The Secret of Monkey Island Gets a STUNNING Commodore 64 Port!

523: What It Was REALLY Like Working at Sony PlayStation in the 90s - The Retro Hour EP523

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, and hear behind-the-scenes stories from PlayStation’s golden era, the launch of the PS2 and PS3. Alex also discusses developing 24: The Game, contributing to God of War 3, and bringing his experience to Diablo 3, along with insights into how games were really made during the 90s and early 2000s—and how a simple fanzine helped launch his career.  Dev to Dev podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ro/podcast/dev-to-dev/id1836754572Contents:00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories57:56 – Alex Sulman InterviewPlease visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesEx-Xbox Icon Joins Commodore: https://tinyurl.com/3mn8m48bLost Star Wars Xbox Game: https://tinyurl.com/2s3sz3w6New Atari Jaguar Racer: https://tinyurl.com/bdfhdpkeNightdive Sin Remaster Update: https://youtu.be/Tw5DMMTfk5oMonkey Island C64 Port: https://tinyurl.com/msct5wnnMega CD Dev Kit Milestone: https://tinyurl.com/mry7m64sDefender Of The Crown Remake: https://tinyurl.com/2rzj577c

522: The Untold Story of TDK Mediactive: Nintendo, Star Wars & More - The Retro Hour EP522

This week we’re joined by Vincent Bitetti, former CEO of TDK Mediactive, for a fascinating look at one of gaming’s most unusual industry journeys. Starting in the early days of BBS networks and sound-effect licensing, including iconic properties like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Babylon 5, Vincent helped pioneer digital media distribution before leading TDK’s push into video games during the CD-ROM boom. We discuss how TDK evolved from an audio hardware giant into a multimedia powerhouse, their links to Nintendo and the GameCube era, and the art of spotting market opportunities before they explode. Contents:00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories49:14 – TDK Mediactive InterviewPlease visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesNintendo PlayStation Prototype Found: https://tinyurl.com/yz2u7yh5Street Fighter 2 Amazing New Spectrum Version: https://tinyurl.com/ra7f3m4Mad Dog McCree In ScummVM: https://tinyurl.com/3zsx2xhsGame Boy Camera Phone Transfer: https://tinyurl.com/uktvuhtnSaturn’s Last Mystery Revealed: https://tinyurl.com/2u9wde5b

521: The Story Behind the Vectrex Mini - The Retro Hour EP521

This week we’re joined by David Oghia, the man behind the upcoming Vectrex Mini. We explore his journey from discovering the ZX81 in the early 80s to working on official Star Wars publications and visiting Skywalker Ranch, before diving into the revival of one of gaming’s most unique consoles. David explains why the original vector-display Vectrex remains so special, the challenges of recreating it with modern hardware, and how the Kickstarter campaign unexpectedly smashed its funding goal. We also discuss games, overlays, controllers and what the future might hold for the reborn Vectrex brand.Contents:00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories46:05 – Vectrex Mini InterviewPlease visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesTriforce Arcade Emulation: https://tinyurl.com/ycxwe6hwRave Racer On Consoles: https://tinyurl.com/38mbt8puRemote Vintage Mainframes: https://tinyurl.com/mryykp8kEvercade Wireless Controller: https://tinyurl.com/5bjmj36xUnreal Tournament 2004 Patch: https://tinyurl.com/4cutcc3dHyper Sentinel Fusion: https://tinyurl.com/mrdeupdt

520: The Graphics of Core Design - The Retro Hour EP520

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 Stories51:34 – Billy Allison Core Design InterviewPlease visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesN64 & PS2 Mario Co-Op Mod: https://youtu.be/gCza2KrstxEAmiga Mario Kart Clone: https://tinyurl.com/2s4y92d4Minecraft On Sega Saturn: https://tinyurl.com/fwcr2d3dBest Way To Play Fan Translations: https://tinyurl.com/378jn4r2Castlevania Silent Planet: https://tinyurl.com/bdhdn5z3New bsnes Build Adds Multitap: https://tinyurl.com/yt4nwvj4

