The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

GamesMaster legend Dominik Diamond joins us for a brand-new conversation recorded live at PLAY Expo in Blackpool. From landing the presenting job and meeting Patrick Moore just once to backstage rivalries, celebrity guests and the infamous Dave Perry fallout, Dominik shares hilarious and candid stories from the show that defined gaming TV in the ’90s. Plus, audience questions, his return to stand-up and an honest look at the pressures of overnight fame.

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
49:54 – Dominik Diamond 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!

Glasgow Gaming Market: https://lnk.ua/qa16qr9Yf

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

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Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour

Show notes

Oliver Twins announce new Dizzy: https://lnk.ua/foh1kzQQA
New Dizzy game announcement video: https://lnk.ua/IAR5e7mU3
House of the Dead VR: https://lnk.ua/z4Nyg4K1v
Doom-style action on Commodore 64: https://lnk.ua/weBSRgtNS
Doom64 gameplay video: https://lnk.ua/1fEmPhS0S
Croc 2 remaster arrives soon: https://lnk.ua/hVVW7FEH0
RetroAchievements reach real PS2 hardware: https://lnk.ua/e640i6vy3

This week we’re joined by legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro, recorded live at Retromessa in Norway, for the story behind the iconic Streets of Rage soundtracks. From the club music that inspired those unforgettable beats to getting the most out of the Mega Drive, Yuzo shares how he helped shape the sound of Sega—and reveals his role designing moves and voicing characters in Streets of Rage 2! Plus, we talk Revenge of Shinobi, Sonic and his return to Mega Drive development with Earthion.

Plus, Modern Vintage Gamer joins us for the news!

MVG: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernVintageGamer/videos

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
50:27 – Yuzo Koshiro 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!

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

C64 and Spectrum handhelds delayed: https://lnk.ua/Y92W4t1J7
Super Mario 64 SNES port: https://lnk.ua/IzOyma94q
Amiga Addams Family backgrounds edition: https://lnk.ua/guzIbbISR
GoldenEye 007 goes third-person: https://lnk.ua/mPTCUlTqm
Binky launches on C64: https://lnk.ua/My9oxsebG
Lost SNES Railroad Tycoon footage: https://lnk.ua/hwttaGmyJ
Real coin slot for emulators: https://lnk.ua/fxCnlQe5C

This week, we’re joined by legendary game designer Warren Spector to explore the stories behind Ultima, Deus Ex and Epic Mickey. From the Dungeons & Dragons session that changed his life to John Romero’s offer to make his dream game, Warren shares how he championed player freedom, why Deus Ex almost became a Command & Conquer RPG, and what working with Mickey Mouse meant to him.

Paul Drury's The Arcade book: https://lnk.ua/vLieP7PVA

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
55:50 – Yuzo Koshiro 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!

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

Gun.Smoke Comes to Amiga: https://lnk.ua/9VVzy7Q1w
Pixar vs Nintendo: https://lnk.ua/gtcZcmiay
The Return of Motion Gaming: https://lnk.ua/jFAg9AEnd
Crazy Taxi Netflix Film Announced: https://lnk.ua/AhvVYnhYS
Matthew Smith Spectrum Collection: https://lnk.ua/0L1SD3zv3
Star Wars Trilogy on Dreamcast: https://lnk.ua/4KpQVGPUT

Recorded live at Retromessa in Norway, we sit down with legendary video game composer Yuzo Koshiro for part one of our conversation, exploring his Nintendo years. From his earliest piano lessons to the orchestral sounds of ActRaiser, the infectious grooves of Super Adventure Island and the worlds of Etrian Odyssey and Super Smash Bros., Yuzo shares the stories and influences behind his music. Plus, audience questions uncover his favourite games, the origins of his YK2 alias and a contribution to Terranigma he’d forgotten he made!

Slope's Book Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/N6GM8pALm

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
54:46 – Yuzo Koshiro 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!

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

Neo Geo AES+ Delayed: https://lnk.ua/lorIBnZ5Q
New Lotus Trilogy Remake: https://lnk.ua/NbvwYx8su
RPCS3 Adds Physical Disc Support: https://lnk.ua/xkdGOKL4z
Rare’s Project Dream Leaks Online: https://lnk.ua/15LPiFgPB
Ocarina of Time Remake: https://lnk.ua/Z0YTZRr2Z
Metal Slug Collection Hits Switch: https://lnk.ua/nXKpK6iQA

How do you turn a handful of pixels into one of gaming’s most recognisable characters? Recorded live at RetroMessa 2026, Dan and Joe meet illustrator Duncan Gutteridge, whose hand-painted artwork helped define Sonic’s European image during SEGA’s 16-bit glory years. Duncan recalls reimagining Sonic 2, creating artwork for Sonic 3 and Knuckles, working with airbrushes, phones and fax machines, and enjoying a level of creative freedom that would be almost unthinkable today. He also reveals the fate of his long-lost original Sonic paintings.

Amiga Bill Links: Twitch.tv/AmigaBill
https://YouTube.com/@AmigaBill
https://AmigaBill.tv

Twitch.tv

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
1:06:00 – Duncan Gutteridge 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!

