Retronauts
The original classic gaming podcast continues its endless quest to explore the history of video games, one game at a time. Join hosts Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey each week as they team up with a host of expert guests to chronicle the creations that have paved the way for today's hits. From forgotten black-and-white arcade machines to modern-day remakes, Retronauts spans more than four decades of vintage gaming greatness!
Episodes
656: Retronauts Radio: Farewell to STS
Jeremy Parish and Nadia Oxford chat with Aaron Hamel about the history, hits, and great video game music releases of the late and lamented Ship to Shore Phono Co.—featuring tunes aplenty!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
09/12/24•2h 17m
654: Worms
Oi, nutter! Host Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer and Ben Paddon activate annelid analysis for Team 17’s long-running Worms series. You’ll regret that!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
02/12/24•1h 54m
653: The Bronze Age of Arcade Games
Kevin Bunch, Benj Edwards, and Nate Lockhart enter the era of TTL circuits and early microprocessors as they celebrate the world of 1970s arcade games.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
For a very limited time, upgrade your wardrobe instantly and save 25% off during the @PublicRec Holiday Sale at www.publicrec.com/RETRO
25/11/24•1h 53m
651: Marvel vs. Capcom
With its recent re-release making the series available on all modern platforms, Diamond Feit, Kevin Bunch, and John Learned team up again to discuss the Marvel vs Capcom fighting franchise.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
18/11/24•2h 6m
650: Modern Retro: Antonblast & Grapple Dog
A talkative Stuart Gipp talks to Tony Grayson about Antonblast, and Joseph Gribbin about Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines. It’s a jam-indie-bo-jump-a-ree!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
11/11/24•1h 45m
649: Episode 649 Preview: Dead Rising
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 649: Dead Rising. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
08/11/24•9m 43s
648: The First Games That Scared Us
For Halloween, Nadia Oxford, Ash Paulsen, and Victor Hunter talk about retro games outside the horror genre that scared them. Boo!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/11/24•1h 48m
647: The Terminator
Forget the time displacement device: in this podcast Diamond Feit, Jeremy Parish, and James Eldred take you back 40 years to 1984 to the debut of the sci-fi action classic, The Terminator.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
28/10/24•1h 52m
645: The Best and Worst of 16-Bit Horror
Last year, we explored the NES era's few horror games and ranked them on their general spookiness levels—given the standards of the time. And now we're back to do the exact same thing for a whole new generation of consoles! This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Kole Ross (of Duckfeed.tv), Diamond Feit, and Drew Mackie (of Gayest Episode Ever and Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games) as the crew unites to discuss a magical time when horror games could have evocative titles like "Decap Attack" and "Zombies Ate My Neighbors."
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
21/10/24•1h 54m
644: Bayonetta
Welcome to our fantasy zone! Stuart Gipp and Seumidh MacDonald get all hot under the collar about Bayonetta in a podcast both gracious and glorious.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
14/10/24•1h 32m
643: Episode 643 Preview: Beetlejuice
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 643: Beetlejuice. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
11/10/24•10m 20s
642: Terry Pratchett's Discworld
That doesn’t work. But this does! Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer and Desert Island Discworld’s Al Kennedy convene for Ankh-Mortalk. Now THAT doesn’t work.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
07/10/24•1h 45m
641: Tales of Games Journalism & Games That Hold Up
Nadia and David Oxford join with Jeremy Parish, and Diamond Feit to talk about the challenges of half-analogue, half-digital game journalism circa 2006 and games that stand the test of time.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
30/09/24•1h 51m
639: Building SimCity
Host Kevin Bunch is joined by author and historian Chaim Gingold to talk about SimCity and the winding road that led to its creation with his new book Building SimCity.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
23/09/24•1h 13m
646: See Us LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2024!
WHAT: Our "The History of Bowser" panel, live at PRGE 2024
WHERE: Auditorium 1 (E141 - 144) at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo
WHEN: Saturday, September 28th at 5:00pm
WHO: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Gary Butterfield
Please check out the official PRGE 2024 schedule for more information!
20/09/24•1m 4s
638: Dreamcast Turns 25
Jeremy Parish and Diamond Feit look back a quarter of a century to the launch of Sega Dreamcast in America and contemplate where the system sits as a part of video game history, Sega's legacy, and the... future of gaming?
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
16/09/24•1h 50m
637: Episode 637 Preview: Zelda
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 637: Zelda. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
13/09/24•8m 30s
636: The 8-Bit Mascot Ranking Hootenanny
Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Nadia Oxford, and an entire room full of people take stock of the mascot characters of the 8-bit era and (loudly) rank the value of their existence. Who comes out on top?!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
09/09/24•2h 2m
635: Five Nights at Freddy's
Nadia and guest Mat Bradley-Tschirgi talk about the 10th anniversary of the animatronic animal horror game phenomenon Five Nights at Freddy's.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
02/09/24•1h 4m
633: Donald Duck
Quacking the case! Throwing an apoplectic tantrum about that most Disneyest of ducks with host Stuart Gipp and guests Thomas Nickel and John Linneman.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
26/08/24•2h
632: BitSummit '24
Blatherin’ BitSummit! Diamond Feit reports on the latest retro-esque games from Kyoto’s annual indie event and raps with Chris Kohler, Shane Bettenhausen, and Tina Carter.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
19/08/24•1h 55m
631: Episode 631 Preview: Ganon
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 631: Ganon. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
16/08/24•11m 57s
630: Battle of the Master System Mascots
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Kurt Kalata, and Nicole (of Nicole Express!) dare ask the burning question that no one else has had the courage to approach until this point: Which Sega Master System mascot was the best Sega Master System mascot?
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
13/08/24•1h 42m
629: Darius
WARNING: A huge podcast “Retronauts” is approaching fast! Join host Kevin Bunch, Brian Clark and Christa Lee as they discuss Taito’s long-running shooting game franchise Darius.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
05/08/24•2h 9m
628: Episode 628 Preview: Megami Tensei I & II
Shin who? Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, and Dia Lacina boot up their homebrew app and summon some demons to thrash Tokyo as part of their discussion of the first two entries in the Megami Tensei series.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and enjoy the full version of this episode (and hundreds of other Patron exclusives!) at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
03/08/24•12m 29s
627: Mortal Kombat 4
Digitized no more, Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and David L. Craddock enter a new dimension as they podcast about Mortal Kombat 4.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
29/07/24•2h 5m
626: Asterix, Part I
These Retronauts are crazy! Stuart Gipp, Audi Sorlie, John Linneman, and Thomas Nickel begin their Gaul-ing journey through the Astérix franchise. PAF!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
22/07/24•1h 45m
625: Episode 625 Preview: Nicktoons Games
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 625: Nicktoons 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
19/07/24•7m 49s
624: The Metal Gear Storyline, Part I
Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, and Tomm Hulett inject their daily dose of nano machines and attempt to tap into the mind-bending matrix of unreality that is the Metal Gear saga storyline—a web so tangled we only manage to unravel the first half!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
15/07/24•2h 2m
623: The Wario Land Ranking Hootenanny
Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, Stuart Gipp, and the Retronauts community gobble garlic, punch a wall for coins, and let rip a big ol'... hootenanny! This time, we rank the Wario Land games. Perhaps the most important conversation you'll hear all week.
Art by Greg Melo. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
08/07/24•1h 45m
622: Episode 622 Preview: Retronauts Radio Summer 2024
PREVIEW: Jeremy Parish spins up the turntable to explore some recent video game soundtrack reissues (mostly from Konami). Plus: YMO, Cotton, NiGHTS, some Momoku Kikuchi city pop, and more!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
08/07/24•10m 13s
621: Mad Max
When an Australian emergency room doctor set out to make a humble little car chase movie in the late '70s, he had no idea it would turn into an incredibly long-lived franchise that would light our minds on fire and cause us all to drive just a little bit faster. And now that nearly 50 years have passed, the Mad Max franchise has remained incredibly pure, with only five movies and a whopping two video games to speak of. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp as the crew enters a veritable Thunderdome of podcasting to chat about Mad Max. WITNESS US!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
01/07/24•1h 36m
620: Micro Machines
What if a car was small? Stuart Gipp, Lewis Clark, and Guy Kelly shrink themselves down, dive into a teeny-weeny jalopy and race to Retronauts Studios!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
24/06/24•1h 42m
619: Episode 619 Preview: Dune
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 619: Dune. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
21/06/24•10m 29s
618: The World Ends With You
Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, and Stuart Gipp put on their trendiest threads and rub Hachiko's nose for good luck as they work their way through the Shibuya-shaped maze that is Square Enix's iconoclastic DS classic The World Ends With You.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
17/06/24•1h 59m
617: N.A.R.C.
Just say "yes" to Diamond Feit, Jeremy Parish, and David Oxford as they D.A.R.E. to remember NARC, a classic ’80s arcade game that took the War on Drugs literally.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
10/06/24•1h 49m
616: Episode 616 Preview: Video Game House Bands
Kevin Bunch, Diamond Feit and Brian Clark take an aural voyage into that moment in time when Japanese game companies formed their own bands to record and perform game music.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy this complete episode, ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
07/06/24•10m 50s
615: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.
It's taken nearly four years, but it's finally here: part two of Square-Enix's ambitious trilogy of Final Fantasy VII remakes. And guess what? It's HUGE! While Remake proved the viability of a modern Final Fantasy VII reimagining, Rebirth absolutely blows the doors off with an open-world take on this classic RPG. But does this chunk of the original game's disc one make a smooth transition into a 100-hour journey? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Will Hughes, and Henry Gilbert as the crew discusses the remake that's now taken up a significant portion of their lives.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
03/06/24•1h 33m
614: Video Games and the Nuclear Apocalypse
Nadia Oxford, Jaz Rignall, and Jeremy Parish look back at gaming's best (and scariest) depictions of nuclear apocalypse.
...is it 'Into this station" or "onto this station?"
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
27/05/24•1h 44m
613: Episode 613 Preview: Final Fantasy VI (Live From Midwest Gaming Classic 2024)
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 613: Final Fantasy VI (Live From Midwest Gaming Classic 2024). 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
24/05/24•9m 21s
612: Documenting Game History from Virtual Boy to J-Pop
Jeremy Parish speaks to Benj Edwards, Jose Zagat, Mark Flitman, and Brian Clark about their efforts to publish books about a wide swath of game history: A platform analysis of Virtual Boy, a history of games about Japanese rockers, and a career memoir. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
19/05/24•2h 33m
611: The Contra: Operation Galuga Wail
Wrapping up Contra series with a look at WayForward's Contra: Operation Galuga, with Stuart Gipp, Thomas Nickel and John Linneman. Bandanas on!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
13/05/24•1h 20m
609: The State of Emulation
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.
While it started exclusively as an activity enjoyed by a small demographic of ultra-nerdy young people with knowledge of obscure websites, emulation has gradually blossomed over the past thirty years into something we all do regularly—often while obeying copyright laws. Without emulation, most retro games would be entirely inaccessible to all but the select few with the cash available to purchase pieces of decades-old plastic that are only increasing in price and decay. And would our little podcast even exist without emulation? It's a thought too terrifying to dwell on.
This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Read Only Memo's Wes Fenlon, and Zophar's Domain founder Zophar (check out his YouTube and Twitch channels) as the crew discusses the many big moments from emulation's history—and how the subject has recently become more relevant than ever.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
06/05/24•1h 47m
620: The Capcom Marvel Universe
Before there was an MCU, video game arcades played host to the CMU. Join Diamond Feit, Kevin Bunch, and John Learned as they recount the early 90s giant-sized collaboration between Capcom and Marvel.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
29/04/24•2h 3m
607: Episode 607 Preview: Final Fantasy VI Character Ranking Hootenanny
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 607: Final Fantasy VI Character Ranking Hootenanny. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
26/04/24•7m 23s
607: Farewell, Akira Toriyama
Diamond Feit, Kevin Bunch, Bob Mackey, and special guest Matt Alt bid farewell to a legendary artist, cartoonist, and cultural force for good in a podcast dedicated to the memory of Akira Toriyama.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
22/04/24•1h 30m
605: Dragon Quest VIII
Nadia Oxford forms a party with GvG's Derrick Bitner to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Dragon Quest 8, one of the PlayStation 2's best RPGs. Art by Nick Wanserski, edits by Greg Leahy.
This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts.
15/04/24•1h 9m
604: Episode 604 Preview: The Hunt for Red October
Retrogaming buckeroos Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Ray Barnholt put their faith in the power of Glasnost and dive into the deepest channels of video game and media history to take part in The Hunt for Red October.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
12/04/24•11m 17s
603: King's Quest
In the 18 years we've been putting out this little podcast, we've never produced a single episode wholly devoted to classic Sierra games. Well, that sin against listenerkind ends TODAY as we peer back 40 years in the past to discuss the monumentally important adventure game, King's Quest. Originally intended as a means to sell a platform that died shortly after its release, this interactive fairy tale unexpectedly went on to define Sierra and spawn many more Quests over the next decade-plus. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, patron Daniel Glass, and Sierra speedrunning correspondent (and Adventure Game Fan Fair affiliate) OneShortEye as the crew gathers to discuss the series that made this California developer synonymous with adventure—and frustration!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
08/04/24•1h 41m
602: Evercade
New hardware is always nice, especially when it’s focused on physical media. Stuart Gipp speaks to Blaze Entertainment about Evercade’s remarkable (and exclusive) Duke Nukem Remastered, their upcoming carts, and about The Fidgetts being impossible. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/RETRO to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code RETRO.
Art by Leeann Hamilton. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
02/04/24•1h 14m
See Us LIVE at Midwest Gaming Classic 2024!
WHAT: Our "Final Fantasy VI: 30 Years of the Greatest* RPG of All Time" panel, live at MGC 2024
WHERE: The Panels and Presentations Room at Midwest Gaming Classic 2024
WHEN: Saturday, April 6th at 3:00pm
WHO: Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Diamond Feit, Nadia Oxford
Please check out the official MGC 2024 schedule for more information!
29/03/24•58s
601: Episode 601 Preview: Final Fantasy XVI
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 601: Final Fantasy XVI. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
29/03/24•9m 33s
600: Toe Jam & Earl
Patron Scott Rothman presses Start to join a bunch of weenies (Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch) in their randomly generated conversation about Sega's most jammin' Genesis franchise, Toe Jam & Earl.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
25/03/24•1h 53m
599: Resident Evil 5 & 6
Remember when Capcom pursued complete global saturation? Diamond Feit, Richard Eisenbeis, and Alex Aniel team up to recount the ultimate horror entertainment of Resident Evil 5 & 6. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
18/03/24•2h 7m
597: Bowser, Part 2
Back in December, we thrilled you with the first 20 years of Bowser's history. And, given that he's nearly at the "lordy, lordy" stage of his life, we still have a few more decades to discuss. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Drew Mackie (of Gayest Episode Ever) as the crew discusses that large lizard's adventures in the 21st century.
