Video Game History Hour
By Video Game History Foundation
Episode 131: Flitman Collection
Hosts Frank Cifaldi and Phil Salvador chat with Mark and Michelle Flitman, a father-daughter duo, about Mark’s career, his donated collection at the VGHF, and his autobiography: "It’s Not All Fun and Games." As a semi-retired video game and toy producer, Mark shares his career highlights as a publisher producer throughout the 90’s and into the early 2000’s at Konami, Acclaim, Mindscape, Midway, and later, Atari. Most of his titles were licensed properties including The Simpsons (Bart's Nightmare, Virtual Bart), WWF (Royal Rumble and RAW), and several Marvel properties (Maximum Carnage). Michelle shares her efforts to preserve her father's collection, which includes concept art, design documents, and prototypes. You’ll hear highlighted notable items like the Eclipse demo by Argonaut and the Monster Dunk project. The conversation also touches on the importance of trust in producer-developer relationships and the challenges of managing licensed properties.
Mentioned in the show:
Mark Flitman's development papers: https://archive.gamehistory.org/folder/205c628c-5d0a-4de8-a5a5-782f31706ac0.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.
See more from Michelle Flitman:
Website: www.flitman.site
See more from Mark Flitman:
Book - Hardcover (Limited Run - Collector’s Edition): “It’s Not All Fun And Games”
Book - Hardcover (Amazon): “It’s Not All Fun And Games”
Video Game History Foundation:
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 130: Spycraft
Phil Salvador hosts Polygon’s Clayton Ashley and Simone de Rochefort to discuss a documentary they produced last year called The Great Game: The Making of Spycraft | Full Polygon Documentary about the 1996 FMV CD-ROM game, Spycraft.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.
A full transcript of this episode is available on our website: https://gamehistory.org/episode-130-spycraft/
See more from Polygon:
Website: polygon.com
YouTube: /polygon
Clayton Ashley’s Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/temporalculturewar/
Simone de Rochefort’s social handle: @doomquasar
Video Game History Foundation:
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 129: Powerhouse Chloe Appleby
Phil Salvador and Robin Kunimune chat with Chloe Appleby, games curator at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia, who shares how she turned her passion for games into a dream role blending community, culture, and quirky preservation. From Sydney’s post-COVID game scene revival to tracking down lost media and organizing a free indie games festival, Chloe shows how playful curiosity can power serious cultural impact. She emphasizes the importance of community engagement and the museum's efforts to preserve Australian game history, including notable games like Untitled Goose Game and Nightmare.
Mentioned in the show:
Nightmare: Nightmare Presenter Video
Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future 87/697-3 and Shogun 87/697-6 (specifically the leaflet)
Sega World audio: Sonic Live in Sydney (Full & Complete CD - 1997 - Sega World Sydney)
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.
A full transcript of this episode is available on our website: https://gamehistory.org/episode-129-powerhouse-chloe-appleby/
See more from Chloe Appleby:
Linktree: @chloeappleby
Instagram: @c.appleby_
Bluesky: @chloeappleby.bsky.social
X: @AppleBee180
See more from Powerhouse:
Website: powerhouse.com.au
Instagram: @powerhousemuseum
Video Game History Foundation:
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 128: DMCA 2024 Copyright Ruling
Phil Salvador and Kendra Albert, a partner at Albert Sellars LLP, digest, discuss, and dissect the 2024 DMCA exemption petition to make it easier for libraries and archives to preserve video games and the subsequent ruling by the US Copyright Office. Join us for an insightful look at the recent ruling, legal implications, and what it all means for the future of video game copyright and digital access.
*This episode has a follow-up bonus episode available to our paid tier Patreon members.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.
A full transcript of this episode is available on our website: https://gamehistory.org/episode-128-dmca-2024-copyright-ruling/
See more from Kendra Albert:
Bluesky: @kendraserra.bsky.social
Mastodon: @kendraserra@dair.community
Law firm website: albertsellars.law
Software Preservation Network: https://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/
Video Game History Foundation:
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 127: Sarge’s Heroes
In this episode of Video Game History Hour, Michael Mendheim joins host Frank Cifaldi and guest-host John Rairdin to reflect on his career, from early work on Fester’s Quest to cult favorites like Mutant League Football and Sarge’s Heroes. Mendheim shares stories about creative risks, industry shakeups, and the challenges of keeping games alive — with Rairdin diving deep into his personal love for Sarge’s Heroes, expanding the definitive Vikki Grimm lore, and discussing the development materials Mendheim saved along the way.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.
