The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

his week, we go behind the scenes of ’90s game testing with QA veteran Dave Isherwood! From the chaos of Virgin Interactive’s wild office parties to uncovering show-stopping bugs just hours before launch. Hear about the day Virgin fell apart, the mystery of the deadly red screen, and why he had to fake losing video game tournaments.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  37:37 - Dave Isherwood Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Commodore 64 Ultimate Edition: https://www.commodore.net/ Rare Sega Genesis Re-Release: https://tinyurl.com/5n6ftw5a Worms Forever Game Boy Mod: https://tinyurl.com/8j86zb7b Beat ’Em Up Collection – QUByte Classics: https://tinyurl.com/mr4nuuxk YouTuber Copyright Lawsuit: https://tinyurl.com/jbdjdmr5

This week, we’re joined by John from the awesome YouTube channel RetroBytes - a creator who dives into the obscure corners of computing history. From his childhood memories of a flaming Spectrum, to restoring Unix workstations, the beauty of operating systems that time forgot, and why Gopher might’ve beaten the web, if not for one fatal mistake.  RetroBytes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RetroBytesUK Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  40:03 - RetroBytes Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Events: The Amiga at 40: https://tinyurl.com/4wu2866h NottsVGE: https://www.nottsvge.com/ RetroMessa: https://www.retromessa.no/ Show notes Xbox Mass Lay Offs: https://tinyurl.com/47t45sum New Jazz Mag: https://www.supercellphonegamer.com/ GameCube to Switch 2 Dock: https://tinyurl.com/5k32x59t Flipping Good Game: https://tinyurl.com/bddecmvz 3D Print with Accuracy: https://tinyurl.com/37t6zwsz

This week, we’re joined by Darren Melbourne and Mark Greenshields to unravel the untold story of British software house Enigma Variations. From bargain licensing deals for Postman Pat and Bugs Bunny to cold-calling Nintendo after a few ciders. Plus, their recent efforts to preserved lost classics, the truth behind NES Lion King, and why some of their best work never saw the light of day... until now. Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  32:53 - Darren Melbourne and Mark Greenshields Interview Games That Weren't: https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/ Antstream: https://www.antstream.com/ Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Animaniacs for GBA: https://tinyurl.com/y3u3ahsk Postal 2 Redux: https://tinyurl.com/32f4f54x Game Boy Camera on Switch 2: https://tinyurl.com/y5t7phw3 Playdate FMV Game: https://tinyurl.com/vtacmh6e Windows 95 on PS2: https://tinyurl.com/2nttad7w

We’re joined by Allen Anderson, a veteran SNES coder, and one of the key programmers behind Rock n’ Roll Racing. Starting as a teenage game cracker in Arkansas, he shares how hacking games led him into the industry, the chaos of SNES development with homemade dev kits, and how he programmed the Game Genie under insane deadlines, and the story behind the legendary cancelled Sega Saturn title, Propaganda.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  38:20 - Allen Anderson Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Switch 2 Emulation Issues: https://youtu.be/A3ylCAr0dbs Maplin Returns: https://tinyurl.com/23w9xy5p Duke Nukem Netflix Project: https://tinyurl.com/yc8euk4h Turrican CPC Remaster: https://tinyurl.com/mr3se7jp Linux Format Closes: https://tinyurl.com/5e9dhzcx

This week, we chat with game developer and producer Phil Gaskell, whose career spans from typing BASIC on a ZX81 to shaping titles at Psygnosis, Sony Playstation and Warthog. Phil shares behind-the-scenes tales of early PlayStation days, cancelled games, missed payrolls and mafia connections at Gizmondo, and rebooting iconic games like Lemmings and Super Stardust HD.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  36:41 - Phil Gaskell Interview Our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetroHourPodcast/videos Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: Atari beats ChatGPT: https://tinyurl.com/54pr4bxw PS1 custom motherboards: https://tinyurl.com/mtrdfb3j Head Over Heels sequel: https://tinyurl.com/4whtcrnn Mario Kart 64 on Dreamcast: https://tinyurl.com/jjk8uhyt Discord on Windows 95: https://youtu.be/wxdn30G2LE8