11/03/24•1h 41m
596: Retro Game Lyrics
Nadia Oxford, Bob Mackey, and Diamond Feit revisit early examples of lyrics in game music: The Good, the Bad, and the Discordant.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/03/24•1h 42m
595: Episode 595 Preview: Modern Remakes
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 595: Modern Remakes. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
01/03/24•7m 17s
594: Ys Books I, II, & III
Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, and patron Scott Rothman wash ashore and dive into the daily bump-and-grind as they recount the origins of Nihon Falcom's Ys series.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
26/02/24•1h 51m
593: The Contra Ranking Hootenanny
Let’s argue aggressively! No, wait, that sounds unpleasant. Let’s have a lovely time nicely. Stuart Gipp, John Linneman, Thomas Nickel, and Audi Sorlie Probotect and serve up the definitive ranking of Konami’s hit run n’ gun series: Contra.
Art by Leeann Hamilton. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
19/02/24•3h 42m
591: Gaming's Cruelest Challenges
Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, Stuart Gipp, and Jess O'Brien crowd onto a therapist's couch as they work through the trauma of playing the cruelest video games ever made. From poison mushrooms to broken puzzle translations, it's PTSD all the way down.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
12/02/24•2h 9m
590: Dragon Quest: Rocket Slime & Slime Morimori
Big Stretch! Diamond Feit, Jeremy Parish, and Alex Fraioli squirm their way through Square Enix's forgotten works to remember the Slime Morimori Dragon Quest trilogy (aka Rocket Slime).
Art by Greg Melo. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
05/02/24•1h 30m
589: Episode 589 Preview: Super Mario Bros. Wonder
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 589: Super Mario Bros. Wonder. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
02/02/24•8m 15s
588: Videopac Insiders
A rarely-heard European perspective on the Odyssey2 (or Videopac) is revealed as former Philips staffers Oscar Groosman and Ton Kemmere join host Kevin Bunch to discuss their insider perspectives on marketing the console, its distribution, and its end.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
29/01/24•1h 23m
587: Sonic 3 + Knuckles Pt. 3
The gleesome threesome of Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer, and Shoogles return for even more gushing over the best game ever made. Yes, it is. It IS. Do not argue with me, I’m just a podcast description. I can say anything I want.
Edits by Greg Leahy; art by Amanda Neipris.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
22/01/24•2h 20m
586: Episode 586 Preview: Zelda II and the Action RPG
Jeremy Parish raises the Triforce of Podcasting to summon Kevin Bunch, Nadia Oxford, and WayForward's Tomm Hulett to talk about Zelda II vis-a-vis its place in the evolution of the action RPG—both its influences and the games it influenced.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts and enjoy this full episode... plus hundreds more!
19/01/24•11m 50s
585: The Years-In-Review Revue: 1994
Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, Kevin Bunch, AND Jared Petty all somehow manage to cram into a single podcast to finish up out conversation about the year 1984 before leaping through time a decade to wrangle the facts about ’94! Amazing!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
15/01/24•2h 11m
584: Contra: Operation Galuga & Toxic Crusaders
It’s clean-up time! Let’s attack aggressively! Stuart Gipp offers up twinterviews with Tomm Hulett (WayForward) about the upcoming Contra: Operation Galuga, and Sam Beddoes (Freakzone) about the also- upcoming Toxic Crusaders. Strap yourselves in!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
08/01/24•2h 21m
583: Episode 583 Preview: Gaming in the Year 2004
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 583: Gaming in the Year 2004. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
05/01/24•10m 34s
582: 1974 & ’84: The Years in Review Revue
As we move into 2024, Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, and Kevin Bunch look back in time to the years 1974 and ’84 to explore the gaming events taking place 40 and 50 ago. History! Events! Happenings! Bad jokes! It's all here, friends.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
01/01/24•1h 53m
581: Holiday Special 2023 - Pac-Man Christmas Album
The holidays are here once again, which means its time for all you listeners to take your thirteenth trip to Parts Unknown for yet another exploration of a Yuletide-related video game creation. And this time around, we're examining the Pac-Man Christmas Album: a collection of holiday songs and sketches that very little to do with Pac-Man, but everything to do with hurting. So remember who you are right now, because the following 90 minutes will change you as Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Diamond Feit thoroughly pore over this musical atrocity. Apologies in advance for ruining Christmas.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
25/12/23•1h 41m
579: Writing About Video Game History
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch have one thing in common: They've published books about video game history. In this episode, they break down the work involved in making the magic happen.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
18/12/23•1h 44m
578: Mega Man Comics
Nadia talks about Archie's late Mega Man comic series with her husband and fellow author David Oxford, as well as former series writer (and current Sonic Comic writer) Ian Flynn. Archie Megaman was gone too soon. Is there any hope for a Mega-revival?
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
11/12/23•1h 21m
577: Episode 577 Preview: Bowser
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 577: Bowser. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
08/12/23•6m 36s
576: Pitfall! [The Later Years]
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch dig in the underbrush to find the games in the Pitfall! series that its original creator had no involvement with. From the infamous Super Pitfall to the cartoon-like Pitfall: The Lost Expedition, it's all here.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/12/23•1h 37m
574: Episode 574 Preview: Pitfall! [The David Crane Years]
Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, and Stuart Gipp swing on vines and leap across a succession of crocodile heads in order to unearth the treasure that is the history of Activision's first true masterpiece: Pitfall! for 2600. And its first few sequels, too!
This is a preview of the full-length episode, available exclusively to Retronauts patrons. Head over to patreon.com/retronauts to sign up and enjoy instant access to this episode and years worth of other patron exclusives, Discord access, and weekly columns! Your support makes this show possible.
01/12/23•10m 39s
575: The Making of The Making of Karateka / Double Dragon Gaiden
Double main event! Stuart chats with Chris Kohler about The Making of Karateka, then speaks to Raymond Teo about the recent Double Dragon Gaiden.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
27/11/23•1h 30m
573: DOOM Clones
Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and David L. Craddock resurrect and re-examine the term "DOOMclone" as they recount their favorite examples of other first-person shooters from the 1990s.
Edits by Greg Leahy and art by John Pading.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
20/11/23•1h 42m
572: The Revenge of Listener Comments Catch-Up
We at Retronauts are pleased to report it's once again time for our listeners to do most of the work. Hey now; fair is fair. And since it's been a good two years since we've done one of these episodes, our fans have generated a wealth of questions and comments worthy of response. (Thanks for that.) So this week, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as the crew turns the tables on their audience—but in a nice way.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
13/11/23•1h 34m
570: Gex
It is, at last, Tail Time for Stuart Gipp and lizard-loving pals John Linneman and Thomas Nickel as they enter YOUR Media Dimension (brain and ears)!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
06/11/23•1h 27m
569: The Odyssey2
This episode of Retronauts is Voice-enhanced with sync-sound action, as Kevin Bunch, Jared Petty and Earl Green delve into the topic of Magnavox's Odyssey2! Join us for a chat about the only game console to feature keyboards, board games, AND Killer Bees!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
30/10/23•1h 45m
568: Episode 568 Preview: The Best and Worst of NES Horror
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 568: The Best and Worst of 8-Bit Horror. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
27/10/23•10m 18s
567: Night of the Living Dead
Diamond Feit, Bill Mudron, and James Eldred are coming to get YOU with this podcast all about George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead and its legacy as patient zero for modern zombie fiction.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
23/10/23•1h 55m
566: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Nadia Oxford joins Stuart Gipp and David Oxford as they talk about Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door's charm and wit. There's a reason this game is still folded tightly in the hearts of GameCube owners. Art by Amanda Neipris; edits by Greg Leahy.
This episode sponsored by Harry's. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
16/10/23•1h 17m
565: Episode 565 Preview: The Wonder of Mario
Jeremy Parish, Kevin Bunch, Stuart Gipp, and Diamond Feit marvel at the wonder of games and series like Super Mario Bros., whose popularity and influence refuses to fade many years later. What makes these works so timeless and beloved?
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and enjoy the full episode at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
13/10/23•6m 17s
564: Grim Fandango
In 1998, Tim Schafer decided to leave LucasArts on a high note with Grim Fandango: the Day of the Dead-themed adventure game that leaves pointing-and-clicking in the past—for better or worse. This one-of-a-kind experience mixes the trappings of film noir with Mexican mythology, resulting in one of the greatest gaming backdrops of all time. But after 25 years and despite the endless acclaim, it's hard to ignore the fact that Grim can't help but stumble over itself in its desire to innovate.
On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Kole Ross, and Everdraed as the crew lights their totally-safe-for-skeletons cigarettes and sinks into the moody, pulpy vibe of Grim Fandango.
And if you'd like to order Bob's Day of the Tentacle book, head on over to Boss Fight Books!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
09/10/23•1h 39m
541: Episode 541 Preview: OutRun
Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, and Jaz Rignall put the top down, crank up the car stereo, and take a thrilling cruise through the history of Sega's OutRun series. From the Super Scaler to sequels (both good and bad), we leave no route undriven!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content—including this full episode. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
08/10/23•9m 56s
See Us LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2023!
WHAT: Our "Many Adaptations of Mario" panel, live at PRGE 2023
WHERE: Panel Room 2 at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo
WHEN: Saturday, October 14th at 5:00pm
WHO: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Gary Butterfield, Henry Gilbert
Please check out the official PRGE 2023 schedule for more information! And if you happen to be in Portland, be sure to check out the Talking Simpsons Halloween Live Show with Special Guest Bill Oakley that very same night! Tickets are going fast—or perhaps they've already gone!
03/10/23•1m 33s
563: Fist of the North Star
YOU WA SHOCK! Diamond Feit, Kurt Kalata, & Brian Clark combine their strength for an overview of the manga/anime/game franchise Fist of the North Star.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
02/10/23•2h 9m
562: Episode 562 Preview: Portal
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 562: Portal. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
29/09/23•9m 41s
561: Blade Runner
Ridley Scott's 1982 cyberpunk classic came into being as a total flop, yet managed to claw its way into our collective psyches as the definitive portrayal of a dark future that would shape all sci-fi (and reality) to follow. Over the past 40 years and multiple revisions, this former cult favorite has become a respected part of the canon, but does it truly deserve its lofty status? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Kevin Bunch, and Henry Gilbert as the crew dons their snazzy raincoats to explore the very wet and very influential world of Blade Runner. Turtles will be flipped!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
25/09/23•1h 39m
560: Metroidvania's First Decade & A History Of Epoch
Another live presentation from Long Island! Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Diamond Feit, Kat Bailey, and Jared Petty mull the prehistory of the metroidvania genre. Then, Jeremy Parish and Kevin Bunch dive into the history of Epoch, the original also-ran.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
18/09/23•1h 51m
558: Disney's Illusion Games
A real Mickey Mouse operation from Stuart Gipp, John Linneman and Thomas Nickel, covering Sega’s iconic “...of Illusion” series of Disney games!
11/09/23•1h 35m
557: What's So Great About Video Game History, Anyway?
Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, Nadia Oxford, and Kevin Bunch take a moment to answer the question in the title: Why is video game history worth celebrating and preserving at all? Plus: Jeremy takes the question to a panoply of other retro gaming luminaries!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/09/23•1h 45m
556: Episode 556 Preview: Who Framed Roger Rabbit
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 556: Who Framed Roger Rabbit. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
01/09/23•8m 10s
555: Street Fighter IV
Kick! Punch! It's all in the minds of Diamond Feit, Shivam Bhatt, and John Learned as they Focus on Capcom's franchise-reviving Street Fighter IV.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
29/08/23•2h 18m
554: Valiant's Nintendo Comics
When the NES was born, so too were books based on Nintendo's characters. Nadia Oxford leads an essential conversation about the gilded age when Valiant Comics took a crack at putting Mario et al. on paper.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
21/08/23•1h 13m
553: Episode 553 Preview: Retronauts Radio Summer 2023
Jeremy Parish spins some analog tunes, sharing the highlights of recent classic game music releases including Gimmick!, Persona, Phantasy Star III, Virtua Fighter, Suikoden, and more. PLUS: Vintage tape cassettes and City Pop!
To enjoy this full episode and unlock access to YEARS of biweekly patron exclusives (and more!), check out patreon.com/retronauts!
19/08/23•17m 38s
529: Episode 529 Preview: Super Metroid and the Metroidvania
This is a preview of a patron-exclusive episode! To enjoy the full podcast, go to patreon.com/retronauts and subscribe today—you'll also unlock access to years' worth of biweekly exclusives!
Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp add Nadia Oxford to their arsenal and, now fully powered-up, backtrack to the topic of Super Metroid and its influence on the metroidvania genre (and game design in general).
15/08/23•8m 1s
552: Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh
Phantasmagoria 2! Jess O'Brien chats with two of its actors (Paul Stetler and Ragna Sigrunardottir) about this kinky and queer 1996 FMV disasterpiece.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
14/08/23•1h 36m
551: Retro Indies at BitSummit ’23
Jeremy Parish and Diamond Feit emerge blinking into the Kyoto sunlight to discuss the most intriguing, the most entertaining, and above all the most authentically retro indie games they experienced only moments before at BitSummit 2023.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
07/08/23•1h 21m
549: Video Pinball
Clang! Blong!! Flenk!!! and other pinball noises. Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit and Ralph Barbagallo (Demon’s Tilt, Xenotilt) bring their multi-balls to this fast-paced discussion of the fine sport of pinball on the television. Tilt!
31/07/23•1h 38m
548: Mortal Kombat II & 3
DUN DUN DUN…Podcast? Again? Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and author David L. Craddock return to Outworld—and the ’90s—for a bone-crunching conversation about Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3.
