This week, we’re joined by legendary artist Hitoshi Ariga to explore his work on Streets of Rage 2, his celebrated Mega Man manga, and a career packed with 16-bit classics. From drawing sprites by night to giving the Robot Masters their personalities, Hitoshi shares stories behind the artwork, explains why technical limitations sparked his creativity, and discusses collaborating with Toby Fox. Plus, memories of ActRaiser 2, Illusion of Gaia, and the influence of his wife and fellow artist Ayano Koshiro.

Kim Justice Rubber Keyed Wonder Kickstarter: https://lnk.ua/AbF4fVrVp

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
51:31 – Hitoshi Ariga 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

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Show notes

Ghostbusters II Amiga fan upgrade: https://lnk.ua/g91oEqIHa
Halo multiplayer comes to N64: https://lnk.ua/f0BtptbiR
ZX Spectrum ULA designs found: https://lnk.ua/u2QODD6Wh
Toki arcade conversions in development: https://lnk.ua/EQO2vIkR9
Wing Commander III remaster rumoured: https://lnk.ua/yR6BORUvF
Crash Bandicoot coming to iPod: https://lnk.ua/qrmTvWjTa
Sprout upgrades classic iPods: https://lnk.ua/OVEgZsVPt
Tenebris Somnia brings FMV horror: https://lnk.ua/xh4de3fN2

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

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X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk
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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

Gremlin Graphics is making a comeback, and this week we meet Alan Turvey, the lifelong fan helping bring it back through Gremlin Graphics Classics. Alan shares how a Monty Mole project led to a partnership with founder Ian Stewart, the plans to bring classic characters to new audiences, and the community of bedroom coders helping make it happen. We also explore his journey with Midnight Brew, the painstaking work to recreate Gremlin’s lost artwork for a new book, and why giving fans the chance to work with their heroes is at the heart of the revival.

https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rq9lZoWphzXvxkrETrWg0

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
1:00:03.549 – Gremlin Graphics Alan Turvey 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

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/

Show notes

Atari 800XL official details: https://lnk.ua/gEFrOJqZp
Classic games on VHS: https://lnk.ua/OSkrtc6Hr
SuperStation One gets new colours: https://lnk.ua/92rrYtHq5
Taki Udon teases FPGA SNES: https://lnk.ua/PsPhiAyoM
Mario Kart Game Boy demake: https://lnk.ua/iR3QLbQjv
Super Mario Kart goes fullscreen: https://lnk.ua/bxtKkIqhh
Doom gets the Vectrex treatment: https://lnk.ua/ZaNstWSNm
SuperAstra changes games with AI: https://lnk.ua/E0zOllC5n

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

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Website: http://theretrohour.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/
X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk
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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
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 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/
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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
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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
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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