The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

Hosted by The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

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500

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Your weekly dose of retro gaming and technology news and interviews with industry veterans. New episodes released every Friday!

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60 recent

October 10, 2026Episode 5521 hr 48 min

552: GamesMaster: Golden Joysticks and ’90s TV with Dominik Diamond- The Retro Hour EP552

GamesMaster legend Dominik Diamond joins us for a brand-new conversation recorded live at PLAY Expo in Blackpool. From landing the presenting job and meeting Patrick Moore just once to backstage rivalries, celebrity guests and the infamous Dave Perry fallout, Dominik shares hilarious and candid stories from the show that defined gaming TV in the ’90s. Plus, audience questions, his return to stand-up and an honest look at the pressures of overnight fame. Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 49:54 – Dominik Diamond Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Glasgow Gaming Market: https://lnk.ua/qa16qr9Yf Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs 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 Show notes Oliver Twins announce new Dizzy: https://lnk.ua/foh1kzQQA New Dizzy game announcement video: https://lnk.ua/IAR5e7mU3 House of the Dead VR: https://lnk.ua/z4Nyg4K1v Doom-style action on Commodore 64: https://lnk.ua/weBSRgtNS Doom64 gameplay video: https://lnk.ua/1fEmPhS0S Croc 2 remaster arrives soon: https://lnk.ua/hVVW7FEH0 RetroAchievements reach real PS2 hardware: https://lnk.ua/e640i6vy3

October 2, 2026Episode 5511 hr 18 min

551: Streets of Rage: Inside the Music with Yuzo Koshiro - The Retro Hour EP551

This week we’re joined by legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro, recorded live at Retromessa in Norway, for the story behind the iconic Streets of Rage soundtracks. From the club music that inspired those unforgettable beats to getting the most out of the Mega Drive, Yuzo shares how he helped shape the sound of Sega—and reveals his role designing moves and voicing characters in Streets of Rage 2! Plus, we talk Revenge of Shinobi, Sonic and his return to Mega Drive development with Earthion. Plus, Modern Vintage Gamer joins us for the news! MVG: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernVintageGamer/videos Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 50:27 – Yuzo Koshiro Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Play Expo Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/ Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs 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 Show notes C64 and Spectrum handhelds delayed: https://lnk.ua/Y92W4t1J7 Super Mario 64 SNES port: https://lnk.ua/IzOyma94q Amiga Addams Family backgrounds edition: https://lnk.ua/guzIbbISR GoldenEye 007 goes third-person: https://lnk.ua/mPTCUlTqm Binky launches on C64: https://lnk.ua/My9oxsebG Lost SNES Railroad Tycoon footage: https://lnk.ua/hwttaGmyJ Real coin slot for emulators: https://lnk.ua/fxCnlQe5C

September 25, 2026Episode 5501 hr 58 min

550: Warren Spector: The Stories Behind Deus Ex and Ultima – The Retro Hour EP550

This week, we’re joined by legendary game designer Warren Spector to explore the stories behind Ultima, Deus Ex and Epic Mickey. From the Dungeons & Dragons session that changed his life to John Romero’s offer to make his dream game, Warren shares how he championed player freedom, why Deus Ex almost became a Command & Conquer RPG, and what working with Mickey Mouse meant to him. Paul Drury's The Arcade book: https://lnk.ua/vLieP7PVA Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 55:50 – Yuzo Koshiro Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/ 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 Show notes Gun.Smoke Comes to Amiga: https://lnk.ua/9VVzy7Q1w Pixar vs Nintendo: https://lnk.ua/gtcZcmiay The Return of Motion Gaming: https://lnk.ua/jFAg9AEnd Crazy Taxi Netflix Film Announced: https://lnk.ua/AhvVYnhYS Matthew Smith Spectrum Collection: https://lnk.ua/0L1SD3zv3 Star Wars Trilogy on Dreamcast: https://lnk.ua/4KpQVGPUT

