Matt Alt,and Bill Mudron to help destroy (or maybe just commemorate) destroy all monsters with a look back at the cultural origins of the king of kaiju, Godzilla—a beast (and topic) too big for a single episode!

Art by John Pading and edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 368: Gundam Universal Century

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Austin Walker, and Kat Bailey hop aboard the White Base to travel across the span of the profoundly influential Gundam franchise (or at least the U.C. timeline) with a look at the anime and its hot scramble of a video game legacy.

Retronauts Episode 367 Preview: Street Fighter II (The World Warrior)

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 20:34:12 +0000

Kat Bailey, Kurt Kalata, and Diamond Feit face off against Jeremy Parish in a free-for-all throw down of video game history to celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the most influential pop culture creations of all time: Capcom's Street Fighter II. To listen to the full version of this episode, subscribe to the show ($5/mo.) at patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 366: Sam & Max Save the World

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000

It's finally happened: a game once covered as a new release by this very podcast is now officially retro! And that game is Sam & Max Save the World, the 2006-2007 episodic release that brought about the grand return of Sam and Max 13 years after their original video game outing. Now, 15 more years have passed, and while Telltale has since dissolved, former members of the company scooped up the rights and released a spiffy new remastered version. On this episode of Retronauts, join host Bob Mackey as he grills Skunkape Games' Jake Rodkin and Dan Connors about the rabbit and dog duo's newly refurbished adventures.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 365: The Mega Man Ranking Hootenanny

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp all go to the mats to decide once and for all which Mega Man game is the greatest—definitively!—in the lowest-stakes knock-down drag-out opinion match you'll ever hear

Retronauts Episode 364 Preview: Kunio-kun Games

Retronauts — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 364: Kunio-kun Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 363: Game Boy Advance - 20 Years of Dim Memories

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Adam Pawlus turn back the hands of time 20 years to the dawn of the GBA, Nintendo's tiny portable powerhouse. The soaring highs! The eye-straining lows! The many, many hardware iterations and Super NES ports!

Retronauts Episode 362: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:30:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew concludes their journey through the Indiana Jones films with a look back at the final entry in the saga: 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Plus the games! (Except the LucasArt game, which deserves its own episode.)

Retronauts Episode 361 Preview: Street Fighter I (and 2010)

Retronauts — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 14:28:21 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, Kevin Bunch, and John Hurst put on their red slippers and punch arcade machines to pay tribute to the game that launched the most important fighting series ever: 1987's Street Fighter. And, for some reason, Street Fighter 2010.

Episode 360: Gaming in the Year 2001

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Certain conditions have made time mostly meaningless, so it may shock and alarm you that 2001 happened 20 years ago. Yes, it's true. And while it was a monumental year in terms of events that shook the world, 2001 was also home to huge, industry-changing games, console launches, and so many other delightfully dated gaming moments worth remembering. This week, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Axe of the Blood God's Kat Bailey as the crew jumps back to an era where they were shockingly all adults.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 359: Famicom Disk System

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish sloooowly loads input from Chris Kohler and Kurt Kalata to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Nintendo's Famicom Disk System, the most important console expansion never to have made its way to America.

Cover art by John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 358 Preview: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Retronauts — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 358: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 357: 10 Years of Nintendo 3DS

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Diamond Feit look back at the Nintendo 3DS on the occasion of its 10th birthday. The li'l fella may have had a rough early childhood, but we explore how it eventually grew into the elegant swan we all knew and loved. Cover artwork by Step Sybydlo.

Retronauts Episode 356: 1991 - The Years in Review Revue

Retronauts — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 00:25:19 +0000

The Retronauts East team gets together to continue their conversation about the games of a few decades ago. This time, Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin focus specifically on the year 1991, when a bit of video game history was made. Cover illustration by Shaan Khan.

Retronauts Episode 355 Preview: Xenogears Revisited

Retronauts — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 13:47:55 +0000

Jeremy Parish and patron Matthew Salisbury band together with Andrew Vestal to bare their fangs at God by reconsidering Squaresoft's epic Xenogears. Listen to the full episode (and dozens more!) at patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 354: Pandemic Mailbag

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

This week on Retronauts, we're easing off on the heavy-duty research for the sake of responding to your questions and comments from our recent round of episodes. And because a little thing called "the pandemic" drastically transformed the way we all live for nearly a year now, we'll also cover just how COVID-19 has affected Retronauts, and read some responses from listeners about how the new normal changed their retro gaming habits. Since we recorded this one on Election Day, it's delightfully dated instead of just being dated!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 353: Metroid Prime

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:30:00 +0000

By patron request, Jeremy Parish sends an emergency broadcast to Nadia Oxford and Mohammed Taher to discuss the Space Pirate activities taking place on Tallon IV and what ace bounty hunter Samus Aran is doing to stop them. Equip your podcast visor! Art by Greg Melo.

Retronauts Episode 352 Preview: Looney Tunes Games

Retronauts — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 352: Looney Tunes Games. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 351: Gunpei Yokoi (Pt. 2)

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Matt Alt, and Bill Mudron conclude their discussion of the life and times of Gunpei Yokoi (and the larger history of video games) by looking back at the inventions he helped spearhead, from Nintendo's Game & Watch to Bandai's WonderSwan.

Retronauts Episode 350: Crash Bandicoot

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and John Linneman of Digital Foundry smash, bash, dash, and splash their way through the jungles of video game history to excavate the history behind Sony's most beloved mascot hero. No, not Blasto. We're talking' Crash!

Cover art by Shaan Khan.

Retronauts Episode 349 Preview: Retronauts Radio | January 2021

Retronauts — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 18:15:45 +0000

By patron request, Jeremy Parish rings in 2021 with the best physical releases for classic game music of the year gone by. Selections include Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, a whole lot of Mega Man X, Vib Ribbon, Ys, Life Force, Ikaruga, and more!

Retronauts Episode 348: Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 08:00:00 +0000

With the movie series (seemingly) finished, LucasArts capitalized on the public's slowly fading love for Indiana Jones with a brand-new adventure game. And instead of adapting one of his previous adventures, the developer instead developed a wholly unique story for the intrepid archaeologist—one players had to trek through three different times if they wanted to see everything. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Duckfeed.tv's Kole Ross as the two explore this adventure game that straddles the two eras of LucasArts and innovates in ways the publisher's future games wouldn't.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 347: Years In Review Revue | 1971 & ’81

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +0000

Because you demanded it! The Retronauts East team reconvenes (virtually) after a long time apart for the New Year's tradition of looking back across the decades. Despite our best-laid plans, we only get halfway through. In short, a classic episode. Cover art by Shaan Khan.

Retronauts Episode 346: Holiday Special 2020 - Earthworm Jim's "For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls"

Retronauts — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Happy holidays! As a special Christmas treat, we're giving you one of this month's Patreon-exclusive extra episodes! To hear two full-length bonus episodes like this every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

It's the yuletide season, which means it's time to head to the Retronauts Holiday Cabin in Parts Unknown yet again for another look at a Christmas-related video game thing. And even thought this is our tenth (!) holiday special, we haven't hit the bottom of the barrel just yet! This time around, we'll be looking at the Christmas (and final) episode of Earthworm Jim, the short-lived Kids' WB cartoon that, 25 years later, stands as one of the better games-to-animation adaptations out there. So smear on some wolf repellant and get ready for the only holiday travel not prohibited by law as host Bob Mackey and guest Henry Gilbert discuss this cartoon relic of the mid-90s. Groovy!

Retronauts Episode 345: Doctor Who

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +0000

True to the spirit of the franchise, it's a Doctor Who Christmas Special for Retronauts as Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Diamond Feit touch on the impact and influence of the long-running sci-fi series—and horrible, terrible, no-good games it's inspired.

Retronauts Episode 344: Die Hard

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Henry Gilbert celebrate the ho-ho-holidays at Nakatomi Plaza—a machine gun in hand, feet clenched into fists—by looking back at the film and video game legacy of John McTiernan's seasonal classic Die Hard. Hit it, Argyle!

Art by Nick Wanserski. Edits by Greg Leahy.

Retronauts Episode 343 Preview: Wario Land Pt. 1

Retronauts — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 14:36:34 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Kyle Orland take advantage of social distancing, devouring tons of garlic—just like this week's subject: Anti-Mario antihero Wario, and his monochrome adventures Super Mario Land 3 and Virtual Boy Wario Land

Retronauts Episode 342: Escape from Monkey Island

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Our non-chronological exploration of LucasArts adventure games continues with an episode all about the legendary developer's final entry in the genre: Escape from Monkey Island. Unfortunately, EMI ended this era of LucasArts with a whimper, as the clunky 3D interface and questionable puzzles make Guybrush Threepwood's Y2K adventure feel more like a voodoo curse than a barrel of monkeys. On this episode, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto (Thimbleweed Park cover artist and designer at Fangamer) as the two examine this unloved entry in the Monkey Island series to find out what went wrong.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 337 Preview: Lunar

Retronauts — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 23:54:44 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 337: Lunar. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 341: Gunpei Yokoi (Pt. 1)

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish speaks to Bill Mudron and Matt Alt about the work of Nintendo legend Gunpei Yokoi and how his innovative pre-video game creations reflect the post-war culture and industrial boom Japan experienced during the ’60s and ’70s.

Retronauts Episode 340 Preview: Final Fantasy IX

Retronauts — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 340: Final Fantasy IX. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 339: The Trials of Mana remake

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:30:00 +0000

Earlier this year, we discussed the original 16-bit version of Trials of Mana (aka Seiken Densetsu 3). Now, Jeremy Parish, Chris Kohler, and Nadia Oxford dig into the 3D remake: What it does right, where it falls short, and pwaces it's vewy iwwitating.

Cover illustration by Shaan Khan.

Retronauts Episode 338: The Video Game History Foundation

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 15:30:00 +0000

From the live archive: Jeremy Parish chats with Frank Cifaldi and Kelsey Lewin of the Video Game History Foundation about the evolution of their organization and how it's working to preserve the medium's past. Cover art by John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 336: Back to the Future Part II

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

We're going back to the Back to the Future trilogy for a podcast discussion about what could be the most interesting sequel of all time! When Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale put together the original Back to the Future in 1985, they had no idea they would have such a massive hit on their hands—or that their joke ending would set the second movie's plot in stone. But by working against adversity, the two crafted a highly satisfying sequel that doubled down on time travel antics, and even added alternate universes into the mix. (And might have even predicted the future with 1985-A...) On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Dave Rudden as the crew talks so much about Back to the Future Part II they have to save the video game discussion for the next episode. So listen now—unless you're chicken!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 335: Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 15:30:00 +0000

A double-request topic as we follow up our Final Fantasy VII coverage by looking back at its PSP-exclusive prequel Crisis Core. Bill Nielsen joins Jeremy Parish & Nadia Oxford as they fire up the Digital Mind Wave for some fond rememberies. Art: Greg Melo

Retronauts Episode 334 Preview: Cowboy Games Part 2

Retronauts — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts 334: Cowboy Games Part 2. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.

Retronauts Episode 333: Tron & Spy Hunter with George Gomez

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish chats one-on-one with an arcade gaming legend: George Gomez, who discusses the critical creative role he played in bringing classic arcade works like Spy Hunter and Tron to market and designing their iconic cabinets. Art by Nick Wanserski.

Retronauts Episode 332: Akira

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Henry Gilbert grab a laser rifle and angrily scream each other's names in celebration of one of the all-time great animated movies—Akira—as well as the manga it was based on, and the games it inspired. TETSUOOOO!

Retronauts Episode 331 Preview: The Art of Nintendo Power

Retronauts — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 20:10:37 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Art of Nintendo Power (twitter.com/artofnp) curator Stephan Reese take a trip back through gaming's greatest propaganda rag: Nintendo Power.

For the full episode, subscribe to the show at: patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 330: No More Heroes

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

After more than a decade in game development, enigmatic creator Suda 51 had his American debut with Killer 7, but 2007 would bring about his first mainstream splash with No More Heroes. This series launched on the Wii when it was still white hot, and managed to distill the off-the-wall and often alienating ideas of Suda into a personality-driven action game. Nearly 13 years after we first met Travis Touchdown, just where has the series been, and where is it headed with its upcoming third game? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Maddie Copp, and Matt McMuscles as the crew delves deep into the Garden of Madness to discover what makes this offbeat series so compelling.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 329: ’90s Video Game Websites

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish takes a trip back 20-odd years to the early days of the World Wide Web to revisit the era's online culture with two pioneers of the games internet: Andrew Vestal (The Unofficial Squaresoft Homepage) and Brandon Teel (Zany Video Game Quotes). Cover art by John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 328 Preview: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 328: Batman: Arkham Asylum. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 327: Numskull & Fire Pro Wrestling

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy connects with the minds behind Numskull's ever-expanding collection of classic arcade mini-cabinets, then tags in Chris Sims to discuss the history and wonders of Spike Chun Soft's Fire Pro Wrestling franchise. Cover art: Greg Melo.

Retronauts Episode 326: Streets of Rage

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Digital Foundry's John Linneman master the art of counting to four as they deliver a video game history beatdown in the form of a comprehensive retrospective on Sega's Streets of Rage franchise. Cover illustration by Leeann Hamilton.

Retronauts Episode 325 Preview: Colecovision

Retronauts — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 12:29:02 +0000

Our final "Before Times" recording! Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, and Jared Petty convene in (mostly) the same physical space to discuss the history and highlights of Coleco's almost-successful bid at console gaming fame, the ColecoVision. Art by Amanda Pruitt.

Retronauts Episode 324: The Jennifer Hale Interview

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Whether or not you know her name, you've definitely heard Jennifer Hale's voice if you played a video game in the past 25 years. Named "the most prolific video game voice actor" by The Guinness Book of World Records, Jennifer has an IMDB page that stretches on into infinity, with hundreds of roles in both video games in animation. On this episode, join us as we chat with Jennifer about her long career in video games, how her roles and voice acting technology have changed in the passing decades, and how voice acting is adapting to a COVID-19 world.

