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The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)
Retro Gaming
Amiga
Sega
Commodore 64
Indie Games
Commodore Amiga
Game Development
Nintendo
Nostalgia
Worms
Playstation
Retrogaming
Street Fighter
Amstrad CPC
Video Games
Atari
Bitmap Books
Kickstarter
Demo Scene
Dreamcast

Your weekly dose of retro gaming and technology news and interviews with industry veterans.

New episodes released every Friday!

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes500Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesTechnologyLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Retro Hour

Latest Episodes

This week, we’re joined by Elite Systems co-founder Steve Wilcox for a journey through one of the most important names in British gaming history. Steve shares how a family business in the West Midlands evolved from mail-order cassette games into a ma... more

Inside Psygnosis: WipEout, PlayStation and the Rave Generation - The Retro Hour EP531

This week we’re joined by former Psygnosis PR manager Glen O’Connell for a brilliant journey through one of the most exciting eras in British gaming. Glen shares s... more

This week, we’re joined by Stuart Cox, artist at the legendary Midland studio Gargoyle Games, for a brilliant trip through the golden age of British 8-bit development. Stuart shares how he went from the Dragon 32 and early arcade obsessions to workin... more

This week, we’re joined by Larry Kuperman, former VP of Business Development at Nightdive Studios, former Business Development Manager at GameStop, Stardock veteran, and co-founder of the IGDA Ann Arbor Chapter. Larry shares incredible stories from t... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Glen O'Connell
Former PR Director at Psygnosis
Psygnosis, Rage, EA
Episode: 531: Inside Psygnosis: WipEout, PlayStation and the Rave Generation - The Retro Hour EP531
Stuart Cox
Lead artist at Gargoyle Games
Gargoyle Games
Episode: 530: Inside Gargoyle Games: Stuart Cox on Light Force, Scooby-Doo and ThunderCats - The Retro Hour EP530
Larry Kuperman
Nightdive Studios executive, longtime biz-dev professional, IGDA contributor
Nightdive Studios, Stardock, IGDA
Episode: 529: Nightdive, Stardock and the Business of Saving Classic Games: Larry Kuperman - The Retro Hour EP529
John Mathieson
Father of Atari Jaguar hardware, veteran engineer
Independent researcher/engineer (former Sinclair, Konix, Nvidia)
Episode: 528: The Man Behind the Atari Jaguar: John Mathieson- The Retro Hour EP528
Jo Cook
Writer for Amstrad Action; daughter of PD library founder, King Arthur's Domain
Amstrad Action, King Arthur's Domain
Episode: 527: The Untold Story of the Amstrad Scene PD Libraries, Magazines and More - The Retro Hour EP527
Doc Mack
Main person behind Galloping Ghost Arcade and interviewee
Galloping Ghost Arcade
Episode: 526: Galloping Ghost: The Story of America’s Biggest Arcade - The Retro Hour EP526
Craig Bass
Filmmaker working on Ghostlord and the Quest for Dark Presence
Film/Documentary
Episode: 526: Galloping Ghost: The Story of America’s Biggest Arcade - The Retro Hour EP526
Alexander Danielian
Retail manager at Electronics Boutique Sunset Galleria during the Dreamcast launch
Electronics Boutique (Sunset Galleria)
Episode: 525: 9/9/99: What Really Happened on Dreamcast Launch Day - The Retro Hour EP525
Beast of Quartex
Guest with insider experience of pirate BBS networks and Arcadia raid
Pirate BBS community
Episode: 524: Confessions of a Pirate BBS SysOp: The Arcadia Story - The Retro Hour EP524

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1k ratings
  • Great podcast

    Brilliant interviews from the industry and the latest retro news.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    0044512
    Ireland2 months ago
  • Boring

    Has become very boring. Loads of adverts,self promotion and E-BEGGING.

    It’s the same show every week. Also they are running out of guests, basically they would interview you if you worked in the canteen.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    =-Noodles=-
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Congratulations!

