The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

This week, we’re joined by Core Design artist and animator Billy Allison, whose incredible career spans hand-drawn children’s TV classics like SuperTed and The Forgotten Toys through to iconic 16-bit games including Chuck Rock, Wonder Dog, Bubba 'n' Stix and more. Billy shares how he went from experimenting with animation on a ZX Spectrum and Deluxe Paint to pushing early 3D on Shadow Man and revisiting Alien Breed years later. From sneaking into film school rostrum rooms to pioneering full-screen Amiga cutscenes.
Contents:
00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
51:34 – Billy Allison Core Design 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!
Play Expo Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/
Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs
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
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X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk
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Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour
Show notes
N64 & PS2 Mario Co-Op Mod: https://youtu.be/gCza2KrstxE
Amiga Mario Kart Clone: https://tinyurl.com/2s4y92d4
Minecraft On Sega Saturn: https://tinyurl.com/fwcr2d3d
Best Way To Play Fan Translations: https://tinyurl.com/378jn4r2
Castlevania Silent Planet: https://tinyurl.com/bdhdn5z3
New bsnes Build Adds Multitap: https://tinyurl.com/yt4nwvj4

This week we’re joined by Hilary Goldstein and Dave Clayman, two of the voices behind IGN’s legendary Three Red Lights podcast, the loud, chaotic and gloriously irreverent Xbox 360 show that helped define mid-2000s gaming culture. From sleeping on office couches and playing Halo 2 before anyone else, to Don King promos, 50 Cent interviews and the early days of podcasting when you had to manually download episodes onto an MP3 player, they share wild behind-the-scenes stories from the golden age of online gaming media. 
Contents:
00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
50:46 – Three Red Lights Podcast 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!
Play Expo Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/
Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs
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
Rogue 7800 Roguelike: https://tinyurl.com/yc5dzbp6
Rayman 30th Anniversary: https://tinyurl.com/y9vufpyn
Super Mario 64 PDF: https://youtu.be/a0F08py5Z4M
Kula World 32X Port: https://tinyurl.com/4t957hxw
Computer History Collection Online: https://tinyurl.com/438nvhxw
Castlevania Belmont’s Curse: https://tinyurl.com/4s9abvum
Patrons news
Metal Gear Solid Collection: https://tinyurl.com/27458dp7
Wheeze Game Boy Release: https://tinyurl.com/bdchv5zn

This week we’re joined by Todd Hayes, original US CEO of GameShark, the device that changed how a generation played games. From arcade beginnings to building a $252 million video game empire, Todd shares the story of bringing Action Replay to America, battling Sony in court, navigating Nintendo’s lockout chips, and launching the ambitious SharkWire online service for the N64. We also hear aboutthe return of GameShark for the modern era and his new GameShark Cheat Code Compendium, preserving the secrets behind gaming’s most legendary cheats.
GameShark Kickstarter: https://tinyurl.com/4t6a96jb
Contents:
00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 
52:48 - GameShark Todd Hayes 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!
Play Expo Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/
Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs
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
The Simpsons: Hit & Run Dreamcast Port: https://tinyurl.com/ystdsvx3
Dark Sci-Fi SNES Shooter: https://tinyurl.com/2smj37y5
Amiga Addams Family Secrets: https://tinyurl.com/3j356rep
New Wii Game Announced: https://tinyurl.com/4u4f2haz
ReStory: Console Repair Game: https://tinyurl.com/39a95ctm
Apple iPod Comeback Rumours: https://tinyurl.com/7u3xpd2p
New ScummVM Documentary: https://www.scummdoc.com/

This week we’re catching up with Andy Robert of the legendary Thalamus Software, for a chat about one of the most fascinating careers of the 8-bit era. From discovering computers via library games and typing in listings, to writing for Zzap!64 and Commodore Format, Andy shares incredible stories from the golden age of the Commodore 64. We dig into Creatures, Mayhem in Monsterland and that infamous 100% review score, the realities of magazine bias, late-night map drawing, and the risks of going indie before “indie” was a thing. Plus, we fast-forward to the modern Thalamus revival, deluxe boxed releases, Amiga hits like Roguecraft, and why nostalgia still needs to be done properly.
Thalamus: https://www.thalamus.shop/
Contents:
00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 
41:26 - Andy Roberts Thalamus 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!
Leeds Gaming Market: https://leedsgamingmarket.com/
Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs
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
Sonic R Platformer Mod: https://tinyurl.com/mu6e538j
Lemmings Reloaded On C64: https://tinyurl.com/hh856em2
Lost Beavis & Butt-Head Game: https://tinyurl.com/h8wt9um9
The Last Of Us Demake: https://tinyurl.com/2abjtn6c
Gamebox For Classic Mac: https://manticore.nz/gamebox

This week on The Retro Hour, we’re getting hands-on with the unsung heroes of gaming: video game controllers! We’re joined by Christian Wenk, author of Trigger Happy, a stunning visual celebration of over 200 iconic (and sometimes downright bizarre) controllers from gaming history. From mushy Commodore joysticks to the ergonomic oddities of the N64 and beyond, Christian shares the nostalgic stories, design quirks, and sheer passion that fuelled his epic project. 
Trigger Happy: https://tinyurl.com/2s4nyfpc
Contents:
00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 
59:11 - Christian Wenk 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!
Leeds Gaming Market: https://leedsgamingmarket.com/
Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs
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
PS3 Mod Breaks Limits: https://tinyurl.com/339xt3ky
Escape 2049 Hits Mega Drive: https://tinyurl.com/5n7n7npe
Atari ST Mini Teased: https://tinyurl.com/3af6pxhx
Yakuza Arcade Game Ported: https://tinyurl.com/dzx7neps
Atari Hotel Scaled Down: https://tinyurl.com/3j9atphj
New Saturn Console Successor: https://tinyurl.com/3nzbfn78
Artist Makes Wi-Fi Visible: https://youtu.be/moBCOEiqiPs