And be sure to check out Jennifer's role as the narrator for the audiobook version of Christopher Paolini's To Sleep in a Sea of Stars!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 323: Bill & Ted / Spectrum Next

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Stuart Gipp hop in their telephone booths to discuss the classic Bill & Ted films and their not-so-classic game tie-ins. Then Jeremy chats with Henrique Olifiers about the ZX Spectrum's return via Kickstarter. Cover art by John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 322 Preview: Dragon Quest: Your Story

Retronauts — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 322: Dragon Quest: Your Story. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 321: Pure Invention—Video Games & 20th Century Japan

Retronauts — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Matt Alt, author of Pure Invention, joins Jeremy to discuss his research into the impact of technological innovation on the growth of Japanese society in the 20th century, and how it shaped video gaming. Cover art by Nick Wanserski.

Retronauts Episode 320: A Castlevania Deep Dive

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, and Nadia Oxford break quarantine to return to Transylvania for an in-depth look at the original Castlevania for NES and its many, many alternate versions and remakes through the years. Art: Greg Melo

Retronauts Episode 319 Preview: Super Mario Galaxy

Retronauts — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 11:35:04 +0000

Come sail away with Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Henry Gilbert as we turn back the hands of time more than a decade, somehow, to revisit Mario's most cosmic journey of all time: Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 for Nintendo Wii.

Retronauts Episode 318: Cowboy Games

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Believe it or not, there are topics we've never covered in the past 14 years of Retronauts, so it's always a treat to shine the podcasting spotlight on a subject that's gone untouched. And this week, we're talking all about cowboy games: the genre that traces its roots back to the very beginning of the medium, and only recently came back into vogue thanks to the wildly popular Red Dead Redemption series. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Nina Matsumoto as the crew looks at the rootinest, shootinest Western games made between 1975 and 1991. And stay tuned for part two, ya varmint!

Be sure to read Nina's newest book: Sparks! Double Dog Dare.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 317: Chrono Cross

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish crosses realities to recruit Nadia Oxford and Jared Petty for an in-depth discussion of controversial Squaresoft RPG classic Chrono Cross on the occasion of its 20th anniversary in the U.S. (No weird accents or speech quirks… we pwomise.)

Artwork by Leeann Hamilton.

Retronauts is a listener-supported show. Please help keep things running and get early access/exclusive backer-only episodes/other goodies by subscribing at https://patreon.com/retronauts!

Retronauts Episode 316 Preview: Nintendo Leaks

Retronauts — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 316: Nintendo Leaks. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 315: Samurai Shodown

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Diamond Feit set the wayback machine for feudal Japan to learn about the secrets of the Samurai Shodown series from Brandon Sheffield, who trawled the SNK archives to research and write the Samurai Shodown Collection. Art: Shaan Khan.

Retronauts Episode 314: Ape Escape & The History of Game History

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:30:00 +0000

A diverse double-header this week as Jeremy Parish fields a patron request from Joseph Wawzonek to discuss Sony's Ape Escape before a chat with game archivist Leonard Herman about the history of chronicling game history. Art: John Pading.

Retronauts Episode 313 Preview: Weird Controllers, Pt. 2

Retronauts — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 12:38:03 +0000

The exciting conclusion to the saga we began back in... episode 283?! We talk about—yes—more really bizarre and nonsensical gaming input devices. For the full episode, go to patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 312: Deadly Premonition

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 07:00:00 +0000

We're just a few days out from the release of Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise, so it's about time we take a look back at the first game that just happened to turn ten years old earlier this year. Back when it launched in 2010, Deadly Premonition stood as a budget oddity, at first only seen as a wacky, broken game that cribbed a little too hard from Twin Peaks. But over time, this open-world mystery became something of a mini-phenomenon, and generated a small cult of fans willing to look past the rough exterior to see the brilliant ideas tucked away inside.

On this episode, join host Bob Mackey and guest supergreatfriend (Check out his YouTube channel!) as the two dig deep into the game that put SWERY on the map. Did you get all that, Zach?

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 311: Tales of Toad

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Just in time for another Toadstravaganza in the form of Paper Mario: The Origami King, Jeremy Parish joins Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert to talk about the history of Nintendo's pluckiest little demi-mascot, Toad. He's the best! (Or so he says.)

Retronauts Episode 310 Preview: Silent Hill 2

Retronauts — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 310: Silent Hill 2. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 309: Assassin's Creed & Virtual On

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 14:30:00 +0000

USgamer's Mike Williams joins Jeremy to discuss the early days of Ubisoft's virtual history sim Assassin's Creed, then patron Andrew Oliveira steps in to walk us through the history of Sega's mech-powered brawling cult fave Virtual On. Art by Shaan Khan.

Retronauts Episode 308: Civilization and Magic: The Gathering

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Friend of the show Shivam Bhatt features this week as we talk about two gaming topics dear to his heart: Sid Meier's Civilization and (by patron request of segment guest Bill Nielsen) Magic: The Gathering.

Retronauts Episode 307 Preview: Sega Forever & Captain Tsubasa

Retronauts — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 11:10:48 +0000

The days of remote access segments continue as Jeremy chats with Danny Russell from Sega UK about the evolution of Sega Forever, then connects with patron Mohammed Taher about hard-rockin' Famicom anime soccer RPG (whew) Captain Tsubasa.

For the full episode (and access to all our patron-exclusive content!), go to patreon.com/retronauts and subscribe to the show at the $5/mo. level. Enjoy!

Retronauts Episode 306: Monkey Island Mailbag

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 07:00:00 +0000

We've got a mighty haul of listener comments and questions from our last three Monkey Island episodes, so this week we've brought on series expert Nina Matsumoto (Thimbleweed Park cover artist and designer at Fangamer) once again to help us make some informed responses! Plus, after months of sitting on them, we finally read and respond to your requested input on our video game apparel episode! And to wrap up this installment, we chat about Dolores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure, Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert's quarantine gift to us all. So listen in and remain indoors, lest ye wantin' to be keelhauled!

Be sure to pre-order Nina's newest book: Sparks! Double Dog Dare.

Retronauts Episode 305: Years in Review Revue - 2010

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 14:30:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew reunites (virtually) to complete their journey through the 2020 Years in Review Revue, wrapping up with a look at 2010—a year overflowing with greatness! Jeremy Parish, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin buckle beneath its weight.

Retronauts Episode 304 Preview: Back to the Future

Retronauts — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 304: Back to the Future. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 303: Game Boy Color

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 14:30:00 +0000

The original power trio (Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Ray Barnholt) talk about the system that isn't a Game Boy. It's the Game Boy Color! A completely distinct platform! One that often gets overlooked. In this episode, we un-overlook it.

Retronauts Episode 302: Star Trek The Motion Picture & Mega Man Battle Network

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Star Trek! Mega Man! These topics have nothing in common! Please enjoy two unrelated segments as Jeremy speaks to Diamond Feit about the very first Star Trek movie and its games before chatting with Nadia Oxford about very first Mega Man RPG.

Retronauts Episode 301 Preview: Etrian Odyssey

Retronauts — Fri, 29 May 2020 11:53:15 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Jason Wilson form up a guild and venture into the verdant history of Atlus's Etrian Odyssey series. Subscribe at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts for access to this and ALL exclusive episodes!

Retronauts Episode 300: The Curse of Monkey Island

Retronauts — Mon, 25 May 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Our LucasArts adventure miniseries continues this week as we explore the developer's first (relatively) high-res adventure: 1997's The Curse of Monkey Island. This late-'90s release had a lot going against it: the series creator had left the company years ago, the two guys responsible for most of the previous games' humor and design were busy with other projects, and this third entry in the trilogy went for an art style far more exaggerated than what had come before. And somehow, they didn't screw it up. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto (Thimbleweed Park cover artist and designer at Fangamer) for a super-size exploration of this once-long-awaited sequel.

Be sure to pre-order Nina's newest book: Sparks! Double Dog Dare.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 299: Worst of the Best

Retronauts — Mon, 18 May 2020 14:30:00 +0000

In this blast from the past, Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Steve Lin, and Jason Wilson get together to talk about the worst games ever created by our favorite developers—and do our best to find a glimmer of goodness in the bad.

Retronauts Episode 298 Preview: Final Fantasy VII Remake

Retronauts — Fri, 15 May 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 298: Final Fantasy VII Remake. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, access to our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 297: Sega Saturn

Retronauts — Mon, 11 May 2020 14:00:00 +0000

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its launch, Sega Saturn is paid tribute by Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp. The good (its games!), the bad (executive infighting!), and the ugly (umm... its Symphony of the Night port?).

Retronauts Episode 296: Trackball Games & The Art of Atari

Retronauts — Mon, 04 May 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Neal, and Benj Edwards sneak in a conversation about trackball games in a hidden cranny of PAX East, and Tim Lapetino talks about his work chronicling the artwork of the Atari 2600 for print.

Retronauts Episode 295 Preview: Trials & Legend of Mana

Retronauts — Sat, 02 May 2020 15:05:01 +0000

A clip from our latest Patron-exclusive episode! Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and USgamer's Kat Bailey look at the original version of the newly remade Trials of Mana, then dive into a discussion of Legend of Mana's stunning Yoko Shimomura soundtrack (by patron request of K-S-O). Art by Steph Sybydlo. For the full episode, check out http://patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 294: Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 07:00:00 +0000

It's time once again for another installment of our LucasArts adventure game series with what could be the only podcast episode ever created about the developer's least beloved (outside of Germany) game. Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders might be the LucasArts adventure that's aged the worst, but it's a fascinating case of a game trapped between the design styles of Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island, and one that decided to take an evolutionary path that ended up being a dead end. On this episode, join Bob Mackey and Duckfeed.tv's Gary Butterfield as the two take apart Zak McKracken to see what makes it so different from the rest of the LucasArts catalog.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 293: Alex Kidd and Shadowgate

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish chats with Retronauts contributor Stuart Gipp about the mysterious appeal of Sega's Alex Kidd franchise, then talks to Shadowgate creator Dave Marsh about the history of the game and the inspiration behind its modern-day remake.

Retronauts Episode 292 Preview: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

Retronauts — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 292: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 291: The Media is the Message - PAX East

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Live from PAX East, Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, and RetroRGB's Bob Neal discuss the evolution of physical media in video gaming and its impact on the tech and design of the medium.

Retronauts Episode 290: New Super Mario Bros.

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Cole Jones bop in time to the music as they revisit Mario's ugliest (but arguably best!!) adventures in the New Super Mario Bros. series. Cover illustration: Step Sybydlo

Retronauts Episode 289 Preview: Miscellaneous Handhelds

Retronauts — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 14:30:00 +0000

We talk about the handheld consoles that don't deserve their own episodes, from the criminally bad (R-Zone) to the just plain criminal (Gizmondo). For the full episode, subscribe to the show at patreon.com/retronauts! (Artwork: Amanda Pruitt)

Retronauts Episode 288: Full Throttle

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 07:00:00 +0000

It's time for another entry in our ongoing LucasArts mini-series! This time around, we'll be looking at 1995's Full Throttle: Tim Schafer's first project as a solo director, and also the first LucasArts game to blast beyond the barriers of mere diskettes and ship only in the CD-ROM format. Though Full Throttle's design doesn't exactly hold up 25 years later, it stands as a fascinating look at what the multimedia age meant for adventure games, and a path LucasArts explored that ended up being a revolutionary dead end.

Joining us on this one is the great Jake Rodkin, of Idle Thumbs and Campo Santo fame! This is the first time we've had an actual designer of adventure games on this miniseries—you might have played The Walking Dead season 1 and his other Telltale work—and we ended up having a great chat (and some friendly disagreements) about what this game does right and wrong. We'll definitely have him on again in the future to discuss some of the more contemporary adventure games he worked on in the future!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 287: TurboGrafx-16

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Shane Bettenhausen convene to discuss the legacy of the ultimate NEC and Hudson collaboration: the TurboGrafx-16. Just in time for the launch of the TG16 mini (in a parallel, pandemic-free universe)!

Retronauts Episode 286 Preview: Sam & Max Hit the Road

Retronauts — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 07:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 286: Sam & Max Hit the Road. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 285: Animal Crossing

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Mike Choi, and USgamer's Caty McCarthy chill out for an hour and a half to discuss the low-key world of Animal Crossing, from its primal Nintendo 64 version through its modern-day spinoffs. Music by Mike Choi; art by Greg Melo.

Retronauts Episode 284: Parasite Eve

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Shane Bettenhausen continue the journey through the Final Fantasy saga with this side excursion into an abandoned Manhattan and 1998's Cinematic RPG Parasite Eve. (Cover art: Nina Matsumoto)

Retronauts Episode 283 Preview: Weird Controllers, Pt. I

Retronauts — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin embark upon a comprehensive (maybe) historic overview of weird video game controllers, from punching bags to chainsaws to... butt-poking fingers!? Cover illustration: Shaan Khan

Retronauts Episode 282: Gaming in the Year 2000

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 08:00:00 +0000

In the not-too-distant past, the year 2000 used to signify the far-off future. But time makes fools of us all, and this mythical date has transformed into a distant memory, just as all years are destined to become. This week, we examine Y2K's fascinating gaming landscape, where the primitive Game Boy Color could compete with the cutting-edge PlayStation 2, immersive sims and life sims were new genres, and the Dreamcast still looked like it stood a chance. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, USgamer's Kat Bailey, and IGN's Zachary Ryan as the crew soaks contentedly in the End of History where nothing could possiblie go wrong.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 281: Mario Goes Portable

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Chris Kohler abandon color and extra lines of screen resolution to take a deep dive into the 2D portable Super Mario games, from Super Mario Land to Super Mario Advance 4.

Retronauts Episode 280 Preview: Yakuza

Retronauts — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 280: Yakuza. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month plus early access to ad-free episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 279: RoboCop

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 16:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Henry Gilbert continue to take stock of the havoc wrought upon pop culture by Hollywood of the late ’80s with an in-depth survey of RoboCop: The movie, the games, the wholly inappropriate toys for kids!

