A Trip Down Memory Card Lane

In 1991, Micro Machines turned kitchen tables, school desks, and pool halls into racetracks, proving that racing games did not need realism to be unforgettable. This week, we explore how Galoob’s tiny toy cars became a cultural phenomenon and how Codemasters adapted that spirit into one of the most inventive multiplayer games of the 1990s. We trace the game’s unusual development, from reverse engineering the NES without Nintendo’s blessing to shipping cartridges with built in hardware fixes to solve last minute bugs. Our conversation follows the series expansion through Turbo Tournament, the J Cart, and the leap into 3D, while also reflecting on why the games outlasted the toys themselves. Join us as we race across breakfast tables and relive Micro Machines on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 1990, Hugo’s House of Horrors arrived quietly as a shareware PC adventure built by one person working nights and weekends. This week, we explore how programmer David P. Gray created the game as a personal plan B, inspired by text adventures, horror films, and Sierra classics like Leisure Suit Larry. We talk about how Hugo dropped players into a haunted house with no instructions, relying on an unforgiving text parser, tongue in cheek humor, and trial and error puzzles that quickly became part of its charm. Our conversation follows how the game spread through floppy disks and bulletin boards, found unexpected success, and grew into a trilogy that defined an era of shareware adventures. Join us as we open doors, solve puzzles, and step inside Hugo’s House of Horrors on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 2025, our year in video game history took us from foundational classics to unexpected deep cuts as we explored stories across consoles, companies, genres, and eras. In this episode, we look back at the games that shaped our conversations this year, from Battle Arena Toshinden and Resident Evil 4 to Secret of Mana, Morrowind, and Super Mario Bros 3. We revisit strange detours like Seaman, D, and Trauma Center, along with major industry topics such as the rise and fall of E3 and the legacy of the US National Video Game Team. Our conversation reflects on what surprised us, what challenged us, and what made us laugh along the way. Join us as we celebrate the memories of 2025 on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 1987, Phantasy Star arrived on the Sega Master System and proved that Sega could compete in a genre dominated by Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. This week, we explore how a small internal team led by Kotaro Hayashida, Yuji Naka, and artist Rieko Kodama set out to build an RPG that broke from medieval tradition. We trace how the game blended science fiction and fantasy, introduced one of the earliest female protagonists in Alis, and pushed the Master System far beyond expectations with full screen 3D dungeons, animated battles, and a massive 4 megabit cartridge. Our conversation follows the series evolution through Phantasy Star II, III, and IV, its reinvention with Phantasy Star Online, and the expanded universe that grew from it. Join us as we chart the stars and revisit Phantasy Star on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 2010, Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn introduced players to a world where Studio Ghibli’s hand-drawn warmth met Level-5’s heartfelt RPG design. In this episode, we explore how a studio famously cautious about video games found unexpected harmony with a developer that valued emotion as much as mechanics. We follow the project from its DS origins and physical spellbook to the deeper PS3 reimagining that blended animation, music, and storytelling into something that felt unmistakably Ghibli. Our conversation also traces the series’ evolving identity through Revenant Kingdom and Cross Worlds, and how its themes of grief, courage, and kindness shaped its legacy. Join us as we journey through magic, loss, and wonder in Ni no Kuni on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 2001, Nintendo released the e-Reader, a quirky card-scanning accessory for the Game Boy Advance that blended trading cards with tiny bursts of digital content. This week, we explore the long road that led to its creation, tracing the evolution of barcode gaming from Japan’s Barcode Battler craze to Bandai’s Datach and even arcade hits like Mushiking and Love and Berry. We follow how Pokémon cards, dot-code technology, and Japan’s card culture shaped the device, and why the e-Reader thrived briefly in Japan but stumbled in the West. Our conversation also looks at the legacy it left behind—QR codes, AR cards, Amiibo, and physical-to-digital play. Join us as we swipe, scan, and rediscover the Nintendo e-Reader on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 1993, Atari launched the Jaguar, a console that promised 64-bit power and a bold return to gaming glory—but the reality was far more complicated. In this episode, we explore how Atari partnered with Flare Technology, canceled its 16-bit Panther system, and aimed to leapfrog the competition with a futuristic design that was ambitious, confusing, and notoriously difficult to develop for. We trace the Jaguar’s tangled architecture, marketing push to “Do the Math,” and the hardware quirks that doomed it from the start. Our conversation also dives into the console’s standout games, failed add-ons like the Jaguar CD and VR, and its strange second life as an open platform for homebrewers. Join us as we plug in and power up the story of the Atari Jaguar on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 2000, \Hitman: Codename 47\ introduced players to Agent 47 and a new breed of stealth gaming built on improvisation, experimentation, and precision. In this episode, we trace how a small team of Danish demoscene veterans formed IO Interactive, built the Glacier Engine from scratch, and turned a 'simple shooter' concept into one of the most influential stealth franchises in history. We follow the evolution from Codename 47’s experimental beginnings to Silent Assassin’s refinement and Contracts’ atmospheric retelling, exploring how each installment shaped IO’s design philosophy. Our conversation also touches on IO’s roots, ragdoll physics innovation, and the World of Assassination era that followed. Join us as we slip into the shadows and revisit Hitman’s origin story on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 1979, Mattel entered the console wars with the \Intellivision\, a machine that promised to outthink Atari with its 'intelligent television' design. This week, we explore how a toy company known for Barbie and Hot Wheels transformed into a technological powerhouse, creating one of the first true competitors to Atari’s 2600. We discuss the innovations that made the Intellivision stand out, its 16-bit processor, unique keypad controllers, and focus on realism, and the missteps that led to its fall amid the 1983 crash. Our conversation dives into its visionary add-ons, the Blue Sky Rangers, and the legacy that still shapes console design today. Join us as we plug in and power on the story of Mattel’s Intellivision on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In 2006, Epic Games released Gears of War, a brutal and cinematic reinvention of the third-person shooter. In this episode, we trace Cliff Bleszinski’s journey from teenage shareware designer to creative director at Epic, and how his vision helped transform a scrapped Unreal prototype into one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. We explore the birth of the Lancer, the evolution of cover-based combat, and how Epic’s technical mastery of Unreal Engine 3 changed console gaming forever. Our conversation covers Gears’ critical and commercial success, its influence on modern shooters, and how it became a defining moment for the Xbox 360. Join us as we reload, rev up, and fight through the Locust Horde on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript