Episodes

  • PLAY RETRO 222: NARC

    PLAY RETRO 222: NARC
    Jun 25 2026

    NARC (1988) brought digitized graphics, massive explosions, and War-on-Drugs satire to arcades in one of the most controversial games of its era. Players take on the roles of narcotics officers Max Force and Hit Man as they blast their way through a criminal empire using machine guns, rocket launchers, and sheer excess. We explore the arcade original and its many home ports, with a brief look at the 2005 reboot that attempted to bring the franchise into the modern era.


    VIDEO: https://youtu.be/BwBewmod2QU

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    59 mins
  • PLAY RETRO 221: Star Control II

    PLAY RETRO 221: Star Control II
    Jun 18 2026
    Star Control II (1992) transformed the original game's fleet battles into a sprawling space adventure, tasking players with rebuilding humanity's resistance against the Ur-Quan through exploration, diplomacy, and discovery. With memorable alien races, open-ended galaxy traversal, and one of PC gaming's most beloved stories, it remains a landmark of science-fiction game design.

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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • PLAY RETRO 220: Ratchet & Clank (2002)

    PLAY RETRO 220: Ratchet & Clank (2002)
    May 28 2026
    Ratchet & Clank (2002) launched Insomniac’s long-running PlayStation franchise by combining platforming, explosive weapon-based combat, gadget progression, and satirical sci-fi storytelling into one of the PlayStation 2’s defining early action games. We focus on the original release that introduced Ratchet, Clank, Captain Qwark, Gadgetron weaponry, and the galaxy-hopping formula that would shape the series for decades.

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • PLAY RETRO 219: Gunstar Heroes

    PLAY RETRO 219: Gunstar Heroes
    May 21 2026
    This week on Play Retro, Scott and Brian take aim at Gunstar Heroes (1993), which helped launch Treasure from the loins of Konami when former employees gave us this title with explosive run-and-gun action, massive bosses, and one of the most inventive weapon systems on the Sega Genesis.

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • PLAY RETRO 218: Jet Force Gemini

    PLAY RETRO 218: Jet Force Gemini
    May 14 2026
    Jet Force Gemini, one of Rare’s final original IPs for the N64, brought cinematic sci-fi action together with run-and-gun combat, exploration, puzzle solving, collect-a-thon progression, and split-screen multiplayer in a surprisingly large and ambitious package. The game follows a pair of space twins and their dog, Lupus, as they battle giant ant-like drones while trying to avoid collateral damage to the local cute, bear-like inhabitants.

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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • PLAY RETRO 217: Michael Jackson's Moonwalker

    PLAY RETRO 217: Michael Jackson's Moonwalker
    May 7 2026
    Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker (1990) brought the King of Pop to arcades and home consoles with two completely different takes on the same concepts - an isometric co-op arcade experience and a side-scrolling Genesis version built around exploration and music-driven combat. We also take a look at the earlier European computer adaptation, showing how differently the Moonwalker license was interpreted across platforms.

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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • PLAY RETRO 216: Rastan

    PLAY RETRO 216: Rastan
    Apr 30 2026
    Taito’s Rastan (1987) brought sword-and-sorcery fantasy to the arcade with giant monsters, brutal platforming, and a barbarian hero straight out of a Conan paperback. We follow that path through Nastar (1989), released in Japan as Rastan Saga II, and briefly look at Warrior Blade, the rare triple-screen arcade finale that closed out the series in oversized style.

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • PLAY RETRO 215: Tobal No. 1

    PLAY RETRO 215: Tobal No. 1
    Apr 23 2026
    Tobal No. 1 (1996) brought Square into the 3D fighting game arena with fast 60 FPS combat, full arena movement, and character designs by Akira Toriyama. Known both for its innovative Quest Mode and for including the famous Final Fantasy VII demo disc, it became one of PlayStation’s most memorable cult fighters.

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    1 hr and 13 mins