Cover illustration: Amanda Pruitt

Retronauts Episode 278: Paperboy (With John Salwitz)

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 15:30:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew (Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, Ben Elgin) offer a quick overview of the gameplay and culture behind Atari's Paperboy; then designer John Salwitz shares his memories of its creation. Art: Step Sybydlo

Retronauts Episode 277 Preview: The Games of Nintendo Switch Online

Retronauts — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 16:56:23 +0000

We may not have Virtual Console to dunk on anymore, but gosh darn it if Nintendo Switch Online doesn't fill that same unsatisfying void in our lives. Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Ben Elgin, & Chris Sims banter about NSO's successes, failings, and swerves.

Special thanks this episode to Greg Leahy and Greg Melo for editing and illustrating this episode, respectively!

Retronauts Episode 276: Atari Lynx

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 08:00:00 +0000

We've got a real blast from the past for you this week—which is kinda the point of Retronauts, but our newest episode is a blast from the past in an entirely different way. We originally recorded this one on December 6th, 2015, exclusively as an episode for our Kickstarter backers, but now so much time has passed that we feel it's the right time to release this podcast to the general public. So join Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and special guests Steve Lin and Jaz Rignall as the crew discusses Atari's oversized handheld and says things they likely don't remember in the distant year of 2020. Transport yourself back to a time when we were still excited for more Star Wars and get ready for this week's episode!

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 275: Pre-Atari Consoles

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and vintage gaming expert Kevin Bunch turn back the hands of time to an era when the idea of the Atari 2600 was just a twinkle in someone's eyes, putting the focus on two pioneering consoles: RCA's Studio II and the Fairchild Channel F.

The Retronauts is supported by listeners! Subscribe to us on Patreon and get early, higher-quality downloads, exclusive episodes, bonus features about gaming history, topic request opportunities, and more! Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts Episode 274 Preview: Super Mario RPG

Retronauts — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 08:00:00 +0000

You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 274: Super Mario RPG. To hear the rest, and get two extra episodes every month plus early access, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 273: Years in Revue: 1980/1990

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 15:30:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew (Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Ben Elgin, Chris Sims) attempts to explore the highlights and disasters of gaming history in 1980/1990/2000/2010 in our annual by-the-decade recap... but only make it to 1990. It was a big year, OK?

Retronauts Episode 272: The Matrix

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 15:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Shane Bettenhausen revisit the themes, legacy, making of, and (of course) video games based on the Wachowski siblings' mind-bending 1999 sci-fi classic: The Matrix.

Retronauts Episode 271 Preview: List Inventory/The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Session 1

Retronauts — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:30:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew (Jeremy Parish, Ben Elgin, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims) don their peril-sensitive sunglasses and attempt to escape the planet before the Vogons arrive in this real-time playthrough of Infocom's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

The full content of this episode is exclusively available to Patreon supporters at the $5/mo. level and above. Retronauts is crowd-funded by listener support. Please see patreon.com/retronauts for more details!

Retronauts Episode 270: Video Game Apparel

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Since the dawn of the medium, humans across the globe dreamed of wearing video game representation on their bodies—a practice that's only become commonplace in recent years. We've come a long way since the days of too-large or too-small pre-order t-shirts as the rare video game wearable, to the point where just about any character or logo can be found emblazoned on a well-fitted shirt, hat, or the odd pair of parachute pants. On this episode of Retronauts, special guest Nina Matsumoto of Fangamer joins us to talk about her career designing video game apparel, and to also help us trace the poorly documented history of the subject.

Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.

Retronauts Episode 269: Command & Conquer with Louis Castle

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 15:30:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew offers a (very) loose overview of Westwood Studios' Command & Conquer series as a lead-in to Jeremy Parish's interview with Woodwest founder Louis Castle on the creation of the original game (among other topics).

Retronauts Episode 268: Holiday Special 2019 - Pokemon Christmas Bash

Retronauts — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 17:00:00 +0000

It's time once again to head to the Retronauts cabin in Parts Unknown for yet another look at a video-game-adjacent Christmas thing! We've worked our way through quite a few video game cartoon Christmas specials over the past few years, so this time around we're going to switch gears and explore another medium entirely. The late '90s/early '00s Pokemon Boom brought us many cheap cash-ins, so of course it spawned one of the cheapest cash-ins of all time: a cheesy Christmas album! Is it truly the reason for the season? There's only one way to find out! On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as they explore the magic and wonder of 2001's Pokemon Christmas Blast, and ponder over the supposed popularity of Stantler.

Retronauts Episode 267: The Holy Grails of Collecting

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 12:29:08 +0000

Hide your wallets: Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Chris Kohler, and Steve Lin discuss the pricing perils, pitfalls, and occasional perfidy surrounding the rarest/costliest/most non-existent video game collectibles in history.

Retronauts Episode 266: The Empire Strikes Back

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Just in time for the "conclusion" of the Star Wars saga (sure, whatever), take a look back at the franchise's cinematic high point (and all the related games) with Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Ben Elgin, and Chris Sims.

Retronauts Episode 265: The Messenger

Retronauts — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 22:46:15 +0000

Take a look into the genesis, classic inspirations, and development of Sabotage Games' double-retro indie hit The Messenger as Jeremy Parish speaks to creators Thierry Boulanger and Martin Brouard.

Retronauts Episode 264: PAX West 2019 - The Dreamcast 20th Anniversary Necromancy Jam

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Two decades ago, Sega summoned into the world the mightiest of its consoles: The Dreamcast. And then, almost as quickly, it took the poor thing into the woods out back and ran it through proverbial the wood chipper. Dreamcast died too young, but its sudden demise wasn’t the end. We pick up the story 20 years later, exploring the ways in which Dreamcast represented Sega’s spirit at its finest and how its legacy persists even today.

Panelists: Jeremy Parish, Morgan Shaver, Mike Drucker. Originally recorded September 2, 2019 at PAX West.

Retronauts Episode 263: Donkey Kong

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 15:00:00 +0000

We put together a classic Retronauts lineup (Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Chris Kohler) to discuss the history of an all-time arcade classic: Donkey Kong. (And also its lesser ’80s sequels.)

Retronauts Episode 262: PAX West 2019 - Super Metroid Vs. Symphony of the Night

Retronauts — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 08:00:00 +0000

It’s the ultimate metroidvania showdown as we settle once and for all which was truly the greatest, the most ambitious, the most influential work of the genre: Nintendo’s Super Metroid or Konami’s Castlevania: Symphony of the Night? Strong opinions will be expressed! Harsh words may be exchanged! Blood might even be spilled (only to be absorbed by a dhampir ensorcelled by Dark Metamorphosis)! Panelists: Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, USgamer's Nadia Oxford, and Mike Drucker.

Originally recorded September 2, 2019 at PAX West.

Retronauts Episode 261: The MiSTer Revolution

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Jeremy speaks to retrogaming curators Artemio and SmokeMonster about their efforts to help preserve and improve the state of classic gaming through projects like MDFourier and MiSTer.

Retronauts Episode 260: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Our informal LucasArts miniseries rolls on with another episode exploring the developer's adventure game output! This time, we focus on 1991's Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, the second entry in the Monkey Island series, and one that marked the departure of creator Ron Gilbert from LucasArts. Though it only came one year after the original game, LeChuck's Revenge expands on this formative adventure in some big, bold ways, and still remains an incredibly impressive showpiece—in terms of both design and production values—nearly 30 years later. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Fangamer's Nina Matsumoto as the crew journeys off to find Big Whoop and discovers the real treasure was the filthy lucre they found along the way.

Retronauts Episode 259: Limited Run Goes Retro

Retronauts — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 13:10:59 +0000

Jeremy Parish talks to Josh Fairhurst and Douglas Bogart of Limited Run Games about the company's growing line of classic game reissues, and the behind-the-scenes details of selling new retro game releases.

Retronauts Episode 258: 2009 (It's Retro Now)

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin wrap up some unfinished business by tackling the year that got away: 2009. Yeah, 2009 is retro now. Sorry, we don't make the rules. Actually, wait... we do.

Retronauts Episode 257: Metal Gear Solid

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 12:46:20 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Shane Bettenhausen celebrate Death Stranding by revisiting the game that allowed Hideo Kojima the luxury of spending millions of dollars on name-dropping self-indulgence in the first place: Metal Gear Solid.

Retronauts Episode 256: Link's Awakening Remake

Retronauts — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Over two years ago, we sat down to gush about The Legend of Zelda's underappreciated Game Boy installment, Link's Awakening. And once again, time has made fools of us all, as the Switch remake of this classic game stands as one of Nintendo's biggest fall titles—so it's safe to say Link's Awakening is FULLY appreciated at this point. But does Grezzo's very literal remake improve on the original experience? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Henry Gilbert as the crew explores this refurbished take on Link's strangest adventure.

Retronauts Episode 255: Castlevania's Oddballs

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish summons the eldritch forms of Castlevania experts Kurt Kalata, Rob Russo, and Kevin Bunch to discuss the enigma that is... Castlevania games that don't fit into any other specific grouping, like Haunted Castle and Bloodlines. Spooky!

Retronauts Episode 254: Mega Man 11's Classic Roots

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 13:50:59 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Nadia Oxford get equipped with opinions about the latest entry in the Mega Man series and how it upholds the franchise's lengthy legacy. This one's been in the vaults so long that Mega Man 11 is almost retro now!

Retronauts Episode 253: Loving Unloved Consoles and How to Play Old Games

Retronauts — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 19:00:00 +0000

Live from Long Island Retro Expo! Jeremy chats with Rob Russo and Kurt Kalata from HG101 about loving unpopular game systems, then muses on the means and philosophy behind playing old games with VGHF's Frank Cifaldi and MLIG's Coury Carlson.

Retronauts Episode 252: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 07:00:00 +0000

For a little over a decade, Castlevania keeper Koji Igarashi cut his own path with the famous side-scrolling series by backing away from its traditional hardcore action and platforming, and leaning more towards RPG elements and exploration. The result was what we now know as the "Metroidvania," a genre that thrived for the ten years Igarashi found himself away from the style of game he and his team popularized. But does our current glut of Metroidvanias make his newest creation, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night feel less special? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Imran Khan as the crew explores Igarashi's latest work to find out whether or not it's a total Dragula.

Come See Retronauts LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2019!

Retronauts — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 15:00:00 +0000

We're coming back to the Portland Retro Gaming Expo this year for another live appearance!

When: Saturday, October 19 at 9:00pm

Where: Auditorium A at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo

What: Our latest live panel, "When Celebrities and Video Games Collide!"

For more info, check out the official PRGE schedule, or the official website. We hope to see you there!

Retronauts Episode 251: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 13:30:00 +0000

Retronauts East (Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin) returns to the ’30s to evaluate the failings and successes (mostly failings) of Indiana Jones's most Problematic-with-a-capital-P adventure—and its impact on games, of course. Frickin' mine carts....

Retronauts Episode 250: Loom

Retronauts — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 07:00:00 +0000

As Lucasfilm Games began to refine their philosophy of fairness, designer Brian Moriarty doubled down on this concept with his idea of a video game expressly designed to be completed. This would eventually take the form of Loom, an adventure game far different than anything that would come before or after it. With no inventory, no verbs, and music as your only means of interacting with the world, Loom stands some 30 years later as an interesting evolutionary dead end for the genre. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Kat Bailey, and Duckfeed.tv's Gary Butterfield as the two explore one of LucasArts' less remembered adventures.

Retronauts Episode 249: Roguelikes—The Road to Spelunky

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Finishing out our patron request series on roguelike role-playing games, Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Jason Wilson, and John Harris explore latter-day roguelikes and how we got to the weird, wonderful world of Spelunky.

Retronauts Episode 248: Contra

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Shane Bettenhausen use the Konami Code to tackle the challenge of recapping the Contra series, just in time for the latest entry in the franchise.

Retronauts Episode 247: Classic gaming in Germany

Retronauts — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 12:58:52 +0000

We often talk about the U.S., Japan, and the U.K., but what about the rest of the world? Games journalist and historian Thomas Nickel takes time out of his Tokyo Game Show work to share some insights into the classic gaming experience in Germany.

Retronauts Episode 246: Demon's Souls

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 07:00:00 +0000

In the past decade, developer From Software went from making poorly reviewed oddities to being one of the most important developers in our modern era. And it all started with Demon's Souls, a humble, slightly janky game that challenged the new standard of frictionless gameplay in the HD era, and delivered an experience we didn't know we were so hungry for. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy's Parish, USgamer's Kat Bailey, and Duckfeed.tv's Gary Butterfield as the crew explores the bleak and endlessly compelling world of Demon's Souls. Listen now, so the world might be mended. So the world might be mended.

Retronauts Episode 245: Lemmings (With Mike Dailly)

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish teams up with the Retronauts East crew to discuss PC classic puzzle-action game Lemmings before jumping into a one-on-one interview with one of the game's designers, Mike Dailly of DMA Designs.

Retronauts Episode 244: The Secret of Monkey Island

Retronauts — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Now that Retronauts has transitioned to deep dives of single titles over the past few years, it's about time to focus on a genre we rarely touch: adventure games. That said, this marks the beginning of a limited series where I (Bob) will be covering the entire LucasArts adventure library—one game per episode—hopefully with new and/or rare guests.

Since I'm not covering these games in any particular order, there's no better place to start than The Secret of Monkey Island, the release that would define LucasArts' house style for its remaining decade of adventure game output. And there's no better guest than Monkey Island superfan Nina Matsumoto (of FanGamer and Sparks fame), someone who's loved the series since 1990 and even created the cover art for Ron Gilbert's latest adventure game, Thimbleweed Park! So join us as we enter the world of corrosive grog, rubber chickens with pulleys in the middle, and insult sword fighting and jump back in time nearly 30 years to explore a game that launched a much-beloved series.

Retronauts Episode 243: Final Fantasy VIII

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Sep 2019 13:30:00 +0000

Continuing our journey through the Final Fantasy series, Kat Bailey joins Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey to talk about what makes Final Fantasy VIII such a weird and wonderful chapter in the series—just in time for the remaster! Just mind the spoilers...

