The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

What makes a truly great gaming community? Sean Baptiste, who helped grow Harmonix’s forum from a dozen diehards to hundreds of thousands of fans, shares what it really takes. From the secret struggles behind QA on Karaoke Revolution, to rocking out with the stars at the Grammys, Sean reflects on how fan feedback shaped Rock Band, how social media changed the game, and why authentic engagement still matters more than ever.
Contents:
00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 
52:18 - Sean Baptiste 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!
Leeds Gaming Market: https://leedsgamingmarket.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
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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour
Show notes
Dan's Escapist Column: https://tinyurl.com/35srz7e8
Mario 64 Dreamcast Port Impresses: https://tinyurl.com/chayc96w
Combo Portable TV Demo: https://tinyurl.com/mp5fy7ck
Lost PS2-Style RPG Revealed: https://tinyurl.com/4rb98wfn
Commodore Drive Turned PC: https://youtu.be/6loDwvG4CP8
7-Day Dark Souls Demake: https://tinyurl.com/2sp2bc57
Yie Ar Kung-Fu Genesis Port: https://tinyurl.com/yc7y5pmx

This week we welcome Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, for a chat about the retro tech behind his biggest hits. From discovering MIDI to refusing upgrades for decades, Norman explains how the Atari ST became the backbone of his workflow, powering Beats International, Freak Power and every Fatboy Slim track right up to Eat Sleep Rave Repeat. We talk step-time sequencing, floppy disks, crashing STs, pirate radio, bedroom studios and how a track made 25 years ago on an Atari is still charting today. 
Fatboy Slim: https://www.fatboyslim.net/
Contents:
00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 
47:59 - Fatboy Slim Interview 
Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:
Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com
Make this the year you finally learn a new language and save up to 60% while you’re at it by heading to https://babbel.com/RETRO and getting started today  
Leeds Gaming Market: https://leedsgamingmarket.com/
Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs
Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour
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
My Arcade Mini Sega Arcades: https://tinyurl.com/bderxanv
Road Rash Gets a Spiritual Successor: https://tinyurl.com/yc266zz7
Final Build of Cancelled Resident Evil Game Boy Color Port Discovered: https://tinyurl.com/2rfetz22
Roguecraft DX Comes to Retro Platforms: https://tinyurl.com/4pa8nc8j
Long-Lost Mega Drive Sequel to Pit Fighter Found: https://tinyurl.com/3knexpjd
The Sega Saturn Gets a New Miami Vice-Style Game in 2026: https://tinyurl.com/53nc55jj

This week we’re joined by Mike Tucker and Quang DX from Bitmap Bureau to talk about the making of Terminator 2D: No Fate. We hear how their lifelong love of Terminator 2 turned into a three-year obsession, why so many classic T2 games missed the mark, and how this project set out to put that right. From painstakingly recreating iconic film moments in pixel art, to difficulty balancing, licensing hurdles, hidden Easter eggs, and expanding the Future War beyond the film, this is the story of how the Terminator game fans always wanted finally became reality.  
Bitmap Bureau: https://www.bitmapbureau.com/
Contents:
00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 
55:33 - Terminator 2D: No Fate Interview 
Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:
Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com
Leeds Gaming Market: https://leedsgamingmarket.com/
Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs
Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour
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 Lands on the Amiga: https://tinyurl.com/4rckwhvw
Celebrate 50 Years of Jaws: https://tinyurl.com/348uw48e
CES Retro Tech: https://tinyurl.com/3fwpynyh
Modder Creates Switch-Style Dock for the Nintendo 3DS: https://youtu.be/Kqn9QqYMQOM
The Iconic QuickShot II Joystick Returns in 2026: https://tinyurl.com/2p9pr8k9
Support for the Sega Dreamcast Web Browser Ends After 25 Years: https://tinyurl.com/4c9ppapc
Streets of Rage 2 New Era v3 Out Now: https://tinyurl.com/3xd8jrx3

Happy New Year! 

As we kick off 2026, we’re treating everyone to something special: a FREE episode of The Retro Hour: After Hours, our podcast that’s usually exclusive to our Patreon supporters.

After Hours is where Dan, Ravi, and Joe loosen the ties a bit and go deeper into retro gaming and technology. Longer chats, more personal opinions, and plenty of nostalgia that doesn’t always fit into the main show.

This episode is a taste of what you get by joining our Patreon:
• Loads of extra perks
• A great way to support the podcast
• Gold members get instant access to 50+ After Hours episodes, with new episodes every month

👉 To sign up, head to theretrohour.com

In this episode:
Dan, Ravi, and Joe look back over the last three decades of gaming and tech, sharing their personal top 5 innovations that truly changed the game forever.

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

PLAY Expo Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

The Retro Hour Book: https://retrohour.myshopify.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

It’s our absolute favourite episode of the year once again, the Retro Hour Christmas Quiz is back! 🎄🎮

This year, Paul Drury and Oliver Wilmot are taking on hosting duties, armed with festive cheer and plenty of tricky questions. Meanwhile, Dan, Ravi and Joe have each drafted in some of our wonderful Patrons to join their teams, because what’s Christmas without a bit of friendly competition and chaos?

Expect laughs, questionable answers, retro knowledge put to the test, and the all-important bragging rights as everyone battles it out to be crowned this year’s Retro Hour Christmas Super Quiz champions.

So grab a mince pie, pour yourself something festive, and settle in for a proper Christmas treat with the Retro Hour gang.

Merry Christmas to all our amazing listeners, we'll see you in 2026!

Paul Drury co-hosts The Ted Dabney Experience podcast – interviews with the leading lights and supporting cast of the Golden Age of Arcades: https://www.teddabneyexperience.com/

Check out Oliver Wilmot’s regular Yet Another Video Games Quiz at: https://www.facebook.com/anotherquiz

Namcos Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/namcos

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books – https://www.bitmapbooks.com

PLAY Expo Blackpool: https://www.playexpoblackpool.com/

The Retro Hour Book: https://retrohour.myshopify.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