Video Game History Hour

Jack Yarwood, a writer and journalist from Time Extension known for his expertise in video game history and design, shares fascinating insights about the logos of Rare and Rockstar. He discusses the emotional connections players have with these designs and the creative processes behind them. The exploration includes anecdotes on branding evolution, the balance between simplicity and recognizability, and how everyday life influences logo design. Yarwood also delves into the nostalgic impact of these iconic logos on gaming culture.

Kelsey and Frank hit record on a Friday afternoon for an impromptu, off-the-cuff discussion about a scary recent development in the world of video game preservation regarding the preservation organization Forest of Illusion. Total bummer topics include how much we rely on individual people to work for free, how many fragile points of failure there are for keeping information alive, and how there aren't any great solutions yet. But don't worry! Things get positive again toward the end. Video Game History Foundation: Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg

Jirard Khalil, aka "That One Video Gamer", aka “The Completionist,” aka “Dragonrider,” joins us to talk about his recent video I bought EVERY Nintendo Wii U & 3DS game before the Nintendo eShop closes. In this episode: what happens when an E-Shop closes and why it shuts down, preserving games for toddlers, libraries collecting like this would be absurd, unheard stories of the chaos of buying thousands of dollars in Link gift cards, is piracy a possible solution or the only option?, wishful legal solutions, the true costs of this endeavor. See more from Jirard Khalil: YouTube: /ThatOneVideoGamer Twitter: https://twitter.com/Completionist Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/TheCompletionist Instagram: @thecompletionist Video Game History Foundation: Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg

(Content Warning: this episode deals with the topic of death) Collector, preservationist, and founding board member Steve Lin joins us to illuminate the realities of dealing with a collection after the collector has passed away. In this episode: balancing preserving history and helping a family left behind, what you can implement immediately, what is a trust and how does it work?, collecting in the 90’s and 00’s, your Why? of collecting, the passion for collecting may not live beyond you. See more from Steve Lin: Twitter: @stevenplin Video Game History Foundation: Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg

Journalist and researcher Nick Yanes brings us a piece of history not only from his own local area, but also from his own past in his recent article The birth and death of Budcat Creations, Iowa's first (and only) Triple-A game studio. We take a peek inside the life of a development studio during a tumultuous time in the game industry and learn some valuable lessons along the way. In this episode: the Guitar Hero empire, annual Halloween playlist, the business model of a dev studio, life as a game developer, what happened in Nebraska?, what Bubcat could have been, and lessons from not being recession-proof. See more from Nicholas Yanes: Twitter: @NicholasYanes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-yanes-51884aa/ Post News: https://post.news/@/nicholasyanes Video Game History Foundation: Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg

Frank and guest Chris Kohler recap their recent attendance of the 2023 D.I.C.E. Summit, a Las Vegas convention for executives and other high-level creatives in the interactive entertainment space. In this episode: a little history of the show’s atmospheric evolution, the D.I.C.E. Awards, ‘speed date’ networking, the best games shopping in Vegas, Frank apologizes to his Mom, and we do allow ourselves to reminisce about the good ol’ days with some behind the scenes journalists’ stories. See more from Chris Kohler: Twitter: @kobunheat Website: www.chriskohler.biz Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Kohler/e/B001IOFJPI%3F Video Game History Foundation: Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg

Frank Cifaldi takes the guest seat for this episode and shares the story of the most obscure caper in Carmen Sandiego’s criminal history, a story we shared in a blog post a few years ago. In this episode: we plan a TV series, deep fried steak with a Teddy Roosevelt impersonator, Broderbund’s involvement in the game, attending an unaccredited auctioneering school, this game’s legacy in a parallel world, and Frank’s favorite part of this episode. Video Game History Foundation: Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg

Polygon Senior Reporter Nicole Carpenter joins us to chat about the 1989 Legend of Zelda cartoon, the subject of her recent oral history piece: ‘Excuuuuse me, Princess!’: An oral history of The Legend of Zelda cartoon. In this episode: Zeldathon; this cartoon is basically Shakespeare; The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!; the wild west of the Duoforce; a dinky startup named Nintendo of America; my sword doesn’t hit things, it shoots lasers; and poor Will Smith. Referenced in the show: https://gameranx.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/3-720x821.jpg See more from Nicole Carpenter: Twitter: @sweetpotatoes Email: nicole (at) polygon (dot) com Video Game History Foundation: Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg

Jonas Rosland, executive director of Hit Save!, shares their newest Guide to Start Video Game Preservation as an individual not necessarily affiliated with an organization. In this episode we look at the first steps to take, knowing what’s already been done, where to get more material, and we ask some philosophical and big-picture questions around video game preservation. See more from Jonas Rosland: Website: hitsave.org Patreon: /hitsave Twitter: @hitsaveorg GitHub: github.com/hitsave Personal twitter: @jonasrosland Video Game History Foundation: Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg

Norm Caruso, a video game historian and creator of insightful video essays, returns to shed light on the origins of Super Mario Kart. He discusses the game's innovative battle mode and multiplayer gameplay, revealing the challenges of crafting its iconic drifting mechanics. Their chat journeys through digital archaeology, highlighting the importance of file dates in game history. Norm also touches on the cultural impact of Mario Kart, its legacy as a family favorite, and the nostalgic quest for lost video game music, emphasizing Koji Kondo's contributions.