Retronauts Episode 242: Strider

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Shane Bettenhausen paraglide into Kazakh S.S.R. to profess the glory of a game that remains indelibly cool even 30 years later: Capcom's Strider.

Retronauts Episode 241: The Return of Listener Comments Catch-Up

Retronauts — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 07:00:00 +0000

The curse of the podcaster means we usually have so much to say in our limited time that we often don't have space to let you get a word in edgewise. So, every six months, I (Bob) like to collect comments and questions from the last six months' worth of my episodes—from both the main site and Patreon—and respond to them with a guest. So this week, join me and Jeremy as we respond to your thoughts on Spider-Man games, Reggie Fils-Aime, Kingdom Hearts 3, Sonic the Hedgehog's many voice actors, Stardew Valley, Resident Evil 4, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the year 1989, and Nester (another mutant, but not a turtle or a teenager). Will YOUR words be read live on the air? Listen now and all will be revealed!

Retronauts Episode 240: The Running Man

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Just as video game boss fights were becoming more sophisticated, Hollywood gave us 1987's The Running Man, a movie that—whether its writer knew it or not—exists as a 100-minute-long boss rush. Though other big, beefy action movies of the '80s inspired video games more directly, this lower-profile entry in the Schwarzenegger canon might have had an even bigger effect on the way we look at boss fights in general. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Henry Gilbert as the crew examines this cheesy chunk of social commentary, and the many games it would influence in its wake. It's showtime!

Retronauts Episode 239: Super Smash Bros.

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 13:00:00 +0000

If you like Smash Bros., you'll be angry about this episode! Jeremy, Chris, Ben, and Benj gather to discuss the classic influences that define Smash Bros. Ultimate, but they get sidetracked and turn what was supposed to be a quick series overview into a full, rambling, off-the-cuff episode that veers wildly beyond what they had prepped and researched for. Whoops!

Retronauts Episode 238: Nathan McCree on Composing Tomb Raider Tunes

Retronauts — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 17:33:21 +0000

Composer Nathan McCree reminisces about his groundbreaking work creating the soundtrack for Lara Croft's earliest adventures, the challenges in revisiting that material decades later, and... The Spice Girls?!

Retronauts Episode 237: X-Wing

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 14:00:00 +0000

By patron request, Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey recruit Kat Bailey and Jason Wilson to scramble all fighters and mount an unrelenting assault of knowledge against the topic of LucasArts' classic Star Wars sandbox shooter series X-Wing (and TIE Fighter).

Retronauts Episode 235: Mailbag—New Super Mario, FF Tactics, Gaming Holy Grails

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 14:00:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew (Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Ben Elgin, and Chris Sims) responds to YOUR letters about episode topics that may or may not have already been published, including New Super Mario Bros. and Final Fantasy Tactics.

Retronauts Episode 236: Super Mario Maker

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 07:00:00 +0000

We're living in the era of the gig economy, and now our apartments are hotels, our cars are taxis, and we even have to make Marios ourselves. But that's okay, because Nintendo's Super Mario Maker series has thrived over the past half-decade as not only a celebration of Mario's 2D legacy, but an amazing toolset that lets budding creators put together levels that aren't even in the wildest dreams of Nintendo's top craftsmen. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Chris Kohler, and Ray Barnholt as the crew explores the finer points of Mario do-it-yourself-ery.

Retronauts Episode 234: Spider-Man 2 with Jamie Fristrom

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 12:40:15 +0000

The Retronauts East crew looks back at the legacy of beloved superhero classic Spider-Man 2 for PlayStation 2. Then, Jeremy Parish talks to designer/tech lead Jamie Fristrom about the game's creation.

Retronauts Episode 233: Final Fantasy Tactics

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Shivam Bhatt equip their Dictionaries and set their Reaction Skills to "Podcast Debate" as they form up into a squad and take on Final Fantasy's all-time greatest spin-off: 1998's Final Fantasy Tactics for PS1.

Retronauts Episode 232: Nester

Retronauts — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Mario might be Nintendo's big-time mascot, but for six years of Nintendo Power, one banana-haired brat served a similar role. In what amounted to one of the first manga series snuck into the hands of American children, Nester existed as the foil to the real-life know-it-all Nintendo rep Howard Phillips, who used his insider info to humiliate a small child through a few dozen very entertaining and expertly drawn installments. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Bill Mudron as the crew explores the brief but notable history of Nester throughout both print and games.

Retronauts Episode 231: Kemco-Seika

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Anthony Schwader look back at the checkered history of publisher Kemco-Seika—from iffy original works to beloved conversions of computer classics. And lots of Crazy Castles.

Retronauts Episode 230: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1989

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Before the launch of the go-go '90s, a certain green foursome closed out the decade with a bang. Though the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles entered the comic book world in 1984 and debuted on television in 1987, 1989 belonged to the Turtles, with weekday cartoon episodes, a movie in the works, and, at long last, a chance to be the Ninja Turtles in both console and arcade forms. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Ray Barnholt (check out his issue of SCROLL on the TMNT games) as the crew goes sewer surfin' through the tail-end of the Reagan Decade in search of Pizza Power.

Retronauts Episode 229: Retrotainment on Creating Modern NES Games

Retronauts — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 13:59:52 +0000

Tim Hartman and Greg Caldwell from Retrotainment talk to Jeremy Parish about the art and science of creating brand-new NES games such as Full Quiet.

Retronauts Episode 228: Console Launch Lineups

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 14:00:30 +0000

By patron request, Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey revisit the topic of classic console launch lineups from Atari 2600 to Super NES with Chris Kohler and Steve Lin. How did these first games speak to their systems—and to the state of gaming at the time?

Retronauts Episode 227: Console Roguelikes through Mystery Dungeon

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 15:00:00 +0000

The second part of our journey into roguelike history sees experts Jason Wilson and John Harris join Bob Mackey and Jeremy Parish to explore the protoplasmic origins of the genre's console renditions through the near-perfection of Shiren the Wanderer.

Retronauts Episode 226: Aladdin Games

Retronauts — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Now that Disney's live-action Aladdin movie is out, we finally have a great excuse to jump back in time 25 years to examine the animated version of that property—one that was oddly important to the 16-bit console wars. Virgin Interactive's Genesis game mostly overshadowed Capcom's SNES interpretation thanks to some still-impressive technical tricks, but the conventional wisdom about the Sega version being superior might not hold together 2.5 decades later. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as they explore the Aladdin games of the past to find out which one is the true diamond in the rough.

Retronauts Episode 225: Resident Evil 4

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Resident Evil 4 has quietly been one of the most influential games of the past 20 years, and now that a shiny new port is available on the Nintendo Switch, there's never been a better time to dig into the game that redefined the third-person shooter genre. Capcom took an incredible risk by throwing out nearly everything that defined the series for its fourth iteration, and even though it took four attempts to get things right, Resident Evil 4 remains an intensely playable experience nearly 15 years later. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Zachary Ryan as the crew dives into the action game that reshaped "survival horror."

Retronauts Episode 224: Virtual Boy Revisited

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 14:30:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Caitlin Oliver, and Brian Clark convene to discuss Nintendo's least-successful console ever: The benighted Virtual Boy. And it's not as dire a discussion as you might expect—in fact, you might even call us fans.

Retronauts Episode 223: Epoch's Game Pocket Computer

Retronauts — Fri, 31 May 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey consult with handheld connoisseur Alex "kraeman" Forsyth about the impressive portable system that beat Game Boy to the punch by five years: The Epoch Game Pocket Computer.

Retronauts Episode 222: Sonic Mania's Classic Roots

Retronauts — Mon, 27 May 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Caty McCarthy look to the present to talk about a game that succeeds by looking to the past: Sega's 2017 hit Sonic Mania. See, we CAN say nice things about Sonic.

Retronauts Episode 221: Alien

Retronauts — Mon, 20 May 2019 14:30:00 +0000

The last survivors of the Nostromo—Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin—transmit from deep space to pay tribute to Ridley Scott's film Alien and its influence on pop culture and video games.

Retronauts Episode 220: A Podcast About Podcasting

Retronauts — Fri, 17 May 2019 16:52:20 +0000

This time on Retronauts, we're talking about something that's rarely a featured topic on the show: ourselves! On this special Friday installment, Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross of the Duckfeed.tv network join us in our Midwest Gaming Classic hotel room to discuss the wild and woolly world of being a self-employed podcaster. Is it exciting and exotic, with danger around every corner? Or fairly straightforward, with a lot of staring at a computer screen while concocting elaborate excuses to leave the house? We think you'll find the answer is somewhere in the middle.

Retronauts Episode 219: Classic console hardware design, Pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 13 May 2019 13:43:54 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Flip Grip design engineer Mike Choi talk about the most beautiful and memorable game console designs through the years. Even though podcasts, uh, aren't exactly a visual medium.

Retronauts Episode 218: Rental stores

Retronauts — Mon, 06 May 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and James Eldred reminisce about the halcyon days before digital distribution and demo discs... back when we had bike over to the video store so we could rent games we wanted to try out.

Retronauts Episode 217: Game Boy at Midwest Gaming Classic

Retronauts — Fri, 03 May 2019 13:44:25 +0000

Live! Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Chris Kohler, and Caitlin Oliver discuss the Game Boy's 30-year legacy. Then Jeremy and Bob talk up the magic of Mindware's Heiankyo Alien in an impromptu chat recorded bootleg-style. [Art: Cassie Hart Kelly]

Retronauts Episode 216: Stardew Valley

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 07:00:00 +0000

This time around, we're shining the spotlight on another newer game that, like Shovel Knight, feels like the platonic ideal of a specific retro experience. If you ever liked Harvest Moon, still like Harvest Moon, or fell off the series years ago, Stardew Valley is the game for you: it takes the fundamentals of Natsume's storied farming sim, sands off its many rough edges, and expands on the important parts in a meaningful way, all while having a personality of its own. This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Kallie Plagge as the crew explores the cute and highly addictive world of Stardew Valley.

Retronauts Episode 215: Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicäa

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 11:26:34 +0000

By patron request, Wes Fenlon and Henry Gilbert join Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey go a little buggy as they explore the history and influence of Hayao Miyazaki's manga and anime classic Nausicäa of the Valley of Wind

Retronauts Episode 214: The Many Voices of Sonic the Hedgehog

Retronauts — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 07:00:00 +0000

With the Sonic the Hedgehog live-action movie just around the corner, there's never been a better time to look back on all the actors who once brought life to Sega's little blue speed rat. Though improv master Ben Schwartz will play Sonic in the sure-to-be-great film, he's just the latest in a long line of actors—in both America and Japan—who convinced all of us that a hedgehog could speak. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as they trace the surprisingly deep history of Sonic thespians. Plus: Larry King in the role he was born to play!

Retronauts Episode 213: Game Boy

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 14:56:12 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Jared Petty look back at 30 years of Game Boy. The memories! The classics! The music! The inevitable eyestrain from trying to play games in the dark in the backseat of a car!

Retronauts Episode 212: Namco's Arcade History, Pt. 3

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 16:00:00 +0000

The Retronauts East crew continues their ongoing survey of Namco's legendary arcade output through the ’80s, tackling classics like Rolling Thunder and Pac-Mania as well as obscurities like Marchen Maze.

Retronauts Episode 211: A Conversation with Rebecca Heineman

Retronauts — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 13:20:08 +0000

Legendary game programmer Rebecca Heineman discusses her journey to becoming a game developer, her most interesting projects through the years, and what comes next.

Retronauts Episode 210: Kingdom Hearts 3

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 18:35:56 +0000

Have we really never done an episode on Kingdom Hearts? Well, it's surprisingly old, and now that the long-awaited third game finally exists, there's never been a better time. This long-running Square franchise has a history as long and complicated as its plot, and we dedicate the first half of this episode to discussing the origins of Kingdom Hearts and just where it's been going for nearly two decades.

Then, on the other side, we take on Kingdom Hearts 3: a very new game that still feels remarkably old in good and bad ways, and one that refuses to be anything but itself. This week, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and USgamer's Caty McCarthy as the crew straps into their gummi ships to fly the friendly skies of Kingdom Hearts. This is one episode where we're not a-hyuckin' around.

Retronauts Episode 209: Final Fantasy VII, Pt. 2

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey finally leave Midgar to explore the remainder of Final Fantasy VII with the help of their fellow party members, Chris Kohler and Kat Bailey.

Retronauts Episode 208: Goodbye, Reggie Fils-Aime

Retronauts — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 07:00:00 +0000

On April 15, 2019, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime will step down from his role, bringing about an end to an era. But who was Reggie, and why was his tenure at Nintendo so unique? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Henry Gilbert as the crew examines the life and times of Reggie Fils-Aime during Nintendo's highest highs and lowest lows.

Retronauts Episode 207: Capcom's Disney Afternoon

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:00:00 +0000

East meets West, and then some! Jeremy Parish and Chris Sims (east) meet with Bob Mackey and Nina M. (west) to talk about the franchise that brings people of all coasts together: Capcom's Disney games for NES.

Retronauts Episode 206: Final Fantasy VII, Pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey once again meet with Chris Kohler and Kat Bailey to deep-dive their way through the history of Final Fantasy. This time they've hit the Big One: Final Fantasy VII, a game SO monumental in impact it's a two-episode discussion.

Retronauts Episode 205: Katamari Damacy

Retronauts — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey roll up Benj Edwards and Ben Elgin into an ever-growing ball of garba—errr, that is, an ever-growing podcast retrospective about Namco's delightful trash-gathering simulation Katamari Damacy.

Retronauts Episode 204: Spider-Man Games Part 2

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 08:00:00 +0000

We left you hanging for over a year after our first exploration of Spider-Man games (episode 135), and now we're back to see what the world of polygons held for Marvel's arachnid hero. Spidey had quite a bit of video game history between his 2000 self-titled game and his... 2018 self-titled game, and we're here to comb through the webs of the past to see if there's anything worth salvaging. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Jeremy Parish as the crew activates their Spider-Sense to figure out which of Spidey's past interactive adventures should be gently shooed out the front door, and which should be swatted with a rolled-up newspaper.

