Retronauts Episode 356: 1991 - The Years in Review Revue
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.
1hr 38m Feb 09, 2021
1hr 38m
Retronauts Episode 355 Preview: Xenogears Revisited
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
7m Feb 05, 2021
7m
Retronauts Episode 354: Pandemic Mailbag
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 no...
1hr 31m Feb 01, 2021
1hr 31m
Retronauts Episode 353: Metroid Prime
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.
1hr 35m Jan 25, 2021
1hr 35m
Retronauts Episode 352 Preview: Looney Tunes Games
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 https://www.patreon.com/retronauts.
10m Jan 22, 2021
10m
Retronauts Episode 351: Gunpei Yokoi (Pt. 2)
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.
1hr 47m Jan 18, 2021
1hr 47m
Retronauts Episode 350: Crash Bandicoot
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.
1hr 42m Jan 11, 2021
1hr 42m
Retronauts Episode 349 Preview: Retronauts Radio | January 2021
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!
7m Jan 08, 2021
7m
Retronauts Episode 348: Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
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 ...
1hr 41m Jan 04, 2021
1hr 41m
Retronauts Episode 347: Years In Review Revue | 1971 & ’81
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.
1hr 29m Dec 28, 2020
1hr 29m
Retronauts Episode 346: Holiday Special 2020 - Earthworm Jim's "For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls"
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 https://www.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 a...
1hr 50m Dec 24, 2020
1hr 50m
Retronauts Episode 345: Doctor Who
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.
2hr 9m Dec 21, 2020
2hr 9m
Retronauts Episode 344: Die Hard
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.
1hr 31m Dec 14, 2020
1hr 31m
Retronauts Episode 343 Preview: Wario Land Pt. 1
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
4m Dec 11, 2020
4m
Retronauts Episode 342: Escape from Monkey Island
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...
2hr 1m Dec 07, 2020
2hr 1m
Retronauts Episode 337 Preview: Lunar
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 https://www.patreon.com/retronauts.
7m Dec 05, 2020
7m
Retronauts Episode 341: Gunpei Yokoi (Pt. 1)
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.
1hr 18m Nov 30, 2020
1hr 18m
Retronauts Episode 340 Preview: Final Fantasy IX
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 https://www.patreon.com/retronauts.
7m Nov 27, 2020
7m
Retronauts Episode 339: The Trials of Mana remake
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.
1hr 25m Nov 23, 2020
1hr 25m
Retronauts Episode 338: The Video Game History Foundation
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.
1hr 5m Nov 16, 2020
1hr 5m
Retronauts Episode 336: Back to the Future Part II
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, t...
1hr 46m Nov 09, 2020
1hr 46m
Retronauts Episode 335: Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII
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
1hr 15m Nov 02, 2020
1hr 15m
Retronauts Episode 334 Preview: Cowboy Games Part 2
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 https://www.patreon.com/retronauts.
10m Oct 30, 2020
10m
Retronauts Episode 333: Tron & Spy Hunter with George Gomez
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.
1hr 12m Oct 26, 2020
1hr 12m
Retronauts Episode 332: Akira
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!
1hr 45m Oct 19, 2020
1hr 45m
Retronauts Episode 331 Preview: The Art of Nintendo Power
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
10m Oct 16, 2020
10m
Retronauts Episode 330: No More Heroes
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 T...
1hr 48m Oct 12, 2020
1hr 48m
Retronauts Episode 329: ’90s Video Game Websites
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.
1hr 37m Oct 05, 2020
1hr 37m
Retronauts Episode 328 Preview: Batman: Arkham Asylum
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 (https://www.patreon.com/retronauts) .
7m Oct 02, 2020
7m
Retronauts Episode 327: Numskull & Fire Pro Wrestling
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.
1hr 51m Sep 28, 2020
1hr 51m
Retronauts Episode 326: Streets of Rage
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.
1hr 46m Sep 21, 2020
1hr 46m
Retronauts Episode 325 Preview: Colecovision
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.
9m Sep 18, 2020
9m
Retronauts Episode 324: The Jennifer Hale Interview
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...
58m Sep 14, 2020
58m
Retronauts Episode 323: Bill & Ted / Spectrum Next
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.
2hr 6m Sep 07, 2020
2hr 6m
Retronauts Episode 322 Preview: Dragon Quest: Your Story
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 (https://www.patreon.com/retronauts) .
9m Sep 04, 2020
9m
Retronauts Episode 321: Pure Invention—Video Games & 20th Century Japan
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.
1hr 6m Aug 31, 2020
1hr 6m
Retronauts Episode 320: A Castlevania Deep Dive
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
1hr 24m Aug 24, 2020
1hr 24m
Retronauts Episode 319 Preview: Super Mario Galaxy
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.
6m Aug 21, 2020
6m
Retronauts Episode 318: Cowboy Games
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 Redempti...
1hr 36m Aug 17, 2020
1hr 36m
Retronauts Episode 317: Chrono Cross
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-on...
1hr 56m Aug 10, 2020
1hr 56m
Retronauts Episode 316 Preview: Nintendo Leaks
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 (https://www.patreon.com/retronauts) .
4m Aug 07, 2020
4m
Retronauts Episode 315: Samurai Shodown
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.
1hr 17m Aug 03, 2020
1hr 17m
Retronauts Episode 314: Ape Escape & The History of Game History
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.
1hr 47m Jul 27, 2020
1hr 47m
Retronauts Episode 313 Preview: Weird Controllers, Pt. 2
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
6m Jul 24, 2020
6m
Retronauts Episode 312: Deadly Premonition
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 o...
1hr 42m Jul 20, 2020
1hr 42m
Retronauts Episode 311: Tales of Toad
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.)
1hr 36m Jul 13, 2020
1hr 36m
Retronauts Episode 310 Preview: Silent Hill 2
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 (https://www.patreon.com/retronauts) .
6m Jul 10, 2020
6m
Retronauts Episode 309: Assassin's Creed & Virtual On
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.
1hr 28m Jul 06, 2020
1hr 28m
Retronauts Episode 308: Civilization and Magic: The Gathering
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.
1hr 48m Jun 29, 2020
1hr 48m
Retronauts Episode 307 Preview: Sega Forever & Captain Tsubasa
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!
7m Jun 26, 2020
7m