25/07/23•2h 44m
546: Ace Attorney, Part 2
After the initial trilogy, Ace Attorney took some find to find itself once the book was seemingly closed on Phoenix Wright. From spinoffs to crossovers to soft reboots featuring new characters, Capcom's beloved adventure game series went through some ups and downs before returning to the steady level of quality we've come to expect. On this weeks episode, join Bob Mackey, Nina Matsumoto, and Maddie Copp as the crew explores just where Ace Attorney has been in the 15 years since its first finale.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
17/07/23•1h 56m
545: Mass Effect
Captain Jeremy Parish assembles a crack team of galactic heroes (Wes Fenton and Diamond Feit) to venture into territory never before explored by Retronauts: BioWare's sci-fi role-playing classic Mass Effect. Romance options and plot branches abound!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
10/07/23•1h 59m
544: Episode 544 Preview: Game Over
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 544: Game Over. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
07/07/23•10m 10s
543: Nintendo Power Comics
We tackle the finest form of pop culture hybridization: Video game comics that showed up in Nintendo Power! Nadia, Anthony John Agnello, and Peter Malamud Smith talk about Star Fox, Super Metroid, Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Super Mario Adventures.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
03/07/23•1h 20m
542: Sonic 3 & Knuckles Pt. 2
The deepest dive ever undertaken into this prickly masterpiece continues with Stuart Gipp, Dave Bulmer, and Seumidh MacDonald.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
26/06/23•1h 55m
540: Kirby, Part 5
We've covered every Kirby platformer to date over the course of four episodes, so what territory is left to trod when it comes to Nintendo's pink puffball? If you're a Retronauts listener, it may not surprise you, but Kirby has starred in a shocking amount of games that involve more than just left-to-right traversal. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, Henry Gilbert, and patron Andrew Oliveira—who sponsored this installment—as the crew examines the many, many Kirby spin-off games. This episode is so exciting, you may have a mass attack!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
19/06/23•1h 57m
539: Minesweeper + Shareware
Book editors Jeremy Parish and Jared Petty talk to book authors Kyle Orland and Richard Moss about their books about the history of landmark computer games: "Minesweeper" by Boss Fight Books and "Shareware Heroes," respectively.
12/06/23•1h 43m
538: Episode 538 Preview: Thimbleweed Park
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 538: Thimbleweed Park. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
09/06/23•11m 23s
537: Final Fantasy ROM Hacks
Nadia Oxford talks with special guests Andrew Vestal and Steve Tramer about Final Fantasy fan games. Some are built from the ground-up, some alter the original adventure via ROM patches, and some add hours of new content to gems like Final Fantasy VI.
Edits by Greg Leahy; cover illustration by Leeann Hamilton.
05/06/23•1h 48m
536: Below the Root
Diamond Feit and Jared Petty open their shubas and set sail for the early 1980s in this look at edutainment pioneer Spinnaker Software and their adventure game adaptation of Below the Root.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
30/05/23•1h 36m
534: Fallout: New Vegas
With 2008's Fallout 3 bringing the fabled RPG series to a new generation of players who couldn't—or didn't want to—play the first two games, Bethesda had an audience poised and ready for more post-apocalyptic RPG fun. With Skyrim currently in the works, the developer turned to Obsidian Entertainment to transform an abandoned Fallout project into a fitting sequel in just 18 months. And what could have felt like a cheap cash-in ended up being the series' finest moment to date.
On this week's episode, join Bob Mackey, Gary Butterfield, and Kole Ross as the crew drinks plenty of refreshing Sunset Sarsaparilla and talks about the sprawling, somewhat messy masterpiece known as Fallout: New Vegas.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
22/05/23•1h 31m
533: The Zelda Timeline
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, and Nadia Oxford join together like a Triforce of knowledge (with a bonus piece) to explore the absolute mind-boggling inanity of The Legend of Zelda's chronology. Which timeline is canon? (And which is thirstiest?)
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
15/05/23•1h 44m
532: Episode 532 Preview: The Wizard (1989) Commentary
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 532: The Wizard (1989) Commentary. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
12/05/23•7m 48s
531: Toonstruck
Christopher Lloyd and Toons, together again! New contributing host Jess O'Brien, Cohen Edenfield, and KC Green unpack Toonstruck, the 1996 cult point-and-click that makes us wonder "Who is this for?" and "Why is it so horny?"
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
08/05/23•1h 48m
530: Atari Archive and the 2600 Launch
Jeremy Parish and Jared Petty chat with author Kevin Bunch about the launch of his book, Atari Archive Vol. I, and dig into the lessons he learned about the creation and launch of the groundbreaking VCS console.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
01/05/23•1h 33m
528: The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Mama mia! The Super Mario Bros. Movie is here, and currently dominating the box office with the biggest global opening weekend ever for an animated film. It's clearly won the popular vote at this point, but is the first new Mario movie in 30 years worth its weight in box office gold? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Jess O'Brien, and Stuart Gipp as the crew readies their thumbs to assume either the down or coveted up position. Danger: opinions ahead!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
24/04/23•1h 40m
527: South Park Games
Oh my god! They recorded a podcast about South Park! Stuart Gipp, Bob Mackey, and Henry Gilbert unite as What A Cartoon! meets Retronauts in sweary effect. All together now! Weeeelllll… Kyle's mom's a b—
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
17/04/23•1h 50m
526: Episode 526 Preview: The Many Adaptations of Mario
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 526: The Many Adaptations of Mario. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
14/04/23•9m 30s
525: Worlds of Power
Nadia talks to special guest Gary Butterfield about the Worlds of Power books that were the jewels of '80s book fairs. These short game novelizations have their quirks, but they're still teaching us a lot about education versus marketing.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
10/04/23•1h 3m
524: Sonic 3 + Knuckles, Pt. 1
Stuart Gipp begins his threatened deep dive into the Sonic the Hedgehog series, joined by stalwart hogmaniac Seumidh MacDonald and just regular maniac Dave Bulmer. You ain't ready for this.
This episode is brought to you by ExpressVPN. Visit ExpressVPN.com/retronauts to learn more!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
03/04/23•2h 21m
523: Episode 523 preview: Super Metroid + The Metroidvania, Pt. I
Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp touch down on the doomed planet Zebes to give Super Metroid a proper in-depth retrospective while looking at its place in the history of metroidvania and exploratory action game design.
The full version of this episode is exclusive to our patrons! Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
03/04/23•11m 2s
522: Kirby, Part 4
After an uneven 2000s, the Kirby series found itself in a real sweet spot during the following decade. Yes, the 2010s signaled a brand new era of Kirby, one that saw HAL returning to their beloved brand to be more hands-on at a time when the wildly popular New Super Mario Bros. made 2D platforming cool again. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, and patron Andrew Oliveira (who sponsored this episode) as the crew explores this highly fruitful time for Nintendo's spherical hero.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
27/03/23•1h 44m
521: Taito, Pt. IV
Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Brandon Sheffield do a deep dive into the amazing mid-’90s output of Japanese developer Taito, from shooters like Raystorm to role-playing adventures like Lucia. And lots of other stuff! It's an episode packed full of deep-cut classics that you will absolutely want to add to your to-play list.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
20/03/23•1h 51m
520: Episode 520 Preview: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 520: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
17/03/23•10m 30s
519: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Chapter 2
ZA WARUDO could wait no longer, so Diamond Feit, Jeremy Parish, Voidburger, and Chris Person team up again to tackle JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, this time focusing their mental energies on the franchise's official video game adaptations.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
13/03/23•1h 55m
518: Mega Man Feature Phone Games
How do you archive Japan's unique feature phone games when so many—like Capcom's many Mega Man titles—are bound to dead overseas networks? Preservationists RockmanCosmo and Naoya Shinota talk all about it.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
06/03/23•1h 30m
517: Episode 517 Preview: Great Games That Never Clicked For Us
A free-for-all outpouring as Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Henry Gilbert, and Kat Bailey confess the undisputed video game masterpieces and fan favorites that they've never enjoyed. Will they learn to love, or are they doomed to remain churls?
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/03/23•17m 2s
516: Willow
In 1988, as the Star Wars fields lay fallow, George Lucas gave us a fantasy epic he assured us he'd been dreaming up for years: Willow. This tale of magic and mystery spun the story of a humble hobb—er, Nelwyn—and his incredible journey to deliver a thing to a place in the manner of J.R.R. Tolkien. Needless to say, Willow didn't amount to the next Star Wars, and after a few video game adaptations, the book on Willow seemed forever closed... until very recently!
With the recent Disney+ series freshly behind us, there's never been a better time to look at the legacy (if any) Willow left behind. So join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Chris Baker (of Willow Talk) as they dress in their finest Renaissance Faire gear to discuss this blast from Lucas' past that's gotten a new lease on life.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
27/02/23•1h 34m
515: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Chapter 1
Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Voidburger, and Chris Person summon their Stands to talk about the history, themes, and video game connections of one of the most influential manga series of all time: Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. GO GO GO GO GO!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
20/02/23•1h 51m
514: Episode 514 Preview: Mortal Kombat (1995) Kommentary
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 514: Mortal Kombat (1995) Kommentary. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
17/02/23•10m 6s
513: Popeye
His hairline is fading, he talks about gaming, he's Stuart the podcast man! Let's dive into the mostly-forgotten world of Popeye games, once again accompanied by the hilarious and thoroughly wise Dave Bulmer.
13/02/23•1h 56m
511: Episode 511 Preview: Listener Mailbag - Winter 2023
A PREVIEW OF THE FULL PATRON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE: Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor multiple COVID scares could stay these commenters from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, and Kevin Bunch respond to YOUR mail queries and comments!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
10/02/23•13m 16s
512: Oddworld, Part 1
It's impossible to talk about Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee and its bigger, bulkier sequel Abe's Exoddus without talking about farting. Okay, that's not true, but we do talk about farting in this episode, because we want to, dammit! I, Stuart Gipp, am joined by the prestigious John Linneman of Digital Foundry, and the persuasive RJ Lake of D-Cell Games, in this first discussion of Lorne Lanning's moneyhatted magnum opus, Oddworld! It's too big a subject for just one episode, but here we get into the nitty-gritty of the first two games in the planned quadrilogy, these 2D stealth-action-atmosphere pieces that resonated with almost everybody who played them. Except for the prudes who found the act of passing gas to be either childish or abhorrent. Still! Join us as we try to rescue all the Mudokons from their terrible fate, but end up dropping them down trap doors for a laugh. Hello. Follow me. Straight into those meat saws.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
06/02/23•1h 27m
510: Sonic Frontiers
Chaos Emerald novice Diamond Feit seeks the counsel of enlightened echidna experts Stuart Gipp and Dave Bulmer to discuss the recent Sonic Frontiers and its place amongst the hyper hedgehog’s history
31/01/23•2h 15m
509: Stephen King's Influence on Games
Nadia Oxford chants the names Andrew Vestal and Shane Bettenhausen three times in reverse to summon them into an episode recording circle dedicated to exploring the influence of acclaimed horror author Stephen King on video games. We all ’cast down here…
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
23/01/23•1h 29m
508: Episode 508 Preview: Gaming in the Year 2003
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 508: Gaming in the Year 2003. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
20/01/23•7m 25s
507: A History of LGBTQ Representation in Video Games
For the LBGTQ+ community, video games have always been a way to break barriers, find community, and make friends. Nadia buddies up with her friends Len and Larch to talk about how games have influenced and shaped the LBGTQ+ community over the decades.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
16/01/23•1h 19m
506: Retro Compilations
Double feature! A ramble about retro compilations with Lewis Clark of SegaDriven.com, and an interview with Mike Mika and Chris Kohler of Digital Eclipse about their masterpiece compilation, Atari 50.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
09/01/23•2h 13m
504: Donkey Kong Country
As the console wars heated up, Nintendo needed something big that wouldn't necessarily involve investing in new hardware that could potentially wreck the company. And that "something" arrived in the form of Donkey Kong Country, a fairly simple platformer by the technical wizards at Rare that nonetheless impressed millions with its newfangled pre-rendered graphics. This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, and Henry Gilbert as the crew works up a mighty hunger for bananas and discusses the finer points of those damn, dirty apes.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
02/01/23•2h 1m
503: The Years in Review Revue - 1983 & ’93
Jeremy Parish, Jared Petty, Benj Edwards, and Kevin Bunch continue their conversation from four episodes ago, wrapping up the highlights of 1983 before diving into the best and most earthshaking games and events of 1993.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
26/12/22•1h 57m
502: Episode 502 Preview: Holiday Special 2022 - Home Alone
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 502: Holiday Special 2022 - Home Alone. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
23/12/22•8m 52s
501: Retronauts Episode 501: Cho Aniki
It's raining men (and mechs and bombs and protein) on the podcast this week as host Diamond Feit welcomes Retro Pals Danny & Alex to recap a one-of-a-kind franchise, Cho Aniki.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
19/12/22•1h 29m
500: Retronauts Host Roundtable
Here's a shocking fact for you: Since we started this crazy ride back in 2013, we've released 500 full-length podcasts. (And a whole bunch of other stuff on top of that.) It's been quite a wild ride since we started our independent run, and we've had our share of ups, downs, and global pandemics over the last near decade. So instead of turning the spotlight on a video game topic, on this very special episode, it's time to learn a little something about... ourselves. Now take a seat with Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Diamond Feit, and Nadia Oxford as we discuss the past, present, and future of the little retro gaming podcast that simply can't be stopped.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
12/12/22•1h 59m
499: Episode 499 Preview: The Years in Review Revue - 1973 & ’83
Three is the magic number! So say this week's four ’casters: Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Kevin Bunch, and Jared Petty get ready for 2023 by traveling 40 and 50 years into the past to discuss the biggest gaming events of 1973 & ’83! Stay tuned for ’93...
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and listen to the full episode at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
09/12/22•5m 59s
498: Taito, Pt. III
Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Brandon Sheffield reconvene for what was meant to be the third and final chapter of our Taito deep dive but ends up being a middle chapter, if that. It's not our fault! 1989-91 were crackin' years for Taito. Be sure to check out episodes 451 and 463 to bring yourself up to speed with this ever-growing epic of a conversation!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
05/12/22•2h 13m
497: The Metal Gear Ranking Hootenanny
Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, and Shane Bettenhausen connect via Codec to debate the ultimate truth of the entire Metal Gear saga: Which Metal Gear was best? Spanning the full history of the franchise, the canonical answer lies within!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
28/11/22•2h 5m
496: Retronauts Episode 496 Preview: Wii U
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 496: Wii U. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
25/11/22•9m 40s
495: The Lemmings Series
Join Stuart Gipp and master of remembering Dave Bulmer as they cling to their respective parasols and float down the Lemmings gameography, taking in classics, missteps, and weird choices that pay off.