A full transcript of this episode is available on our website: https://gamehistory.org/episode-127-sarges-heroes/
See more from Michael Mendheim:
Twitter/X: @mmendheim
Website: https://www.digitaldreamsentertainment.com/
Website: mutantfootballleague.com
See more from John Rairdin:
Twitter/X: @jtsknight92
YouTube: /ninwrtv
Website: nintendoworldreport.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 126: A Fireside Chat with Gail Tilden
Gail Tilden, Nintendo of America’s marketing mastermind, takes Frank Cifaldi on a trip down memory lane in a panel at the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo, reminiscing about everything from the early days of NES branding to the explosive rise of Pokémon. She shares behind-the-scenes stories about marketing mishaps (hello, Zelda Rap), strategic pivots like the iconic "Nintendo Seal of Quality," and how a quirky Game Boy RPG took over the world. From robotic flops to Pikachu-branded cars parachuting into Topeka, her journey is a testament to the creativity and unpredictability that helped shape the gaming world.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.
A full transcript of this episode is available on our website: https://gamehistory.org/episode-126-a-fireside-chat-with-gail-tilden/
Video Game History Foundation:
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 125: ROMchip, What’s Next?
Laine Nooney, an associate professor at NYU and managing editor of ROMchip: A Journal of Game Histories, joins Phil Salvador on The Video Game History Hour to chat about the journal’s mission to make game history more than just timelines. ROMchip is an open-access, independent journal that brings together academics, enthusiasts, and industry pros, supported by community fundraising instead of traditional academic publishing. They discuss ROMchip's success, its growing community, and dreams of what the future holds for the journal.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.
A full transcript of this episode is available on our website: https://gamehistory.org/episode-125-romchip-whats-next/
See more from Laine Nooney:
Linktree: linktr.ee/lainenooney
See more from ROMchip:
Website: romchip.org/
Socials, Events, Blog: donate.romchip.org/
Video Game History Foundation:
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 124: Digital Library Launch
It’s finally arrived: our digital library archive is now open in early access! Our library team: library director Phil Salvador, director of technology Travis Brown, and artist and engineer Amanda Cifaldi all join foundation director Frank Cifaldi and show producer Robin Kunimune to celebrate and discuss the years-long project sampling just a portion of our physical collection. We highlight the library’s role in facilitating video game research, the importance of fair use, the novel tools and infrastructure we created in this process, legal and ethical considerations, and future plans for and potential of this digital archive.
*This episode has a follow-up bonus episode available to our paid tier Patreon members.
Digital Archive: archive.gamehistory.org
Library Catalog: library.gamehistory.org
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.
A full transcript of this episode is available on our website: https://gamehistory.org/episode-124-digital-library-launch/
Video Game History Foundation:
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 123: GamePro Magazine Collection
Guests Katrin Auch & Dan Amrich, formerly of GamePro magazine, discuss their time at the publication as well as the archival collection now housed by the VGHF. Kat and Dan recount their experience of transitioning from film to digital layouts, unintentional blunders, working under tight budgets and deadlines, and the creative process of creating content.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above) or on Spotify.
A full transcript of this episode is available on our website: https://gamehistory.org/episode-123-gamepro-magazine-collection/
See more from Katrin Auch:
Website: katrinauch.com
See more from Dan Amrich:
Twitter/X: @danamrich
Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/danamrich.bsky.social
See more from both Kat & Dan:
Dan & Kat Talk podcast (on hiatus): danandkattalk.com
Etsy: bit.ly/katrinauch
The Kyberpunks: thekyberpunks.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter/X: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter/X: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 122: Save the Games Recap
We're joined by Director of Digital Preservation at The Strong National Museum of Play Andrew Borman to recap the events of the first ever Save the Games Symposium put on by the museum in August 2024, a conference dedicated to digital preservation and advancing the field of video game preservation.
