This week we’re joined by video game music expert Matt Ombler, head of music and gaming partnerships at Laced, to explore the incredible world of game soundtracks, from Sonic on the Mega Drive and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater shaping a generation’s music taste, to Wipeout, Halo 2, retro sound chips, vinyl reissues and the growing importance of preserving game music history. Matt also shares stories from his journalism days interviewing legends like Nile Rodgers and Nobuo Uematsu, plus how he helped bring metal heavyweights including Howard Jones, Trivium and Polyphia into Cult of the Lamb’s Hymns of the Unholy project.   

Laced Records: https://www.lacedrecords.com/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
46:30 – Matt Ombler Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

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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:

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Show notes

Sonic On ZX Spectrum Next: https://tinyurl.com/48fpsssy
Legal Disc Ripping: https://tinyurl.com/2s4pufay
Virtual OS Museum: https://tinyurl.com/2kz9r9aw
Castlevania Rondo of Blood On Mega Drive: https://tinyurl.com/3x8ukbxn
Amiga CD32 ODE: https://tinyurl.com/3p93uuam
Final Fantasy XVI Demake: https://tinyurl.com/5yxeu5yp

This week, we’re joined by Wingham Rowan, creator and host of the pioneering ’90s ITV show cyber.cafe. Long before YouTube, Twitch, Tinder and social media, cyber.cafe explored the strange, funny and sometimes shocking human stories emerging from the early internet, from chat room romances and online communities to JenniCam, alien abductees, moral panics, bizarre websites and late-night web culture. Wingham shares brilliant behind-the-scenes stories from making one of the UK’s first TV shows to take the internet seriously, capturing a moment when the web was still mysterious, chaotic and full of possibility.  

cyber.cafe: https://www.ninetiesinternet.com/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
49:52 – cyber.cafe 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 tickets: 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

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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour

Show notes

MegaWiFi Online Play: https://tinyurl.com/4dd76pru
Adventure of Node: https://tinyurl.com/mwfvr62j
Elden Ring N64 Demake: https://tinyurl.com/3xjw88p2
Spyro E3 Statue Rescued: https://tinyurl.com/ydtj225p
Windows CE On N64: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGS9su_inBY
Switch GBA Link Cable: https://tinyurl.com/5n9bj8p7

This week, we’re joined by Elite Systems co-founder Steve Wilcox for a journey through one of the most important names in British gaming history. Steve shares how a family business in the West Midlands evolved from mail-order cassette games into a major force of the 8-bit era, publishing hits like Airwolf, Commando, Ghosts ’n Goblins, Bomb Jack and Paperboy. 

Chuckie Egg for iOS: https://tinyurl.com/2hpsvj7a

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
48:26 – Elite Systems 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 tickets: 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
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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour

Show notes

Myst And Riven Remakes: https://tinyurl.com/mt76kcn6
Dr Mario Plus/4 Fan Game: https://tinyurl.com/2ztwvy6b
Dreamcast Wii Remote Support: https://tinyurl.com/4nsapkf5
Veins Of Iron: https://veinsofiron.com/
Taxi Boy Released: https://tinyurl.com/5b4bdjxs
Time Crisis Returns: https://tinyurl.com/3hvrjfus
Football Manager On Spectrum: https://tinyurl.com/usdu5bvx

Inside Psygnosis: WipEout, PlayStation and the Rave Generation - The Retro Hour EP531

This week we’re joined by former Psygnosis PR manager Glen O’Connell for a brilliant journey through one of the most exciting eras in British gaming. Glen shares stories from Liverpool’s arcade and computer shop scene, his move from rave music promotion into games, and his time at Psygnosis during the huge shift from Amiga and Atari ST to CD-ROM, Saturn and PlayStation. We hear how WipEout fused club culture, cutting-edge design and licensed music to help define the PlayStation generation, plus memories of Destruction Derby, G-Police, Formula One, Rage, EA, Burnout, Need for Speed and plenty more.

