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The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)
Retro Gaming
Amiga
Sensible World Of Soccer
Simcity
Worms
Micro Machines
Turrican
Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge
Indie Games
Full Void
Sega
Atari
Tomb Raider
Cinemaware
Microprose
Zool
Atari 2600 Plus
DOMARK
Eidos
Atari Jaguar

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

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Artwork for The Retro Hour

Latest Episodes

On this week’s podcast, we’re joined by Galloping Ghost Arcade owner Doc Mack and filmmaker Craig Bass to explore the story behind one of the most legendary arcades on the planet. From Doc’s earliest memories of Pong and the golden age of the arcade,... more

On this week’s podcast, we’re joined by Alexander Danielian, the Electronics Boutique retail manager whose Sunset Galleria store became Sega’s official US Dreamcast launch location on the legendary 9/9/99 release day. Alexander takes us inside one of... more

Step back into the underground world of 90s dial-up piracy as we’re joined by Beast of Quartex, SysOp of Arcadia, once the largest pirate bulletin board system in the UK. From trading disks in the post to running a five-line elite BBS packed with the... more

Alex Sulman joins us to share his journey from typing in code on the ZX Spectrum to designing major titles at Sony, Blizzard, DICE and beyond. We hear about his early days in QA at Sony Cambridge, working on classics like Medievil, Frogger and Primal... more

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Recent Guests

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
Alex Sulman
Games designer and QA to designer; worked on Medievil, Primal, 24 The Game, Diablo 3, God of War 3, and more
Sony Cambridge / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Episode: 523: What It Was REALLY Like Working at Sony PlayStation in the 90s - The Retro Hour EP523
Vincent Bitetti
Founder of SoundSource Interactive and CEO of TDK Media Active
TDK Media Active
Episode: 522: The Untold Story of TDK Mediactive: Nintendo, Star Wars & More - The Retro Hour EP522
David Oghia
Head/lead behind the Vectrex Mini project
Vectrex Mini team
Episode: 521: The Story Behind the Vectrex Mini - The Retro Hour EP521
Billy Allison
Animator with a background in children's television and video games.
Core Design
Episode: 520: The Graphics of Core Design - The Retro Hour EP520
Hilary Goldstein
Former Xbox editor and host of the Three Red Lights Podcast
IGN
Episode: 519: Three Red Lights: The Wild Story of IGN’s Xbox 360 Podcast - The Retro Hour EP519

Reviews

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

    Brilliant interviews from the industry and the latest retro news.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    0044512
    Ireland21 days 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 Kingdoma month ago
  • Congratulations!

    5 stars for over 500 episodes! Congratulations!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    suspectmonkey
    United Kingdom3 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
    Australia5 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 States9 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.

524: Confessions of a Pirate BBS SysOp: The Arcadia Story - The Retro Hour EP524
Q: How did Beast first get involved with the pirate BBS world and what was the entry path into the scene?
Beast explains starting from school-based copying culture, moving into mail trading and then joining early groups like ScoopX, before progressing to larger piracy circles and eventually Quartex, driven by a mix of interest in Amiga, access to hardware, and opportunities within networks.
519: Three Red Lights: The Wild Story of IGN’s Xbox 360 Podcast - The Retro Hour EP519
Q: How did you get into the gaming industry?
David described how he was nudged by his mom to pursue gaming after she introduced him to gaming systems during his childhood.
519: Three Red Lights: The Wild Story of IGN’s Xbox 360 Podcast - The Retro Hour EP519
Q: What was your first video game experience?
Hilary recalled playing Frogger on his cousin's Atari 2600 and having a competitive Olympics with the games.
518: GameShark: The Rise, Fall & Return with Todd Hayes – The Retro Hour EP518
Q: Did you get any frustration or backlash from video game companies?
Hayes mentioned that they faced legal challenges but ultimately proved that GameShark added value for players.
518: GameShark: The Rise, Fall & Return with Todd Hayes – The Retro Hour EP518
Q: How did you kind of work around the CIC?
Todd explained that while he didn't know the technical details, there were gamers who managed to reverse engineer the lockout chip effectively.

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. Retro Gaming Discussion Show
4. Retronauts
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. Doc Mack
2. Craig Bass
3. Alexander Danielian
4. Beast of Quartex
5. Alex Sulman
6. Vincent Bitetti
7. David Oghia
8. Billy Allison

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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