The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

Latest Episodes:

550: Warren Spector: The Stories Behind Deus Ex and Ultima – The Retro Hour EP550 Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

This week, we’re joined by legendary game designer Warren Spector to explore the stories behind Ultima, Deus Ex and Epic Mickey. From the Dungeons & Dragons session that changed his life to John Romero’s offer to make his dream game, Warren shares how he championed player freedom, why Deus Ex almost became a Command & Conquer RPG, and what working with Mickey Mouse meant to him.

Paul Drury's The Arcade book: https://lnk.ua/vLieP7PVA

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
55:50 – Yuzo Koshiro Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Website: http://theretrohour.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/
X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour

Show notes

Gun.Smoke Comes to Amiga: https://lnk.ua/9VVzy7Q1w
Pixar vs Nintendo: https://lnk.ua/gtcZcmiay
The Return of Motion Gaming: https://lnk.ua/jFAg9AEnd
Crazy Taxi Netflix Film Announced: https://lnk.ua/AhvVYnhYS
Matthew Smith Spectrum Collection: https://lnk.ua/0L1SD3zv3
Star Wars Trilogy on Dreamcast: https://lnk.ua/4KpQVGPUT

549: Yuzo Koshiro: From ActRaiser to Smash Bros.– The Retro Hour EP549 Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Recorded live at Retromessa in Norway, we sit down with legendary video game composer Yuzo Koshiro for part one of our conversation, exploring his Nintendo years. From his earliest piano lessons to the orchestral sounds of ActRaiser, the infectious grooves of Super Adventure Island and the worlds of Etrian Odyssey and Super Smash Bros., Yuzo shares the stories and influences behind his music. Plus, audience questions uncover his favourite games, the origins of his YK2 alias and a contribution to Terranigma he’d forgotten he made!

Slope's Book Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/N6GM8pALm

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
54:46 – Yuzo Koshiro Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Show notes

Neo Geo AES+ Delayed: https://lnk.ua/lorIBnZ5Q
New Lotus Trilogy Remake: https://lnk.ua/NbvwYx8su
RPCS3 Adds Physical Disc Support: https://lnk.ua/xkdGOKL4z
Rare’s Project Dream Leaks Online: https://lnk.ua/15LPiFgPB
Ocarina of Time Remake: https://lnk.ua/Z0YTZRr2Z
Metal Slug Collection Hits Switch: https://lnk.ua/nXKpK6iQA

548: Before Photoshop: How SEGA’s Sonic Artwork Was Made – The Retro Hour EP548 Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

How do you turn a handful of pixels into one of gaming’s most recognisable characters? Recorded live at RetroMessa 2026, Dan and Joe meet illustrator Duncan Gutteridge, whose hand-painted artwork helped define Sonic’s European image during SEGA’s 16-bit glory years. Duncan recalls reimagining Sonic 2, creating artwork for Sonic 3 and Knuckles, working with airbrushes, phones and fax machines, and enjoying a level of creative freedom that would be almost unthinkable today. He also reveals the fate of his long-lost original Sonic paintings.

Amiga Bill Links: Twitch.tv/AmigaBill
https://YouTube.com/@AmigaBill
https://AmigaBill.tv

Twitch.tv

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
1:06:00 – Duncan Gutteridge Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Show notes

New Doom-Style Shooter for 3DO: https://lnk.ua/znInXLNwM
GTA Arrives on Amiga: https://lnk.ua/ERRtnHKLk
Portrait Ridge Racer Port: https://lnk.ua/m0xu68aPx
New 4:3 Retro Gaming Monitor: https://lnk.ua/PZX3RS7zK
LEGO PlayStation 1 Set Revealed: https://lnk.ua/fAPHMgWXi
Portal Demake Arrives on GBA: https://lnk.ua/QqQkLQGr5

547: British Gaming Legends: Stories From an Iconic Era – The Retro Hour EP547 Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

It's Ravi's final episode of the podcast, we give him a good send off! Plus, we bring you our Best of British panel from RetroMessa, featuring Mike Dailly (DMA Design), Glen O'Connell (Psygnosis), Duncan Gutteridge (Sega UK) and Brian Watson (DMA Design) for a panel discussion about British gaming history, iconic games and the moments that helped shape an entire era.