203: A Tale of Two Tribes

Retronauts — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 19:52:06 +0000

Jeremy Parish talks to Martijn Reuvers and Collin van Ginckel about the history of their development studio, Two Tribes, a company that bluffed its way into existence in the sunset days of Game Boy and became indie game pioneers with Toki Tori and Rive.

Retronauts Episode 202: Listener Comments Catch-Up

Retronauts — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 08:00:00 +0000

It's been six months since Bob's last listener comments episode, and plenty of feedback has built up since then, practically screaming to be read live on the air! And in this episode, Bob and guest Henry Gilbert will be doing just that: reading and responding to various questions and comments (left on the Patreon and Retronauts dot com) on topics as varied as BioShock, Pokemon, Wario Ware, the PlayStation 2, and more! Plus: A song about Lou Albano that may surprise you.

Retronauts Episode 201: First Encounters

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, and Kallie Plagge look back at some the greatest publishers of all time and the games that helped define them in our eyes. From Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. to The Sims and Halo, it's an episode chock-full of meet-cutes!

Retronauts Episode 200: The 2019 Years-in-Review Revue, Pt. II

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Continued from episode 191! The whole Retronauts East gang gathers once again to complete their look back at the years that have come before—the most notable gaming (and pop culture) events of 1989 and 1999.

Retronauts Episode 199: Nintendo's Stairway to Rhythm Heaven

Retronauts — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Live from MAGfest 2019! Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Chris Sims explore the musical legacy of Nintendo R&D1 from Donkey Kong to the grand culmination of the studio's love for brilliant music and sound design: Rhythm Heaven. Special thanks to Trey Johnson for an assist with the audio!

Retronauts Episode 198: Dragon Quest XI

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Every once in a while, we like to focus our attention on (gasp!) modern games to see how well they've stuck to tradition over the passing decades. And there's no series more traditional than Dragon Quest, which still plays pretty close to how it did 30-some years ago. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Henry Gilbert as the crew takes a look at how Dragon Quest XI--the newest entry in the series--thoroughly modernizes its many old-school qualities for one of the best installments of the series to date.

Retronauts Episode 197: Konami on MSX

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Kurt Kalata and Rob Russo of Hardcore Gaming 101 join Jeremy Parish to explore the alternate reality version of Konami's legendary run of NES games: Their extensive MSX home computer library. From Metal Gear to Nemesis, it's all familiar, and yet... not.

Retronauts Episode 196: Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom

Retronauts — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 08:00:00 +0000

You've heard of Hudson's Adventure Island, but how about Hudson's adventure games? Though the developer was mostly known for platforming and bomber men, in their pre-console-development years, Hudson cashed in on the adventure game craze. And one remnant from this era managed to sneak over to American shores: the NES port of Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Nina Matsumoto, and Chris Sims as the crew ponders this clunky-but-charming vegetarian adventure.

Retronauts Episode 195: A History of Game Piracy

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Chris Kohler joins Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey to tackle the topic of piracy. It's not the same thing as emulation! But it's closely related? And it's bad! But it's important, good, and essential to game preservation!? There's a lot to unpack this week!

Retronauts Episode 194: Brian Fargo on Wasteland, Fallout, and The Bard's Tale

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Interplay and InXile boss Brian Fargo offers fresh insights into his pioneering work with role-playing games like The Bard's Tale, Wasteland, and Fallout.

Retronauts Episode 193: Mark Turmell on NBA Jam & NEMO

Retronauts — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 05:00:00 +0000

In an episode that's nearly retro itself, we go back to GDC 2018 for an interview with Zynga's Mark Turmell on his historic work, including NBA Jam, NFL Blitz, Hasbro's failed NEMO console, and the spiritual connection between arcade and mobile gaming.

Retronauts Episode 192: WarioWare

Retronauts — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Wario started out as literally the anti-Mario, and his platforming series did a great job of playing with the tropes of the genre. But in 2003, Wario would have a much bigger task: subverting the ongoing trend of bloated game design with sheer minimalism and absurdism. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Henry Gilbert as the crew examines the subversive brilliance of WarioWare series on its 15th birthday.

Retronauts Episode 191: The 2019 Years-in-Review Revue, Pt. I

Retronauts — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 05:00:00 +0000

The whole East gang's here: Ben, Benj, AND Chris join Jeremy for the traditional New Year's look back at 10/20/30/40 and even 50 (!) years ago. Naturally, the usual Retronauts East banter and digressions take the whole thing so far off track we only get halfway through our planned discussion this time through. See you for the follow-up in 2019!

Retronauts Episode 190: Holiday Special 2018 - Pokemon's "Holiday Hi-Jynx"

Retronauts — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 08:00:00 +0000

It's that time of the year again: when listeners brave the harsh climates, territorial wolves, and malfunctioning home security devices for a chance to visit the Retronauts Holiday Cabin in parts unknown. And, just like in past years, we'll be using this holiday getaway as a good excuse to discuss a video game-related Christmas cartoon. For 2018, we set our sights on the long-running Pokemon cartoon's first Xmas adventure: "Holiday Hi-Jynx." Along with featuring perhaps the most controversial Pokemon, this episode carries a pretty interesting history--one that goes back to the anime series' lowest moment ever. So grab yourself a warm cup of whatever, find a corner to hide away from your family, and join us for this very Japanese tour of the holiday season.

Retronauts Episode 189: Neon Genesis Evangelion

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 05:00:00 +0000

You mustn't run away… from this episode! Classic sci-fi anime Neon Genesis Evangelion is coming to Netflix soon, and Wes Fenlon and Henry Gilbert join Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey to explore the show, its legacy, and (of course) its video game tie-ins.

Retronauts Episode 188: Netflix's Castlevania with Adi Shankar & Zillion with Funimation

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 05:00:00 +0000

An animated feature double feature! First, Funimation walks us through the decades-overdue English version of Sega tie-in anime Zillion. Then, Netflix's Castlevania creator Adi Shankar talks about indie games and preserving Belmont lore for television.

Retronauts Episode 187: Drill Dozer

Retronauts — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 08:00:00 +0000

After Pokemon took off in a huge way, developer Game Freak didn't exactly have the time or incentive to dabble outside of their cash cow. But all that changed in 2006, when they created Drill Dozer: a fun, compact little game built entirely around the concept of drilling. Unfortunately, Drill Dozer's release on the Game Boy Advance well into the DS's lifespan means very few people got a chance to experience Game Freak's inventive platformer. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Nick Daniel, and Chris Daniel as the crew explores Drill Dozer and ponders whether or not drilling truly is horizontal digging.

Retronauts Episode 186: Inside SNK's Archives

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:00:00 +0000

SNK 40th Anniversary Collection producer Frank Cifaldi walks us through the process of creating a definitive playable historic record of SNK's decades-old pre-Neo•Geo catalog.

Retronauts Episode 185: The Music of PlayStation 1

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Shane Bettenhausen joins Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and a plethora of Retronauts listeners to enthuse about the games that took advantage of Sony PlayStation's groundbreaking audio capabilities by including bangin' soundtracks.

Retronauts Episode 184: PC Roguelikes

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 05:00:00 +0000

By patron request, we delve into the cryptic history of what might be the world's most complex genre: PC roguelikes. Genre aficionado Steve Tramer walks Bob and Jeremy through the unforeseen consequences of Rogue, Nethack, Dwarf Fortress, and more!

Retronauts Episode 183: SNK's 40th, Pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Retronauts contributor and SNK ultra-fan D. Feit joins Jeremy Parish for a casual conversation about the games of SNK's 40th Anniversary Collection for Switch—the first in a two-part exploration of this landmark anthology!

Retronauts Episode 182: SEGA Genesis 30th - Expert Mode

Retronauts — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Ken Horowitz from Sega-16.com joins Jeremy to offer some perspective on SEGA's 30-year-old console from someone who's been on the front lines with it nearly from the beginning, in this side story to our recent Genesis anniversary tribute.

Retronauts Episode 181 - Dragon Ball/Sailor Moon Games

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Ah, Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon: The twin jewels of '90s anime. Though many series have surpassed these two in longevity and popularity, these anime titans hold sole responsibility for getting so many Americans into anime during the late 90s, when Japanese animation wasn't so commonplace in our country. And, of course, when you have two properties so huge and influential, you're gonna see a whole bunch of video game adaptations. On this episode of Retronauts, GameSpot's Sam Leichtamer and Kallie Plagge join Bob and Jeremy to explore these anime mega-hits and the many games they spawned. Listen now, or in the name of the moon, we'll send you to another dimension!

Retronauts Episode 180: SEGA Genesis Turns 30

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and a host of Retronauts listeners recount the best moments and memories of SEGA's 16-bit Genesis on the occasion of the console's 30th birthday.

Retronauts Episode 179: Luigi's Mansion

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Hey, this game really SUCKS! But only because it's supposed to. This week on Retronauts, we jump back to the ancient year of 2001 to dig deep into Luigi's Mansion: the GameCube launch title that underwhelmed at the time, but really holds up today. And, thanks to a new 3DS port, it's more playable than ever before! On this episode, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as they shine their flashlights all over Luigi's first adventures in the paranormal.

Retronauts Episode 178: Remakes, Reboots, and Reinventions

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey talk to USgamer's Caty McCarthy and Polygon's Matt Leone about modern-day takes on classic series--their history, the best and worst of them, and whether or not they're even necessary.

Retronauts Episode 177: Double Dragon

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish teams up with HG101's Kurt Kalata and Rob Russo to take on the violent, deadly history of the Double Dragon franchise (and hopefully save Marion in the process).

Retronauts Episode 176: G.I. Joe

Retronauts — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 03:00:00 +0000

America's daring, highly trained special podcasting force of Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, and Chris Sims take on G.I. Joe, the ruthless comics/toy/games franchise that ruled the world during the ’80s.

Retronauts Episode 175: Chrono Trigger

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey travel back (and forward) in time with Kat Bailey and Chris Kohler to revisit one of the greatest RPGs of all time: Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest mash-up Chrono Trigger.

Retronauts Episode 174: Dylan Cuthbert's Road to Star Fox

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Jeremy drops by the offices of Q-Games to speak to Dylan Cuthbert (and Mark Lentz) about the early days of gaming and how tinkering with Game Boy hardware led to the creation of the first true 3D game on Super NES, Star Fox.

Retronauts Episode 173: The Many Voices of Mario

Retronauts — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 06:00:00 +0000

When Mario debuted in 1981's Donkey Kong, he entered a gaming landscape devoid of voice acting, so Nintendo never stopped to think, "Hey, what's this little guy supposed to sound like?" Over the years, though, as Mario entered the world of cartoons, live-action TV shows, and movies, someone had to sit down and decide on the voice of this formerly voiceless character. And decide they did! On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as they explore the many voices of Mario, and trace the roots of his current, Nintendo-approved vocal interpretation. Mama mia!

Retronauts Episode 172: PlayStation 2

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 06:00:00 +0000

We at Retronauts regret to inform you once again that something is very old. (Hey, we're just doing our job.) That's right: The PlayStation 2 turns 18 this month, and to celebrate its passage into adulthood we've put together two whole hours of podcasting fun about Sony's market-dominating beast of a console. Just how important was DVD support? And will any console ever outsell the PS2? On this podcast, Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Matthew Jay rev up their Emotion Engines and attempt to describe just how indescribably huge Sony's sequel system was in its heyday. [Note: All of the music in this episode is from the PlayStation 2 game Shadow Hearts: Covenant.]

Retronauts Episode 171: Namco's arcade history, part 2

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 03:00:00 +0000

The Retronauts East survey of Namco's arcade legacy continues! Jeremy, Benj, and Chris tackle the coin-op doldrums of 1983-1985 while dreaming of more interesting days to come.

Retronauts Episode 170: Iron Man

Retronauts — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 03:00:00 +0000

To mark the 10th anniversary of the movie that changed the face of modern cinema (for better or worse), Jeremy talks Iron Man—the character, the games, and the weird lack of games—with comics expert Chris Sims and long-time Iron Man superfan Benj Edwards. Also this episode: The end of "Micros"! Now the biweekly Friday episode will just be plain ol' "Retronauts," whatever their length. Because this week's 80-minute podcast sure doesn't look so "micro" to us...

Retronauts Episode 169: Dragon Quest I & II

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy and Bob go international to examine the origins of the world's most influential console RPG series. First, we stop in Nagoya to talk Dragon Quest with Alex Fraioli. Then, USgamer's Nadia Oxford beams in from Canada to lament the cruelty of DQII.

Retronauts Episode 168: SEGA's Arcade History - The Finale

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 03:00:00 +0000

The end is nigh! Sort of. Jeremy, Ben, and Benj return to look one last time at SEGA's classic arcade legacy, exploring their coin-on megabits of the late ’90s. From Virtua Fighter 3 to Crazy Taxi, it's like crib notes for the Dreamcast era...

Retronauts Micro 95: Mailbag - Final Fantasy VII, Dragon Quest, and more

Retronauts — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Nadia Oxford dials in to swap listener mail submissions with Bob and Jeremy for episodes we've recorded but not yet published. Get a preview of things to come in the weeks ahead with community opinions on Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy VII, and more!

Retronauts Episode 167: Super Mario Oddities - Mario Bros., Wrecking Crew, Lost Levels

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Sep 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Ray Barnholt and Henry Gilbert join Bob and Jeremy to talk about the OTHER Super Mario Bros. 2—plus, we fill in the 8-bit Mario gaps we've never touched on before. Call Foreman Spike, 'cause we're the Wrecking Crew, baby.

Retronauts Episode 166: Chasm - Making a Modern Metroidvania

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy talks to Chasm's James Petruzzi about creating the best IGA-vania style exploratory platformer in a decade, along with the challenges of meeting modern player expectations with a game built so clearly in the classic spirit of Symphony of the Night.

Retronauts Micro 94: Tron

Retronauts — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Greetings, programs! Anthony Schwader of the Game & Movie podcast joins Jeremy to discuss games about a movie about games: Disney's Tron, and all its tie-in video game creations.

