Arcade Attack Retro Gaming Podcast

What were the world's favourite Christmas toys in the 1980s? James has a jolly good shot at naming them in this week's podcast! Next week, the '90s!

That's right, from this week we are now WEEKLY again! Want to help keep us going? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 a month.

Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

Erik Wahlberg, John Brandstetter, Kich Ma and Frank Lucero helped create Eternal Champions and share the behind the scenes story of creating one of SEGA's biggets hits!

Eternal Champions and the follow up title Challenge from the Dark Side are both discussed in great detail with the people who made these titles possible. This amazing SEGA team helped take on Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat.

They reflect on the game's development and how SEGA of Japan and SEGA of America had very different views of the game and its future. The team discuss the movie rumours and whether we will ever see a new Eternal Champions games in the future.

Michael Latham interview: https://pod.fo/e/271e6

Erik Wahlberg interview: https://pod.fo/e/b2ba5

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

What is Minecraft? Er, watch and listen as Dyl scrambles to answer this question whilst also covering the Jack Black 'A Minecraft Movie' as well as the Minecraft Experience.

That's a whole lotta Minecraft.

You can watch Dyl play Minecraft while listening to this podcast if you wish.

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

Scott Miller is the gaming legend who founded Apogee Software and 3D Realms. He's best known in our circles for being a pioneer of the shareware model that helped change gaming forever.

Scott also helped launch some amazing titles including Duke Nukem 3D, Max Payne, Commander Keen and Raptor. Scott shares some amazing stories on his hit titles, how he helped id Software on their way and also the truth behind Duke Nukem Forever and whether we may finally see a new Duke Nukem movie!

Max Payne's bullet time creation, how Captain Planet almost cost Duke his iconic name and an amazing story on working with Leonardo Di Caprio all included in this amazing interview!

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

 

Love a bit of Barbie's fashion parade? Sunk an unholy amount of hours into a game? Really enjoyed one of those universally hated titles? Well this pod is just for you!

We look at a whole host of your guilty gaming pleasures. So strap in and enjoy, hopefully without too much cringe.

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

Dust off your old HI-FI systems and Walkmans and take a deep dive into the amazing story of Cassette 50!

This compilation game was advertised in every 8-bit computer magazine under the sun and promised 50 of the best games ever made for a bargain price! Was Cascade Games' offer too good to true? Well, you better tune in to find out…

We also share some quite incredible cassette-based memories that include the invention of podcasting, Dyl’s dulcet tones interrupting smooching time, an old banger that delivered the true sound of 80s and a story that leads us to Caroline Quentin of all people!

Mario Gonzalez interview:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/mario-gonzalez-action-52/

Kim Justice Cassette 50 video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z-4k-jDS_s

Cassette 50 interview:

https://pixelatron.com/blog/cassette-50-the-interview/

Action 52 episode:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/podcast-september-3-2017/

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

WARNING: This interview includes swearing and themes that are not appropriate for children.

DOUBLE WARNING: Don't let the kids hear this!

Cliff Bleszinski (aka CliffyB) is the legendary game designer best known for his work on the Unreal and Gears of War franchises while at Epic Games. After leaving Epic in 2012, he co-founded Boss Key Productions which released LawBreakers.

In this no-holds-barred interview, Cliff reflects on the highs of Jazz Jackrabbit, working on Unreal titles and of course, creating the Gears of War series.

He also talks about the Gears of War movie, his favourite games, how he "hates" Hideo Kojima, and how the breakdown of his marriage helped inpsire his work.

Cliff Bleszinski Twitter: https://x.com/therealcliffyb

Cliff Bleszinski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CliffBleszinski

Control Freak Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Control-Freak/Cliff-Bleszinski/9781797148700

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

One more from the archives before we return in a fortnight with an absolute humdinger of an episode.

Speaking of humdingers, this is one of our favourite ever chats from the AA vaults. SEGA legend and 6th member of Arcade Attack, the late and great Michael Latham.

So if you've not heard it before (or you want to enjoy it again), the highlights include Michael covering his time working at Activision (Ghostbusters/Power Drift), meeting (and winning over) Michael Jackson, stopping a buggy Sonic 2 flying out to production, working on many 32X games (three of which were unreleased) and the never-ending battle between SEGA of Japan and SEGA of America.

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

 

Another fantastic interview from the archives to keep you going until our return in the autumn.

