Best Retro Hour Retro Gaming Podcasts (2025)

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504: “I’d Never Even Seen a Computer Until I Worked at Sierra!” – Mark Crowe on Space Quest - The Retro Hour Podcast EP504 1:40:21

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3d ago1:40:21

1:40:21

This week we're joined by Sierra legend Mark Crowe, co-creator of the Space Quest series and one half of the iconic Two Guys from Andromeda. Mark reveals how he went from never touching a computer to helping define the golden age of adventure gaming, working alongside Roberta Williams, Disney, and a hapless space janitor named Roger Wilco. Plus, we…

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STAGE 84: Halloween 12 2:48:41

3d ago2:48:41

2:48:41

⭐⭐⭐Game – Composer – Title – Release date – Company⭐⭐⭐⭐1.) Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army – Shoji Meguro – “Battle (Raidou), Finale! The Ultimate Face-Off & Archenemy” – June 19, 2025 – Atlus – Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Windows PC & Xbox Series X/S⭐2.) Mouthwashing – Martin Halldin – “Main Theme, What's New …

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The Tell Tale Heart-A Classic Horror Story by Edgar Allan Poe 14:54

5d ago14:54

14:54

Halloween is the season of the macabre and one the greatest authors of dark frightening fiction was Edgar Allen Poe. You can cover the body. Hide the blood. Swear you’re sane. But you can’t silence the sound. Beneath the floorboards… something still beats. Considered to be the finest American Gothic writer of all time, Edgar Allen Poe loved to pen …

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The Hanging Stranger–a Retro Sci-Fi Horror Story by Philip K. Dick 38:28

6d ago38:28

38:28

This is one of those scary stories that sneaks up on you. It looks like just another day in small-town America, sometime around the early 1950s. But then, something is wrong. Something is hanging there. And what’s most unsettling isn’t the horror itself — it’s how calmly everyone else reacts. Philip K. Dick wrote The Hanging Stranger in 1953, and i…

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The Haunted Mind–a Scary Season Story by Nathaniel Hawthorne 13:56

7d ago13:56

13:56

Since the dawn of our species, we have been bewildered by about that strange period of altered consciousness that occurs just before, during, and at the end of our daily slumber. Our next story expressively explores this activity that we all share and which still eludes understanding. This piece was more of an observational essay than a classic sho…

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503: “The Demo Scene Taught Us to Do the Impossible” – Erik Simon of Thalion - The Retro Hour EP503 1:12:45

10d ago1:12:45

1:12:45

This week's show features Erik Simon, co-founder of the legendary Thalion Software, the minds behind Lionheart, Ambermoon, and No Second Prize. Erik shares hilarious and jaw-dropping tales from the golden age of Amiga development, how the demo scene shaped Thalion’s “make the impossible happen” ethos, why Lionheart used every Amiga graphics mode. R…

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Diary Of A Madman–a Classic Tale of Terror by Guy de Maupassant 15:02

10d ago15:02

15:02

In this truly chilling tale, we explore the darkest parts of the human mind - the hidden recesses where derangement resides. A word of caution: this tale is very dark and is not suitable for younger children. A Survey. A Dream. A Better Ad? Somewhere out there is an ad you won’t hate. And this brief, slightly soul-sucking survey might help me find …

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The Cats of Ulthar-a Classic Scary Story by H. P. Lovecraft 10:18

11d ago10:18

10:18

Every October, we creep into the scary season on Litreading, digging deep into the trove of classic horror tales from around the world. Some of the most frightening stories of all time were penned more than 100 years ago by authors like Mary Shelly and Edgar Allen Poe. One of the greats of the early 20th century was H.P. Lovecraft, and this is one …

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Yuki-Onna–a Scary Season Story by Lafcadio Hearn 10:43

12d ago10:43

10:43

Ghost stories have been told around the world and are often based on mythical creatures or spirits. Those living in the cold, snowy regions of Japan created the legend of a winter spirit called Yuki-Onna (or snow woman) whose beauty allows her to prey on those lost in brutal winter storms. A Survey. A Dream. A Better Ad? Somewhere out there is an a…

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Murder of Crows – an Original Short Story by Don McDonald 27:22

13d ago27:22

27:22

Please note: "Murder of Crows" is one of the early episodes of my new podcast, New Tales Told. I published it here to share it with my large Litreading audience. However, it will eventually only be available on New Tales Told. If you haven't yet done so, please search for New Tales Told on this podcast service or visit shortstoryverses.com to liste…

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The Most Dangerous Game–a Classic Thriller by Richard Connell 47:58

14d ago47:58

47:58

We reprise another classic thriller from Litreading's archives for this year's scary season, In this episode, we go on an adventure off the coast of South America, as a famous big game hunter finds himself stranded on an island where hunting has been elevated to a new and frightening level. It’s time to play “The Most Dangerous Game.” "The Most Dan…

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The Black Cat–a Classic Scary Story by Edgar Allen Poe 25:36

17d ago25:36

25:36

Here is one of the greatest gothic horror stories of all time, originally produced for Litreading in 2019. As Halloween approaches, our tales of horror grow more grisly with a classic scary story, The Black Cat by one of America’s greatest devisers of dread, Edgar Allen Poe A Survey. A Dream. A Better Ad? Somewhere out there is an ad you won’t hate…

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502: “From Modems to Headlines” – Jason Compton on the Amiga Report Revolution - The Retro Hour EP502 1:54:00

18d ago1:54:00

1:54:00

This week, we’re joined by former Amiga Report editor, writer, and This Week in Retro host Jason Compton, who takes us into the golden age of 90s computing news. From chasing stories during Commodore’s dramatic collapse (“we may not make more chips, but we can sell the floor scrubber!”) to the birth of one of the first online tech magazines, Jason …