Stuart's current project: https://www.wireadmin.com

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
43:38 – Glen O'Connell 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 tickets: 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
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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour

Show notes

Neo Geo Crossplay Revival: https://tinyurl.com/33xx8nah
Bomberman Online Returns: https://tinyurl.com/mwk7xepp
Bloodstone For ZX Spectrum: https://tinyurl.com/zn677unx
BioCreeps For NES: https://tinyurl.com/ytd9zuaw
Switch As Wii U GamePad: https://tinyurl.com/4c58vbcb
Star Fox 64 Remake: https://www.youtube.com/live/ePZeyh5q9R8

This week, we’re joined by Stuart Cox, artist at the legendary Midland studio Gargoyle Games, for a brilliant trip through the golden age of British 8-bit development. Stuart shares how he went from the Dragon 32 and early arcade obsessions to working on Scooby-Doo, Light Force, Shockway Rider, Hydrofool, ThunderCats and more, with stories of rapid-fire development, clever tricks to push the ZX Spectrum, digitised graphics, Rob Hubbard’s incredible turnaround times, the truth behind the “Wolf” and “Samurai Dawn” confusion, and even the lost ThunderCats NES port. A proper behind-the-scenes look at one of the UK’s most fascinating 1980s game studios.

Stuart's current project: https://www.wireadmin.com

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
50:41 – Gargoyle Games 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

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

A1200 Delayed: https://tinyurl.com/yfzd3wdd
Tomb Raider Side-Scroller: https://tinyurl.com/msn72sab
Tomb Raider On N64: https://tinyurl.com/bdfz8zds
C64 And Spectrum Handhelds: https://tinyurl.com/mwv2bj88
Zapped To The Past: https://tinyurl.com/2rvzth58
Cancelled Simpsons Game Revealed: https://tinyurl.com/4444m3aa
Ask.com Shuts Down: https://tinyurl.com/mr467yby
Resident Evil Teaser Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJPu1spHqfk

This week, we’re joined by Larry Kuperman, former VP of Business Development at Nightdive Studios, former Business Development Manager at GameStop, Stardock veteran, and co-founder of the IGDA Ann Arbor Chapter. Larry shares incredible stories from the business side of games, from discovering Wolfenstein 3D on a mighty 486, selling custom PCs in the ’90s, and Stardock’s early digital distribution gamble, to GameStop’s attempt to compete with Steam and Nightdive’s mission to bring classics like Turok, System Shock, Star Wars: Dark Forces and more back to life. We also dig into DRM, lost source code, game preservation, and why classic games are art worth saving.

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
49:20 – Larry Kuperman 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!

Nottingham Gaming Market:  https://www.nottinghamgamingmarket.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

VCF Bomb Scare: https://tinyurl.com/c4k2kb27
Resi 4 On Dreamcast: https://tinyurl.com/ud4v8t69
Commodore 64C Returns: https://commodore.net/
GoatBeat Hits C64: https://tinyurl.com/4cebch5b
Majora’s Mask On Vita: https://tinyurl.com/8dzxj937
Warhammer Classics Return: https://youtu.be/crVfMM3by_k

This week, we’re joined by John Mathieson, the hardware designer best known as the father of the Atari Jaguar. John takes us through an extraordinary career that began at Sinclair Research on the ZX Spectrum, before moving through ambitious and often misunderstood projects including Loki, the Konix Multisystem, Atari’s Panther and Jaguar, and later the Nuon. Along the way, he shares brilliant behind-the-scenes stories about working with Clive Sinclair, Jeff Minter and the Tramiel-era Atari team, and reflects on the technical ideas, challenges and missed opportunities behind some of gaming’s most fascinating machines.  

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
53:08 – John Mathieson 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!