For our 50th epsisode almost seven years ago, we welcomed SEGA legend and retro gaming god Al Nilsen to the show.

One of the integral cogs in the SEGA machine of the early 90s, his work ensured that a certain blue hedgehog made the impact he did. Enjoy (or re-enjoy if you listened to us in 2018) 90 minutes of retro bliss!

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

In late 2024 we sadly lost retro gaming legend Martyn Brown - the co-founder of Team17 who helped establish some of our favourite (mostly Amiga-based) franchises such as Body Blows, Worms and Alien Breed.

Back in 2022 he was kind enough to give Adrian an hour of his time to retell some of those amazing stories. So as a tribute to Martyn, here is that interview.

Martyn Brown (1967 - 2024)

Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

As some of you may know, we're now on a short break for the summer holidays. To tide you over until autumn/fall we're going to release some of our favourite interviews from our back catalogue.

He's best known for his outstanding work on the Turrican games but you'll have heard his excellent music scores in many, many other places. Adrian chatted to the legend that is Chris Huelsbeck!

Originally released in 2018.

Check out https://chrishuelsbeck.bandcamp.com/ to see what Chris is up to these days!

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

I think the title speaks for itself. Enjoy almost two hours of the gang discussing one of the greatest movies ever made.

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

On this latest edition of the AA Sound Test we check out a selection of aural delights from a family of consoles that, at least here in the UK, were a total mystery to us back in the 80s & 90s.

From Batman to Zonk, from chiptunes to CD quality audio, join us as we take a look at the wide range of sounds created on the TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine!

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

Remember the hardest boss you ever fought? Remember those heart-in-mouth moments that will stay with you forever? Well, we've put together a list of the most stressful and heart stopping moments in gaming for your listening pleasure.

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

Remember when you bought a game and somehow unlocked a whole new game hidden within? Enjoy a rundown of 20 secret games in other video games!

Examples include Maniac Mansion in Day of The Tentacle and unlocking Fate of Atlantis within a forgettable Indiana Jones Wii title. 

Plus, how does this topic link to a long forgotten pub in Croydon? Listen to find out...

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

This has been a long time coming. We finally have a chat about the Nintendo Entertainment System, the console that revived the video gaming industry in the mid-80s and which, to be fair, us at Arcade Attack had little experience of growing up.

In these instances a hero is needed, so we called upon unsung AA-hero Andy (aka UKNESBoy) to assist us in these trying times!

Read Andy's fantastic NES work on the site here:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/retro-consoles/nintendo-entertainment-system/

His Popeye review here:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/popeye-nes-review/

Hidden NES gems on the Switch online service here:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/underrated-nes-games-nintendo-switch-online/

And drop him a line on whatever Twitter is known as these days:

https://twitter.com/uknesboy

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

Join us as we dive into the absolutely massive world of the classic shoot 'em up (Shmup).

Right from its humble and somewhat understated beginnings through to the titles and developers that created the greatest genre of gaming the world has ever seen!

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

In the inevitable follow up to last week's arbitrary list of some of gamings most beloved sidekicks, it's time to take a look at ten of the most despised.

We discuss some of the more predictable entries as well as a few a controversial ones. Join us to find out which characters made the hall of shame...

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

In this week's episode we take a look at the unsung heroes of gaming – those sidekicks and companion characters we couldn't do without!

In a break from Arcade Attack tradition we bring you a completely unranked, totally questionable and definitely not definitive list of ten of the greatest sidekicks and companion characters in gaming history.

Will your favourite make the cut? Join us and find out...

Check out the lovely tees at:

https://www.instagram.com/playerclothingltd/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXVNQ8Ni3PkvQymX723WdOQ

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.

The gang give their thoughts on Sonic 3, the movie trilogy as a whole, as well as spitballing some ideas as to what the recently announced Sonic 4 could be.

Fancy discussing this podcast? Fancy suggesting a topic of conversation? The best way to do that is to become a Patreon of ours for only $4/£3 per month. Find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/arcadeattack

We've plenty of retro gaming video content (if that's your thang) at:

https://www.youtube.com/@ArcadeAttack

For our back catalogue of podcasts, blogs, reviews and written interviews please check our website at:

https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/

And for all our links including social media and merchandise, please check out our linktree page:

https://linktr.ee/Arcade_attack

All copyrighted material contained within this podcast is the property of their respective rights owners and their use here is protected under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of comment or critique.