The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

Synth musician, performer and self-described “bleakwave” artist Paulee Alex Bow joins us. We explore dark ’80s music and an love for the Commodore Amiga. Paulee reveals how OctaMED became the heart of a modern hardware-synth setup, why original machines can't be replaced, and what it takes to perform live with two Amigas in tow. We also hear about the Arcade Dreams soundtrack, haunted synths, Amiga MIDI, car-boot retro discoveries and why the Amiga community can sometimes feel almost spiritual.
Magical Synth Adventure: https://www.youtube.com/@magicalsynthadventure3216
Sonic State: https://www.youtube.com/@sonicstate/videos
Contents:
00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
48:21 - Paulee Alex Bow 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
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
 
Worms Director’s Cut Expansion: https://lnk.ua/5kH00iGiR
Romero Praises id Developers: https://lnk.ua/k0IOBSZGO
PlayStation Ends Physical Releases: https://lnk.ua/lvs87s7yd
Germany’s Preservation Project Collapses: https://lnk.ua/VFJe5qL8S
Command & Conquer on Atari ST: https://lnk.ua/aQhG7CrtN
Empire Interactive Quits 3DO: https://lnk.ua/aBXtA0qb6
Android Becomes a Wii U: https://lnk.ua/7jYPe7vxJ
YouTube on Game Boy Color: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GlYnN9JK1k

This week, we’re joined by legendary documentary makers Ant and Nic Caulfield, the team behind From Bedrooms to Billions, The Amiga Years and The Rubber-Keyed Wonder, as they return to celebrate one of the most iconic home computers ever made: the Commodore 64. 
Commodore 64: The Birth of a Cultural Icon on Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/TRJ0cmHX1
Contents:
00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
56:23 – Commodore 64 Documentary 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
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
Commodore Phone Price Drop: https://lnk.ua/L9Jyk0HoH
Sonic Cartridges Return: https://lnk.ua/RbgJGWLAL
Ecco Remaster Physical Edition: https://lnk.ua/1R9OKXgHb
Neo Turbo Challenge Amiga: https://lnk.ua/Vl6vprJIb
Wolfenstein 3D On Lynx: https://lnk.ua/gaL5jitCm
3DO Returns?: https://lnk.ua/hCMaWHfX6
Meshtastic On Commodore 64: https://lnk.ua/XlABpzaBa

This week we’re joined by Brian Watson, formerly of DMA Design who worked on the Atari ST version of Lemmings 1 and 2, and porting it to the Atari Lynx.  He later worked for Iguana Entertainment, Acclaim, working on Turok, N64 audio drivers and clever memory systems used across dozens of games. Brian shares brilliant stories from the trenches of 16-bit and 32-bit development, the challenge of making ambitious games work on limited hardware, and what it was really like behind the scenes at DMA and Acclaim.
Contents:
00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
43:31 - Brian Watson 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
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
Minecraft On PS2: https://lnk.ua/kNl3123pX
Game Boy GTA: https://lnk.ua/LQySSpMoN
Apidya Remake Pre-Orders: https://lnk.ua/23bg38SjW
Dreamcast USB Controller: https://lnk.ua/MUJ4zS3Jz
Retro Warehouse Haul: https://lnk.ua/Lbd1kmKIf
Discord Social SDK: https://lnk.ua/6Wfh1bNoy

Rob Landeros joins us to share the incredible story behind Trilobyte and The 7th Guest, from discovering the Amiga and working at Cinemaware and Virgin, to teaming up with Graeme Devine and helping ignite the CD-ROM revolution with one of the most iconic FMV horror puzzlers of the 1990s. 
The 7th Guest Remake: https://the7thguestremake.com/
Diddly on Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/9XeHAcgxM
Contents:
00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
47:15 - The 7th Guest 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
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
Godzilla Remaster Challenges GTA: https://youtu.be/w-veMlH2L-A
PaulaNET Amiga Wi-Fi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhAg-fT83o8
Jet Set Radio Divides Fans: https://lnk.ua/tdyOdTeYH
N64 Controller Guitar Pedal: https://lnk.ua/9IWlFwXIz
Thief Remaster Announced: https://lnk.ua/XduraQixG
Castlevania Mega Drive Port: https://lnk.ua/tOaxHv6wa
Metro Siege Hits Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/RyOFar6cK
Patrons news
Final Fight 64 Homebrew: https://lnk.ua/awxAjBPf5
Perfect Dark VR Port: https://lnk.ua/bKQAOFZqH

This week we’re joined by veteran programmer Colin Porch, whose career took him through some of the biggest names in British gaming history, including Imagine, Software Projects and Ocean Software. Colin shares stories of Imagine’s dramatic collapse, converting arcade hits like Dragon’s Lair, Operation Wolf and Gryzor to home micros, the infamous lost Parasol Stars C64 port, and the technical wizardry behind bringing Head Over Heels to the Commodore 64, Atari ST and Amiga. Plus, we hear the incredible story of Return to Blacktooth, the Head Over Heels sequel Colin began in 1989 and has finally completed 37 years later.   
Return To Blacktooth: https://thalamusdigital.itch.io/
Contents:
00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
48:17 – Colin Porch 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
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
RGL Teases The A1200: https://lnk.ua/GqyeXdPJ5
Commodore Teases June 16th Announcement: https://lnk.ua/OXRSP2jzO
Crazy Taxi GenAI Response: https://lnk.ua/5JfoTfy1f
Atari Toy Story Collection: https://lnk.ua/TJqoQuQ5j
Resident Evil Code Veronica: https://lnk.ua/EDTxG2iaS
Ocarina Of Time Remake: https://lnk.ua/6Two6Um7u
Cuphead Devs’ Master System Spin-Off: https://lnk.ua/KnkMouiRw