This week we hear about the turbulent post-Commodore years with former Amiga Technologies President, Petro Tyschtschenko. From scrambling to find buyers after Commodore’s collapse to selling Amiga 1200s out of a warehouse in India, Petro shares his story, from the courtroom battles, the backroom deals, and the community spirit that refused to let the Amiga die.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  41:51 - Petro Tyschtschenko Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes: The Story Behind Resident Evil 2 Cover Art: https://tinyurl.com/muhvzmz4 The G'aime: https://tinyurl.com/bkspfsbw Let’s Buy Commodore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN8r4LRcOXc MK Collection: https://tinyurl.com/226ty4tj

This week we welcome Cos Lazouras, a true veteran with over three decades in the games industry. From blagging his way into Bits Studios to working with Vin Diesel on The Chronicles of Riddick, Cos shares incredible stories from working on Spider-Man, The Simpsons, Wolverine and Last Action Hero including why that one remains his most ‘disastrous’ game. And his incredible new 80's themed point & click adventure. VICE Undercover: https://tinyurl.com/476ucjzb Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  32:47 - Cos Lazouras Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes The Bagman for Mega Drive: https://tinyurl.com/8scuchxj Game Boy Camera Manager: https://tinyurl.com/5n78v92s Atari ST turns 40: https://tinyurl.com/mwbzf2v2 Azaran Island: https://tinyurl.com/msphwu2h New Contra arcade: https://youtu.be/5FX6HJl9uZ8

This week we’re joined by Chris Cross, the original lead designer of Medal of Honor, who cut his teeth at Blizzard on Warcraft II and Diablo, worked on Small Soldiers: Squad Commander, survived Trespasser: The Lost World, and brought us gritty realism in Homefront. Chris shares some amazing behind-the-scenes stories, from Spielberg’s influence and arcade obsessions, to why he loved PS1 development and what went wrong (and right) on some of the most ambitious projects of the '90s and early 2000s.  Brain Arcade Podcast: https://coffeewithcross.com/brainarcade Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  38:59 - Chris Cross Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Wii U Game Pad replacement:  https://tinyurl.com/264vu8rn OutRun on Game Boy Colour:  https://tinyurl.com/4z7mdtbe Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun - Words of Vengeance:  ttps://tinyurl.com/3v2b4t36 Retro ruler:  https://tinyurl.com/yvp8vbu3 AROS Live USB: https://tinyurl.com/2b2bu3ae

This week, we chat with two legends of the British gaming scene, Tony Warriner (Revolution Software) and Stoo Cambridge (Sensible Software),  who’ve teamed up to create UrbX Warriors, an incredible new title for the ZX Spectrum Next.  UrbX Warriors Kickstarter: https://tinyurl.com/yvhw43et Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  32:29 - Tony Warriner & Stoo Cambridge Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Mario 64 Trigger Found: https://tinyurl.com/52ffytrb Metal Gear for Mega Drive: https://tinyurl.com/47fdc9uw Microsoft Revives Edit: https://tinyurl.com/3z56yt3b Visit 1975 Microsoft: https://tinyurl.com/58nupxu4 Sega Saturn New Fighter: https://tinyurl.com/2wpf4cxs

This week we hear about the incredible career of game designer Stieg Hedlund! From his early days tinkering with BASIC on a Bally Astrocade to shaping some of the most iconic titles of the '90s like Comiz Zone, The Ooze, and the legendary Diablo.   Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories  42:26 - Stieg Hedlund Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Ecco The Dolphin Remastered: https://tinyurl.com/37hdwzw3 Lost Lynx game is revived: https://tinyurl.com/58nav3y3 Fallout 1 and 2 Lost Source Code Found: https://tinyurl.com/297mzhec Batman on the Sinclair QL: https://tinyurl.com/2wttffa4 Bubsy The Purrfect Collection: https://tinyurl.com/5n98dbxy