Chris Arneil, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia report: International Video Game Preservation Survey Report
Game Availability Study (87% Study): Survey of the Video Game Reissue Market in the United States
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above) or on Spotify.
See more from Andrew Borman:
Twitter/X: @borman18
YouTube: /ptoponline
Website: http://museumofplay.org
Facebook: /icheg
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 121: Exploring the Cyan Vault
In this field report from Mead, Washington, Cyan co-founder Rand Miller takes VGHF library director Phil Salvador on an exclusive tour of the "Cyan Vault." Together, they uncover rare game artifacts, prototypes, and cool behind-the-scenes treasures while diving into Cyan's rich history. Listen in to discover how thoughtful, meticulous preservation can not only tell a story but also breathe new life into a classic like Riven.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.A transcript of this episode can be found at: https://gamehistory.org/episode-121-exploring-the-cyan-vault/
See more from Rand Miller:
Twitter/X: @randemtweets
Website: cyan.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter/X: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Episode 120: Nintendo's Virtual Boy
In our very first episode of season two, university professor José Zagal and video game historian Benj Edwards, co-authors of Seeing Red: Nintendo's Virtual Boy, join host Frank Cifaldi to educate us all on Nintendo’s Virtual Boy.
Mentioned in the show:
Benj’s original article on VB:
https://www.fastcompany.com/3050016/unraveling-the-enigma-of-nintendos-virtual-boy-20-years-later
José’s original academic article on the VB (from 2009):
https://doi.org/10.1145/1690388.1690406
Jez San talking about his VR partnership with Nintendo and how it was cancelled in favor of the Virtual Boy:
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from José Zagal:
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=a4a3GTMAAAAJ&hl=en
Twitter/X: @josezagal
Division of Games (@University of Utah): games.utah.edu
See more from Benj Edwards:
Twitter: @benjedwards
Website: benjedwards.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Season Two Announcement
We're thrilled to announce season two of the Video Game History Hour is finally here! We've been toiling away behind the scenes putting together a fun and interesting new line-up of guests and we can't wait to share them all with you. Keep an eye on your feed for our re-launch episode coming up next.
You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Spotify or one day early on Patreon.
Holiday Update & Winter Fundraiser
It’s been awhile so, let’s catch up. Plus, we’re right in the middle of our 2023 Winter Fundraiser and we can’t wait to tell you all about how it’s going.
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
The Future of the Show
With co-host Kelsey Lewin leaving the Video Game History Foundation, we will be putting the show on pause for the rest of the year. We want to thank Kelsey for everything she’s given to this show, to VGHF, and to our team and we all wish her great success in her future endeavors. As for the Video Game History Hour, we’ve decided to take the rest of the year to refresh, rethink, and redefine what this show looks like. You might still hear from us occasionally throughout the rest of 2023, but we will be taking a break from the regularly scheduled content. When we return in early 2024, we’re confident the format of the show will still be every bit as wonderful as what you’ve all come to know and love if not even better.
In the meantime, if you’re planning to attend Portland Retro Gaming Expo this weekend, please stop by our museum and say hello!
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 119: Karateka
Game designer and creator of Karateka Jordan Mechner, joined by Chris Kohler of Digital Eclipse, shares a new interactive documentary The Making of Karateka exploring this 1984 karate classic title. In this episode: Jordan’s earliest work, perfect paper preservationist, Prince of Persia source code, hitting it rich in video games vs. going to class, celebrating old games, an inspiration train, a father’s love of his son, the lost leopard: found, and bringing a game back to life.
See more from Jordan Mechner:
Website: jordanmechner.com
Facebook: /jmechner
Twitter: @jmechner
Instagram: @jmechner
Mastodon: @jmechner
YouTube: /JordanMechner
See more from Chris Kohler:
Twitter: @kobunheat
Website: www.chriskohler.biz
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Kohler/e/B001IOFJPI%3F
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 118: Noclip Game History Archive
Documentarian Danny O’Dwyer of Noclip has been sifting through thousands of videotapes in a recent mass-acquisition of video game (and adjacent) recordings. In this episode: Burger King and Kellogg’s games, Danny can fix your VCR, conferences in 1080p, shop talk on uploading footage, BBC Domesday Project methodology, slow Sonic, is that Frank?, it’s lonely work, and (not) preserving live service games.