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

New Doom-Style Shooter for 3DO:  https://lnk.ua/znInXLNwM
GTA Arrives on Amiga:  https://lnk.ua/ERRtnHKLk
Portrait Ridge Racer Port:  https://lnk.ua/m0xu68aPx
New 4:3 Retro Gaming Monitor:  https://lnk.ua/PZX3RS7zK
LEGO PlayStation 1 Set Revealed:  https://lnk.ua/fAPHMgWXi
Portal Demake Arrives on GBA:  https://lnk.ua/QqQkLQGr5

It's Ravi's final episode of the podcast, we give him a good send off!  Plus, we bring you our Best of British panel from RetroMessa, featuring Mike Dailly (DMA Design), Glen O'Connell (Psygnosis), Duncan Gutteridge (Sega UK) and Brian Watson (DMA Design) for a panel discussion about British gaming history, iconic games and the moments that helped shape an entire era.

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
1:05:50 – Best of British

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!

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

Sonic Demo Lands on Amiga: https://lnk.ua/Ifux6frxr  
Terranigma Returns to Modern Hardware: https://lnk.ua/6ciLNoEyo  
Cyberpunk 2077 C64 Coming Soon: https://lnk.ua/snpuA7Lj0  
Fall From Space Features Arita: https://lnk.ua/6l5mCdvCs  
Atari and Activision Reunite: https://lnk.ua/0V34uriWa  
New Mega Drive Arcade Controller: https://lnk.ua/DAfat7AK3  
Zool Collection Coming to Jaguar: https://lnk.ua/P4xQT4jFN
Pillow Fort Album Hits GBA: https://lnk.ua/zxB3hMk3R  

Veteran game designer Richard Rouse III joins us to revisit his journey from Bungie’s early Macintosh games to Centipede 3D and The Suffering. He reveals how the horror classic found its prison setting, blended action with psychological storytelling, and remembered players’ moral choices, plus the stories behind its lost sequel and unmade movie.

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
39:42 – Richard Rouse III 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!

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

Alien Breed 35th Anniversary: https://lnk.ua/95kg65oJq
Golden Axe TV Trailer: https://youtu.be/sStbBtfGaLA
Car Park Capital Arrives: https://lnk.ua/4ctQBSKZh
Mr. Nutz Gets Physical Reissue: https://lnk.ua/GnfzOfOeK
Transformers-Style Fighting Game: https://lnk.ua/dDrswhf0C

Australia gave the world pioneering adventures, cult classics and global hits,but much of its gaming history has been left out of the story. This week, we're joined by Region Locked creative lead Michael Refalo and veteran game designer John Passfield-co-creator of Halloween Harry, Flight of the Amazon Queen and TY the Tasmanian Tiger, to explore bedroom coding, cassette-tape publishing, The Hobbit’s groundbreaking parser, Beam Software reverse-engineering the NES, the infamous Power Glove and the games you never realised were Australian. Plus, discover how the new Region Locked documentary series plans to preserve these stories before bit rot, and time, erase them for good. 

Region Locked Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/ueFZbW6cf

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
53:42 – Region Locked 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!

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

CeX Revisits Retro-Only Stores: https://lnk.ua/LT8x2d9DI
Zeewolf Spiritual Successor Revealed: https://lnk.ua/vGAlWUAcE
Lara Croft Statue in Derby: https://lnk.ua/yBaKkiM3R
Fan-Made Donkey Kong Country 4: https://lnk.ua/0nxUrpxQ9
Multi-Mega Flash Cart Mod: https://lnk.ua/HsC93CDQr

This week, we’re coming to you from Amiga Kickstart in Derby, where we recorded a fascinating panel looking at what comes next for one of computing’s most iconic names. With the long-running legal battle between Hyperion Entertainment and Cloanto finally at an end, the Amiga company took to the stage to discuss the future, its plans for the platform and what this new chapter could mean for the wider Amiga community. After years of courtroom wrangling and uncertainty, could this finally be the fresh start Amiga fans have been waiting for?

Amiga: https://amiga.com/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
57:17 - Amiga Announcements 

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
 
Commodore Joystick: https://lnk.ua/F8QM1EnLL
Cancelled Quake 4 Expansion: https://lnk.ua/nknP0xR0K
Atari ST Floppy Archive: https://lnk.ua/bewmRuiAr
DOOM Comes to Evercade: https://lnk.ua/hIDAqsUYx
Mario Kart 64 VR: https://lnk.ua/aeAmS9XiM
New Amiga Racer: https://lnk.ua/i3olxXWTM
Utopia Returns to SNES: https://lnk.ua/VY9P3ILvj

Patrons news

This week, we’re joined by Roel van Mastbergen of Senile Team to discover how a homemade MS-DOS tribute to Streets of Rage exploded to around a million players, crashed two servers and evolved into OpenBOR. Roel also reveals how the project led him into Dreamcast development, the fate of Age of the Beast and what’s next with Hypno Tiles.

Senile Team: https://www.senileteam.com/
Zoom Platform: https://www.zoom-platform.com/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
45:17 - Beats of Rage 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
 
Hyperion and Amiga Corp Settle: https://lnk.ua/Vw6jkv8IW
Xbox 360 Games Hit PC: https://lnk.ua/XCLKsRbJK
Varta Goes Bust: https://lnk.ua/5ry9AQidd
New Amiga Bullet-Hell Shooter: https://lnk.ua/YLQhUYBU
SpeccyDate: https://lnk.ua/mFt16xLaI
Atari World Championship Announced: https://lnk.ua/MVLR87zko
Jaguar Doom Gets Improved: https://lnk.ua/X0cCtGX46