519: Three Red Lights: The Wild Story of IGN’s Xbox 360 Podcast - The Retro Hour EP519

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 Stories50:46 – Three Red Lights Podcast InterviewPlease visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesRogue 7800 Roguelike: https://tinyurl.com/yc5dzbp6Rayman 30th Anniversary: https://tinyurl.com/y9vufpynSuper Mario 64 PDF: https://youtu.be/a0F08py5Z4MKula World 32X Port: https://tinyurl.com/4t957hxwComputer History Collection Online: https://tinyurl.com/438nvhxwCastlevania Belmont’s Curse: https://tinyurl.com/4s9abvumPatrons newsMetal Gear Solid Collection: https://tinyurl.com/27458dp7Wheeze Game Boy Release: https://tinyurl.com/bdchv5zn

518: GameShark: The Rise, Fall & Return with Todd Hayes – The Retro Hour EP518

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/4t6a96jbContents: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.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesThe Simpsons: Hit & Run Dreamcast Port: https://tinyurl.com/ystdsvx3Dark Sci-Fi SNES Shooter: https://tinyurl.com/2smj37y5Amiga Addams Family Secrets: https://tinyurl.com/3j356repNew Wii Game Announced: https://tinyurl.com/4u4f2hazReStory: Console Repair Game: https://tinyurl.com/39a95ctmApple iPod Comeback Rumours: https://tinyurl.com/7u3xpd2pNew ScummVM Documentary: https://www.scummdoc.com/ 

517: From Zzap!64 to Thalamus: How a C64 Legend Came Back - The Retro Hour EP517

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.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesSonic R Platformer Mod: https://tinyurl.com/mu6e538jLemmings Reloaded On C64: https://tinyurl.com/hh856em2Lost Beavis & Butt-Head Game: https://tinyurl.com/h8wt9um9The Last Of Us Demake: https://tinyurl.com/2abjtn6cGamebox For Classic Mac: https://manticore.nz/gamebox

516: Celebrating the Best (and Worst) Video Game Controllers - The Retro Hour EP516

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/2s4nyfpcContents: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.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesPS3 Mod Breaks Limits: https://tinyurl.com/339xt3kyEscape 2049 Hits Mega Drive: https://tinyurl.com/5n7n7npeAtari ST Mini Teased: https://tinyurl.com/3af6pxhxYakuza Arcade Game Ported: https://tinyurl.com/dzx7nepsAtari Hotel Scaled Down: https://tinyurl.com/3j9atphjNew Saturn Console Successor: https://tinyurl.com/3nzbfn78Artist Makes Wi-Fi Visible: https://youtu.be/moBCOEiqiPs

515: "We Felt Like Part of the Beatles" - Rock Band with Sean Baptiste - The Retro Hour EP515

What makes a truly great gaming community? Sean Baptiste, who helped grow Harmonix’s forum from a dozen diehards to hundreds of thousands of fans, shares what it really takes. From the secret struggles behind QA on Karaoke Revolution, to rocking out with the stars at the Grammys, Sean reflects on how fan feedback shaped Rock Band, how social media changed the game, and why authentic engagement still matters more than ever.Contents:00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 52:18 - Sean Baptiste Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.comGo 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 needsWe 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/retrohourJoin our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8Website: http://theretrohour.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/X: https://twitter.com/retrohourukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.comTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohourShow notesMario 64 Dreamcast Port Impresses: https://tinyurl.com/chayc96wCombo Portable TV Demo: https://tinyurl.com/mp5fy7ckLost PS2-Style RPG Revealed: https://tinyurl.com/4rb98wfnCommodore Drive Turned PC: https://tinyurl.com/4b79jdnz7-Day Dark Souls Demake: https://tinyurl.com/2sp2bc57Yie Ar Kung-Fu Genesis Port: https://tinyurl.com/yc7y5pmx