Retronauts Episode 165: The Bard's Tale

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 03:00:00 +0000

It's a double dose of bardy delight! First, Jason Wilson and Rowan Kaiser join Jeremy and Bob in the studio to talk about the importance of Interplay's The Bard's Tale. Then, designer Michael Cranford regales us with the saga of its creation.

Retronauts Episode 164: Online Pioneer Days & Mailbag

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 03:00:00 +0000

A potpourri of topics this week as Ben Elgin and Benj Edwards talk Jeremy through the early days of dial-up gaming and BBS madness. Then, Shivam Bhatt and Bob help tackle a long-overdue listener mailbag.

Retronauts Micro 93: Sega Pico

Retronauts — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 06:00:00 +0000

In 1994, Sega released the Pico: a cute little purple-and-teal suitcase that ran on Genesis hardware and promised to enhance young minds rather than rot them. While it was a neat little piece of tech at the time, America didn't take as kindly to the Pico as Japan did--though Sega's little "learning computer" managed to touch a few tiny lives before it disappeared with only 20 releases to its name. On this episode of Retronauts Micro, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Pico enthusiast Sam Leichtamer (of GameSpot) as the crew explores the computer that thinks it's a toy.

Retronauts Episode 163: BioShock

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Back in 2007, Irrational Games wowed the world with BioShock, an FPS experience that bridged the gap between PC and console games with its role as the "thinking man's shooter." With 2013's Infinite closing the book on the series—and Irrational Games as a whole—and still no new Ken Levine game to speak of, there's never been a better time to revisit the recent past and a game that really kicked the HD generation into high gear. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Gary Butterfield as the crew dives deep into BioShock and decides if the world of Rapture is just as enthralling as it was over a decade ago. Now, would you kindly leave us a five-star review on the iTunes Music Store?

Retronauts Episode 162: Wizardry - Podcast Chat of the Mad Overlord

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy talks to Wizardry programmer Robert Woodhead about the history and inspirations behind his influential all-time role-playing classic.

Retronauts Micro 92: Raiders of the Lost Ark

Retronauts — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Chris, and Benj take a wildly disorganized (one might say "postmodern") journey through the original adventure of Indiana Jones... and eventually remember to touch on the games based on the film, too.

Retronauts Episode 161: Super Mario Bros. 2

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 06:00:00 +0000

We celebrate five years of rebooted Retronauts by getting the original band back together! Ray Barnholt and Dr. Sparkle return to discuss Mario Madness: The U.S. version of Super Mario Bros.

Retronauts Episode 160: Memoirs of a Game Counselor

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy chats with 17-Bit Studios boss Jake Kazdal about the road he traveled from working an NES-era Nintendo game counselor to collaborating on SEGA classics like Rez to running his own game development studio in Japan.

Retronauts Micro 91: Listener Comments Revue

Retronauts — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 06:00:00 +0000

For this Retronauts Micro, we're going for a community-focused approach as we respond to YOUR comments about Bob's latest round of episodes! This week, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Matthew Jay as the crew fields responses to previous Retronauts installments about video game ads, the Nintendo GameCube, Doom, television games, and Spider-Man games. All this, and a close examination of a video where Stan Lee excoriates Todd McFarlane and Rob Liefeld! Could you ask for anything more?

Retronauts Episode 159: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 06:00:00 +0000

In 2004, Hideo Kojima restored his famous series' reputation with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. This third entry in the Metal Gear Solid series eschewed the excessively meta approach of the previous sequel for a James Bond-ish romp in an entirely new setting that still provided plenty of convoluted--and incredibly amusing--twists and turns. The result is a modern classic that's brimming over with so many great, unique ideas, we barely have time to scratch the surface in 90 minutes! On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Mikel Reparaz, and Wes Fenlon as the crew takes a closer look at Metal Gear Solid 3 under the survival viewer.

Retronauts Episode 158: Ranma 1/2

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Travel back in time to Midwest Gaming Classic, when Jeremy, Bob, and guest Caitlin Oliver (@sacaitlin) traveled even further back in time to the ’90s and the wild world of gender-bending anime Ranma 1/2... and all the games based on the series.

Retronauts Micro 90: The King of Kong reconsidered

Retronauts — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 03:00:00 +0000

With the recent news that former Donkey Kong champion Billy Mitchell has had his score records revoked, Jeremy, Chris, and Benj look back at King of Kong, the documentary that chronicled his attempt to defend his records and painted him as a villain.

Retronauts Episode 157: Metroidvania: The finale

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Benj, and Chris bring their multi-episode history of metroidvania games to a conclusion with a look at the genre's resurgence on Game Boy Advance and its new lease on life thanks to plucky indie gaming upstarts. Now, on to New Game +…

Retronauts Episode 156: Ultima feat. Richard Garriott

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 03:00:00 +0000

It's a double dose of Ultima! First, Jeremy and Bob chat with Jason Wilson and Rowan Kaiser from Gamesbeat to explore the RPG series' legacy, then Richard Garriott (Lord British himself) shares anecdotes about the origins and evolution of the games.

Retronauts Micro 89: The History of Video Game Ads Part II

Retronauts — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 06:00:00 +0000

We're back with our follow-up to Retronauts Micro 87, which dives even deeper into the history of video game advertising. This time around, we leap from the "Have you played Atari today?" era of TV spots to the brilliant-but-now-amusing way Nintendo carefully worked around Americans' anxiety about video games with their focus on R.O.B. And, unfortunately, this era also sees basically everyone but boys being phased out of the marketing--a decision that had some pretty big effects we're still feeling today. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Matthew Jay, and Henry Gilbert as the crew once again laughs at and learns from the history of video game ads. (Sadly, no George Plimpton this time.)

Retronauts Episode 155: Nintendo GameCube

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Nintendo followed up the modest success of the N64 with the GameCube: A small, sleek little system devoted solely to playing games. But in an era where the PlayStation 2's exclusives, backwards compatibility, and DVD playback features obliterated the competition, Nintendo found their nice little piece of hardware unable to gain any true traction. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, Jeremy Parish and Dave Rudden as the crew explores the console best known as "half of a Wii but without the duct tape:" the Nintendo GameCube.

Retronauts Episode 154: SEGA special - Phantasy Star Interview - After Burner II - Space Harrier - Streets of Rage 3

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 03:00:00 +0000

All SEGA, all the time! First, a chat with Phantasy Star designers Rieko Kodama and Toru Yoshida. Then, an in-depth look at DataDiscs' releases of the classic OSTs for After Burner II, Space Harrier, and Streets of Rage 3. Special thanks to Alex Aniel!

Retronauts Micro 88: Lumines (feat. Tetsuya Mizuguchi)

Retronauts — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy follows up on last year's interview with Enhance Games boss and all-around video game design savant Tetsuya Mizuguchi, this time exploring the origins of musical PSP puzzle masterpiece Lumines. Just in time for the new remaster!

Retronauts Episode 153: Suikoden I & II

Retronauts — Mon, 28 May 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy and Bob discuss the greatness of Konami's first two Suikoden RPGs, yet fail to acquire all 108 Stars of Destiny (all we recruited were Shane Bettenhausen and Shivam Bhatt). Plus: Remembering Retronauts contributor Andrew Fitch.

Retronauts Episode 152: Star Wars

Retronauts — Sun, 20 May 2018 14:00:00 +0000

Play this show before you go-go In case you're planning on seeing "Solo" Jeremy, Ben, and Chris talk about the original Star Wars and the games based on it. Just the original Star Wars. None of these newfangled prequels or sequels!

Retronauts Micro 87: The History of Video Game Ads Part I

Retronauts — Fri, 18 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Whether you like it or not, advertising is everywhere, and it's always been everywhere--which is why the jingle for some now-nonexistent product has likely obliterated some important memory in your brain. And video games, being a product that's sold for money, have never been a stranger to advertising. On this first part of a two-part series, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Matthew Jay, and Henry Gilbert as the crew explores the earliest days of video game ads, as well as the many baffling celebrity endorsements of the time. Mr. Intellivision would approve!

Retronauts Episode 151: Sonic Adventure 2

Retronauts — Mon, 14 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

When Sega made their first true leap into polygonal gaming with the incredibly rushed Sonic Adventure, they delivered a fascinating and ambitious mess. Thankfully, the inevitable sequel saw Sonic Team working with more time, resources, and expertise, making it a much more polished game... but one that still has its share of problems. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Michal (@Miexriir on Twitter) as the crew digs into Sonic's sophomore stab into the world of 3D gaming.

Retronauts Episode 150: Atari: The 7800 and the raw deal

Retronauts — Mon, 07 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

A two-parter from Midwest Gaming Classic 2018. First, Kevin Bunch and Brian Clark talk the history of Atari 7800 with Jeremy. Then, as a backup, Marty Goldberg (and Bob!) join Jeremy and Kevin to explain how the Atari Crash wasn't totally Atari's fault.

Retronauts Micro 86: Night Trap

Retronauts — Fri, 04 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Recorded live at Super Famicon in Greensboro NC! Jeremy Parish and Chris Sims chat with Josh Fairhurst from Limited Run Games about the mad adventure of bringing schlock-horror FMV classic Night Trap to modern consoles.

Retronauts Episode 149: Tetris

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Steve Lin and Frank Cifaldi of the Video Game History Foundation join Jeremy and Bob to comb through the convoluted story of one of the most popular and addictive video games of all time: Tetris!

Retronauts Episode 148: Namco's Arcade History

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Chris, and Benj take a comprehensive journey through the catalog of an arcade legend: Namco. From their humble beginnings through mega-hits like Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Galaga, it's wall-to-wall coin-op classics up in this episode. This is the first of a series of Namco retrospectives and covers the years 1978-1982!

Retronauts Micro 85: 3D Sonic Mailbag

Retronauts — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:00:00 +0000

Thanks to the magic of planning, I (Bob) have scheduled three episodes in a row about 3D Sonic games. Earlier this week, we talked about Sonic Adventure, and next month we'll talk about Sonic Adventure 2. And as for this episode? Well, if you're one of those weirdos who reads the title last, allow me to inform you that this Micro is fully dedicated to YOUR thoughts about the 3D Sonic games. So sit back and relax as Henry Gilbert and myself read and respond to listener questions about Sonic's post-2D era. And look forward to a Sonic Adventure 2 episode in May. Or dread it. It's totally your call!

Retronauts Episode 147: Sonic Adventure

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Sonic the Hedgehog essentially sat out the 32-bit generation, which dealt a serious blow to Sega's financial situation. But by the time the company was ready to launch their new hardware, Sega finally delivered what a generation of gamers had been screaming about for years: a TRUE 3D Sonic game. On this week's episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Caty McCarthy as the crew digs into Sonic's first 3D outing and decides if it's a stellar success or an ambitious failure.

Retronauts Episode 146: The Metroid sisterhood - Scurge Hive and Iconoclasts

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Nintendo never created a follow-up to 2002's Metroid Fusion, but this week Jeremy interviews the developers who did: Dan Kratt and Graham Scott, who put together DS/GBA cult classic Scurge Hive, and Joakim Sandberg, creator of Iconoclasts.

Retronauts Micro 84: The trials of vintage computing

Retronauts — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Benj Edwards has long dreamed of curating a museum of vintage PC history, and he's amassed hundreds of classic computers to make it happen. We talk about the unique challenges of preserving so many aging machines… especially finding room for them all.

Retronauts Episode 145: Super Mario Odyssey's classic roots

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy and Bob convene with Chris Kohler and Henry Gilbert to take another look at the ways a recent hit release draws on the heritage of a long-running game franchise. It's Super Mario Odyssey, and it celebrates 35+ years of Mario (and Donkey Kong!).

Retronauts Episode 144: Broderbund

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 06:00:00 +0000

By request of patron Jeff Vlasek, we circle back around to go deep on Brøderbund, a company whose catalog we've touched on numerous times over the past year under the aegis of other subjects. This episode, though, it's all Brøderbund, all the time!

Retronauts Micro 83: Metal Gear Mailbag

Retronauts — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 13:00:00 +0000

With Metal Gear Survive flopping and Hideo Kojima absent from Konami, the future of Metal Gear is fuzzy—or completely nonexistent. But, thankfully, Retronauts is a past-based operation, and there's plenty of Metal Gear behind us to look back on and discuss. On this episode, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as the two-man crew tackles your most burning questions about Metal Gear.

Retronauts Episode 143: Doom

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Doom is back in the public consciousness thanks to the stellar 2016 reboot, but when was the last time you thought back to the 1993 original that changed the face of PC gaming? From the fascinating behind-the-scenes development stories of plucky computer geniuses/Diet Coke addicts, to the sheer impact it had on the gaming landscape, there's enough going on with Doom to fill an entire podcast series—yet we tried to fit everything into a single episode. On this installment of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Jeff Green and Gary Butterfield as the crew rips and tears their way through a discussion of a game that truly launched a genre.

Retronauts Episode 142: The Mummy Demastered & Mega Cat Studios

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 03:00:00 +0000

Jeremy visits WayForward's offices to speak to Austin Ivansmith and Tomm Hulett making a modern-day licensed "16-bit" platformer with The Mummy Demastered, then chats with Mega Cat's Zack Manko about his studio's modern-day home-brewed NES games.

Retronauts Micro 82: The Goonies

Retronauts — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Continuing our exploration of media properties that inspired classic games (and, also, the games they inspired), Jeremy, Ben, and Chris climb down the Fratelli's fireplace to hunt for the ancient treasure known as The Goonies.

Retronauts Episode 141: Preserving future classics with Limited Run Games

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Jeremy speaks to Josh Fairhurst and Douglas Bogart about the Limited Run Games mission of preserving classics (and future classics) through the safety of physical media.

Retronauts Episode 140: Final Fantasy VI

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey convene with Kotaku's Chris Kohler and USgamer boss Kat Bailey once again to discuss in detail the next chapter of Squaresoft's biggest RPG series: The fan-favorite, operatic, apocalyptic RPG masterpiece Final Fantasy VI.