September 18, 2026Episode 5491 hr 19 min

549: Yuzo Koshiro: From ActRaiser to Smash Bros.– The Retro Hour EP549

Recorded live at Retromessa in Norway, we sit down with legendary video game composer Yuzo Koshiro for part one of our conversation, exploring his Nintendo years. From his earliest piano lessons to the orchestral sounds of ActRaiser, the infectious grooves of Super Adventure Island and the worlds of Etrian Odyssey and Super Smash Bros., Yuzo shares the stories and influences behind his music. Plus, audience questions uncover his favourite games, the origins of his YK2 alias and a contribution to Terranigma he’d forgotten he made! Slope's Book Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/N6GM8pALm Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 54:46 – Yuzo Koshiro Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/ 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 Show notes Neo Geo AES+ Delayed: https://lnk.ua/lorIBnZ5Q New Lotus Trilogy Remake: https://lnk.ua/NbvwYx8su RPCS3 Adds Physical Disc Support: https://lnk.ua/xkdGOKL4z Rare’s Project Dream Leaks Online: https://lnk.ua/15LPiFgPB Ocarina of Time Remake: https://lnk.ua/Z0YTZRr2Z Metal Slug Collection Hits Switch: https://lnk.ua/nXKpK6iQA

September 11, 2026Episode 5481 hr 46 min

548: Before Photoshop: How SEGA’s Sonic Artwork Was Made – The Retro Hour EP548

How do you turn a handful of pixels into one of gaming’s most recognisable characters? Recorded live at RetroMessa 2026, Dan and Joe meet illustrator Duncan Gutteridge, whose hand-painted artwork helped define Sonic’s European image during SEGA’s 16-bit glory years. Duncan recalls reimagining Sonic 2, creating artwork for Sonic 3 and Knuckles, working with airbrushes, phones and fax machines, and enjoying a level of creative freedom that would be almost unthinkable today. He also reveals the fate of his long-lost original Sonic paintings. Amiga Bill Links: Twitch.tv/AmigaBill https://YouTube.com/@AmigaBill https://AmigaBill.tv Twitch.tv Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 1:06:00 – Duncan Gutteridge Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/ 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 Show notes New Doom-Style Shooter for 3DO: https://lnk.ua/znInXLNwM GTA Arrives on Amiga: https://lnk.ua/ERRtnHKLk Portrait Ridge Racer Port: https://lnk.ua/m0xu68aPx New 4:3 Retro Gaming Monitor: https://lnk.ua/PZX3RS7zK LEGO PlayStation 1 Set Revealed: https://lnk.ua/fAPHMgWXi Portal Demake Arrives on GBA: https://lnk.ua/QqQkLQGr5

September 4, 2026Episode 5471 hr 53 min

547: British Gaming Legends: Stories From an Iconic Era – The Retro Hour EP547

It's Ravi's final episode of the podcast, we give him a good send off! Plus, we bring you our Best of British panel from RetroMessa, featuring Mike Dailly (DMA Design), Glen O'Connell (Psygnosis), Duncan Gutteridge (Sega UK) and Brian Watson (DMA Design) for a panel discussion about British gaming history, iconic games and the moments that helped shape an entire era. Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 1:05:50 – Best of British Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/ 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 Show notes Sonic Demo Lands on Amiga: https://lnk.ua/Ifux6frxr Terranigma Returns to Modern Hardware: https://lnk.ua/6ciLNoEyo Cyberpunk 2077 C64 Coming Soon: https://lnk.ua/snpuA7Lj0 Fall From Space Features Arita: https://lnk.ua/6l5mCdvCs Atari and Activision Reunite: https://lnk.ua/0V34uriWa New Mega Drive Arcade Controller: https://lnk.ua/DAfat7AK3 Zool Collection Coming to Jaguar: https://lnk.ua/P4xQT4jFN Pillow Fort Album Hits GBA: https://lnk.ua/zxB3hMk3R

August 28, 2026Episode 5461 hr 40 min

546: The Making of The Suffering: Horror, Morality and Games That Remember – The Retro Hour EP546

