Welcome to another episode of Retrotopia: Another Video Game Podcast. This is a show where we, Alan, Brian, and Sam, get together to discuss video games from years gone by. We like to look at video games from the perspective of lifelong gamers and how they hold up in the retro sphere.

This week we are discussing Cuphead, an Xbox One and PC game released in 2017 that blends punishing run-and-gun action with a stunning 1930s hand-drawn cartoon aesthetic. Inspired by the rubber-hose animation of Fleischer Studios and early Disney shorts, Cuphead follows the reckless titular hero and his brother Mugman after they lose their souls to the Devil in a high-stakes casino gamble. To repay their debt, they must traverse a series of surreal islands, battling a wildly creative lineup of screen-filling bosses to collect soul contracts.

Beneath its charming, jazzy exterior lies a brutally challenging experience built around pattern recognition, tight platforming, and precision shooting. Every boss fight feels like a playable cartoon short, complete with original big band music and painstakingly inked animation. It’s a love letter to vintage animation wrapped around an old-school difficulty curve that demands patience, skill, and maybe a second controller for co-op support.

You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia

There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat.

Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia

Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here.

Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc

Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/

We have many designs and are continually adding more. Get T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.

HEY! Check out Alan's first foray into the world of narration in his debut audio book reading of HALF MADE UP over on AUDIBLE (UK Link, USA Link, Canada Link)

Welcome to another episode of Retrotopia: Another Video Game Podcast. This is a show where we, Alan, Brian, and Sam, get together to discuss video games from years gone by. We like to look at video games from the perspective of lifelong gamers and how they hold up in the retro sphere.

This week we are discussing Kingdom Hearts, a PlayStation 2 game released in 2002 that throws a spiky-haired kid named Sora into an unexpected crossover fever dream where Disney worlds and Final Fantasy characters collide. Armed with the magical Keyblade, Sora teams up with Donald Duck and Goofy to hop between iconic Disney films, battle the shadowy Heartless, and unravel a surprisingly emotional story about friendship, light, and losing yourself to darkness, all wrapped in flashy action-RPG combat and a soundtrack that still lives rent-free in gamers’ heads.

You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia

There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat.

Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia

Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here.

Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc

Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/

We have many designs and are continually adding more. Get T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.

HEY! Check out Alan's first foray into the world of narration in his debut audio book reading of HALF MADE UP over on AUDIBLE (UK Link, USA Link, Canada Link)

Welcome to another episode of Retrotopia: Another Video Game Podcast. This is a show where we, Alan, Brian, and Sam, get together to discuss video games from years gone by. We like to look at video games from the perspective of lifelong gamers and how they hold up in the retro sphere.

This week we are discussing WCW/nWo Revenge, a Nintendo 64 game released in 1998 that took everything fans loved about WCW vs. nWo: World Tour and cranked it up to eleven. Built on AKI’s now-legendary wrestling engine, Revenge delivered faster gameplay, deeper move sets, and a massive roster split between the warring WCW and nWo factions. With smooth grappling, intuitive controls, signature taunts, and a surprisingly addictive progression system, it struck the perfect balance between arcade fun and wrestling authenticity. For many fans, WCW/nWo Revenge isn’t just a great wrestling game—it’s the gold standard that defined an entire era of N64 multiplayer chaos.

You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia

There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat.

Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia

Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here.

Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc

Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/

We have many designs and are continually adding more. Get T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.

HEY! Check out Alan's first foray into the world of narration in his debut audio book reading of HALF MADE UP over on AUDIBLE (UK Link, USA Link, Canada Link)

Welcome to another episode of Retrotopia: Another Video Game Podcast. This is a show where we, Alan, Brian, and Sam, get together to discuss video games from years gone by. We like to look at video games from the perspective of lifelong gamers and how they hold up in the retro sphere.

This week we are discussing Ecco the Dolphin, a Sega Genesis game released in 1992 that blends action, exploration, and environmental storytelling into one of the most atmospheric experiences of the 16-bit era. Players take control of Ecco, a lone dolphin navigating vast oceans, ancient ruins, and alien-infested waters after a mysterious storm wipes out his pod. Known for its haunting soundtrack, minimalist storytelling, and surprisingly challenging gameplay, Ecco the Dolphin emphasizes sonar-based navigation, puzzle-solving, and survival rather than traditional combat, earning a reputation as one of Sega’s most unique and thought-provoking titles.

You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia

There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat.

Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia

Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here.

Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc

Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/

We have many designs and are continually adding more. Get T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.

Welcome to another episode of Retrotopia: Another Video Game Podcast. This is a show where we, Alan, Brian, and Sam, get together to discuss video games from years gone by. We like to look at video games from the perspective of lifelong gamers and how they hold up in the retro sphere.

This week we are discussing Super Paper Mario, a Nintendo Wii game released in 2007 that boldly twists the Paper Mario formula into a side-scrolling action-platformer, blending classic Mario movement with RPG elements, clever puzzles, and a surprisingly dark, story-driven narrative about love, loss, and the literal destruction of all worlds.

You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia

There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat.

Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia

Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here.

Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc

Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/

We have many designs and are continually adding more. Get T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.

RetroBytes Neo launches as a bold new format for 2026. Joe and Brian sit down for free-flowing conversations about video games, life, and everything in between. Settle in as they ring in the New Year, break down the evolution of the show, and wander into plenty of unexpected territory along the way. You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia where you can get this show 15 DAYS EARLY with an extra topic and much more.

There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat.

Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia

Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here.

Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc

Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/

We offer a wide range of designs and continually add new ones. Get T-shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.

Welcome to another episode of Retrotopia: Another Video Game Podcast. This is a show where we, Alan, Brian, and Sam, get together to discuss video games from years gone by. We like to look at video games from the perspective of lifelong gamers and how they hold up in the retro sphere.

This week we are discussing Harvest Moon, a Super Nintendo Entertainment System game released in 1996 that trades swords and scoreboards for soil, seasons, and simple living. Instead of saving the world, you’re tasked with restoring a neglected farm, planting crops, raising animals, upgrading tools, and slowly turning a rundown plot of land into a thriving homestead. Along the way, you build relationships with the townsfolk, manage your time around changing seasons, and decide how to balance hard work with a social life. It’s a quiet, deliberate experience that laid the foundation for the farming and life-sim genre, proving that games could be just as compelling when they’re about patience, routine, and the small victories of everyday life.

You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia

There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat.

Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia

Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here.

Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc

Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/

We have many designs and are continually adding more. Get T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.

Welcome to another episode of Retrotopia: Another Video Game Podcast. This is a show where we, Alan, Brian, and Sam, get together to discuss video games from years gone by. We like to look at video games from the perspective of lifelong gamers and how they hold up in the retro sphere.

This week we are discussing Half-Life, a PC game released in 1998 that redefined the first-person shooter genre by seamlessly blending fast-paced action, environmental storytelling, and scripted narrative moments into a single, uninterrupted experience. Players step into the role of theoretical physicist Gordon Freeman, whose routine experiment at the Black Mesa Research Facility goes catastrophically wrong, triggering an alien invasion and a desperate fight for survival. Instead of relying on traditional cutscenes, Half-Life tells its story entirely through gameplay, immersing players in a tense, atmospheric world filled with hostile creatures, secretive government forces, and one of the most influential sci-fi narratives in gaming history.

You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia

There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat.

Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia

Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here.

Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc

Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/

We have many designs and are continually adding more. Get T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.