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
1:05:50 – Best of British

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Show notes

Sonic Demo Lands on Amiga: https://lnk.ua/Ifux6frxr
Terranigma Returns to Modern Hardware: https://lnk.ua/6ciLNoEyo
Cyberpunk 2077 C64 Coming Soon: https://lnk.ua/snpuA7Lj0
Fall From Space Features Arita: https://lnk.ua/6l5mCdvCs
Atari and Activision Reunite: https://lnk.ua/0V34uriWa
New Mega Drive Arcade Controller: https://lnk.ua/DAfat7AK3
Zool Collection Coming to Jaguar: https://lnk.ua/P4xQT4jFN
Pillow Fort Album Hits GBA: https://lnk.ua/zxB3hMk3R

546: The Making of The Suffering: Horror, Morality and Games That Remember – The Retro Hour EP546 Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

Veteran game designer Richard Rouse III joins us to revisit his journey from Bungie’s early Macintosh games to Centipede 3D and The Suffering. He reveals how the horror classic found its prison setting, blended action with psychological storytelling, and remembered players’ moral choices, plus the stories behind its lost sequel and unmade movie.

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
39:42 – Richard Rouse III Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Show notes

Alien Breed 35th Anniversary: https://lnk.ua/95kg65oJq
Golden Axe TV Trailer: https://youtu.be/sStbBtfGaLA
Car Park Capital Arrives: https://lnk.ua/4ctQBSKZh
Mr. Nutz Gets Physical Reissue: https://lnk.ua/GnfzOfOeK
Transformers-Style Fighting Game: https://lnk.ua/dDrswhf0C

545: Region Locked: The Untold Story of Australian Video Games – The Retro Hour EP545 Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

Australia gave the world pioneering adventures, cult classics and global hits,but much of its gaming history has been left out of the story. This week, we're joined by Region Locked creative lead Michael Refalo and veteran game designer John Passfield-co-creator of Halloween Harry, Flight of the Amazon Queen and TY the Tasmanian Tiger, to explore bedroom coding, cassette-tape publishing, The Hobbit’s groundbreaking parser, Beam Software reverse-engineering the NES, the infamous Power Glove and the games you never realised were Australian. Plus, discover how the new Region Locked documentary series plans to preserve these stories before bit rot, and time, erase them for good.

Region Locked Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/ueFZbW6cf

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
53:42 – Region Locked Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

CeX Revisits Retro-Only Stores: https://lnk.ua/LT8x2d9DI
Zeewolf Spiritual Successor Revealed: https://lnk.ua/vGAlWUAcE
Lara Croft Statue in Derby: https://lnk.ua/yBaKkiM3R
Fan-Made Donkey Kong Country 4: https://lnk.ua/0nxUrpxQ9
Multi-Mega Flash Cart Mod: https://lnk.ua/HsC93CDQr

544: Amiga Just Revealed Its Future Plans - The Retro Hour EP544 Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

This week, we’re coming to you from Amiga Kickstart in Derby, where we recorded a fascinating panel looking at what comes next for one of computing’s most iconic names. With the long-running legal battle between Hyperion Entertainment and Cloanto finally at an end, the Amiga company took to the stage to discuss the future, its plans for the platform and what this new chapter could mean for the wider Amiga community. After years of courtroom wrangling and uncertainty, could this finally be the fresh start Amiga fans have been waiting for?

Amiga: https://amiga.com/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
57:17 - Amiga Announcements

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

London Gaming Market: https://www.londongamingmarket.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Show notes
Commodore Joystick: https://lnk.ua/F8QM1EnLL
Cancelled Quake 4 Expansion: https://lnk.ua/nknP0xR0K
Atari ST Floppy Archive: https://lnk.ua/bewmRuiAr
DOOM Comes to Evercade: https://lnk.ua/hIDAqsUYx
Mario Kart 64 VR: https://lnk.ua/aeAmS9XiM
New Amiga Racer: https://lnk.ua/i3olxXWTM
Utopia Returns to SNES: https://lnk.ua/VY9P3ILvj

Patrons news

543: Beats of Rage: From Fan Game to OpenBOR - The Retro Hour EP543 Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

This week, we’re joined by Roel van Mastbergen of Senile Team to discover how a homemade MS-DOS tribute to Streets of Rage exploded to around a million players, crashed two servers and evolved into OpenBOR. Roel also reveals how the project led him into Dreamcast development, the fate of Age of the Beast and what’s next with Hypno Tiles.

Senile Team: https://www.senileteam.com/
Zoom Platform: https://www.zoom-platform.com/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
45:17 - Beats of Rage Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

London Gaming Market: https://www.londongamingmarket.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Show notes
Hyperion and Amiga Corp Settle: https://lnk.ua/Vw6jkv8IW
Xbox 360 Games Hit PC: https://lnk.ua/XCLKsRbJK
Varta Goes Bust: https://lnk.ua/5ry9AQidd
New Amiga Bullet-Hell Shooter: https://lnk.ua/YLQhUYBU
SpeccyDate: https://lnk.ua/mFt16xLaI
Atari World Championship Announced: https://lnk.ua/MVLR87zko
Jaguar Doom Gets Improved: https://lnk.ua/X0cCtGX46

542: Veronica Explains: Why Old Computers Were Better at Teaching Us – The Retro Hour EP542 Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

This week, we’re joined by Veronica from the brilliant YouTube channel Veronica Explains for a journey through a lifetime of tinkering with technology. Veronica shares stories of growing up in a family of programmers, exploring the early Internet through Prodigy and GeoCities, inheriting a 50-year-old COBOL codebase, her love of the Commodore 64 and Amiga, the lost art of the computer manual, and why older computers often encouraged us to understand, repair and truly own the technology we used.

Veronica Explains: https://veronicaexplains.net/
https://www.youtube.com/@VeronicaExplains

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
50:17 – Veronica Explains Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Show notes

Xbox Backwards Compatibility Expands: https://lnk.ua/TLKK3aUEz
Ruff ’n’ Tumble 2026: https://lnk.ua/mRTXvpXvM
3DO Classic Comes To Jaguar: https://lnk.ua/1usp847sO
Conker 64 Footage Surfaces: https://lnk.ua/9Lb4R3KoH
Sega Rally On Mega Drive: https://lnk.ua/NlQIztuNF
Rare Nintendo FamicomBox Discovered: https://lnk.ua/dD0ixsVqO
Homemade PS4 OLED Handheld: https://lnk.ua/qdxKaI6ME

541: Colin McRae, Batman & AstroBurn: From Games to Hollywood… and Back - The Retro Hour EP541 Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

This week's guest is Haz Dulull whose career has taken him from creating FMV and cinematics for games like Colin McRae Rally and Battalion Wars, to working on blockbuster films including The Dark Knight, Prince of Persia and The Chronicles of Narnia. He's returned to his gaming roots with his colourful new SNES style shoot ‘em up, AstroBurn.

Astroburn: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3810660/Astro_Burn/

Built to Fail: The Inside Story of Blockbuster's Inevitable Bust: https://lnk.ua/zrymFBq2V

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
50:36 – Haz Dulull Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Go to https://surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

PlayEXPO Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Show notes

Monkey Ball Comes to Dreamcast: https://lnk.ua/ux2w9vqz0
Gloom Reforged Returns: https://lnk.ua/sVe6F0iTq
Super Mario 64 on 3DO: https://lnk.ua/D3uCVFFQo
The End of GAME: https://lnk.ua/EFsnZaDj6
Stains of Decay: https://lnk.ua/8Z1zOF5iX
Lemmings on Pico-8: https://lnk.ua/wqGRgWysw
Dungeon Lurker Interview: https://lnk.ua/U53TAZvj8
Patrons news

Blink-182 Team Up With Pac-Man For Arcade Collaboration: https://lnk.ua/B0qOtMAeh
Lemmings Reloaded Updates: https://lnk.ua/bfmMiD1BH