Project: youtube.com/@NoclipArchive
See more from Danny O’Dwyer:
Twitter: @dannyodwyer
YouTube: /noclipvideo
Patreon: /noclip
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 117: Nintendo Knitting Machine
Historian Racheil Weil returns to the show to discuss the Nintendo Knitting Machine, a never released knitting machine toy powered by the NES. In this episode: Sega Master System smack talk; flier breakdown; just…why?; dissociating like a TV doctor; analyzing the evidence: what’s real, how it might work, peripheral material, screen capture; and bless the Wayback Machine.
Flier from Howard Phillips:
See more from Rachel Weil:
Twitter: @FemicomMuseum
Website: femicom.org
Personal Twitter: @partytimeHXLNT
Personal Website: nobadmemories.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 116: The First CD-ROM Game
VGHF librarian Phil Salvador chats with longtime contributor to video game archaeology Misty De Méo, author of CD-ROM Journal: a blog exploring multimedia games and software. We discuss her recent article A Chronology of First CD-ROM Games answering the question: What was the first CD-ROM game? In this episode: the first adventure, the magical dinosaur tour, trivia vs. genuine artistic relevance, getting into game history research, and to ROM or not to ROM.
See more from Misty De Méo:
Website: cdrom.ca
Mastodon: digipres.club/@misty
Twitter: @mistydemeo
Screenshot Blog: https://cohost.org/compactdiscinteractive
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 115 - Travis Brown
Travis Brown, our very own director of technology, gets technical as we talk about his role with VGHF and how he got started in preservation. In this episode: The Varsity vs The Vortex, scanning 14k pieces of optical media, scaling with Nimbies, Power-Up Baseball restoration and MAME, writing our API glue, and Frank forgets just how many projects Travis has been a part of over the years.
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 114: The Strong’s Expansion
We share the details of our recent field trip to The Strong Museum of Play to celebrate their newest video game focused expansion. In this travel log episode: travel woes; Wegmans toilet paper; Transformers’ shrieks at a cocktail event; a giant, playable Donkey Kong cabinet; video games ARE real; Level Up and High Score; touring the labs, vaults, and library; and finally what inspired us.
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Bonus Episode: Game Availability Study
Brandon Butler, Director of Information Policy at the University of Virginia Library and Law and Policy Advisor at the Software Preservation Network, joins us to talk about a major new study published jointly by the Video Game History Foundation and the SPN which shows 87% of classic games released in the United States are now out of print. In this episode we find out how these games have become critically endangered and why it matters.
Blog post: https://gamehistory.org/87percent/
The Study: https://zenodo.org/record/8161056
The Study explained: https://gamehistory.org/study-explainer/
See more from Brandon Butler:
Website: softwarepreservationnetwork.org
Law Firm: usefairuse.com
Twitter: @bc_butler
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 113: Bally Professional Arcade
Author and historian Kevin Bunch returns to the familiar guest chair to educate us all on a somewhat obscure 1970’s consolputer from his recent video, The History of the Bally (and Astrocade) Professional Arcade: Archive Annex Episode 4. In this episode, tears are shed, wrapping these things in useless metal, accidental historical revisionism, what’s in a name?, the toy industry was too small for undercutting, Dog Patch: shotgun volleyball, ironic corporate rewards for good behavior, and making friends over this hardware.
See more from Kevin Bunch:
Twitter: @ubersaurus
YouTube: /atariarchive
Website: atariarchive.org
Patreon: /atariarchive
Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@yuberus
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/ ubersaurus
Book: Atari Archive Vol. 1 https://limitedrungames.com/collections/atari-archive-vol-1
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 112: Getting Personal with Frank Cifaldi
Frank gets a bit reflective and shares how he got where he is today; not just the video game stuff, but the life stuff, too. In this episode: a youth in Las Vegas, underage drinking and overage smoking, dropping out of school, the Wild West of game cataloging, Frank can do it better, how to get sh*t done, thanking your inspiring figures, being a kinder person, dreaming big(ger), trying to find boredom, looking toward Jerry Beck, comics historians are just killing it, and learning from your spouse.
