The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

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:
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
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X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk
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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour
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
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
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
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/
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
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/
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