We step outside the bounds of tradition to look at some of the influences that shape the games we love. This time, we talk about progressive rock (such as it was) and its impact on countless game composers. Special guest Dr. Sparkle (Chrontendo) joins Jeremy, Bob, and Ray.

Retronauts Pocket Episode 1: Progressive Rock

Wario’s been adventuring solo for nearly twenty years, though Nintendo’s evil answer to Mario is mostly known for his micro-game legacy. Join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Kat Bailey as they peer back a bit further into this character’s past to examine his highly revolutionary and subversive series of Game Boy platformers.

Retronauts Vol. III Episode 2: Wario Land

We look back into the hazy early days of video games by exploring the history of Atari, from beginning to sad end. Retronauts alum Scott Sharkey joins Jeremy, Bob, and Ray to lament a giant's passing.

Retronauts Vol. III Episode 4 - Atari

At the request of Kickstarter backer David Epp: Jeremy, Bob, Ray, and Sharkey talk about Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar and how games have been influenced by (but have never quite matched) its morality system.

Retronauts Pocket Episode 4 - Ultima IV

Retronauts backer James Eldred of LostTurntable.com joins Jeremy, Bob, and Ray to talk about the highs and lows of the history of video game music in this nearly two-hour ramblefest.

Retronauts Vol. III Episode 7 - Game Music Redux

On this episode, we examine the achievements of gaming's true heroes: the selfless hackers who spend weeks, months, and years translating some of the most amazing games that never left Japan -- and for free! Join Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, and the Laser Time Network's Chris Antista and Brett Elston for a discussion of the fan translation scene, and a thorough countdown of the top 12 fan translated games you should play.

Retronauts Vol. III Episode 8  Fan Translations

Not a lot of memorable accessories hit the Super NES back in the day, but the ones that do still have some stories behind them. We talk about the mice, guns, and bikes — yes, bikes — that were made for the 16-bit powerhouse.

Retronauts Pocket Episode 9 - Super NES Accessories

IGN's Sam Claiborn joins Jeremy, Bob, and Ray to explore more of the roots of classic games by discussing the influence of Star Wars (if any!) on the medium.

Retronauts Pocket Episode 10 - Roots - Star Wars

We enter the new year by talking about -- what else? -- very old years. IGN's Sam Claiborn joins Jeremy, Bob, and Ray for a discussion of the golden era of the American arcade. Digressions abound!

Retronauts Episode 13: The Golden Age of the Arcade

For over 15 years, the Harvest Moon series has been teaching sickly indoor kids the virtues of tilling the land, petting the chickens, and having low-wage serfs do most of the dirty work. Join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and special guest backer Adam Fitch as the Retronauts explore this prolific farming sim series, and maybe -- just maybe -- raise each other's affection levels in the process.

Retronauts Vol. III Episode 14 - Harvest Moon

By request of supporter Hugh Franck, we delve into the complex, earth-tone world of Yasumi Matsuno, covering everything from his early days at Quest to the recent Unsung Story Kickstarter. 

Retronauts Vol. III Episode 16 - Yasumi Matsuno

We talk about another great period of '90s gaming nostalgia, only this time from a feminine perspective. It's the surprisingly varied world of girl games in this explorative discussion with guest Rachel Weil of FEMICOM.

Retronauts Vol. III Episode 21: Girl Games

The Retronauts holiday tradition continues with a fourth trip to our cabin in Parts Unknown, and, due to popular demand, this year's special marks a return to the Movie Month style of episodes we did a few years ago! Join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Laser Time's Chris Antista for a long, painful look at 2009's Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, a box office bomb that's mostly been forgotten (and with good reason).

Retronauts Vol. IV Episode 29 - Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun - Li

What is "retro"? This week, we test the limits by talking about a 10-year-old system whose games you can still buy at retail. But in fairness, the Nintendo DS was pretty much retro from the moment of its conception. Featuring Games Radar's Henry Gilbert and USgamer's Kat Bailey.

Retronauts Vol. IV Episode 31: All Hail The DS

A brief journey into the music of a band that had an incredible influence on the direction and style of game music in the '80s and '90s: Japan's New Wave-tinged synth rockers Yellow Magic Orchestra. Featuring lots of music by, yes, Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Retronauts Micro 005: Yellow Magic Orchestra

Have you ever wanted to like a classic game, but something about it just didn't jive with you? Well, the Retronauts are no different. On this bite-sized episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Shane Bettenhausen, and Christian Nutt as the gang discusses those retro games they wish they could love. 