21/11/22•1h 41m
494: The Resident Evil Ranking Hootenanny
Wow, what a hootenanny! Host Diamond Feit recruits Stuart Gipp and SuperGreatFriend to enter the world of survival horror and rank every canonical game in the Resident Evil series.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
14/11/22•2h 29m
493: Dragons in Games & Sega's 8-Bit Journey preview
Coming to you live (or formerly live) once again! Nadia Oxford kicks things off at Retro World Expo with a look at the grandest dragons in video game history, and Jeremy Parish follows up with a look into Sega's forgotten 8-bit arcade history in Portland.
Enjoy this preview, then listen to the whole thing by subscribing at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts! Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content.
12/11/22•6m 23s
492: Retronauts Episode 492: Star Fox, Part Two
Throughout the '90s, Star Fox transitioned from technical showpiece to extremely reliable rail shooter; but in the following decade, Fox McCloud and the gang didn't fare nearly as well. The 2000s saw the Star Fox brand transform into a sandbox for gameplay ideas, with each attempt disappointing players still chasing the high of Star Fox 64. Then, the series went into hibernation for a decade, only to emerge when the Wii U desperately needed a hit. Still, one question remains: are these various tamperings with the Star Fox formula really all that bad?
On the finale of this two-part series, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Diamond Feit, and Kat Bailey as the crew barrel rolls into the back half of the Star Fox library to explore the lower moments of Nintendo's most tortured IP.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
07/11/22•1h 52m
491: Blaster Master
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Todd Ciolek talk about BMs. But no! This is not a scatological episode. Well, no more than usual, anyway. These BMs are Blaster Masters, the frog-savin' franchise that Sunsoft kicked off back in 1988 on NES.
Edits by Greg Leahy; cover art by Greg Melo.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
31/10/22•1h 46m
490: Retronauts Episode 490 Preview: Star Fox, Part One
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 490: Star Fox, Part One. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
28/10/22•10m 25s
489: Inside Star Control with Pistol Shrimp
Nadia Oxford, Shivam Bhatt, and Scott Sharkey are joined by legendary developers Paul Riche and Fred Ford in a discussion about Star Control. What makes this RPG-adventure pioneer so compelling and popular? What comes next for the Ur-Quan Masters?
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
24/10/22•1h 40m
488: Retronauts Episode 488: Jak & Daxter
Join Stuart Gipp with guests John Linneman and Thomas Nickel for a hop, skip, and headshot through this fantasy future world. Jak's gonna kill Praxis, and we here at Retronauts are gonna kill praxis.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
17/10/22•2h 6m
487: Retronauts Episode 487: Misunderstood Games preview
Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, Jared Petty, and Joe Modzeleski collectively make amends to all the great games that we and many others failed to appreciate. They were good games! We were simply bad players, because we didn't understand them in their day.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
14/10/22•7m 21s
486: Retronauts Episode 486: Return to Monkey Island
It's been 11 years since the last proper Monkey Island entry, and more than three decades since series creator Ron Gilbert left Guybrush and company in the hands of others. So it goes without saying fans were more than delighted when mid-2022 saw the announcement of Return to Monkey Island, a proper sequel to 1991's Monkey Island 2—and one that somehow doesn't discount all the installments made in between. And now it's here! On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto as they set sail for yet another Monkey Island journey; but this time, it's to formerly uncharted waters.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
10/10/22•2h 4m
Come See Us LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2022!
What: Our "History of Food Mascot Games" panel, live at PRGE 2022
When: Saturday, October 15th at 11:00 AM
Where: Auditorium A (E141-E144)
Who: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Gary Butterfield
Please check out the official PRGE 2022 schedule for more information!
08/10/22•40s
485: Final Fantasy IV - The After Years
Oh no! Final Fantasy IV: The After Years! Square Enix's belated sequel isn't exactly well-loved, but it casts a weird spell over anyone who has the patience for it. Nadia, Victor Hunter, and Ash Paulsen talk about its weaknesses... and its strengths?!
Edits by Greg Leahy. Cover by Nick Wanserski.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
03/10/22•1h 54m
484: Retronauts Episode 484 Preview: Live from PAX West 2022
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 478: Live from PAX West 2022. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
30/09/22•5m 20s
483: Retronauts Episode 483: The Warriors
197!
Boppers of the world, unite! Diamond Feit, James Eldred, Diana Goodman, and Mikel Reparaz gang up to talk about The Warriors, the landmark 1979 Walter Hill film and the video game(s) based upon it.
26/09/22•1h 44m
482: Retronauts Episode 482: Retronauts Radio Summer 2022
Jeremy Parish spins up the ol' turntable and activates Public Radio DJ mode to look at some of the best new old game music releases for 2022, including Metal Gear, Mega Man, Scott Pilgrim, Bomberman, Breath of Fire, Darius… and even some non-game tunes. Cover art by Amanda Pruitt.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
19/09/22•1h 47m
481: Retronauts Episode 481: The Localization Gap & Sega SG-1000 preview
Live from the East Coast! First, Jeremy Parish and Nadia Oxford explore the different game experiences ’80s kids had growing up in the U.S. vs. Japan. Then, Jeremy flies solo to relay his findings from a year-long trip through Sega's SG-1000 library.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
17/09/22•5m 29s
480: Retronauts Episode 480: Breakout
Jeremy Parish and Kevin Bunch spin back into the 1970s to talk about one of gaming's most important and influential foundational works and where it fits into the grand scheme of the medium's evolution: Atari's Breakout.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
12/09/22•1h 38m
479: Retronauts Episode 479: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is finally here, meaning we now have the chance to officially play over a dozen TMNT games from the eight and 16-bit era—most of which never saw a re-release! But how did this compilation come together, and what are the specific quirks of the many, many turtle-based games it contains? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Digital Eclipse's Chris Kohler for an inside look at how the ooze is made.
This episode is sponsored by Konami, who provided us with pre-release copies of TMNT: The Cowabunga collection.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
05/09/22•1h 33m
Retronauts Episode 478 Preview: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 478: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
02/09/22•8m 22s
477: Retronauts Episode 477: Back 2 School
It’s about time to go back to school with stern taskmaster Stuart Gipp and mischievous but likeable head boy, Dave Bulmer, as they explore the ridiculously esoteric world of edu-tainment software.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
29/08/22•1h 43m
476: Retronauts Episode 476: Darkstalkers
Recorded under the light of a full moon and surrounded by hordes of otherworldly creatures, Diamond Feit and Ant from GamingHell.co.uk brave the night to celebrate the DarkStalkers series.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
22/08/22•1h 59m
475: Retronauts Episode 475: Jumping Flash! and Exact preview
By patron request: Jeremy Parish, Todd Ciolek, and patron Scott Rothman triple-jump into history, their eyes unerringly fixed upon their collective destination: The history of Jumping Flash! creators Exact, from Geograph Seal to Ghost in the Shell.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
20/08/22•6m 47s
Come See Us LIVE at PAX West 2022!
What: Our "Video Games Based on TV Shows" panel, live at PAX West 2022
When: Sun, Sep 4, 2022 at 2:00 PM
Where: Sphinx Theatre (Sheraton, Level 3)
Who: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Mike Drucker
Please check out the official PAX West 2022 schedule for more information!
20/08/22•46s
Retronauts Episode 474: Evil Dead 2
The '00s Spider-Man movies might have put Sam Raimi on the map for most filmgoers, but the previous 20 years saw him experimenting in just about every genre. And most Raimi fans agree his greatest work to date is Evil Dead 2, an unexpected horror/comedy that—over the past 35 years—went from underground sensation to the most re-released film in the history of physical media. This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and We Hate Movies' Steven Sajdak as the crew examines this incredibly unique and innovative movie that went on to inspire countless video games. You'll never look at chainsaws the same way again!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
15/08/22•1h 33m
473: Retronauts Episode 473: Star Wars Episode I
A Retronauts crew from far, far away (Retronauts East) gets together to revisit the topic of Star Wars for first time since a long time ago (99 episodes ago!) to talk about the first prequel—1999's The Phantom Menace—and its impact on pop culture. You would not believe Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin's collective midichlorian count!
Edits by Greg Leahy, art by Shaan Khan.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
08/08/22•1h 49m
Retronauts Episode 472 Preview: Street Fighter: The Movie Commentary
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 472: Street Fighter: The Movie Commentary. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
05/08/22•9m 23s
471: Retronauts Episode 471: Star Control
By the fetid breath of Dogar and Kazon! Nadia Oxford, Shivam Bhatt, and Scott Sharkey have traveled to this insignificant quadrant of the galaxy to evangelize about two games that changed space adventure games forever: Star Control I & II.
Cover art by John Pading. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
01/08/22•1h 26m
Retronauts Episode 470: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Shredder's Revenge
Two halves of the same shell, as Stuart Gipp speaks to Limited Run's Joe Modzeleski about TMNT: Shredder's Revenge. Afterwards, an interview with the game's lead designer Frédéric Gémus! Turtle power!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
25/07/22•1h 35m
Retronauts Episode 469: The Zelda 2D Ranking Hootenanny preview
The Triforce of Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Diamond Feit Courageously commune to share their deep Wisdom of the 2D-style Legend of Zelda games by ranking a dozen games according to the Power of their design and appeal. Which Zelda reigns eternally?!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
24/07/22•6m 38s
Retronauts Episode 468: Text Adventures
Text adventures: what are they, and where did they hide all the graphics? Until now, these questions have gone unanswered. But this week, we'll be looking at the world of games that existed before any kind of mandatory visual component—and continue to exist to this very day. And we have a real expert on hand: Aaron Reed, author of the upcoming comprehensive text adventure respective, 50 Years of Text Games: From Oregon Trail to A.I. Dungeon. So listen in as host Bob Mackey helps steer the Retronauts podcast ship through these formerly uncharted waters. (By us, anyway.)
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
18/07/22•1h 24m
Retronauts Episode 467: Boktai
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Shane Bettenhausen emerge from their caves, blinking and frightened, to face the ferocious fury of the sun as they lift their GBA solar sensors skyward and discuss the Metal Gear offshoot that gave nerds suntans: Boktai.
Edits by Greg Leahy. Art by John Pading.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
11/07/22•1h 23m
Retronauts Episode 466 Preview: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 466: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
08/07/22•11m 42s
Retronauts Episode 465: Metal Slug
MISSION START! By patron request, three brave soldiers (Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and arcade expert Lord BBH) battle their way through the history of the NEO GEO's premier run-and-gun series, METAL SLUG. Cover art by Shaan Khan, edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/07/22•2h 18m
Retronauts Episode 464: Mega Man Zero
The early aughts were all about 3D games on consoles, but the humble 2D platformer didn't vanish: it merely migrated, and 2002 gave us Mega Man Zero. Stuart Gipp and Brian "Protodude" Austrian dissect this action classic and lament its bananas difficulty.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
28/06/22•1h 24m
Retronauts Episode 463 Preview: Taito, Pt. II
Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Brandon Sheffield explore the second era of Taito's history: The late 1980s. From arcade all-timers like Bubble Bobble and Arkanoid to a major push to home consoles, it's two hours of wall-to-wall classics!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and enjoy this full episode (and 100+ others) at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts!
25/06/22•6m 16s
Retronauts Episode 462: Kirby, Part 3
After taking off during the go-go '90s, Kirby had a bit of an identity crisis in the 2000s. With HAL hard at work on the resource-intensive Smash Bros. games, they barely had time to work on their once-signature series, outside of a few remakes—leaving them with no choice but to leave their pink puffball in the hands of other developers. And all of this was happening as Kirby's hit 100-episode anime hit the airwaves! So what did this terrible decade have in store for HAL's famous food monster? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Stuart Gipp, Kallie Plagge, and patron Andrew Oliveira (who generously sponsored this episode) as the crew continues their Kirby journey.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
20/06/22•1h 29m
Retronauts Episode 461: LIVE ~ The Games That Shaped Japan / Documenting Video Game History
Live from MGC! Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Kevin Bunch, and Brian Clark explore the 8-bit games that shaped Japanese design tastes. Plus: Kelsey Lewin and Norman Caruso share their thoughts on documenting the history of games.
Recorded by Jason Gares. Art by John Pading. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
13/06/22•1h 38m
Retronauts Episode 460 Preview: Beavis and Butt-Head Games
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 460: Beavis and Butt-Head 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
10/06/22•7m 54s
Retronauts Episode 459: Sonic the Hedgehog Comics
You know Sonic from his video games, but did you know he has also appeared in the most debased medium known to mankind: Comic books? In the interest of science, Stuart Gipp assembles a crack team of Sonic comic experts (Bobby Schroeder and Dave Bulmer).
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
06/06/22•2h 21m
Retronauts Episode 458: Street Fighter III
We awaited your return, warrior! Continuing our series on Capcom's famous fighting franchise, Diamond Feit, Shivam Bhatt, and John Learned parry an innumerable amount of blows in order to cover the entire saga that is Street Fighter III.