Retronauts Micro 81: Virtual Bart

Retronauts — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

For the fourth time, the Talking Simpsons crew takes over Retronauts to explore the long legacy of Simpsons games. This week, they shine the spotlight on Virtual Bart, which applied the then-burgeoning hype over virtual reality to The Simpsons with mixed results (at best). On this episode of Retronauts Micro, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Antista as they ask the tough questions like "Why is Bart a pig for some reason?" and "Why is Bart a baby for some reason?" Note: none of these questions actually have answers.

Retronauts Episode 139: Television Games

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Over the years, we've covered plenty of games based on animated TV shows, from The Simpsons to Tiny Toon Adventures to Animaniacs. But this week's episode of Retronauts focuses on a much rarer specimen: video games based on live-action TV shows. And, given that live-action shows are usually constrained by some sort of mundane reality, they don't always make for the best adaptations. But they're still fun to talk about! On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Antista as the crew explores this particularly misguided brand of classic game.

Retronauts Episode 138: Ship to Shore's Konami jams & NES Maker

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Jeremy speaks to Aaron Hamel about Ship to Shore's efforts to bring classic video game soundtracks like Lagrange Point, Darius, and Bayou Billy to the U.S. Then, Joe Granato shares the inside track on his successful Kickstarter project, the do-it-yourself 8-bit game creation kit NES Maker.

Retronauts Episode 137: How Symphony of the Night (almost) killed Metroidvania

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Benj, and Chris explore the mid-’90s doldrums of the metroidvania genre, with a lengthy sidebar on the era's lone high point amidst industry-wide disinterest: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Retronauts Micro 80: Jim Henson's Labyrinth

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Chris, and Benj have only 13 hours in which to discuss 1986's Jim Henson/George Lucas/David Bowie Muppet-style cult classic movie musical Labyrinth… oh, and also, the games based on it.

Retronauts Episode 136: Shantae (in her creator's words)

Retronauts — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 05:00:00 +0000

As part of our ongoing developer interview series, Shantae creator Matt Bozon recounts the history and challenges involved in designing indie darling Shantae. From the game's Super NES prototype to the recent Half-Genie Hero add-on Friends to the End, that's almost three decades of exploratory belly-dancing!

Retronauts Episode 135: Spider-Man Games

Retronauts — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 17:00:00 +0000

Spider-Man has been starring in video games for 35 years, but outside of a few rare instances, his digital adventures didn't receive much praise before Neversoft brought him into the world of polygons. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Gary Butterfield, and Spider-Man superfan Henry Gilbert as the crew pores over the many, many Spidey games released from 1982 to 2000. Anybody call for a web-slinger?

Retronauts Micro 79: Animaniacs Games

Retronauts — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Hulu just announced a two-season reboot of the classic '90s 'toon Animaniacs, so there's never been a better time to look back at the many games starring the Warner Brothers and their Warner sister, Dot. On this episode of Retronauts Micro, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Antista as the crew looks back on this wildly popular, smart, and expensive TV series and the many games that tried their best to dive as deep into pop culture references as the source material did.

Retronauts Episode 134: Mega Man X

Retronauts — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 05:00:00 +0000

USgamer's Kat Bailey and Capcom's Brett Elston join Bob and Jeremy to take a deep dive into what might be the single finest entry in the entire Mega Man series: Mega Man X for Super NES. A nonlinear podcast adventure!

Retronauts Episode 133: Steamworld & Chip Tanaka's "Django"

Retronauts — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Jeremy takes to Skype this week for conversations with the men behind two of last year's best retro-inspired projects: Brjann Sigurgeirsson of Image & Form (Steamworld Dig 2), and legendary Metroid/EarthBound composer Hirokazu "Chip" Tanaka (Django).

Retronauts Micro 78: Square's PS1 fighting games

Retronauts — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Ah, yes, Squaresoft… the company that only made RPGs. Right? Well. During the PlayStation era, the company's output was all over the place — and that includes the FIVE fighting games it published. All good, all unique! Just in time for their newest fighter, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, Jeremy Parish & Ben Elgin look back at them all.

Retronauts Episode 132: New Year's revue: 1978 - 1988 - 1998 - 2008

Retronauts — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 05:00:00 +0000

We dust off an ancient Retronauts tradition, kicking off a new year by looking 10, 20, 30, and even 40 years into the past to explore the evolution of video games through landmark events and releases of bygone decades. Jeff Green and Ray Barnholt join us!

Retronauts Episode 131: SEGA's arcade history: Into the ’90s

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Dec 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish, Ben Elgin, and Benj Edwards convene to discuss SEGA's arcade legacy one last time. But they fail! SEGA created so many groundbreaking classics in the ’90s that this episode only covers about half of them! Oh no!

Retronauts Holiday Extravaganza 2017: Donkey Kong Country's "The Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights"

Retronauts — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

As another year winds down, it's time to return once again to the Retronauts holiday cabin in Parts Unknown. And for 2017's celebration, we've dug up one of the few remaining video game cartoon Christmas specials left for our annual festive discussion: Donkey Kong Country's "The Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights." So, boil up a boozy batch of bog nog, cozy up by the fire, and listen in as Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Chris Antista, and Matthew Jay explore the winter solstice customs of hideous CGI apes.

Retronauts Episode 130: The Legend of Zelda - The Wind Waker

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 05:00:00 +0000

In a generation where games strove to be gritty, photorealistic, and more "mature," The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker dared to be boldly cartoony, and suffered greatly at the hands of console warriors. Yet, close to 15 years later—and with the help of an HD remake—Link's seafaring GameCube adventure is remembered quite fondly. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, and Matthew Jay as the crew explores just how this GameCube game went from reviled to treasured. Special thanks to backer Jenny Nielsen for funding the production of this episode!

Retronauts Micro 76: The Wizard feat. Luke Edwards

Retronauts — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000

Live from Super FamiCon, Jeremy Parish and Chris Sims talk about Nintendo's finest cinematic achievement, The Wizard, with the actor who played the film's title character: Luke Edwards.

Retronauts Episode 129: Inside Axiom Verge

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 20:00:00 +0000

Jeremy chats with Axiom Verge creator Tom Happ and conspirator Dan Adelman to learn more about the origins and inspirations behind one of the greatest retro-inspired games of the past decade.

Retronauts Episode 128: The Collectors' Bubble

Retronauts — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 02:00:00 +0000

High-grade game collectors Chris Kohler and Steve Lin drop by to discuss the wild ride that is the rapid inflation of classic games in the collector's aftermarket. Pine for the days when a Super Mario cartridge cost 25¢ instead of $25!

Retronauts Micro 75: Behind the Scenes of Metal Gear (Live from PRGE 2017)

Retronauts — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 22:01:00 +0000

We've given you our semi-expert opinions on Metal Gear plenty of times over the years, so it's about time for all of you Retronauts listeners to hear some EXPERT ones. And who better to offer them than people who worked on the actual games? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Jeremy Parish as they grill Camouflaj's Ryan Payton and James Howell about their work on Hideo Kojima's legendary series. Thanks again to everyone who made it out to PRGE! (We'll see you again next year.)

Retronauts Episode 127: Listener Mail 2017

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 23:00:00 +0000

Often, our episodes are packed so full of stunning facts and dangerous takes that we rarely have time to give you, the listener, a voice. Hence, our annual listener mail episode: your yearly chance to write in and ask us our semi-expert opinions. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Dave Rudden and Chris Antista as the crew runs down the best Virtual Console releases of 2017, and answers your burningest questions.

Retronauts Episode 126: HyperCard and Myst

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Parish and Ben Elgin take a deep dive into the history and concept behind Apple's HyperCard technology and how it became a surprising platform for game development -including the best-selling PC game of the 20th century, Cyan's Myst.

Retronauts Micro 74: Metroid II & Samus Returns

Retronauts — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 16:01:00 +0000

Words no longer have any meaning as Jeremy, Benj, and Chris record a so-called Micro episode that last more than an hour. But then, there's a lot to say about Metroid II and its remake, Samus Returns.

Retronauts Episode 125: Final Fantasy Legend aka SaGa

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 15:00:00 +0000

By patron request, we continue our Final Fantasy deep dive series by looking at a trilogy of RPGs that aren't part of the series? The Final Fantasy Legend spun off from Final Fantasy II, but they became their own thing almost immediately.

Retronauts Episode 124: Metroidvania Beyond the NES

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Chris Sims and Benj Edwards join Jeremy once again to survey the history of exploratory platformers. This time, it's Master System and Super NES games. (Or would be, if the discussion hadn't been sidetracked by Chris' freshman journey into Super Metroid.)

Retronauts Micro 73: Monster Party

Retronauts — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 19:01:00 +0000

It might not have been a smash-hit back when it released in 1989, but Monster Party went on to be remembered by NES kids as one of the more memorableif inexplicable8-bit games. Though the (unreleased) Japanese version set out to be a much more direct parody of horror hits, the extant experience skirts close enough to breaking copyright law to make the whole thing worthwhile. On this episode of Retronauts Micro, join host Bob Mackey and guest Henry Gilbert as the two dig into one of the spookiest games in the NES library.

Retronauts Episode 123: Breath of the Wild's Zelda heritage

Retronauts — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 15:00:00 +0000

It's not an old game, but it has an old soul. Jeremy and Bob chat with Henry Gilbert and (former) IGN editor Jose Otero about the latest Legend of Zelda (Breath of the Wild) and how it connects the series' present to its past.

Retronauts Episode 122: Maniac Mansion

Retronauts — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 17:00:00 +0000

30 years ago, Lucasfilm Games gave us Maniac Mansion: an unassuming little adventure created by people who never dabbled in the genre before. But this lack of conventional wisdom caused Maniac Mansion to be an adventure game unlike anything else in existenceand one that would shape the future of Lucas' game division for years to come. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Mikel Reparaz, and Phil Kollar as the crew ponders the joys of Ron Gilbert's B&E simulator.

Retronauts Micro 72: Super Mario Sunshine mailbag

Retronauts — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 15:01:00 +0000

Yeah, it's another Mario mailbag as our Sunshine episode received way too many listener letters to be contained in the main episode. Sam, Henry, Bob, and Jeremy offer equal time to some very different Sunshine opinions than our own

Retronauts Episode 121: King of Fighters/Lost Game Experiences

Retronauts — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 19:00:00 +0000

Two Micro episodes combine powers to become a full episode! First, Kurt and Rob of Hardcore Gaming 101 join to discuss King of Fighters. Then, Ben and Benj follow up with a home gaming-focused counterpart to our recent arcade memories episode.

Retronauts Episode 120: Super Mario Sunshine

Retronauts — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Taking a break from our string of glowing Mario retrospectives, we have a not-so-glowing look at vintage Mario. Yeah, 2002 is vintage now. Henry Gilbert and Sam Claiborn join us to discuss what's great about Super Mario Sunshine... but mostly what's not.

Retronauts Micro 71: Iwata, The Switch, and NES Golf

Retronauts — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 19:01:00 +0000

Thanks to some industrious hackers, we've recently learned that a digital version of Golf for the NES has been secretly implanted into the firmware of every Nintendo Switch as a tribute to Satoru Iwata. But how was it discovered, how can you play it, and why did Nintendo choose Golf of all games? On this disturbingly relevant episode of Retronauts Micro, host Bob Mackey and guest Henry Gilbert answer all these questions and more.

Retronauts Episode 118: SEGA's arcade history, 1988-1990

Retronauts — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 16:00:00 +0000

It's another dive into the classic arcade works of SEGA as Ben, Benj, and Jeremy visit the years 1988, 89, and 90 and all kinds of great and interesting games like Altered Beast, Gain Ground, Galaxy Force, and more!

Retronauts Episode 119: Yoshi's Island

Retronauts — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Yoshi's Island hasn't been re-released in its original, unadulterated form since its 1995 debut, but the upcoming launch of the SNES Classic promises to make this platforming legend slightly more available (while supplies last). And to mark the recirculation of Nintendo's last hurrah for the Super Nintendo, we sat down for an episode-length discussion all about Yoshi's gorgeous, inventive, and somewhat polarizing adventure. On this installment of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Gary Butterfield as the crew gushes about this 16-bit gem nearly lost to time.

Retronauts Micro 70: The Apple II Breaks Out

Retronauts — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 15:01:00 +0000

Jeremy speaks to game and computer historian David Craddock about his new book of Apple II game developer interviews, "Break Out," including David's most interesting experiences meeting the people who created video game history.

Retronauts Episode 117: Zork

Retronauts — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Former Computer Gaming World boss Jeff Green joins Jeremy and Bob to explore the world of the Great Underground Empire, consider Zork's influence on gaming, and do their best not to be eaten by a Grue.

Retronauts Episode 116: Arcade memories feat. the Retronauts community

Retronauts — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Ben, and Benj reminisce about the experience of living through the golden age of arcades, with many additional memories coming in the form of an hour-long listener mailbag segment.

Retronauts Micro 69: Mario Series Listener Mail

Retronauts — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 15:01:00 +0000

With the recent release of Mario + Raving Rabbids, and with Super Mario Odyssey's launch lurking just a few months away, we're currently undergoing a sort of Mario Madnessmuch like the same outbreak that attacked several million children back in '88. To celebrate this resurgence in all things Mario, join Retronauts' own Bob Mackey and special guest/Mushroom Kingdom expert Henry Gilbert as the two field questions and comments from Retronauts listeners about games involving Nintendo's mustachioed mascot. Let's-a go!

Retronauts Episode 115: Food Mascot Games

Retronauts — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Not long ago, corporations employed colorful cartoon characters to lure hungry and impressionable children into their dens of corn-based products. And, since this time period happened to overlap with the rise of video games, several food mascots ended up starring in their very own interactive experiences. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Antista as the crew chases the chuck wagon, avoids various Noids, and asks if Chester Cheetah really IS too cool to fool.

Retronauts Episode 114: Gradius

Retronauts — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Kurt Kalata and Rob Russo join us from Hardcore Gaming 101 to delve into the history of Konami's legendary Gradius series. From its prequel (Scramble) to its most recent spinoff (Otomedius), we blast our way through the span of the entire series!