Veteran game designer Richard Rouse III joins us to revisit his journey from Bungie’s early Macintosh games to Centipede 3D and The Suffering. He reveals how the horror classic found its prison setting, blended action with psychological storytelling, and remembered players’ moral choices, plus the stories behind its lost sequel and unmade movie. Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 39:42 – Richard Rouse III Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/ 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 Show notes Alien Breed 35th Anniversary: https://lnk.ua/95kg65oJq Golden Axe TV Trailer: https://youtu.be/sStbBtfGaLA Car Park Capital Arrives: https://lnk.ua/4ctQBSKZh Mr. Nutz Gets Physical Reissue: https://lnk.ua/GnfzOfOeK Transformers-Style Fighting Game: https://lnk.ua/dDrswhf0C

August 21, 2026Episode 5451 hr 45 min

545: Region Locked: The Untold Story of Australian Video Games – The Retro Hour EP545

Australia gave the world pioneering adventures, cult classics and global hits,but much of its gaming history has been left out of the story. This week, we're joined by Region Locked creative lead Michael Refalo and veteran game designer John Passfield-co-creator of Halloween Harry, Flight of the Amazon Queen and TY the Tasmanian Tiger, to explore bedroom coding, cassette-tape publishing, The Hobbit’s groundbreaking parser, Beam Software reverse-engineering the NES, the infamous Power Glove and the games you never realised were Australian. Plus, discover how the new Region Locked documentary series plans to preserve these stories before bit rot, and time, erase them for good. Region Locked Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/ueFZbW6cf Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 53:42 – Region Locked Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/ 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 CeX Revisits Retro-Only Stores: https://lnk.ua/LT8x2d9DI Zeewolf Spiritual Successor Revealed: https://lnk.ua/vGAlWUAcE Lara Croft Statue in Derby: https://lnk.ua/yBaKkiM3R Fan-Made Donkey Kong Country 4: https://lnk.ua/0nxUrpxQ9 Multi-Mega Flash Cart Mod: https://lnk.ua/HsC93CDQr

August 13, 2026Episode 5441 hr 45 min

544: Amiga Just Revealed Its Future Plans - The Retro Hour EP544

This week, we’re coming to you from Amiga Kickstart in Derby, where we recorded a fascinating panel looking at what comes next for one of computing’s most iconic names. With the long-running legal battle between Hyperion Entertainment and Cloanto finally at an end, the Amiga company took to the stage to discuss the future, its plans for the platform and what this new chapter could mean for the wider Amiga community. After years of courtroom wrangling and uncertainty, could this finally be the fresh start Amiga fans have been waiting for? Amiga: https://amiga.com/ Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 57:17 - Amiga Announcements Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs London Gaming Market: https://www.londongamingmarket.com/ 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 Show notes Commodore Joystick: https://lnk.ua/F8QM1EnLL Cancelled Quake 4 Expansion: https://lnk.ua/nknP0xR0K Atari ST Floppy Archive: https://lnk.ua/bewmRuiAr DOOM Comes to Evercade: https://lnk.ua/hIDAqsUYx Mario Kart 64 VR: https://lnk.ua/aeAmS9XiM New Amiga Racer: https://lnk.ua/i3olxXWTM Utopia Returns to SNES: https://lnk.ua/VY9P3ILvj Patrons news

August 7, 2026Episode 5431 hr 34 min

543: Beats of Rage: From Fan Game to OpenBOR - The Retro Hour EP543

This week, we’re joined by Roel van Mastbergen of Senile Team to discover how a homemade MS-DOS tribute to Streets of Rage exploded to around a million players, crashed two servers and evolved into OpenBOR. Roel also reveals how the project led him into Dreamcast development, the fate of Age of the Beast and what’s next with Hypno Tiles. Senile Team: https://www.senileteam.com/ Zoom Platform: https://www.zoom-platform.com/ Contents: 00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories 45:17 - Beats of Rage Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs London Gaming Market: https://www.londongamingmarket.com/ 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 Show notes Hyperion and Amiga Corp Settle: https://lnk.ua/Vw6jkv8IW Xbox 360 Games Hit PC: https://lnk.ua/XCLKsRbJK Varta Goes Bust: https://lnk.ua/5ry9AQidd New Amiga Bullet-Hell Shooter: https://lnk.ua/YLQhUYBU SpeccyDate: https://lnk.ua/mFt16xLaI Atari World Championship Announced: https://lnk.ua/MVLR87zko Jaguar Doom Gets Improved: https://lnk.ua/X0cCtGX46