Retronauts Micro Episode 6: Retro Games We Want To Like

Jeremy and Bob are joined by Capcom's Brett Elston and Greg Moore to revisit a topic near to everyone's heart: the Mega Man legacy. (And also the Mega Man Legacy Collection, due later this year.)

Retronauts Vol. IV, Episode 41: Mega Man Redux

Jeremy looks back at the dark counterpart to Konami spinoff Ultra Games: Atari spinoff Tengen, who didn't so much bend the rules of NES publishing as shatter them into a million tiny pieces.

Retronauts Micro Episode 015: A Tengen Tale

Sing it with us, now: Link! He come to town! Come to save, the Princess Zelda! We're all familiar with the mythic exploits of Nintendo's elfin hero, but this latest episode of Retronauts dives deep into one of his greatest adventures of all time. Sure, A Link to the Past is a beloved classic, but on this episode of Retronauts, we partake on a journey to truly discover WHY. Join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and special guests Henry Gilbert and Brett Elston for a thorough exploration of what makes this particular Legend of Zelda so undeniably great. And if you're out there, Chris Houlihan, your mark on Hyrule won't soon be forgotten.

Retronauts Vol. IV Episode 46: The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past

In Japan, RPGs are synonymous with Dragon Quest. But in the States, this series amounted to an also-ran, outclassed by the likes of Final Fantasy and other popular brands. Even if this extremely traditional RPG experience has one foot in the past, it's still generated hundreds of hours of memorable moments. On the cusp of Dragon Quest Heroes' US release, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and Henry Gilbert as the Retronauts crew looks back on a Japanese institution that never quite got a fair shake in America.

Retronauts Vol. IV Episode 49: Dragon Quest

Ten years ago, director Fumito Ueda released his second game, the phenomenal Shadow of the Colossus--little did we know, it'd be another decade before we saw his next project come into being. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, and guests Nick Suttner and Mikel Reparaz as the crew examines the games of a visionary whose genius was confined to a single console. Also, it's our fiftieth full-length episode! So hooray for that.

Retronauts Vol. IV Episode 50: Ico/Shadow Of The Colossus

Almost 20 years ago, Nintendo showed the world how 3D games should be done with the phenomenal Super Mario 64. But in the passing decades, have the charms of this Nintendo 64 launch game faded out of existence? Leave it to the Retronauts to investigate! On this episode, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Polygon's Danielle Riendeau, and the Laser Time Podcast Network's Henry Gilbert for a thorough discussion of this early 3D classic. (Note: No pickles were wolfed during the recording of this episode.)

Retronauts Vol. IV Episode 54: Super Mario 64

It's the Yuletide season once again, and if you're a Retronauts fan, you know what that means: Braving the elements for an annual trip to our Holiday Cabin in Parts Unknown. And while the inclement weather, prowling wolves, and sensitive sentry guns make each journey a perilous one, I think we can all agree putting your life on the line is more than worth it for a little more than an hour of quality podcast entertainment. On this year's Holiday Extravaganza, join host Bob Mackey as he welcomes guests Dave Rudden, Ray Barnholt, and Henry Gilbert for a rousing and festive chat about the execrable 1996 holiday special, "Sonic Christmas Blast." Oh yeah, and be sure to have a Merry Whatever It Is You Do This Time of Year!

Retronauts Vol. IV Episode 55: Holiday 2015 Extravaganza

Dan Adelman joins Jeremy and Bob to discuss one of the true treasures of the '90s: The Castlevania series' transformative duology, Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night. Enough talk, have at you!

Retronauts Episode #64: Dracula X

Chris Kohler and Sam Claiborn join Jeremy and Bob to dive deep into a part of the Zelda series Retronauts has rarely touched on: The NES duo of The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II.

Be sure to visit our blog at Retronauts.com, and check out our partner site, USgamer, for more great stuff. And if you'd like to send a few bucks our way, head on over to our Patreon page!

Retronauts Episode 66: Zelda On NES

The SNES RPG EarthBound might be considered a true cult classic, but its rise from critical flop to beloved masterpiece didn't happen overnight. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Ray Barnholt, Michael Grimm, and Andrew Goldfarb as the crew tries to pin down what makes this Japanese take on Boomer-friendly Americana so special. OK desu ka?

Retronauts Episode 69: EarthBound

Chris Kohler and Sam Claiborne join up for another single-game exploratory session, this time centered around the original Final Fantasy. More like Final FantasTIC, right???

Retronauts Episode #70: Final Fantasy I

The original Power Trio — Bob, Ray, and Jeremy — follow up their recent look at Wonder Boy to take on the next needlessly convoluted franchise: Taito's Bubble Bobble (et al.). Confusion guaranteed for all!

Be sure to visit our blog at retronauts.com, now updated daily! This show is an entirely independent and a self-sustaining concern for 2017. Please help support our livelihoods at patreon.com/retronauts

Retronauts

Retronauts Episode 82: Bubble Bobble & Family

Having survived the Bubble Bobble episode, Jeremy mops up the franchise with a look at its most popular (or at least most imitated) branch: The iconic color-match puzzler Bust-A-Move... more sensibly known as "Puzzle Bobble."

Retronauts Micro 054: Puzzle Bobble/Bust-A-Move

It's an all-music episode of Retronauts as Jeremy looks at recent classic game soundtrack releases of note. Includes looks at Panzer Dragoon, symphonic Final Fantasy, Castlevania: Dracula X, Metroid, and more!

Retronauts Episode 83: Panzer Dragoon, Final Fantasy, Dracula X | Retronauts Radio Trial Episode

When The Simpsons took off like a rocket in its first few years, it was only a matter of time before someone scooped up the video game rights. And that "someone" in this case turned out to be Acclaim, those notable purveyors of trash that introduced the concept of "buyer's remorse" to generations of gamers. On this special Talking Simpsons crossover episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Chris Antista as the crew thoroughly explores Bart vs. the Space Mutants, the strangely ambitious but all-around bad production that taught us all to be forever suspicious of Simpsons games.

Retronauts Micro 055: Bart vs. the Space Mutants

It's hard to believe, but the Wii celebrated its tenth birthday last year, putting it within our extremely loose definition of "retro." And thankfully, it's a topic worthy of the Retronauts treatment. Not only does the Wii amount to Nintendo's biggest success, it's also unlikely any subsequent system will ever sell more than this underpowered little box that made our motion-control dreams come true... when we still had them. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Brett Elston, and Mikel Reparaz as the crew looks back on a not-too-distant past full of Wiis and waggle.

Retronauts Episode 84: Wii

Steve Lin and Jaz Rignall join Jeremy and Bob again to look back at one of the most important game creators of all time: Activision, the company that established the concept of third parties.

Retronauts Episode 85: Activision, the original third party

Our second Retronauts Radio looks at notable retro-themed game music releases for February: Castlevania II, a Final Fantasy Tactics tribute, Revenge of Shinobi, Etrian Odyssey remixes, and a ton of SEGA jams! Art by Jon Stachewicz.

Be sure to visit our site, which includes a complete listing of this episode's musical selections and where to find them, at Retronauts.com. And if you'd like to send a few bucks our way to help support this weekly show, please head on over to our Patreon page!

Retronauts Episode 86: The music of Castlevania II, Final Fantasy Tactics, Etrian Odyssey & more

It's the debut of Retronauts East as East Coast gaming experts Benj Edwards and Ben Elgin join Jeremy to discuss the Apple II computer platform: Its origins, its games, and its legacy.

Be sure to visit our site, which includes a complete listing of this episode's musical selections and where to find them, at www.retronauts.com. And if you'd like to send a few bucks our way to help support this weekly show, please head on over to our Patreon page (www.patreon.com/retronauts)!

Retronauts Episode 87: A history of the Apple II

Following his debut in 1990's Super Mario World, Yoshi quickly evolved from a glorified power-up to a star that could carry games with his name alone. And in the character's nearly 30 years of existence, Yoshi-based experiences have taken many forms--including one that stands as possibly the greatest platformer of all time. On this episode of Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt, and Henry Gilbert as the crew tries to pin down Yoshi's appeal and whether or not we should worry that he suddenly grew opposable thumbs.

Retronauts Episode 88: Yoshi Games

Hey! Listen! The Retronauts podcast has partnered with the PodcastOne network, so if you've just downloaded this episode, head on over to http://www.podcastone.com/retronauts to subscribe to our new feed. You can also pick up our PodcastOne feed through iTunes, or any other podcast program or app. And if you're having trouble, try unsubscribing and re-subscribing. Thanks for listening, and I hope you stick with us!

RETRONAUTS HAS A BRAND-NEW PODCAST FEED!

We're back! By the power of crowdfunding! Retronauts launches a new season by marking the 30th anniversary of three crucial Japanese consoles: Famicom, SG-1000, and MSX. Featuring the voice of Chrontendo's Dr. Sparkle and a lovely new musical theme.

Retronauts Vol. III Episode 1

Everybody's favorite classic video games podcast. Well, almost everybody's. But we're plucky and likable. Episodes every Monday! Plus other stuff — videos, articles, you name it. Close personal friends of USgamer.net.

retronauts

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