See more from Frank Cifaldi:
Twitter: @frankcifaldi
Email: frank@gamehistory.org
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 111: The World of Nintendo Book
Historian and game developer Andy Cunningham shares his fantastic new book The World of Nintendo Book, Volume One: A World of Wonders, a visual history of Nintendo merchandising. This first in a series goes deep into the creation of Nintendo of America's merchandising team of the late 80's and early 90's, something often overlooked in videogame history. In this episode: merchandising: the boring and the enticing, the logistics of collecting retail displays, creating a store within a store, the original Director of Merchandising, selling a promise, Nintendo’s retail force of ‘87, and what made Nintendo staff better?
See more from Andy Cunningham:
Website: worldofnintendobook.com
Twitter: @TheWONBook
Instagram: @worldofnintendobook
Facebook: /andycunninghamauthor
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 110: Minesweeper
Kyle Orland, author of the new Boss Fight Books’ Minesweeper, joins the show to talk about one of the most prolific 90’s games by the same name. In this episode: the Minesweeper generation, how Bill Gates got addicted to it, the ultimate time waster, it was a mouse tutorial, Microsoft’s internal conflicts, the moral panic around games like Minesweeper, and the clock is ticking.
See more from Kyle Orland:
Twitter: @KyleOrl
Sr. Gaming Editor, Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/author/kyle-orland/
Book: https://bossfightbooks.com/products/minesweeper-by-kyle-orland
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 109: Video Game Logos
Writer, journalist, and ‘several’ time returning guest Jack Yarwood shares his research on two video game logos with stylized R’s, which were subsequently made to be physical objects, as recently published in his articles "It Became Almost Like A Cult" - The Untold Story Behind Rockstar's Iconic Logo and The Origin Of Rare's Iconic "Golden Toilet Roll" Logo.
Mentioned in the show: https://gamehistory.org/dma-design-art/
See more from Jack Yarwood:
Twitter: @JackGYarwood
Website: timeextension.com
Twitter: @TimeExtension64
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Bonus Episode: Game Preservation is a House of Cards
Kelsey and Frank hit record on a Friday afternoon for an impromptu, off-the-cuff discussion about a scary recent development in the world of video game preservation regarding the preservation organization Forest of Illusion. Total bummer topics include how much we rely on individual people to work for free, how many fragile points of failure there are for keeping information alive, and how there aren't any great solutions yet. But don't worry! Things get positive again toward the end.
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 108: Preserving the Nintendo eShop
Jirard Khalil, aka "That One Video Gamer", aka “The Completionist,” aka “Dragonrider,” joins us to talk about his recent video I bought EVERY Nintendo Wii U & 3DS game before the Nintendo eShop closes. In this episode: what happens when an E-Shop closes and why it shuts down, preserving games for toddlers, libraries collecting like this would be absurd, unheard stories of the chaos of buying thousands of dollars in Link gift cards, is piracy a possible solution or the only option?, wishful legal solutions, the true costs of this endeavor.
See more from Jirard Khalil:
YouTube: /ThatOneVideoGamer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Completionist
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/TheCompletionist
Instagram: @thecompletionist
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 107: Planning for Death
(Content Warning: this episode deals with the topic of death)
Collector, preservationist, and founding board member Steve Lin joins us to illuminate the realities of dealing with a collection after the collector has passed away. In this episode: balancing preserving history and helping a family left behind, what you can implement immediately, what is a trust and how does it work?, collecting in the 90’s and 00’s, your Why? of collecting, the passion for collecting may not live beyond you.
See more from Steve Lin:
Twitter: @stevenplin
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 106: Budcat Creations
Journalist and researcher Nick Yanes brings us a piece of history not only from his own local area, but also from his own past in his recent article The birth and death of Budcat Creations, Iowa's first (and only) Triple-A game studio. We take a peek inside the life of a development studio during a tumultuous time in the game industry and learn some valuable lessons along the way. In this episode: the Guitar Hero empire, annual Halloween playlist, the business model of a dev studio, life as a game developer, what happened in Nebraska?, what Bubcat could have been, and lessons from not being recession-proof.
