Retronauts

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

What: Our "History of Food Mascot Games" panel, live at PRGE 2022When: Saturday, October 15th at 11:00 AMWhere: Auditorium A (E141-E144)Who: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Gary ButterfieldPlease check out the official PRGE 2022 schedule for more information!

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

What: Our "Video Games Based on TV Shows" panel, live at PAX West 2022When: Sun, Sep 4, 2022 at 2:00 PMWhere: Sphinx Theatre (Sheraton, Level 3)Who: Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Mike DruckerPlease check out the official PAX West 2022 schedule for more information!

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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