    5 stars for over 500 episodes! Congratulations!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    suspectmonkey
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • A must listen for historical computing

    Thank you. Your show is a must listen for me. I grew up really disappointed with computer graphics as a kid. My younger brother bought a C64 that he wouldn’t let me play with and I remember how long it took to load games, so much so, I would go out and play with the dog for an hour. When the finally loaded I turned to him and said, he should sue for false advertising. It looked nothing like the box art. It wasn’t until later when I saved up money over various years, I caught a train down to Croy... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    shades_aus
    Australia6 months ago
  • 70% Ads

    Preroll ads, then hosts open show up with ads. The first half are retro news stories, but are mostly nonretro things to buy, so more ads. Then an ad break and the guest. This show has fallen way off in recent years.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    KeyboardG
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

- Positive feedback frequently mentions the show's ability to transport listeners back to earlier computing eras and its value as a historical resource.
- Viewers appreciate the mix of nostalgia, community banter, and occasional deep dives into hardware and preservation topics.
- Overall sentiment points to strong affection for the hosts' camaraderie and the quality of guests, with a few notes about pacing or ad placement.
- Some critique recent episodes for more promotional content and perceived decline in episode quality or guest depth.
- Longtime listeners praise insightful interviews with game designers and developers, often highlighting how interviews reveal historical processes behind classic titles.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

530: Inside Gargoyle Games: Stuart Cox on Light Force, Scooby-Doo and ThunderCats - The Retro Hour EP530
Q: Why did the ThunderCats NES port not come to fruition, and what was distinctive about that version?
The NES version required a different graphics system entirely; it was redone for 6502, with smaller sprites and a Mario-esque, more child-friendly aesthetic, but ultimately the project was not completed, possibly due to licensing or business reasons.
530: Inside Gargoyle Games: Stuart Cox on Light Force, Scooby-Doo and ThunderCats - The Retro Hour EP530
Q: What was the development philosophy behind Light Force and its 'lasermation' approach?
We aimed for a bold, color-rich shooter on limited hardware; we used clever programming to avoid color clash, avoided continuous scrolling, and focused on a dramatic, fast-paced experience inspired by Star Force and arcade shooters.
530: Inside Gargoyle Games: Stuart Cox on Light Force, Scooby-Doo and ThunderCats - The Retro Hour EP530
Q: How did Gargoyle approach licensing and creating Scooby-Doo under Elite's license?
Elite had the license and asked Gargoyle to deliver a game quickly; we rebuilt Scooby-Doo from the ground up in about six weeks, creating an original game rather than a direct clone, and we did it with our own internal tools and workflows.
531: Inside Psygnosis: WipEout, PlayStation and the Rave Generation - The Retro Hour EP531
Q: What was it like writing for the Liverpool Echo while you were also working at Psygnosis, and how did that influence your later PR work?
He describes running a weekly column on games reviews and news, obtaining free rentals from shops, and how that journalism experience helped him translate technical game features for a broad audience, shaping his future PR approach.
531: Inside Psygnosis: WipEout, PlayStation and the Rave Generation - The Retro Hour EP531
Q: How did you get started in the industry and eventually end up at Psygnosis?
Glen explains his early exposure to games and music, his transition from writing for local newspapers to Psygnosis, and how testing and QA served as a gateway into more senior marketing and publishing roles within the company.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Retro Hour

What is The Retro Hour about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on retro gaming and technology, delivering a steady mix of weekly news, nostalgia-driven storytelling, and in-depth interviews with industry veterans. Listeners can expect conversations with game designers, journalists, researchers, and creators who shaped early gaming culture, often touching on hardware, emulation, preservation, and the evolution of retro titles into modern platforms. Notable episodes showcase behind-the-scenes looks at classic games, the origins of influential gaming peripherals, and the communities that formed around retro computing, making it a go-to for fans seeking both historical context and actionable insights for preservation and retro-inspired projects. A standout characteristic is the lively bant... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Retro Hour?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Retro Hour:

1. This Week in Retro
2. Retro Asylum - The UK's No.1 Retro Gaming Podcast
3. Retronauts
4. Retro Gaming Discussion Show
5. The Cane and Rinse videogame podcast

How many episodes of The Retro Hour are there?

The Retro Hour launched 10 years ago and published 500 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Retro Hour?

Recent guests on The Retro Hour include:

1. Glen O'Connell
2. Stuart Cox
3. Larry Kuperman
4. John Mathieson
5. Jo Cook
6. Doc Mack
7. Craig Bass
8. Alexander Danielian

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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