See more from Nicholas Yanes:
Twitter: @NicholasYanes
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-yanes-51884aa/
Post News: https://post.news/@/nicholasyanes
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 105: The D.I.C.E. Summit
Frank and guest Chris Kohler recap their recent attendance of the 2023 D.I.C.E. Summit, a Las Vegas convention for executives and other high-level creatives in the interactive entertainment space. In this episode: a little history of the show’s atmospheric evolution, the D.I.C.E. Awards, ‘speed date’ networking, the best games shopping in Vegas, Frank apologizes to his Mom, and we do allow ourselves to reminisce about the good ol’ days with some behind the scenes journalists’ stories.
See more from Chris Kohler:
Twitter: @kobunheat
Website: www.chriskohler.biz
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Kohler/e/B001IOFJPI%3F
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 104: Where in North Dakota is Carmen Sandiego?
Frank Cifaldi takes the guest seat for this episode and shares the story of the most obscure caper in Carmen Sandiego’s criminal history, a story we shared in a blog post a few years ago. In this episode: we plan a TV series, deep fried steak with a Teddy Roosevelt impersonator, Broderbund’s involvement in the game, attending an unaccredited auctioneering school, this game’s legacy in a parallel world, and Frank’s favorite part of this episode.
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 103: The Legend of Zelda Cartoon
Polygon Senior Reporter Nicole Carpenter joins us to chat about the 1989 Legend of Zelda cartoon, the subject of her recent oral history piece: ‘Excuuuuse me, Princess!’: An oral history of The Legend of Zelda cartoon. In this episode: Zeldathon; this cartoon is basically Shakespeare; The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!; the wild west of the Duoforce; a dinky startup named Nintendo of America; my sword doesn’t hit things, it shoots lasers; and poor Will Smith.
Referenced in the show: https://gameranx.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/3-720x821.jpg
See more from Nicole Carpenter:
Twitter: @sweetpotatoes
Email: nicole (at) polygon (dot) com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 102: Preservation: How Do I Start?
Jonas Rosland, executive director of Hit Save!, shares their newest Guide to Start Video Game Preservation as an individual not necessarily affiliated with an organization. In this episode we look at the first steps to take, knowing what’s already been done, where to get more material, and we ask some philosophical and big-picture questions around video game preservation.
See more from Jonas Rosland:
Website: hitsave.org
Patreon: /hitsave
Twitter: @hitsaveorg
GitHub: github.com/hitsave
Personal twitter: @jonasrosland
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 101: Super Mario Kart
Norm Caruso returns to discuss Super Mario Kart’s somewhat humble beginnings as laid out in his recent video essay The Story of Super Mario Kart | Gaming Historian. In this episode: looking for the SMK team photo, an invaluable go kart outing, Mario by any other name, the mechanics of drifting, Norm had to “git gud,” file dates: a crucial tool in digital archaeology, and Lost Media: $25,000 for a lost song.
See more from Norm Caruso:
YouTube: /gaminghistorian
Twitter: @gaminghistorian
Website: thegaminghistorian.com
Patreon: /gaminghistorian
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 100: CELEBRATE!
As we celebrate this milestone episode, we invite our editor, Michael Carrell, and producer, Robin Kunimune, to take a look back with us at some of our and our listener's favorite memories from the last 100 'hours'. In this episode: how this podcast came to be, why we dedicate our time to this project, favorite guests, embarrassing moments, and so much more!
Mentioned in the show:
Derek’s 3D Scan - 8M Memory Pack box:
https://sketchfab.com/models/8e862790426d492793f74c60e671320f
See more from Michael Carrell:
Twitter: @ProducerMike975
Instagram: @ProducerMike975
Podcast: Comicast via Spotify or Apple Podcasts
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 99: 9/9/99 - Launching the Dreamcast (Again)
Dreamcast Junkyard veterans Tom Charnock and Brian Vines join us to share their knowledge and experiences of the Dreamcast’s launch in both the European and US markets, respectively, and even a little on the Japanese market’s launch. In this episode: bonding over our strict video game upbringing rules; doing our darnedest to NOT derail into a Geist Force investigation; why the packaging differed; a deep dive into swirls; various lawsuit threats toward Sega; and many of the similarities and differences between these two market launches.