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The Willow Walk–a Classic Thriller by Sinclair Lewis 1:18:49

18d ago1:18:49

1:18:49

This dark, thriller deserves to be included in our reprise of classic stories for the scary season. Written by one of America’s greatest writers, Sinclair Lewis, "The Willow Walk" features some fascinating characters, shocking twists, and powerful imagery. It is also one of our longest stories clocking in at over one hour. In addition to winning a …

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Empire of the Ants–a Classic Scary Sci-Fi Story by H.G. Wells 41:07

19d ago41:07

41:07

What is the scary season without a classic monster story? Like the campy creature features of the 50s and 60s, this story features a tiny annoyance turned into a killing machine. First published in 2020, this story returns to send chills down your spine. Late 19th and early 20th-century science fiction writers were fascinated with the wild and rela…

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Luella Miller–A Chilling Classic Short Story by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman 35:36

20d ago35:36

35:36

Everyone in town has a story about Luella Miller. She never seems to lift a hand, yet somehow, help is always at her side. And those who give it—well, they never quite look the same afterward. Some tales of horror are loud and bloody. This one is quiet, gentle… and suffocating. Mary E. Wilkins Freeman spins a ghostly puzzle where the most dangerous…

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The Boarded Window—a Scary Season Story by Ambrose Bierce 13:08

21d ago13:08

13:08

What led a man to live an isolated life at his ramshackle cabin, with a boarded up window, in the former American wilderness? What is the tragic story that led him to this doleful existence? Here is his traumatic tale. A Survey. A Dream. A Better Ad? Somewhere out there is an ad you won’t hate. And this brief, slightly soul-sucking survey might hel…

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A Haunted House–a Classic Ghost Story by Virginia Woolf 8:23

24d ago8:23

8:23

As the owner of a 19th-century home, I often think about those lives lived here before us and what they must have been like. As our homes are so much a part of us, those who have gone before us leave traces of their lives and loves behind. Here is a very short, yet poignant tale of just such an old house. It seems that the author experienced the fe…

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501: “Michael Jackson Just Said ‘Okay, I’ll Do It All’” – SEGA's Roger Hector Tells the Inside Story of Sonic 3 1:33:24

24d ago1:33:24

1:33:24

For years, it’s been one of gaming’s biggest urban legends, how much did Michael Jackson really work on the music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3? In part two of our exclusive chat with Roger Hector, former Director of the Sega Technical Institute, we get the full story. Roger reveals how Jackson’s unexpected visit to STI turned into hands-on involvement …

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The Monkey's Paw–a Classic tale of Terror by W.W. Jacobs 25:05

25d ago25:05

25:05

Humans are rarely content with their lot in life. We long for something more and, all too often, believe that, given the right opportunity, our lives can be made better in an instant through some fortunate event, like winning a lottery. A Survey. A Dream. A Better Ad? Somewhere out there is an ad you won’t hate. And this brief, slightly soul-suckin…

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The Pale Man–a Classic Scary Story by Julius Long 16:57

26d ago16:57

16:57

Here is a relatively obscure tale of suspense for the scary season. After checking into a small hotel to convalesce for the summer, a man becomes curious about an enigmatic guest who has taken up residence and the other end of the hall. About the story: As I can only read stories in the public domain, you might wonder about the reference to a Hitle…

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The Judge's House–a Classic Ghost Story by Bram Stoker 48:26

27d ago48:26

48:26

When a young man seeks the perfect place to study for his universitymathematics exams, he finds an isolated house that seems ideal—too ideal. The locals whisper about the Judge's House and about the cruel magistrate who once lived there. But he is a man of science, dismissive of superstition. He believes in mathematical theorems, not ghost stories.…

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The Damned Thing–a Classic Scary Story by Ambrose Bierce 20:18

28d ago20:18

20:18

As Halloween approaches, here is the story of a mysterious death in the 19th-century American wilderness. A Survey. A Dream. A Better Ad? Somewhere out there is an ad you won’t hate. And this brief, slightly soul-sucking survey might help me find it. It’s optional. But I’d be forever grateful. Or at least for like, a week. http://bit.ly/litreadingc…

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Ghost of Yotei, Final Fantasy Tactics The Ivalice Chronicles, Game Pass Price Hike, and more! 2:35:22

29d ago2:35:22

2:35:22

NightProphet and Cube2the3rd join the Video Game Happy Hour crew to weigh in on the Xbox Game Pass price hike! Plus, they cover the newest releases: Ghost of Yotei, Final Fantasy Tactics the Ivalice Chronicles, and Hades II. Seriously, you're not going to believe what SityClicker wears to bed. Follow NightProhpet on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.…

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500: "No One Had Storyboarded Games Before - So I Did!" - Atari Legend Roger Hector - The Retro Hour EP500 1:49:11

1M ago1:49:11

1:49:11

This week marks our milestone 500th episode, and we’re celebrating in style with part one of an epic two-part chat with industry legend Roger Hector. From working under Nolan Bushnell and Al Alcorn in the very earliest days of Atari, to helping bring classics like Super Breakout and Battlezone to life, Roger shares incredible behind-the-scenes stor…

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A Wireless Message–a Classic Frightening Story by Ambrose Bierce 6:57

1M ago6:57

6:57

As Halloween approaches we begin a time for scarier stories. For this short tale with a chilling twist we turn to prolific 19th century stories Ambrose Bierce for "A Wireless Message." Ambrose Bierce is considered one of the 19th Century finest authors of shockingly realistic short stories. His most famous tale “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” i…