Retronauts Micro 68: Dragon Slayer

Retronauts — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 15:01:00 +0000

Fresh from Long Island Retro Gaming Expo, Jeremy and Bob yield the floor to Kurt Kalata and Rob Russo from Hardcore Gaming 101 to explain the history of Falcom's Dragon Slayer series. Just in time for the PS4 debut of the latest spinoff, Tokyo Xanadu!

Retronauts Episode 113: Final Fantasy Adventure & Secret of Mana

Retronauts — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Bob, and Chris hunker down to discuss the entirety of Square Enix's Mana series but only make it through the first two games: Final Fantasy Adventure for Game Boy and Secret of Mana for SNES. (Whoops, we accidentally went extremely in-depth.)

Retronauts Episode 112: Tetsuya Mizuguchi on Rez and SC5 - Metal Gear's 30th - Fire Pro

Retronauts — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy speaks with legendary developer Tetsuya Mizuguchi on his start in games, the genesis of Space Channel 5 and Rez, and face-mounted Game Gears. Later, Kishi and Kim Justice join to discuss Metal Gear's anniversary and Fire Pro World, respectively.

Retronauts Micro 67: Little Nemo, the Dream Master

Retronauts — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 15:01:00 +0000

We NES kids know Little Nemo best from his classic Capcom platformer, but what about the character's role in a revolutionary newspaper comic from the early 20th century? And what of Little Nemo's extraordinarily expensive and fairly obscure box office flop that spawned two different video games? On this episode of Retronauts Micro join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Mikel Reparaz as the gang traces the history of Winsor McCay's sleepy hero across three different forms of media.

Retronauts Episode 111: Metroidvania II - The NES years

Retronauts — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Following up on the first Metroidvania episode from a few months back, we collect the jump boots and circle back around to take a look at the next stage of the genre's evolution: The NES era.

Retronauts Episode 110: Super Mario Bros. 3

Retronauts — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Ah, Super Mario Bros. 3. What more can be said about Nintendo R&D4's grand finale for the 8-bit era? Well, we managed to fill 90 minutes discussing this timeless game, so the answer is "a whole lot." On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Henry Gilbert as the crew takes a closer look at one of Nintendo's greatest creations, and find it's still worth beaming about.

Retronauts Micro 66: Batman's portable adventures

Retronauts — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 15:01:00 +0000

Chris Sims and Benj Edwards help Jeremy field a patron request to explore the Game Gear version of Batman... along with a bunch of other handheld titles we gave short shrift in our recent classic Batman games survey.

Retronauts Episode 109: The Dig Dug-Mr. Driller Multiverse

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Ray Barnholt and Henry Gilbert join Bob and Jeremy to discuss gaming's original expanded universe: Namco's Dig Dug, which turns out to be a part of the same lineage (literally) as Mr. Driller and Baraduke.

Retronauts Episode 108: Marathon, Super NES Classic, Final Fantasy VIII

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Ben, and Benj talk about Bungie FPS classic Marathon in a Micro-sized conversation that balloons out of control into a full-length episode. Then, Retronauts bloggers Kishi and Kim Justice drop in to discuss the Super NES Classic Edition & Final Fantasy VIII (in that order).

Retronauts Micro 65: Farewell, Genyo Takeda

Retronauts — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 20:01:00 +0000

Chris Kohler and Jose Otero join Jeremy and Bob to mark the impending retirement of Nintendo veteran Genyo Takeda, one of the most tenured game creators still working. From EVR Racer to StarTropics to MMC tech, a freeform discussion of a gaming legacy.

Retronauts Episode 107: SEGA's arcade history, vol. 2

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Jeremy, Ben, and Benj convene again to continue their discussion of SEGA's chronology of arcade classics. This time, we take aim at the years 1986 & 87, with greats like Out Run, After Burner, Quartet, Alien Syndrome, and more!

Retronauts Episode 106: Final Fantasy V

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 16:00:00 +0000

Our 30th anniversary deep-dive series continues with the fifth entry in the Final Fantasy franchise, the 16-bit cult obsession Final Fantasy V. Bob and Jeremy are joined by pop culture pundit Shivam Bhatt and Chris Kohler, who wrote the book on the game.

Retronauts Micro 64: Kabuki Quantum Fighter

Retronauts — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 19:01:00 +0000

Jeremy, Benj, and Chris convene again to discuss that all-time classic... no, wait. To discuss weirdo niche NES action game Kabuki Quantum Fighter. Aimless digressions, collective confusion, and unflattering Batman comparisons abound!

Retronauts Episode 105: Cancelled games

Retronauts — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 23:30:00 +0000

Not all games are lucky enough to see a release. Some stew for years in development, only to be cancelled and shoved into storage or, in most cases, discarded entirely. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Dave Rudden, and Chris Antista as the crew examines the most notable games that nearly crossed the finish line.

Retronauts Episode 104: Metroidvania origins, vol. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 19:00:00 +0000

Benj Edwards and Chris Sims join Jeremy for what was intended to be a quick overview of 8-bit games that helped define non-linear platforming but ultimately gets bogged down in exploring side paths as in any metroidvania worth its salt, really.

Retronauts Micro 63: The Simpsons Arcade

Retronauts — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 20:01:00 +0000

On this very special episode synergistically (but not cynically) engineered to help launch the brand-new Talking Simpsons Patreon campaign, we take a look at what many people consider the best Simpsons game in the 25 years we've had them: Konami's arcade masterpiece. With its gorgeous graphics, fun Easter eggs, and surprising faithfulness to the source material, this colorful brawler wowed us back in the day, and continues to wow us in the present. Join host Bob Mackey and guests Henry Gilbert and Chris Antista as the crew try to pin down what makes The Simpsons Arcade so amazing.

Retronauts Episode 103: A game music primer, plus Darius and Gunstar Heroes

Retronauts — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:00:00 +0000

Game music expert James Eldred shares some helpful advice on finding and building a collection of classic soundtracks. Plus: In-depth with Ship To Shore's Darius and the DataDiscs Gunstar Heroes set.

Retronauts Episode 102: The Legend of Zelda - Link's Awakening

Retronauts — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Jeremy and Bob wax rhapsodic with Henry Gilbert and Kat Bailey as they harmonize to sing the praises of the first portable Zelda: The iconoclastic and frequently surreal Link's Awakening.

Retronauts Micro 62: The TI-99 4A revisited

Retronauts — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 14:01:00 +0000

We circle back to the original Retronauts Micro topic to do it proper justice. Ben, Benj, and Jeremy tackle the TI-99/4A: Its history, its games, and... well, that's about it.

Retronauts Episode 101: Mario Kart

Retronauts — Mon, 29 May 2017 23:00:00 +0000

Racing series come and go, but, over the last 25 years, Mario Kart has remained the most popular and relevant one out there. But what keeps this wildly unrealistic take on competitive driving so many laps ahead of its contemporaries? Join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Henry Gilbert as the crew explores the ups, downs, and various rainbow roads of Nintendo's long-running racer.

Retronauts Episode 100: The advent of CD-ROM gaming

Retronauts — Mon, 22 May 2017 16:00:00 +0000

For our 100th full episode since our crowdfunded relaunch, we complete a long-overdue Kickstarter obligation by inviting backer Daniel Hawks to join us in a discussion of the early days and notable landmarks of CD-ROM gaming.

Retronauts Micro 61: Splatterhouse at MGC

Retronauts — Fri, 19 May 2017 22:30:00 +0000

Live from a very noisy Milwaukee stage, Jeremy and Bob are joined by Splatterhouse experts and world record holders Caitlin Oliver and Kevin Bunch to contemplate the complete history of Namco's gross-out brawler franchise.

Retronauts Episode 99: Snatcher LP, Final Fantasy Brass de Bravo, and more

Retronauts — Mon, 15 May 2017 16:00:00 +0000

The latest Retronauts Radio features an extended look at the new soundtrack release of Hideo Kojima's legendary SEGA CD adventure Snatcher, the latest Brass de Bravo Final Fantasy album, Taito on TG16, and more!

Retronauts Episode 98: Mac Gaming in the 80s

Retronauts — Mon, 08 May 2017 20:00:00 +0000

Retronauts East's journey through the history of Apple-based gaming continues with an in-depth look at the unique world of monochrome Mac gaming. Ben Elgin, Benj Edwards, and Jeremy Parish discuss the miracle of the mouse and the hotness of HyperCard.

Retronauts Micro 60: The Simpsons - Bart's Nightmare

Retronauts — Sat, 06 May 2017 21:00:00 +0000

The Simpsons might have gotten off on the wrong foot with 8-bit consoles, but Our Favorite Family's 16-bit debut was... kinda better? On our latest Talking Simpsons crossover episode, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Antista as the crew gives Bart's Nightmare the Retronauts treatment.

Retronauts Episode 97: BRO-totypes

Retronauts — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Steve Lin joins Jeremy and Bob to discuss that most primal of video game forces: Manly video games about manly men. We explore the pop social forces behind the rise of rugged 8-bit heroes, and how those beefy classics shaped modern game sensibilities.

Retronauts Episode 96: Ghostbusters

Retronauts — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 14:00:00 +0000

'80s kids couldn't help but grow up with a Ghostbusters fixation, even if the games based on this popular property were often as fun as drowning in a river of slime. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, and Mikel Reparaz as the crew digs into every Ghostbusters game to see how well each one captures that essential ghostbusting spirit. And if you think all of these games are good, we're not ready to believe you!

Retronauts Micro 59: Atari's SwordQuest

Retronauts — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 20:00:00 +0000

Jeremy and Benj discuss the history of Atari's fascinating, extravagant, and incomplete SwordQuest series with (literally!) one of the authors of the game's new comeback: Comics scribe Chris Sims.

Retronauts Episode 95: The 8-bit adventures of Batman

Retronauts — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 23:00:00 +0000

Renowned Batmanologist and comics scribe Chris Sims joins Jeremy Parish and Benj Edwards to explore the lore of early Batman games and how they fit into the evolution of the character's franchise.

Retronauts Episode 94: The music of Castlevania III, Shovel Knight, Galaxy Force II, and Contra III | Retronauts Radio

Retronauts — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 20:00:00 +0000

Boss Key Studios audio expert Jack Menhorn joins Jeremy for an in-depth discussion of the latest new releases of retro- and retro-style game soundtracks: Mondo's Contra III and Castlevania III, Brave Wave's Shovel Knight, and DataDiscs' Galaxy Force II!

Retronauts Micro 58: The Zelda Treasure Jingle Quiz

Retronauts — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 03:00:00 +0000

Since weve all got Breath of the Wild on the brain, why not celebrate The Legend of Zeldas most unsung musical moments? On this episode of Retronauts Micro, join Bob Mackey, Chris Antista, Henry Gilbert, and Brett Elston as the crew assembles to put their knowledge of Zeldas famous doo doo doo DOOOO ditty to the test. You know the one were talking about.

Retronauts Episode 93: Castlevania's portable legacy

Retronauts — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 16:00:00 +0000

Castlevania superfan Shane Bettenhausen joins Bob and Jeremy to discuss the next set of vampire-slaying classics to go under the retrospective lens: The series' six "Igavania" entries for Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS.

Retronauts Episode 92: Celebrity games

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 18:00:00 +0000

Though video games were considered the domain of nerds until fairly recently, this stigma certainly didn't stop celebrities from attaching their names to all manner of misguided interactive experiences. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Antista as the crew takes a tour of the many celebrity-based that baffled them over the past three decades. If you've been waiting decades for someone--anyone--to talk about Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball, this is the podcast for you.

Retronauts Micro 57: Blaster Master & Blaster Master Zero

Retronauts — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 17:00:00 +0000

It's a different application for the Retronauts Micro format this week as Jeremy uses the show to present a review of the newly released Blaster Master Zero alongside a series retrospective.

RETRONAUTS HAS A BRAND-NEW PODCAST FEED!

Retronauts — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 17:53:31 +0000

Hey! Listen! The Retronauts podcast has partnered with the PodcastOne network, so if you've just downloaded this episode, head on over to http://www.podcastone.com/retronauts to subscribe to our new feed. You can also pick up our PodcastOne feed through iTunes, or any other podcast program or app. And if you're having trouble, try unsubscribing and re-subscribing. Thanks for listening, and I hope you stick with us!

Retronauts Episode 91: Retronauts East - SEGA's golden arcade era, pt. 1

Retronauts — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Ben Elgin and Benj Edwards reconvene with Jeremy to explore the first half of SEGA's arcade output. Like the games we're discussing, the episode starts off a bit shaky, but everything is awesome by 1985. Pengo! Zaxxon! Space Harrier! Hang On! And more!

Retronauts Episode 90: Retronauts Radio 3 - Zelda 30th Anniversary Symphony & Nintendo incidental music

Retronauts — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Bob joins in for a slightly different episode of Retronauts Radio! We discuss the recent CD release of the 30th anniversary Zelda concert series and look at the history of incredible incidental music in Nintendo's non-game apps.

Retronauts Micro 56: An audio-sampling sampler

Retronauts — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 14:00:00 +0000

Retronauts Micro returns on a biweekly schedule! Jeremy kicks things off with a follow-up to last year's look at FM synthesis in games by exploring a flip side: A brief (and at all comprehensive) history of audio sampling vis-a-vis video games.

Retronauts Episode 89: Final Fantasy IV, redux

Retronauts — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 19:00:00 +0000

We continue our Final Fantasy deep-dive series by doing like Square did back in the day and jumping ahead from FFI to FFIV. Chris Kohler and Kat Bailey join to share their thoughts on this most influential of 16-bit role-playing games.

Retronauts Episode 88: Yoshi Games

Retronauts — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 18:00:00 +0000

Following his debut in 1990's Super Mario World, Yoshi quickly evolved from a glorified power-up to a star that could carry games with his name alone. And in the character's nearly 30 years of existence, Yoshi-based experiences have taken many forms--including one that stands as possibly the greatest platformer of all time. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Henry Gilbert as the crew tries to pin down Yoshi's appeal and whether or not we should worry that he suddenly grew opposable thumbs. Be sure to visit our blog at Retronauts.com. And if you'd like to send a few bucks our way, head on over to our Patreon page!