See more from Tom Charnock:
Website: thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk
Twitter: @TheDCJunkyard
Podcast: The Dreamcast Junkyard DreamPod on all podcast services
YouTube: /TheDreamcastJunkyard
Discord: The Dreamcast Junkyard
Facebook (et al.): /TheDreamcastJunkyard
See more from Brian Vines:
Twitter: @VirtuaSchlub
Blog: thevirtuaplanet.com
Saturn Junkyard's TitanCast: thesaturnjunkyard.buzzsprout.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 98: The Sacred Pools
Dylan Mansfield, gaming historian and archivist, joins the show to share an odd piece of Sega history from his recent article Saving Sacred Pools: Sega’s Million Dollar Adult Game. This mid 90’s FMV game with adult themes was, until recently, considered lost. In this episode: we want to know why crappy games are crappy; once again, we get sucked into doing research live on the air; Frank doesn’t have much time left to do his work; Kelsey likes to “...well, actually…”; and a bit of smack talk.
See more from Dylan Mansfield:
Twitter: @thatdylanfellow
Website: www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/
Additional work on DidYouKnowGaming?: LOST Nintendo DS Game FOUND After 15 Years (by us)
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 97: Club Penguin
Chris Gliddon, archivist and producer at RocketSnail Games, takes a look back at the inception and evolution of Club Penguin, an MMO virtual world filled with games and activities from 2005. In this episode: Chris and Kelsey can barely contain their excitement, no one wants war - everybody just wants to chat and walk around, preserving a living game: it’s clean (but it’s a mess), business cases for archiving, and if you don’t have Leeroy Jenkins you don’t have World of Warcraft.
See more from Chris Gliddon:
Twitter: @redkeytar
Website: redkeytar.com
Twitter - Successor to CP: @PlayPartyParrot
Website: partyparrotworld.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
We Need Your Memories!
As the end of the year approaches, so does our 100th episode and we can't wait to celebrate by hearing about your favorite memories from the last 99 shows. Please send your stories, questions, and comments to podcast@gamehistory.org or by submitting through our google form: https://forms.gle/62tKAsQW6VRKUNUN6
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 96: Margot Comstock - “The Glue” of the Early Apple II Era
Computer and video game historian, NYU assistant professor, and all-around rad friend of the show Laine Nooney discusses their recent article One of the most important women in Apple’s history never worked for Apple. In this episode: Bitcoin, ham radios, VR, and the Apple II - it’s all related; Softalk magazine; the 1977 Trinity; and ideation on the purpose of history.
See more from Laine Nooney:
Twitter: @Sierra_OffLine
Podcast: Unboxing: https://anchor.fm/unboxingplayandprofit/
Book: The Apple II Age: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-apple-ii-age-laine-nooney/1142333554
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 95: PRGE 2022 Post-Mortem (Don’t worry, it’s very alive!)
Chris Kohler returns to the show, this time to chat with Frank Cifaldi about the Portland Retro Gaming Expo held annually in Portland, Oregon. In this episode: a creepy merry-go-round, PRGE museum iterations, a drive-by pre-announcement, the current collector atmosphere, and the preservation ecosystem.
See more from Chris Kohler:
Twitter: @kobunheat
Website: www.chriskohler.biz
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Kohler/e/B001IOFJPI%3F
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 94: Magnavox: The Great Voice
Alex Smith hijacks the show from co-hosts Kelsey and “the other Kelsey” to dive deep into the history of Magnavox, manufacturer of the first commercial home video game console: Odyssey. In this episode: a ‘loudspeaker’ really is a person who speaks loudly, Futurama, Star Trek, the government creates a monopoly, we’re going to need a lot of wire to go wireless, Elvis Presley, and Frank Sinatra.
See more from Alex Smith:
Website: theycreateworlds.com
Blog: videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Podcast: podcast.theycreateworlds.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 93: Street Fighter II: What’s in a Name?