Art by Greg Melo. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
30/05/22•2h 38m
Retronauts Episode 457: Mini Console Madness Preview
Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Kevin Bunch, and Brian Clark shrink to visit an arcade for ants and discuss the highs, lows, and history of the mini-console trend: From the early days of Jakks Pacific to the NES Classic to the teensy Game Gear Micro.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
28/05/22•4m 25s
Retronauts Episode 456: Kirby, Part 2
Thanks to the generous patronage of Andrew Oliveira, we're continuing our Kirby journey right where we left off in episode 401. This time around, we see the passing of the torch, as series creator Masahiro Sakurai completes his Kirby trilogy and begins working on the Smash Bros. series for the rest of his natural life. The next iteration of Kirby may be a little slower and puzzle-based, but it brings to an end an era of HAL-crafted games before the developer puts the series on the back burner for nearly a decade. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, Stuart Gipp, and Andrew Olivera as the crew continues their examination of a series that's closer to an EGOT than ever before!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
23/05/22•1h 43m
Retronauts Episode 455: Bad Games We Love
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Jared Petty, and Kat Bailey look deep inside their hearts and find that there is indeed room enough for love, even for crummy games that don't deserve it. This week, we discuss the lousy ol' games we love despite themselves.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
16/05/22•2h 6m
Retronauts Episode 454 Preview: Jurassic Park Games
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 454: Jurassic Park 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
13/05/22•8m 18s
Retronauts Episode 453: Fan Fiction
Fanfiction has long been associated with theft, creative bankruptcy, poor writing, and Cloud and Sephiroth from Final Fantasy 7 entangled in a forever-embrace. Join Nadia Oxford and authors Laura Mauro and Sarah Blair as they explain its benefits, too.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
09/05/22•1h 10m
Retronauts Episode 452: The Amiga
Stuart Gipp and Dave Bulmer unite to discuss that most esoteric and exciting of computers, the Amiga. History is revealed, many excellent and emotionally powerful games are discussed, and Gilbert Gottfried sadly passes away—almost derailing the podcast.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
02/05/22•2h 19m
Retronauts Episode 451: Taito, Pt. I Preview
Jeremy Parish "chacks'n" with Brandon Sheffield and Ray Barnholt on the "front lines" of history to learn more about how Taito "invaded" gaming's "space" back in the late 1970s and early ’80s, with "action" that "elevates" our discourse to new levels.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content—include this full episode (and hundreds more). Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
30/04/22•9m 8s
Retronauts Episode 450: Super Mario Bros. (The 1993 Movie)
In 1993, Hollywood did the seemingly impossible by releasing the first true video game adaptation: Super Mario Bros. And to put it simply, things didn't exactly go as planned. Thanks to studio meddling, fired directors, injured actors, and compromised visions, Super Mario Bros. lurched into theaters in May of 1993, and quickly retreated in shame when the general public didn't know what to make of it. But are there hidden gems lurking underneath this film's fungus-covered exterior? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Ryan Hoss and Steven Applebaum of Super Mario Bros. The Movie Archive as the crew explores this fascinating mess of a motion picture. Listen in, and learn to embrace mustache-free Luigi!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
25/04/22•1h 38m
Retronauts Episode 449: 3DS and Wii U Deathbed Recommendations
Jeremy Parish, Chris Kohler, and Tiny Cartridge's Eric Caoili circle like vultures over the warm corpses of Nintendo's last-generation systems, Wii U and 3D, sharing their recommendations for the games everyone should snag before their eShops die as well.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
18/04/22•1h 45m
Retronauts Episode 448 Preview: Super Mario Bros. (The 1993 Movie) Commentary
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 448: Super Mario Bros. (The 1993 Movie) Commentary. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
15/04/22•9m 27s
Retronauts Episode 447: Mortal Kombat
Wanna feel mortal? Midway's infamous blood-soaked fighting game turns 30 this year, so Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and author David L. Craddock crank the techno and tell tales of Mortal Kombat.
Edits this week by Greg Leahy; cover art by Nick Wanserski.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
11/04/22•2h 10m
Retronauts Episode 446: Secret of Evermore
Nadia Oxford time-skips through the history of gaming with Jeremy Parish, Jared Petty, and Ash Paulsen to discuss one of Squaresoft's most curious experiments: Secret of Evermore, their attempt to create a game in America, by Americans, for Americans.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/04/22•1h 30m
Retronauts Episode 445: The Mario 2D Ranking Hootenanny preview
Diamond Feit, Nadia Oxford, and Stuart Gipp band together to debate the relative merits of Mario games (the 2D ones, that is) with former professional game-ranker and universally reviled Mario-opinion heretic Jeremy Parish.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
02/04/22•5m 9s
Retronauts Episode 444: Advance Wars
Unfortunately, Nintendo just delayed Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp indefinitely due to real-life circumstances. But this week, in the spirit of American sticktoitiveness (and because we didn't want to change the schedule), we're looking back at Intelligent Systems' surprisingly long-lived turn-based war strategy series. Over the course of 20 years, Advance Wars boiled down the incredibly complex design of PC war strategy games into a colorful, console-friendly experience that could still be surprisingly difficult. So join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Daniel as the crew looks back at the lighter side of inhumanity.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 50+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
28/03/22•1h 59m
Retronauts Episode 443: Years in Review Revue - 1982 & ’92
The Retronauts East team finally finishes what they started at the beginning of the year by talking about the rest of 1982's gaming milestones before moving ahead a decade and very nearly not finishing a discussion of 1992. Like you're SO surprised. Edits by Greg Leahy, and cover art by John Pading.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
21/03/22•1h 55m
Retronauts Episode 442 Preview: Jurassic Park
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 442: Jurassic Park. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
18/03/22•11m 48s
Retronauts Episode 441: Dizzy
The time for yolking is over. Or, more accurately, has just begun. Stuart Gipp and Dave Bulmer reconvene to discuss the immortal Dizzy series.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
14/03/22•2h 40m
Retronauts Episode 440: Resident Evil vs. Resident Evil vs. Resident Evil
Diamond Feit, Stuart Gipp, and Alex Fraioli break out the ink ribbons and travel back to 1998 to investigate bizarre murders outside Raccoon City in this episode about Resident Evil (1996, 2002, and 2002 again)
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
07/03/22•1h 46m
Retronauts Episode 439: Q*Bert (With Warren Davis) preview
Jeremy Parish and Kevin Bunch of Atari Archive unleash a cascade of questions to bounce down an isometric pyramid of conversation as they chat with developer Warren Davis about the making of his iconic arcade mascot character action game, Q*Bert.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and listen to the full episode at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/03/22•4m 34s
Retronauts Episode 438: X-Men Games
Despite existing for nearly 30 years beforehand, it took until nearly the '90s for the X-Men to find their way into video games. And it should come as no surprise that the IP's Renaissance during that decade coincided with some of the most notable games to ever feature Professor X's collection of special youngsters. (Though the aughts blessed us with a few worth talking about as well.) On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Gary Butterfield as the crew examines the most entertaining adaptations of this group of super-powered freaks who just might be an allegory for something.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
28/02/22•1h 50m
Retronauts Episode 437: High-Fidelity Classic Gaming Redux
Jeremy Parish, Joe Modzeleski of Limited Run Games, and Porkchop Express of MisterAddOns.com revisit a topic from long ago (episode 62!): The many evolving options for experiencing classic games in top quality. The play field keeps changing...
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
21/02/22•1h 39m
Retronauts Episode Episode 436 Preview: GameCube - Game Boy Advance Link Cable Games
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 436: GameCube - Game Boy Advance Link Cable 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
18/02/22•6m 45s
Retronauts Episode 435: Street Fighter Alpha
It's a dramatic battle of conversation as Diamond Feit squares off against Jeremy Parish and Brandon Sheffield to look back at the time Street Fighter counted from II to Zero with 1995's slick (and literally anime-influenced!) Street Fighter Alpha. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
14/02/22•1h 39m
Retronauts Episode 434: Squaresoft on PS1 - Beyond RPGs
Noted ancients Nadia Oxford, Jeremy Parish, and Andrew Vestal recall the many non-RPG titles Square Enix (as the trimmer, bolder Squaresoft) piled onto the 32-bit PlayStation. Fighters! Racers! Bird stuff! God bless the podcast. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
07/02/22•1h 35m
Retronauts Episode 433: Pokémon Generation 1, Pt. 1 preview
Jeremy Parish wanders into the tall grass and randomly encounters Kat Bailey, Shivam Bhatt, and Casey DeFrietas for the first episode of a deep dive into Generation 1 of Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon series. Be sure to catch (listen to) 'em all!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
04/02/22•5m 31s
Retronauts Episode 432: Escape from New York
At the dawn of the '80s, director John Carpenter released Escape from New York, an action thriller that went on to be a modest hit. Sometime after this, and halfway around the globe, a man named Hideo Kojima saw this movie, and it lit his brain on fire. What do these two seemingly unrelated facts have to do with each other? Well, if you even touched the Metal Gear video game series, you may have some idea. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Cabin from We Hate Movies as the crew examines this fantastic action flick and its massive influence on video games. Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get two full-length exclusive episodes every month, as well as access to 100+ previous bonus episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
31/01/22•1h 48m
431: Retronauts Episode 431: Retrogaming in Print
Jeremy Parish chats with retrogaming book authors Richard Moss (The Secret History of Macintosh Gaming) and Evan Amos (The Game Console 2.0) about the processes, predicaments, and perils of producing print publications about classic gaming topics. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
24/01/22•1h 22m
Retronauts Episode 430 Preview: Twin Peaks
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 430: Twin Peaks. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
Cover art by Nina Matsumoto.
21/01/22•9m 6s
Retronauts Episode 429: Zool
What is a Zool? Why is there so much fruit? And why do you tilt "up" to jump? All these questions and more answered in a double-feature podcast featuring a chat with Dave Bulmer and a backup interview with the Zool ReDimensioned team!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
17/01/22•2h 10m
Retronauts Episode 428: 1080 Snowboarding & Vitei with Giles Goddard
Senior Japan correspondent Diamond Feit goes inside Vitei in Kyoto to speak to studio founder Giles Goddard and Chuhai Labs producer Mark Lentz about 1080 Snowboarding, Giles' history with Nintendo, and indie game development.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
09/01/22•1h 16m
Retronauts Episode 427: PlayStation Vita preview
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Sandeep Rai celebrate 10 years of Sony getting a life. Because that's what Vita means: Life. The history and highs (OK, and lows) of one of the greatest pieces of handheld video game hardware ever. Truly a touching episode.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
07/01/22•8m 19s
Retronauts Episode 426: Gaming in the Year 2002
Let's be honest: things weren't too hot in the year 2002. In between two pointless wars, and in the midst of a huge economic downturn, Americans couldn't even turn to their friend the television for comfort—this was the explosion of reality TV, after all. But in the midst of all this chaos and depression, the video games were pretty dang good! This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Kat Bailey as the crew peers back into the not-too-distant past to see what 2002 meant for gaming.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
03/01/22•1h 42m
Retronauts Episode 425: Years in Review Revue - 1972 & ’82
Jeremy Parish, Ben Elgin, Jared Petty, and Benj Edwards greet 2022 by looking back to the major events of gaming 40 and 50 years ago. (Naturally, this episode only covers about half the planned content as we dive deep into the medium's pivotal events.)
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
27/12/21•1h 38m
Retronauts Episode 424 Preview: Holiday Special 2021 - Totally Pokemon
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 424 Preview: Holiday Special 2021 - Totally Pokemon. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
24/12/21•7m 5s
Retronauts Episode 423: Street Fighter II - Beyond the Game
When is a game not just a game? Continuing our series on the fighting game franchise that changed the world, host Diamond Feit and returning guests Shivam Bhatt & Matt McMuscles explore the world of Street Fighter II-related media.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
20/12/21•1h 35m
Retronauts Episode 422: Radiant Historia
Like dust in the wind, Nadia Oxford leads Jeremy Parish, Anthony John Agnello, and topic-requesting patron Lorenzo Hulzebos across the sands of time to explore (and re-explore) Atlus' cult-classic time-travel RPG, Radiant History. Art by John Pading; edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
13/12/21•1h 42m
Retronauts Episode 421: Golgo 13 preview
Jeremy Parish places a secret message in the classifieds to summon conversational assassins Diamond Feit and Matt Alt to discuss the legacy, history, and video games of the perfect machine of snipe: Golgo-13. Don't stand behind him!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
11/12/21•8m 44s
Retronauts Episode 420: Retronauts 15th Anniversary Mailbag
Can you believe it? Our little podcast has now been around for 15 years! (That's the crystal anniversary for all of you out shopping for gifts.) So instead of reflecting on classic games this week, we've decided to do some self-reflection by talking about where we've been, where we are, and where we're going on this wacky rollercoaster ride we call "podcasting." And, in the back of half of this episode, we respond to your questions and comments about 15 years of Retronauts. Thanks again for all your support, and here's to 15 more!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
06/12/21•1h 40m
Retronauts Episode 419: Pikmin
Henry Gilbert, Bryan Auer, and Wesley Fenlon heed the call of Jeremy Parish's whistle and race to gather as much information about Nintendo's Pikmin franchise as possible, then return it to the Onion before sunset. Edits: Greg Leahy; artwork: Shaan Khan.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
29/11/21•1h 34m
Retronauts Episode 418 Preview: Batman: The Animated Series Games
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 418: Batman: The Animated Series 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
26/11/21•8m 56s
Retronauts Episode 417: Halo - Combat Evolved
Stuart Gipp, Jeremy Parish, and John Linneman of Digital Foundry crash-land on the bizarre structure known as the 20th anniversary of Bungie's Halo: Combat Evolved and immediately set about blowing things to smithereens. Art: Shaan Khan; edits: Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts!
22/11/21•1h 56m
Retronauts Episode 416: The Xbox Launch and Legacy
Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, Ray Barnholt, and Stuart Gipp turn back the hands of time two decades once again, this time with a too-huge-to-hold-comfortably episode commemorating Microsoft's entrance into the first-party realm with Xbox.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
15/11/21•1h 41m
Retronauts Episode 415: Metal Gear Solid 2 preview
Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, Aaron Littleton, and John Hurst gather together in a top-secret offshore oil reclamation facility to investigate the secrets, the history, and the alarmingly prescient plot twists of Hideo Kojima's divisive masterpiece.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more (and enjoy the full episode) at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
13/11/21•6m 27s
Retronauts Episode 414: The Addams Family Games
Video games were but the fevered dream of a madman when Charles Addams invented his creepy, kooky cartoon family 85 years ago, but in the futuristic year of 2021, Gomez and his clan of freaks have quite the collection of interactive adaptations under their belts—most of them designed to make children as miserable as Wednesday herself. On this episode of Retronauts, celebrate Halloween as Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Todd Ciolek dive deep into the surprisingly rich and unsurprisingly gloomy world of Addams Family video games. You'll never realize you craved a Dan Hedaya-based platformer until now!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
08/11/21•1h 51m
Retronauts Episode 413: Green Mario Gaiden
Having explored the legacies and games of the rest of the primary Super Mario franchise cast, Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Stuart Gipp gather together to wrap it up by talking about, uhh, that one guy. The green one. Whatshisname.
Edits by Greg Leahy; art by Amanda Pruitt.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
01/11/21•1h 39m
Retronauts Episode 412 Preview: Dark Souls
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 412: Dark Souls. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
29/10/21•8m 25s
Retronauts Episode 411: Skyrim
10 years ago, Bethesda's open-world role-playing adventure Skyrim took the world by storm. A winter storm. Because… winter is coming? Anyway, Jeremy Parish, Jeff Green, Kat Bailey, and Ray Barnholt look back at a decade of never completing the main storyline.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
Art by Nick Wanserski; edits by Greg Leahy.
25/10/21•1h 38m
Retronauts Episode 410: Castlevania Ranking Hootenanny
Show regular Nadia Oxford power-ups to co-host status to challenge Jeremy Parish and Kurt Kalata to a battle of wits (or at least opinions) about the Castlevania series: Which games are best, which are worst, and why are our rankings objectively correct?
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
18/10/21•2h 4m
Retronauts Episode 409: Game Manuals preview
By request of patron Jeff Vlasek, Jeremy Parish gathers together with Frank Cifaldi, Jason Wilson, and Nadia Oxford to discuss the mysteries and magic of game manuals. They're a lost art! But are we better off that way?! Cover art: Step Sybydlo.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
16/10/21•8m 50s
Retronauts Episode 408: Tales of Series
When the plucky developer Wolf Team set out to make a Super Famicom RPG on a grand scale in the mid-90s, the resulting production nearly destroyed the group, but resulted in Tales of Phantasia. Now, nearly 26 years later, the Tales of series stands as one of the few b-tier RPG brands from the 90s that's still going strong with regular installments, while the Star Oceans and Wild Armses of the world have fallen by the wayside. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Victor Hunter, and Destructoid's Eric Van Allen as the crew discusses just where the Tales of series has been over the past quarter-century.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
11/10/21•1h 44m
Retronauts Episode 407: LEGO Games
Stuart Gipp makes his hosting debut as he intrepidly leads the charge to discuss the history of LEGO games with Jeremy Parish and Jeff Vlasek (by patron request!). This episode is guaranteed to be more enjoyable than stepping on a LEGO brick in the dark!
04/10/21•1h 34m
Retronauts Episode 406 Preview: Crazy 'Bout Chocobos
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 406: Crazy 'Bout Chocobos. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
01/10/21•5m 27s
Retronauts Episode 405: Grand Theft Auto III
This Week in Retro host Diamond Feit carjacks the main mic from Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey this week to steer the crew into a wild and possibly illegal look back at the first truly pivotal game of the 21st century: Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto III.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
27/09/21•1h 29m
Retronauts Episode 404: Gravity Rush & Replicade
Todd Ciolek and patron Bill Nielsen join Jeremy Parish to tackle a request to slip loose the surly bonds of Earth and explore Sony's Vita masterpiece Gravity Rush. Also, New Wave Toy's Shilo Prychak recounts the history of the Replicade mini-arcade line.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
20/09/21•2h 6m
Retronauts Episode 403 Preview: The Metroid Legacy
Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, Shivam Bhatt, and Shane Bettenhausen convene to celebrate Metroid's 35th anniversary AND the finale (?) of the series with Metroid Dread by looking back at all that Samus Aran brought to gaming. Turns out it's a lot!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more, and hear the full-length version of this episode, at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
17/09/21•6m 20s
Retronauts Episode 402: Kid Icarus
35 years ago, a tiny team at Nintendo R&D1 crunched their way through a the development of a weird little game called Kid Icarus: a quirky, slightly alienating action-RPG starring a chubby angel who can't stop falling through platforms. Despite the lead character's prevalence in marketing from the early NES days, and his role in the classic Captain N cartoon, Nintendo barely seemed interested in touching this IP ever again, and let it lay dormant after a farmed-out 1991 Game Boy sequel. Then, 20 years passed, and along came Kid Icarus Uprising: a reboot known more for giving players tendonitis than it is for being a faithful, well-crafted revival of a classic series.
So what's the deal with Kid Icarus, and is it doomed to once again sit untouched for decades? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Ray Barnholt as they examine the Kid Icarus trilogy to determine which of its qualities should rise to the heavens, and which should be cast into the Underworld. Secrets of the Eggplant Wizard will be revealed!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
13/09/21•1h 41m
Retronauts Episode 401: Kirby, Pt. 1
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and Henry Gilbert join forces with patron Andrew Olivera to handle a topic request: The Kirby games. It's kind of a big topic! Unlike Kirby, you could say we bit off more than we could chew... swallow... whatever.
06/09/21•1h 39m
Retronauts Episode 400 Preview: Garfield Games
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 400: Garfield 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
03/09/21•8m 4s
Retronauts Episode 399: Formative Gaming Experiences
The Retronauts East crew gets together again for the first (and last?!) time since last year's lockdown to talk about the only topic that truly matters: The games that got us hooked on the hobby. It's a little bit about history, and a lot about love.
Edits by Greg Leahy; art by John Pading.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
30/08/21•1h 32m
Retronauts Episode 398: The Super NES Launch
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Chris Kohler, and Stephan Reese muster all their Nintendo knowledge and an alarming amount of fuzzy nostalgia to talk about the 30th anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment System launch and the console's early days.
Art by Greg Melo; edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
23/08/21•1h 40m
Retronauts Episode 397: Wario Land 4 and Shake It! Preview
Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, Ray Barnholt, and Stuart Gipp waaaaaaind down their in-depth survey of the Wario Land series with this look at the frog-bombin', level-escapin' entries on GBA and Wii, and everyone agrees: We waaaaaant more!
21/08/21•6m 50s
Retronauts Episode 396: Battletoads
When Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles struck gold at the start of the '90s, everyone wanted the piece of the action. That included British developer Rare, who created a similar group of green heroes to capitalize on Turtlemania: the Battletoads. Though it's mostly remembered for a singular stage within the first game, and only lasted a few short years, the Battletoads series attracted enough nostalgia to receive a brand-new release 26 years after the last one. But is there any appeal for this IP outside of sheer irony? On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Matt McMuscles, and Stuart Gipp as the crew clings to their speeder bikes and zooms through a history of Battletoads. It'll be mad, bad, and crazy!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
16/08/21•1h 41m
Retronauts Episode 395: Breath of Fire III & IV
By request of Andrew Duff, we jump back into the Breath of Fire series to look at other two traditional entries in the series: Breath of Fire III & IV for PS1. Splice some dragon genes with Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, and Patrick Kulikowski!
Art by John Pading. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
09/08/21•1h 39m
Retronauts Episode 394 Preview: Ace Attorney
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 394: Ace Attorney. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
06/08/21•6m 48s
Retronauts Episode 393: Perils of Peach
We finish our series of Mario series character deep-dives with a look at the Mushroom Kingdom's loyal, royal leader, Princess Peach. Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Nadia Oxford all agree: Peach has got it! Art by Greg Melo.
02/08/21•1h 41m
Retronauts Episode 392: The History of Koei, the Koei of History
By patron request of Christopher Hansen, Jeremy Parish sets the Wayback Machine to sengoku-era Japan, sangoku-era China, and, uh, the airline business to discuss Koei's legacy of historic sim games with Aaron Littleton and Mat Bradley-Tschirgi.
Art: Nick Wanserski; edits: Greg Leahy
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
26/07/21•1h 28m
Retronauts Episode 391: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Podcast Preview
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, Aaron Littleton, and JP Swartlander finally pay their late fees and catch up with the 10th anniversary of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game by taking an all-inclusive look at the property, including the comics and the film.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more (and listen to this full episode) at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
23/07/21•7m 16s
Retronauts Episode 390: Tales of Monkey Island
Nearly a decade after the last entry, Telltale Games launched Tales of Monkey Island, an episodic take on the classic adventure series—and the first installment in nearly 20 years with input from creator Ron Gilbert. And while it suffers from some of the drawbacks of Telltale's format, this five-chapter adventure game swerves away from the expected formula to deliver some truly memorable Monkey Island moments. On this episode, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto as they explore the final stop on our tour of the Monkey Island series.
And be sure to pre-order Nina's newest graphic novel, Sparks: Future Purrfect!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
19/07/21•2h 7m
Retronauts Episode 389: Aliens
Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Jonathan Dunn pay a visit to a little up-and-coming colony on LV-426 only to find themselves suddenly under attack by the history and legacy (and video game adaptations!) of the 1986 blockbuster Aliens.
19/07/21•2h 1m
Retronauts Episode 388 Preview: Silent Hill 3
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 388: Silent Hill 3. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
09/07/21•7m 43s
Retronauts Episode 387: The Atari 8-Bit Legacy
Retronauts East returns as Benj Edwards and Ben Elgin school Jeremy Parish about the history and greatness of Atari's 8-bit computer line, as well as its unloved console counterpart, the 5200. Art by John Pading.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
05/07/21•1h 32m
Retronauts Episode 386: Street Fighter II Redux
Jeremy Parish, Kat Bailey, Shivam Bhatt, and Sam revisit the World Warrior circuit to talk even more about Street Fighter II—or rather, the MANY iterations and permutations it undertook between 1992-2017. Turbo, Hyper, Ultra, even Rainbow! It's all here.
Art by Shaan Khan. Edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts!
28/06/21•2h 6m
Retronauts Episode 385: Godzilla - The Games Preview
Forces of chaos collide! Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, Matt Alt, and Bill Mudron look in horror as the topic of Godzilla reemerges from the sea to wreak havoc! Humanity's only hope: To finally talk about all the Godzilla games we didn't discuss last time!
26/06/21•9m 54s
Retronauts Episode 384: Pokemon 2.B.A. Master
If you enjoyed our look at the Pokemon Christmas Bash album (and who didn't?) back in late 2019, then get ready for a thorough examination of where the English-language Pokemon albums began. 1999's 2.B.A. Master was clearly made as a cheap cash-in to capitalize on a fad that could end at any minute, but even so, many Millennials have fond memories of this curiosity and its many, many songs about friendship. This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as they explore all 13 songs of this musical monstrosity.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
21/06/21•1h 47m
Retronauts Episode 383: Delisted Games
Jeremy Parish, Stuart Gipp, and delistedgames.com curator Shawn Sackenheim convene to discuss... well, delisted games. Inspired by Sony's recent PSN delisting fakeout, we look at multiple digital platforms whose games can no longer be acquired legally.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
14/06/21•1h 34m
Retronauts Episode 382 Preview: Left 4 Dead
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 382: Left 4 Dead. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
11/06/21•6m 8s
Retronauts Episode 381: Ratchet & Clank
By patron request, Jeremy Parish and Stuart Gipp talk about the full span of Ratchet & Clank's storied history alongside said patron (Bill Nielsen). Thrill to intergalactic escapades! Marvel at sequels! Scintillate at Dr. Seuss conspiracy theories!
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
07/06/21•1h 50m
Retronauts Episode 380: Breath of Fire I & II
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, and patron Alex Meyers activate their podcast genes and fuse into a super-form conversation about Capcom's first serious attempt to enter the role-playing fray with the Breath of Fire games for Super NES.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
31/05/21•1h 42m
Retronauts Episode 379: Retronauts Radio Summer Preview
Jeremy puts on his "public radio symphony host" voice for a trip through five recent and upcoming classic game (and game-adjacent) soundtracks: Actraiser, Blaster Master Zero, Cowboy Bebop, Halo Remastered, and Klonoa.
The full episode is exclusive to Retronauts patrons, who can enjoy the full 90-minute production in CD-quality stereo. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
28/05/21•5m 30s
Retronauts Episode 378: Moogle Madness
While chocobos have become the dominant Final Fantasy mascot over the past three decades, moogles don't receive quite as much attention as Square's feathered friends. In some games, they're simply part of the world, while in other games, they're relegated to references and tutorial sections. But what are these strange mole/bat, creatures, where did they come from, and how has Square used (or underused) these little scamps over time? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Chris Kohler, and Henry Gilbert as the crew traces the moogle mythology from 1990 to 2021. It'll be more exciting than a game of Mog House!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
24/05/21•1h 31m
Retronauts Episode 377: Final Fight
Jeremy "Punchy" Parish, Diamond "Final" Feit, and Kurt "K.O." Kalata are your three selectable player-character options in this roaming belt-scroll brawl through the history of Final Fight, a burly side story to our ongoing Street Fighter retrospectives.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
17/05/21•1h 34m
Retronauts Episode 376 Preview: The Dig
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 376: The Dig. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
14/05/21•7m 51s
Retronauts Episode 375: Phantasy Star
Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, and Alex Fraioli venture across the span of a solar system (or at least a few continents) to look back at Sega's first proper entry in the role-playing genre: The phenomenal phirst Phantasy Star, phor Sega Master System.
Art by Leeann Hamilton and edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
10/05/21•1h 37m
Retronauts Episode 374: Return of the Jedi
Long, long ago, Retronauts East began a trip through the original Star Wars trilogy (and its games). At last, the circle is complete as Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin blow this thing and go home with Return of the Jedi. Art by Amanda Pruitt.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
03/05/21•1h 45m
Retronauts Episode 373 Preview: Final Fantasy X
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Chris Kohler Want To Tell You Everything, so they head To Zanarkand to talk about the next entry in our ongoing pilgrimage through the Final Fantasy series: Final Fantasy X. (It's pronounced "ten," not "ecks.")
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more and enjoy the full episode exclusively at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
30/04/21•6m 45s
Retronauts Episode 372: Back to the Future Part III
The summer of 1990 brought about the end of Back to the Future with Part III, which traded the frantic, high-concept time travel adventures of the second movie for a more grounded finale rooted in the Old West. Though it's gained a bit of a reputation as a lackluster final act to an otherwise stellar series, Part III remains a satisfying conclusion that picks up many of the more emotional beats Part II left behind. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Dave Rudden as the crew discusses the concluding chapter of the trilogy and the many mostly bad Back to the Future games we haven't discussed so far. So listen in, and we'll see you in the future! (Specifically, next week.)
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
26/04/21•1h 44m
Retronauts Episode 371: Wario Land II & 3
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, & Stuart Gipp return to definitely-not-the-Mushroom-Kingdom for the innovative further adventures of definitely-not-Mario. What happens when you play a game where your hero can never die? Only Wario knows for sure.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
19/04/21•1h 34m
Retronauts Episode 370 Preview: Live A Live and Square's Episodic RPGs
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 370: Live A Live and Square's Episodic RPGs. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
16/04/21•8m 16s
Retronauts Episode 369: Godzilla, Pt. 1
Jeremy Parish summons Diamond Feit, Matt Alt,and Bill Mudron to help destroy (or maybe just commemorate) destroy all monsters with a look back at the cultural origins of the king of kaiju, Godzilla—a beast (and topic) too big for a single episode!
Art by John Pading and edits by Greg Leahy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
12/04/21•1h 22m
Retronauts Episode 368: Gundam Universal Century
Jeremy Parish, Austin Walker, and Kat Bailey hop aboard the White Base to travel across the span of the profoundly influential Gundam franchise (or at least the U.C. timeline) with a look at the anime and its hot scramble of a video game legacy.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
05/04/21•2h
Retronauts Episode 367 Preview: Street Fighter II (The World Warrior)
Kat Bailey, Kurt Kalata, and Diamond Feit face off against Jeremy Parish in a free-for-all throw down of video game history to celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the most influential pop culture creations of all time: Capcom's Street Fighter II. To listen to the full version of this episode, subscribe to the show ($5/mo.) at patreon.com/retronauts
02/04/21•8m 50s
Retronauts Episode 366: Sam & Max Save the World
It's finally happened: a game once covered as a new release by this very podcast is now officially retro! And that game is Sam & Max Save the World, the 2006-2007 episodic release that brought about the grand return of Sam and Max 13 years after their original video game outing. Now, 15 more years have passed, and while Telltale has since dissolved, former members of the company scooped up the rights and released a spiffy new remastered version. On this episode of Retronauts, join host Bob Mackey as he grills Skunkape Games' Jake Rodkin and Dan Connors about the rabbit and dog duo's newly refurbished adventures.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
29/03/21•1h 15m
Retronauts Episode 365: The Mega Man Ranking Hootenanny
Jeremy Parish, Nadia Oxford, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp all go to the mats to decide once and for all which Mega Man game is the greatest—definitively!—in the lowest-stakes knock-down drag-out opinion match you'll ever hear
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
22/03/21•1h 59m
Retronauts Episode 364 Preview: Kunio-kun Games
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 364: Kunio-kun 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
19/03/21•6m 10s
Retronauts Episode 363: Game Boy Advance - 20 Years of Dim Memories
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Adam Pawlus turn back the hands of time 20 years to the dawn of the GBA, Nintendo's tiny portable powerhouse. The soaring highs! The eye-straining lows! The many, many hardware iterations and Super NES ports!
15/03/21•1h 47m
Retronauts Episode 362: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The Retronauts East crew concludes their journey through the Indiana Jones films with a look back at the final entry in the saga: 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Plus the games! (Except the LucasArt game, which deserves its own episode.)
08/03/21•1h 45m
Retronauts Episode 361 Preview: Street Fighter I (and 2010)
Jeremy Parish, Kurt Kalata, Kevin Bunch, and John Hurst put on their red slippers and punch arcade machines to pay tribute to the game that launched the most important fighting series ever: 1987's Street Fighter. And, for some reason, Street Fighter 2010.
05/03/21•7m 13s
Episode 360: Gaming in the Year 2001
Certain conditions have made time mostly meaningless, so it may shock and alarm you that 2001 happened 20 years ago. Yes, it's true. And while it was a monumental year in terms of events that shook the world, 2001 was also home to huge, industry-changing games, console launches, and so many other delightfully dated gaming moments worth remembering. This week, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Axe of the Blood God's Kat Bailey as the crew jumps back to an era where they were shockingly all adults.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
01/03/21•1h 42m
Retronauts Episode 359: Famicom Disk System
Jeremy Parish sloooowly loads input from Chris Kohler and Kurt Kalata to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Nintendo's Famicom Disk System, the most important console expansion never to have made its way to America.
Cover art by John Pading.
Retronauts is made possible by listener support through Patreon! Support the show to enjoy ad-free early access, better audio quality, and great exclusive content. Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
22/02/21•1h 51m
Retronauts Episode 358 Preview: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 358: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
19/02/21•8m 53s
Retronauts Episode 357: 10 Years of Nintendo 3DS
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Diamond Feit look back at the Nintendo 3DS on the occasion of its 10th birthday. The li'l fella may have had a rough early childhood, but we explore how it eventually grew into the elegant swan we all knew and loved. Cover artwork by Step Sybydlo.
15/02/21•1h 45m
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.
09/02/21•1h 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
05/02/21•7m 24s
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 normal changed their retro gaming habits. Since we recorded this one on Election Day, it's delightfully dated instead of just being dated!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
01/02/21•1h 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.
25/01/21•1h 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
22/01/21•9m 32s
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.
18/01/21•1h 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.
11/01/21•1h 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!
08/01/21•7m 20s
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 of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Duckfeed.tv's Kole Ross as the two explore this adventure game that straddles the two eras of LucasArts and innovates in ways the publisher's future games wouldn't.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
04/01/21•1h 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.
28/12/20•1h 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 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 at a Christmas-related video game thing. And even thought this is our tenth (!) holiday special, we haven't hit the bottom of the barrel just yet! This time around, we'll be looking at the Christmas (and final) episode of Earthworm Jim, the short-lived Kids' WB cartoon that, 25 years later, stands as one of the better games-to-animation adaptations out there. So smear on some wolf repellant and get ready for the only holiday travel not prohibited by law as host Bob Mackey and guest Henry Gilbert discuss this cartoon relic of the mid-90s. Groovy!
24/12/20•1h 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.
21/12/20•2h 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.
14/12/20•1h 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
11/12/20•4m 17s
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 episode, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto (Thimbleweed Park cover artist and designer at Fangamer) as the two examine this unloved entry in the Monkey Island series to find out what went wrong.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon at patreon.com/retronauts.
07/12/20•2h 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
05/12/20•6m 39s
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.
30/11/20•1h 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
27/11/20•6m 47s
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.
23/11/20•1h 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.
16/11/20•1h 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, the two crafted a highly satisfying sequel that doubled down on time travel antics, and even added alternate universes into the mix. (And might have even predicted the future with 1985-A...) On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Dave Rudden as the crew talks so much about Back to the Future Part II they have to save the video game discussion for the next episode. So listen now—unless you're chicken!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
09/11/20•1h 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
02/11/20•1h 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 patreon.com/retronauts.
30/10/20•10m 0s
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.
26/10/20•1h 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!
19/10/20•1h 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
16/10/20•10m 16s
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 Travis Touchdown, just where has the series been, and where is it headed with its upcoming third game? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Maddie Copp, and Matt McMuscles as the crew delves deep into the Garden of Madness to discover what makes this offbeat series so compelling.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
12/10/20•1h 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.
05/10/20•1h 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.
02/10/20•7m 12s
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.
28/09/20•1h 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.
21/09/20•1h 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.
18/09/20•9m 9s
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 career in video games, how her roles and voice acting technology have changed in the passing decades, and how voice acting is adapting to a COVID-19 world.
And be sure to check out Jennifer's role as the narrator for the audiobook version of Christopher Paolini's To Sleep in a Sea of Stars!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
14/09/20•57m 47s
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.
07/09/20•2h 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.
04/09/20•8m 58s
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.
31/08/20•1h 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
24/08/20•1h 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.
21/08/20•6m 16s
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 Redemption series. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Henry Gilbert, and Nina Matsumoto as the crew looks at the rootinest, shootinest Western games made between 1975 and 1991. And stay tuned for part two, ya varmint!
Be sure to read Nina's newest book: Sparks! Double Dog Dare.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
17/08/20•1h 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-only episodes/other goodies by subscribing at https://patreon.com/retronauts!
10/08/20•1h 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.
07/08/20•4m 14s
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.
03/08/20•1h 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.
27/07/20•1h 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
24/07/20•5m 49s
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 open-world mystery became something of a mini-phenomenon, and generated a small cult of fans willing to look past the rough exterior to see the brilliant ideas tucked away inside.
On this episode, join host Bob Mackey and guest supergreatfriend (Check out his YouTube channel!) as the two dig deep into the game that put SWERY on the map. Did you get all that, Zach?
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
20/07/20•1h 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.)
13/07/20•1h 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.
10/07/20•5m 38s
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.
06/07/20•1h 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.
29/06/20•1h 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!
26/06/20•6m 54s
Retronauts Episode 306: Monkey Island Mailbag
We've got a mighty haul of listener comments and questions from our last three Monkey Island episodes, so this week we've brought on series expert Nina Matsumoto (Thimbleweed Park cover artist and designer at Fangamer) once again to help us make some informed responses! Plus, after months of sitting on them, we finally read and respond to your requested input on our video game apparel episode! And to wrap up this installment, we chat about Dolores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure, Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert's quarantine gift to us all. So listen in and remain indoors, lest ye wantin' to be keelhauled!
Be sure to pre-order Nina's newest book: Sparks! Double Dog Dare.
22/06/20•1h
Retronauts Episode 305: Years in Review Revue - 2010
The Retronauts East crew reunites (virtually) to complete their journey through the 2020 Years in Review Revue, wrapping up with a look at 2010—a year overflowing with greatness! Jeremy Parish, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin buckle beneath its weight.
15/06/20•1h 45m
Retronauts Episode 304 Preview: Back to the Future
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 304: Back to the Future. 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.
12/06/20•5m 30s
Retronauts Episode 303: Game Boy Color
The original power trio (Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Ray Barnholt) talk about the system that isn't a Game Boy. It's the Game Boy Color! A completely distinct platform! One that often gets overlooked. In this episode, we un-overlook it.
08/06/20•1h 33m
Retronauts Episode 302: Star Trek The Motion Picture & Mega Man Battle Network
Star Trek! Mega Man! These topics have nothing in common! Please enjoy two unrelated segments as Jeremy speaks to Diamond Feit about the very first Star Trek movie and its games before chatting with Nadia Oxford about very first Mega Man RPG.
01/06/20•1h 51m
Retronauts Episode 301 Preview: Etrian Odyssey
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Jason Wilson form up a guild and venture into the verdant history of Atlus's Etrian Odyssey series. Subscribe at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts for access to this and ALL exclusive episodes!
29/05/20•9m 36s
Retronauts Episode 300: The Curse of Monkey Island
Our LucasArts adventure miniseries continues this week as we explore the developer's first (relatively) high-res adventure: 1997's The Curse of Monkey Island. This late-'90s release had a lot going against it: the series creator had left the company years ago, the two guys responsible for most of the previous games' humor and design were busy with other projects, and this third entry in the trilogy went for an art style far more exaggerated than what had come before. And somehow, they didn't screw it up. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto (Thimbleweed Park cover artist and designer at Fangamer) for a super-size exploration of this once-long-awaited sequel.
Be sure to pre-order Nina's newest book: Sparks! Double Dog Dare.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
25/05/20•1h 59m
Retronauts Episode 299: Worst of the Best
In this blast from the past, Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Steve Lin, and Jason Wilson get together to talk about the worst games ever created by our favorite developers—and do our best to find a glimmer of goodness in the bad.
18/05/20•1h 43m
Retronauts Episode 298 Preview: Final Fantasy VII Remake
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 298: Final Fantasy VII Remake. 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.
15/05/20•8m 52s
Retronauts Episode 297: Sega Saturn
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its launch, Sega Saturn is paid tribute by Jeremy Parish, Diamond Feit, and Stuart Gipp. The good (its games!), the bad (executive infighting!), and the ugly (umm... its Symphony of the Night port?).
11/05/20•1h 40m
Retronauts Episode 296: Trackball Games & The Art of Atari
Jeremy Parish, Bob Neal, and Benj Edwards sneak in a conversation about trackball games in a hidden cranny of PAX East, and Tim Lapetino talks about his work chronicling the artwork of the Atari 2600 for print.
04/05/20•1h 46m
Retronauts Episode 295 Preview: Trials & Legend of Mana
A clip from our latest Patron-exclusive episode! Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and USgamer's Kat Bailey look at the original version of the newly remade Trials of Mana, then dive into a discussion of Legend of Mana's stunning Yoko Shimomura soundtrack (by patron request of K-S-O). Art by Steph Sybydlo. For the full episode, check out http://patreon.com/retronauts
02/05/20•7m 0s
Retronauts Episode 294: Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
It's time once again for another installment of our LucasArts adventure game series with what could be the only podcast episode ever created about the developer's least beloved (outside of Germany) game. Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders might be the LucasArts adventure that's aged the worst, but it's a fascinating case of a game trapped between the design styles of Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island, and one that decided to take an evolutionary path that ended up being a dead end. On this episode, join Bob Mackey and Duckfeed.tv's Gary Butterfield as the two take apart Zak McKracken to see what makes it so different from the rest of the LucasArts catalog.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
27/04/20•59m 54s
Retronauts Episode 293: Alex Kidd and Shadowgate
Jeremy Parish chats with Retronauts contributor Stuart Gipp about the mysterious appeal of Sega's Alex Kidd franchise, then talks to Shadowgate creator Dave Marsh about the history of the game and the inspiration behind its modern-day remake.
20/04/20•1h 26m
Retronauts Episode 292 Preview: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 292: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
17/04/20•9m 36s
Retronauts Episode 291: The Media is the Message - PAX East
Live from PAX East, Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, and RetroRGB's Bob Neal discuss the evolution of physical media in video gaming and its impact on the tech and design of the medium.
13/04/20•1h 3m
Retronauts Episode 290: New Super Mario Bros.
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Cole Jones bop in time to the music as they revisit Mario's ugliest (but arguably best!!) adventures in the New Super Mario Bros. series. Cover illustration: Step Sybydlo
06/04/20•1h 42m
Retronauts Episode 289 Preview: Miscellaneous Handhelds
We talk about the handheld consoles that don't deserve their own episodes, from the criminally bad (R-Zone) to the just plain criminal (Gizmondo). For the full episode, subscribe to the show at patreon.com/retronauts! (Artwork: Amanda Pruitt)
03/04/20•7m 16s
Retronauts Episode 288: Full Throttle
It's time for another entry in our ongoing LucasArts mini-series! This time around, we'll be looking at 1995's Full Throttle: Tim Schafer's first project as a solo director, and also the first LucasArts game to blast beyond the barriers of mere diskettes and ship only in the CD-ROM format. Though Full Throttle's design doesn't exactly hold up 25 years later, it stands as a fascinating look at what the multimedia age meant for adventure games, and a path LucasArts explored that ended up being a revolutionary dead end.
Joining us on this one is the great Jake Rodkin, of Idle Thumbs and Campo Santo fame! This is the first time we've had an actual designer of adventure games on this miniseries—you might have played The Walking Dead season 1 and his other Telltale work—and we ended up having a great chat (and some friendly disagreements) about what this game does right and wrong. We'll definitely have him on again in the future to discuss some of the more contemporary adventure games he worked on in the future!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
30/03/20•1h 6m
Retronauts Episode 287: TurboGrafx-16
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Shane Bettenhausen convene to discuss the legacy of the ultimate NEC and Hudson collaboration: the TurboGrafx-16. Just in time for the launch of the TG16 mini (in a parallel, pandemic-free universe)!
23/03/20•1h 34m
Retronauts Episode 286 Preview: Sam & Max Hit the Road
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 286: Sam & Max Hit the Road. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month, our previous Patreon-exclusive episodes, and early access to ad-free podcasts, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
20/03/20•7m 13s
Retronauts Episode 285: Animal Crossing
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Mike Choi, and USgamer's Caty McCarthy chill out for an hour and a half to discuss the low-key world of Animal Crossing, from its primal Nintendo 64 version through its modern-day spinoffs. Music by Mike Choi; art by Greg Melo.
16/03/20•1h 45m
Retronauts Episode 284: Parasite Eve
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Shane Bettenhausen continue the journey through the Final Fantasy saga with this side excursion into an abandoned Manhattan and 1998's Cinematic RPG Parasite Eve. (Cover art: Nina Matsumoto)
09/03/20•1h 14m
Retronauts Episode 283 Preview: Weird Controllers, Pt. I
Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin embark upon a comprehensive (maybe) historic overview of weird video game controllers, from punching bags to chainsaws to... butt-poking fingers!? Cover illustration: Shaan Khan
06/03/20•7m 30s
Retronauts Episode 282: Gaming in the Year 2000
In the not-too-distant past, the year 2000 used to signify the far-off future. But time makes fools of us all, and this mythical date has transformed into a distant memory, just as all years are destined to become. This week, we examine Y2K's fascinating gaming landscape, where the primitive Game Boy Color could compete with the cutting-edge PlayStation 2, immersive sims and life sims were new genres, and the Dreamcast still looked like it stood a chance. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, USgamer's Kat Bailey, and IGN's Zachary Ryan as the crew soaks contentedly in the End of History where nothing could possiblie go wrong.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
02/03/20•1h 39m
Retronauts Episode 281: Mario Goes Portable
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Chris Kohler abandon color and extra lines of screen resolution to take a deep dive into the 2D portable Super Mario games, from Super Mario Land to Super Mario Advance 4.
24/02/20•1h 35m
Retronauts Episode 280 Preview: Yakuza
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 280: Yakuza. To hear the rest, and get two exclusive extra episodes every month plus early access to ad-free episodes, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
21/02/20•4m 32s
Retronauts Episode 279: RoboCop
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Henry Gilbert continue to take stock of the havoc wrought upon pop culture by Hollywood of the late ’80s with an in-depth survey of RoboCop: The movie, the games, the wholly inappropriate toys for kids!
Cover illustration: Amanda Pruitt
17/02/20•1h 39m
Retronauts Episode 278: Paperboy (With John Salwitz)
The Retronauts East crew (Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, Ben Elgin) offer a quick overview of the gameplay and culture behind Atari's Paperboy; then designer John Salwitz shares his memories of its creation. Art: Step Sybydlo
10/02/20•58m 42s
Retronauts Episode 277 Preview: The Games of Nintendo Switch Online
We may not have Virtual Console to dunk on anymore, but gosh darn it if Nintendo Switch Online doesn't fill that same unsatisfying void in our lives. Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Ben Elgin, & Chris Sims banter about NSO's successes, failings, and swerves.
Special thanks this episode to Greg Leahy and Greg Melo for editing and illustrating this episode, respectively!
07/02/20•7m 43s
Retronauts Episode 276: Atari Lynx
We've got a real blast from the past for you this week—which is kinda the point of Retronauts, but our newest episode is a blast from the past in an entirely different way. We originally recorded this one on December 6th, 2015, exclusively as an episode for our Kickstarter backers, but now so much time has passed that we feel it's the right time to release this podcast to the general public. So join Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and special guests Steve Lin and Jaz Rignall as the crew discusses Atari's oversized handheld and says things they likely don't remember in the distant year of 2020. Transport yourself back to a time when we were still excited for more Star Wars and get ready for this week's episode!
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
03/02/20•1h 10m
Retronauts Episode 275: Pre-Atari Consoles
Jeremy Parish and vintage gaming expert Kevin Bunch turn back the hands of time to an era when the idea of the Atari 2600 was just a twinkle in someone's eyes, putting the focus on two pioneering consoles: RCA's Studio II and the Fairchild Channel F.
The Retronauts is supported by listeners! Subscribe to us on Patreon and get early, higher-quality downloads, exclusive episodes, bonus features about gaming history, topic request opportunities, and more! Learn more at http://www.patreon.com/retronauts
27/01/20•1h 13m
Retronauts Episode 274 Preview: Super Mario RPG
You're listening to a free preview of Retronauts Episode 274: Super Mario RPG. To hear the rest, and get two extra episodes every month plus early access, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
24/01/20•5m 46s
Retronauts Episode 273: Years in Revue: 1980/1990
The Retronauts East crew (Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Ben Elgin, Chris Sims) attempts to explore the highlights and disasters of gaming history in 1980/1990/2000/2010 in our annual by-the-decade recap... but only make it to 1990. It was a big year, OK?
20/01/20•1h 23m
Retronauts Episode 272: The Matrix
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Shane Bettenhausen revisit the themes, legacy, making of, and (of course) video games based on the Wachowski siblings' mind-bending 1999 sci-fi classic: The Matrix.
13/01/20•1h 30m
Retronauts Episode 271 Preview: List Inventory/The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Session 1
The Retronauts East crew (Jeremy Parish, Ben Elgin, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims) don their peril-sensitive sunglasses and attempt to escape the planet before the Vogons arrive in this real-time playthrough of Infocom's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
The full content of this episode is exclusively available to Patreon supporters at the $5/mo. level and above. Retronauts is crowd-funded by listener support. Please see patreon.com/retronauts for more details!
10/01/20•8m 3s
Retronauts Episode 270: Video Game Apparel
Since the dawn of the medium, humans across the globe dreamed of wearing video game representation on their bodies—a practice that's only become commonplace in recent years. We've come a long way since the days of too-large or too-small pre-order t-shirts as the rare video game wearable, to the point where just about any character or logo can be found emblazoned on a well-fitted shirt, hat, or the odd pair of parachute pants. On this episode of Retronauts, special guest Nina Matsumoto of Fangamer joins us to talk about her career designing video game apparel, and to also help us trace the poorly documented history of the subject.
Retronauts is a completely fan-funded operation. To support the show, and get exclusive episodes every month, please visit the official Retronauts Patreon.
06/01/20•1h 36m
Retronauts Episode 269: Command & Conquer with Louis Castle
The Retronauts East crew offers a (very) loose overview of Westwood Studios' Command & Conquer series as a lead-in to Jeremy Parish's interview with Woodwest founder Louis Castle on the creation of the original game (among other topics).
30/12/19•1h 4m
Retronauts Episode 268: Holiday Special 2019 - Pokemon Christmas Bash
It's time once again to head to the Retronauts cabin in Parts Unknown for yet another look at a video-game-adjacent Christmas thing! We've worked our way through quite a few video game cartoon Christmas specials over the past few years, so this time around we're going to switch gears and explore another medium entirely. The late '90s/early '00s Pokemon Boom brought us many cheap cash-ins, so of course it spawned one of the cheapest cash-ins of all time: a cheesy Christmas album! Is it truly the reason for the season? There's only one way to find out! On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert as they explore the magic and wonder of 2001's Pokemon Christmas Blast, and ponder over the supposed popularity of Stantler.
24/12/19•1h 19m
Retronauts Episode 267: The Holy Grails of Collecting
Hide your wallets: Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Chris Kohler, and Steve Lin discuss the pricing perils, pitfalls, and occasional perfidy surrounding the rarest/costliest/most non-existent video game collectibles in history.
23/12/19•1h 41m
Retronauts Episode 266: The Empire Strikes Back
Just in time for the "conclusion" of the Star Wars saga (sure, whatever), take a look back at the franchise's cinematic high point (and all the related games) with Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Ben Elgin, and Chris Sims.
16/12/19•1h 20m
Retronauts Episode 265: The Messenger
Take a look into the genesis, classic inspirations, and development of Sabotage Games' double-retro indie hit The Messenger as Jeremy Parish speaks to creators Thierry Boulanger and Martin Brouard.
13/12/19•50m 46s
Retronauts Episode 264: PAX West 2019 - The Dreamcast 20th Anniversary Necromancy Jam
Two decades ago, Sega summoned into the world the mightiest of its consoles: The Dreamcast. And then, almost as quickly, it took the poor thing into the woods out back and ran it through proverbial the wood chipper. Dreamcast died too young, but its sudden demise wasn’t the end. We pick up the story 20 years later, exploring the ways in which Dreamcast represented Sega’s spirit at its finest and how its legacy persists even today.
Panelists: Jeremy Parish, Morgan Shaver, Mike Drucker. Originally recorded September 2, 2019 at PAX West.
09/12/19•1h 4m
Retronauts Episode 263: Donkey Kong
We put together a classic Retronauts lineup (Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Chris Kohler) to discuss the history of an all-time arcade classic: Donkey Kong. (And also its lesser ’80s sequels.)
02/12/19•1h 42m
Retronauts Episode 262: PAX West 2019 - Super Metroid Vs. Symphony of the Night
It’s the ultimate metroidvania showdown as we settle once and for all which was truly the greatest, the most ambitious, the most influential work of the genre: Nintendo’s Super Metroid or Konami’s Castlevania: Symphony of the Night? Strong opinions will be expressed! Harsh words may be exchanged! Blood might even be spilled (only to be absorbed by a dhampir ensorcelled by Dark Metamorphosis)! Panelists: Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, USgamer's Nadia Oxford, and Mike Drucker.
Originally recorded September 2, 2019 at PAX West.
29/11/19•51m 50s
Retronauts Episode 261: The MiSTer Revolution
Jeremy speaks to retrogaming curators Artemio and SmokeMonster about their efforts to help preserve and improve the state of classic gaming through projects like MDFourier and MiSTer.
25/11/19•1h 46m
Retronauts Episode 260: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Our informal LucasArts miniseries rolls on with another episode exploring the developer's adventure game output! This time, we focus on 1991's Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, the second entry in the Monkey Island series, and one that marked the departure of creator Ron Gilbert from LucasArts. Though it only came one year after the original game, LeChuck's Revenge expands on this formative adventure in some big, bold ways, and still remains an incredibly impressive showpiece—in terms of both design and production values—nearly 30 years later. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Fangamer's Nina Matsumoto as the crew journeys off to find Big Whoop and discovers the real treasure was the filthy lucre they found along the way.
18/11/19•1h 37m
Retronauts Episode 259: Limited Run Goes Retro
Jeremy Parish talks to Josh Fairhurst and Douglas Bogart of Limited Run Games about the company's growing line of classic game reissues, and the behind-the-scenes details of selling new retro game releases.
15/11/19•1h 16m
Retronauts Episode 258: 2009 (It's Retro Now)
Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin wrap up some unfinished business by tackling the year that got away: 2009. Yeah, 2009 is retro now. Sorry, we don't make the rules. Actually, wait... we do.
11/11/19•1h 40m
Retronauts Episode 257: Metal Gear Solid
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Shane Bettenhausen celebrate Death Stranding by revisiting the game that allowed Hideo Kojima the luxury of spending millions of dollars on name-dropping self-indulgence in the first place: Metal Gear Solid.
04/11/19•1h 36m
Retronauts Episode 256: Link's Awakening Remake
Over two years ago, we sat down to gush about The Legend of Zelda's underappreciated Game Boy installment, Link's Awakening. And once again, time has made fools of us all, as the Switch remake of this classic game stands as one of Nintendo's biggest fall titles—so it's safe to say Link's Awakening is FULLY appreciated at this point. But does Grezzo's very literal remake improve on the original experience? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Kat Bailey, and Henry Gilbert as the crew explores this refurbished take on Link's strangest adventure.
01/11/19•1h 3m
Retronauts Episode 255: Castlevania's Oddballs
Jeremy Parish summons the eldritch forms of Castlevania experts Kurt Kalata, Rob Russo, and Kevin Bunch to discuss the enigma that is... Castlevania games that don't fit into any other specific grouping, like Haunted Castle and Bloodlines. Spooky!
28/10/19•1h 31m
Retronauts Episode 254: Mega Man 11's Classic Roots
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, and Nadia Oxford get equipped with opinions about the latest entry in the Mega Man series and how it upholds the franchise's lengthy legacy. This one's been in the vaults so long that Mega Man 11 is almost retro now!
21/10/19•1h 34m
Retronauts Episode 253: Loving Unloved Consoles and How to Play Old Games
Live from Long Island Retro Expo! Jeremy chats with Rob Russo and Kurt Kalata from HG101 about loving unpopular game systems, then muses on the means and philosophy behind playing old games with VGHF's Frank Cifaldi and MLIG's Coury Carlson.
18/10/19•1h 59m
Retronauts Episode 252: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
For a little over a decade, Castlevania keeper Koji Igarashi cut his own path with the famous side-scrolling series by backing away from its traditional hardcore action and platforming, and leaning more towards RPG elements and exploration. The result was what we now know as the "Metroidvania," a genre that thrived for the ten years Igarashi found himself away from the style of game he and his team popularized. But does our current glut of Metroidvanias make his newest creation, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night feel less special? On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Imran Khan as the crew explores Igarashi's latest work to find out whether or not it's a total Dragula.
14/10/19•1h 33m
Come See Retronauts LIVE at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2019!
We're coming back to the Portland Retro Gaming Expo this year for another live appearance!
When: Saturday, October 19 at 9:00pm
Where: Auditorium A at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo
What: Our latest live panel, "When Celebrities and Video Games Collide!"
For more info, check out the official PRGE schedule, or the official website. We hope to see you there!
10/10/19•56s
Retronauts Episode 251: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Retronauts East (Jeremy Parish, Benj Edwards, Chris Sims, and Ben Elgin) returns to the ’30s to evaluate the failings and successes (mostly failings) of Indiana Jones's most Problematic-with-a-capital-P adventure—and its impact on games, of course. Frickin' mine carts....
07/10/19•1h 13m
Retronauts Episode 250: Loom
As Lucasfilm Games began to refine their philosophy of fairness, designer Brian Moriarty doubled down on this concept with his idea of a video game expressly designed to be completed. This would eventually take the form of Loom, an adventure game far different than anything that would come before or after it. With no inventory, no verbs, and music as your only means of interacting with the world, Loom stands some 30 years later as an interesting evolutionary dead end for the genre. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey and Kat Bailey, and Duckfeed.tv's Gary Butterfield as the two explore one of LucasArts' less remembered adventures.
04/10/19•41m 14s
Retronauts Episode 249: Roguelikes—The Road to Spelunky
Finishing out our patron request series on roguelike role-playing games, Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Jason Wilson, and John Harris explore latter-day roguelikes and how we got to the weird, wonderful world of Spelunky.
30/09/19•1h 37m
Retronauts Episode 248: Contra
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and Shane Bettenhausen use the Konami Code to tackle the challenge of recapping the Contra series, just in time for the latest entry in the franchise.
23/09/19•1h 39m