Nottingham Gaming Market:  https://www.nottinghamgamingmarket.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

Stunt Car Racer 60FPS Update: https://tinyurl.com/48auryjz
Stunt Car Racer Multiplayer: https://tinyurl.com/4juw2a99
Pokémon Adventure Demo: https://tinyurl.com/2bcntp4u
Crystian And The Lost Crystals: https://tinyurl.com/4ju936w9
DS And PSP Screen Fix: https://tinyurl.com/4mphcth5
SuperSega Creator Returns: https://tinyurl.com/5eezr29v
Sega RPG Returns: https://tinyurl.com/nw8jupxa

On this week’s podcast, we celebrate 42 years of the Amstrad CPC with special guest Jo Cook, who takes us deep inside the Amstrad scene of the late 80s and 90s. From growing up with a CPC 464 and helping run the legendary King Arthur’s Domain PD library and Merlin-Serve, to writing for Amstrad Action and seeing the community evolve into the modern day, Jo shares a warm, funny and fascinating insider’s view of one of Britain’s most beloved computer scenes.

UK Amstrad Group: https://www.ukag.org.uk/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
49:16 – Amstrad Group 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!

Nottingham Gaming Market:  https://www.nottinghamgamingmarket.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/
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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour

Show notes

New Neo Geo Hardware?: https://tinyurl.com/n8eheyw9
Mac OS X on Wii: https://tinyurl.com/4rzxpk76
Eclipse Blade Emerges: https://tinyurl.com/23eewcua
Miracle Boy on Atari ST: https://tinyurl.com/453duhke
Ground Zero Terror: https://tinyurl.com/42me5wh8
Mario on Master System: https://tinyurl.com/4bn4zzpx

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, to rare prototypes like Primal Rage 2 and the making of Craig’s upcoming documentary Ghostlord and the Quest for Dark Presence, this is a fascinating look at arcade history, preservation, and the passion that keeps these classic games alive.

Ghostlord movie: https://www.ghostlordsquest.com/
Galloping Ghost arcade: https://www.gallopingghostarcade.com/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
46:30 – Galloping Ghost 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
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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour

Show notes

DVD on Dreamcast: https://youtu.be/ntj_tUHKAaE
Castle Adventure for Amstrad: https://tinyurl.com/29dt5k46
PS1 Emulator Adds VR: https://tinyurl.com/2hzn7e6x
Pond Versus Bond: https://tinyurl.com/yau26n3j
C64 Impossible Mission Sequel Announced: https://youtu.be/lMvGh1azQ7o
Dolphin Adds Game Boy Player: https://tinyurl.com/ycy3rdnp

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 the wildest retail events in gaming history, from building Dreamcast hype against all odds and working directly with Sega and Bernie Stolar, to the midnight queues, tournament atmosphere, sell-out crowds and the chaos caused by faulty launch copies of Sonic Adventure. It’s a brilliant insider story from the shop floor at the exact moment Sega made its last great hardware stand.  

Alex's Intagram: https://www.instagram.com/ultimategamersvault/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
55:09 – Alexander Danielian 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

Evercade Nexus Revealed: https://tinyurl.com/yut6zatr
Alien Breed On Speccy: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhf5hw
Lost Dreamcast Game Returns: https://tinyurl.com/5ac8wmhu
Unreleased GBC Platformer: https://tinyurl.com/2fsj9rcc
Prince Of Persia Flipper: https://tinyurl.com/27nrue37
GTA IV Beta Found: https://tinyurl.com/3rwpyxvx

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 latest cracked Amiga games, Beast shares how the scene really worked: the hierarchy, the rivalries, and the race to release first. Plus, the secret world of crackers and couriers, and the moment it all came crashing down when FAST raided his operation.

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
50:08 – Beast of Quartex 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://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

Sega 32X Elite-Style Game: https://youtu.be/rR-arrDKu3s
Double Baboon Ninja: https://tinyurl.com/3fb748tm
Xbox 360 PS3 Wii U Retro: https://tinyurl.com/yeyn8w6p
Final Fantasy IX Animated Series: https://tinyurl.com/4fsm7b22
PS2 Emulator iOS: https://tinyurl.com/4kefxjpp
New Steve Jobs Video: https://youtu.be/EoM2Y2KO6kU