Drew Mackie, author and owner of gaming blog Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games, joins the show this week to share the history of some of Street Fighter II’s character names. We start off with a recent article of his, If His Name Is Blanka, Why Is He Green?, taking a look at the biggest theories surrounding this odd naming choice. Ryu, Ken, Guile, Chun-Li, M. Bison, and Vega all make an appearance. Don’t worry, everyone communicates using their words, not fists, on this show.
See more from Drew Mackie:
Website: thrillingtalesofoldvideogames.com
Twitter: @drewgmackie
Instagram: @kidicarus222
Production Company: tablecakes.com
Podcast: gayestepisodeever.com - LGBTQ+ analysis of episodes of classic sitcoms
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 92: SharkWire Online
Ernie Smith, editor of website and newsletter Tedium and chum of the show, hooked our attention with his recent article Surf Like A Shark highlighting the SharkWire Online, a totally unlicensed device which brought internet connectivity to the Nintendo 64. In this episode: edgy 7-years-olds are a marketing demographic, Fisher-Price “My First Internet,” Dad is on the computer and we’re not fancy enough people, and Dan keeps the game cheats legacy alive (thanks Dan!).
See more from Ernie Smith:
Website: tedium.co
Twitter: @ShortFormErnie
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 91: Life Before Final Fantasy VII
Journalist and critic Kim justice recently released a video, The Story of JRPG's in the UK BEFORE FFVII: Super Play Magazine | Kim Justice, challenging the traditional narrative about how JRPGs were introduced in the UK, perhaps paralleling how it happened in the US. In this episode we shop for hardware live on-air, underserved import culture, Donkey Kong Country takes a back seat, spoilers gonna spoil, and it takes gumption to tell people what’s really cool.
Mentioned in the show:
https://www.codejunkies.com/Products/SD-Media-Launcher__EF000580V.aspx
See more from Kim Justice:
YouTube: /kimblejustice
Twitch: /kim_justice
Patreon: /kimblejustice
Twitter: @kimxxxjustice
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 90: Colossal Cave Adventure with Roberta Williams
Designer and Sierra On-Line co-founder Roberta Williams shares how Adventure inspired her own career in creating/designing the King's Quest and Phantasmagoria series as well as her newest work: Colossal Cave 3D Adventure, a reimagined version of the original title.In this episode we’re joined by a very vocal special guest, avid readers become avid storytellers, we’re all acutely aware of our own age, and looking under the hood bears greater appreciation for design.
See more from Roberta Williams:
Twitter: @thecolossalcave
Website: colossalcave3d.com
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 89: Why Toonstruck Struck Out
Jimmy Maher, author of The Digital Antiquarian, returns once more to share his recent article Toonstruck (or, A Case Study in the Death of Adventure Games). We examine this 1996 point-and-click adventure as an illustration of the mainstream decline of its entire genre. In this episode: “Siliwood” interactive movies are the next big thing, the curse of a blank check strikes again, no one ever got off Myst’s first island, do peanut butter and salmon really go together?, how simple economics shaped game design, Frank drops a major bomb making us question if we even know him anymore, and Barney is a real dinosaur who wrote his own song lyrics.
See more from Jimmy Maher:
The Digital Antiquarian: filfre.net
Patreon: /DigitalAntiquarian
Twitter: @DigiAntiquarian
The Analog Antiquarian: https://analog-antiquarian.net/
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
Ep. 88: Intellivision Launch
Kevin Bunch returns to the show to share a new episode from Atari Archive: The Launch Lineup: Intellivision Archive Episode 1. In this episode we learn the history of the Intellivision launch and many of the innovative, if not long-lasting, ideas that came with it. Get ready for some Backgammon with a shifty-eyed poker man.
See more from Kevin Bunch:
Twitter: @ubersaurus
YouTube: /atariarchive
Website: atariarchive.org
Patreon: /atariarchive
Video Game History Foundation:
Podcast Twitter: @gamehistoryhour
Email: podcast@gamehistory.org
Twitter: @GameHistoryOrg
Website: gamehistory.org
Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg