Checkpoints

My guest today is Steve McNeil, one of the creators and team captains of Go 8 Bit, a videogame comedy show that started life as a fringe experiment and has now been turned into a real life TV show! It starts tonight in the UK at 10pm on Dave. We talk through Steve's life in games, from Pong on the Adnan Grandstand through to the very latest in virtual reality. We touch on his love for the early British videogame pioneers like Jeff Minter and the Oliver Twins, university sessions of Brian Lara Cricket, his deep love of Split/Second Velocity and the potentially friend-ending joy of Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. We also touch on Steve's comedy career, how he got his start as a plant in a Brendon Burns fringe show, the origins of Go 8 Bit and the challenge of adapting it for TV, the crazy tech of Wifi Wars and how much Bob Mortimer loves first person shooters. 'Drink the brine!' iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW Games discussed: Pong, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, Chuckie Egg, Dizzy, Split/Sec

My guest today is Tony Coles, a freelance videogame writer and former videogame PR. The length of the episode gives you some idea of how passionate and excited Tony is by videogames. This episode runs on the rocket fuel of enthusiasm and nostalgia. We talk about Tony's first experience of Space Invaders on a German Military Base and how that continued to be the defining game of his youth, early video game hacks involving shoot em up simulators and Maria Whittaker, some horror stories of play testing, why video game PR was not for him, and how he was the first writer to ever get a named credit in Edge. We also chat about the wonders of the SID chip, how Jet Set Willy instilled a love of exploration, how much we miss the Aki wrestling games, why Ikaruga is the most powerful example of games as art and why more games should have a shout button. 'My Ninja brings all the boys to the yard.' iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW Games discussed: Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy, Mercenary, Space Invaders, Defende

My guest today is Ellie Gibson, one half of the Scummy Mummies Podcast/comedy team, an award winning videogame journalist and coming to TVs near you as the videogame expert in Dara O'Briain's Go 8 Bit. We talk about the dual impact of Jet Set Willy and Band Aid's Feed The World, the bizarre interview process for her first gaming job, an unforgettable press trip for the videogame Black which involved James Bond's stunt double and a ring of fire, why it really should be about ethics in Vietnamese Journalism, the history of Eurogamer, Dave 'The Animal' Perry, and why you shouldn't say the word Joypad on TV. 'Simon, sidestep to your left!' iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW RSS HERE Fruit Mystery http://taxiderby.tumblr.com/mystery Games discussed: Jet Set Willy, Fruit Mystery, Tomb Raider, Super Mario Kart, GTA, Candy Crush, New Zealand Story, WipeOut, Rockstar Ate My Hamster, The Suffering, Sky Odyssey, Pokemon Go Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk Mu

My guest today is Dr. Jo Twist OBE. As the CEO of UKIE, the games trade body, Jo works tirelessly to ensure that the UK is a place where videogame developers can thrive. We talk about moving from Hong Kong to Scotland, how she was prescribed her first videogame by an optician, the ubiquity and charm of Game & Watch, the wonders of online communities, her work with Special Effect and why vidoegames can create such powerful social connections. Other Buggers Efforts.

My guest today is Chris Remo. Chris is designer and a composer at the videogame studio Campo Santo and the producer and host of Idle Thumbs. After spending a number of years as a videogame journalist Chris moved into development, working on games like Gone Home, The Cave, Thirty Flights of Loving and most recently, Firewatch. We talk early obsessions with Civilization, first discovering Star Wars via the PC X-Wing games, college dorm Starcraft battles, playing through the videogame canon in a matter of months, and why his love of Lucasarts adventure games have played such a pivotal role in his life. Videogames. iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW RSS HERE Games discussed: Gorilla.bas, Starcraft, Civilsation, X-Wing, Imbroglio, The New York Times Crossword, Halo, Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, The Legend of Zelda, Quake, Spelunky, Super Metroid, Firewatch, Sim City Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

My guest today is Chris Totten. An author, architect, founder of the Smithsonian Art Museum Indie Arcade and the Game Artist in Residence at American University. Some CV right? We talk about the relationship between architecture and level design, why Super Mario 3 was such a life changing game, the ubiquity of Madden, how single player games can be communal and a unique teaching experience which replicated the mechanics of Pokemon. "Be a Charizard." iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW RSS HERE Games discussed: Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Metroid, Madden, Netrunner, Monkey Island, Pokemon Go, Towerfall, X-Wing, NBA Jam. Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

My guest today is Eskil Steenburg. A high school dropout who was hired as a researcher at an academic institute just a few years later. His game, Love, is a bold, imaginative and unlike almost any other game out there. This is a long old episode but Eskil has a lot to talk about including what a game actually is and how he's attempting to re-engineer the internet. It's a big episode. We talk about how Zelda was the first game that truly impacted him. How him and his friends used to sneak into a local state building to play networked Doom. The benefits of Hardcore Casual versus Casual Hardcore, why blue shells are bullshit and how he's fallen in love with Love all over again. "Eravamo in pausa!" Get Love - http://www.quelsolaar.com/love/index.html iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW RSS HERE Games discussed: Doom, Zelda, Quake, Auto Destruct, Wipeout, Virtua Fighter, Love, Left 4 Dead, Star Craft, Gang Beasts, Student Life, Ridge Racer Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoo

My guest today is Dan Croucher, a videogame producer currently working on [redacted]. Dan started in QA many years ago with Babel, and has gone on to produce games for large developers like Relentless as well as in the indie trenches on Scram Kitty for Dakko Dakko. We talk about what a videogame producer actually does, creating videogame fanzines, the psychology of nostalgia, how box art used to be so much better than the game and how a trip around the world made him love videogames more than ever. "I'm cold, and I'm wet, and I'm still hysterical." iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW RSS HERE Games discussed: Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Super Mario, Vandal Hearts, Scram Kitty, Buzz, One in a Million, Infiltrator, Gang Beats, Final Fantasy 12 (obv.) Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

My guests today are Andrew Seklir and Tim Kinzy, the directors and producers of the newly released videogame documentary Man vs. Snake. We talk about their videogame history of course, starting with Sears Pong machines and New York Bodegas and up to virtual reality with some side stories into Top Cat style arcade hacking their worst rage quits. We talk a lot about the movie too, from it's inception during a high score battle in the editing suite of Battlerstar Galactica through the recent wave of interest they've spawned in the long forgotten Nibbler. What the fuck is Nibbler? Watch the movie: www.manvssnake.com iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW RSS HERE Games discussed: Nibbler, Donkey Kong, Pong, Moon Patrol, Robotron, Zork, Q*bert and the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

My guest today is Chris Suellentrop. Chris is writer on national affairs & digital culture and his work has appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Kotaku, Slate and Wired. Chris has been involved in political writing since 2000, but over the past few years he has become more and more focussed on videogames. He also hosts the excellent podcast Shall We Play a Game? which was recently featured on NPR. We talk about how the Atari crash afforded Chris a rich library of games as a kid, if presidential candidates play games, why a university paper on Myst changed how he viewed games forever, and how in college a dormitory wide Madden tournament reignited his love of games and forged some of his fondest videogame memories. Clear eyes, warm hearts, can't lose. iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW RSS HERE Games discussed: Hearthstone, Clash Royale, Madden, Tecmo Bowl, Myst, Uncharted, Zelda, Combat, Meteoroid, Portal, Bioshock and RC Pro Am. Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurand

My guest today is John Davison. John is currently the general manager of Glixel, a new gaming website by the publisher of Rolling Stone, but is perhaps best known to most as the VP of 1up and one of the original hosts of 1up Yours. We talk through John's inrcedible career in the games press, from his early work in the UK games press on PC Player and PC Zone, the cover disk wars of the mid nineties, becoming an editor aged just 21, his move to America, the impact of 1up Yours and what inspired him to create What They Play. We of course hit on a bunch of games too. How Skyrim and Oblivion ruled his life, why Archer MacLean's Dropzone gave him his first taste of videogame press, the generational impact of Doom and how games are a form of expression, not just in what you make, but in how you play. This was a treat. I don't want to go to work today. I want to stay home and play. On my vidoegames. iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW RSS HERE Games discussed: Dropzone, Doom, Xenogears, Zelda, Skyrim, Obli

My guest today is Adriel Wallick a programmer, developer and creator of the Train Jam, an annual game jam that, unsurprisingly, takes place on a train as it travels across the US toward GDC. We talk about juggling work and creativity, living in the Netherlands, making a game a week for a whole year, the origins of Train Jam, transitioning from working on satellites to the videogame industry and why 1997 was such a vintage year. We hit on a ton of games too, the endless exploration of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, why Thomas was Alone was the perfect game at the perfect time and the gut wrenching laughter of QWOP - The Opera. We also light a candle for the tireless footsoldiers of GameFAQs. What is a man? (flings his wine glass aside) A miserable little pile of secrets! But enough talk... Have at you! SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW HERE RSS HERE Games discussed: Super Mario Bros, Final Fantasy 9, Unirally, Destiny, Halo, Chrono Cross, Thomas was Alone, Rock Band, Jackbox Party, Diablo 3, Castlevania -

Today's guest on the show is Marc Flury. Marc worked at Harmonix before leaving to form his own company, Drool. Alongside his partner and Lightning Bolt alum Brian Gibson, they've spent the last few years working on the upcoming rhythm violence game, THUMPER. The all caps are mine, but entirely necessary. As an American who now lives in Seoul, Marc has a unique perspective on the game dev scene in the country, and the type of games people love to make and play. Spoilers: it's not just Starcraft. We talk about the development of Thumper, the pain of programming and the highs and lows of working in such a small team. We also hit on his time working on Beatles Rock Band, meeting Yoko Ono, being bullied away from arcade machines in an Italian resort, the beautiful systems of Pikmin and his spiritual and psychedelic awakening as the host of The Space Show. Space is not only high, it's low. It's a bottomless pit. SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW HERE RSS HERE Games discussed: Super Mario Bros, Beatles Rock Band,

Today's guest on the show is Shailesh Prabhu, creative director of Yellow Monkey Studios and owner of one of the finest beards I know of. We talk about the videogame scene in India, the Nintendo Samurai (!), how the credits sequence at the start of Day of the Tentacle completely shifted how he understood games, and the agony and ecstasy that comes with starting your own videogame studio. We also hit on the joys of rhythm games, how having limited access to lots of games can make you an absolute pro in the ones you have, cricket, Counter Strike and the joy of making things. SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW HERE RSS HERE Games discussed: Road Fighters, Mortal Kombat 2, Day of the Tentacle, Black, Socioball, Huebrix, Super Mario, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Device 6, Thief, Arkham Asylum and Counter Strike. Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

My guest today is Jeff Green. Jeff has spent a the past few years working for Popcap and EA, but is perhaps best known for his long tenure on GFW/CGW magazine, and as the host of GFW Radio, one of the very first videogame podcasts and certainly one of my favourites. He is also the nicest guy, and an excellent guest. We talk about Jeff's delinquent youth in a pinball gang, how to balance marriage and Hearthstone, bonding with his daughter in WoW, how awful it is to have to write about modems and how amazing it is to write about games. We wax lyrical about Half Life and Doom, wonder whether stories in games matter, think about the impact of podcasting and share thoughts on the latest Hearthstone expansion. This was a treat. You're not the Lord of the Rings! SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW HERE RSS HERE Games discussed: Doom (1993), Quake, Half Life, WoW, Everquest, Bioshock, Hearthstone, Zork, Destiny, Marathon, Dark Souls 3. Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk Musi

My guest on today's show is William Pugh, one of the co-creators of the Stanley Parable and now director of a new studio, Crows Crows Crows. William is really young and that's totally fine because games have been a huge part of his life since literally the moment he was born. He is very funny and very charming and this was a lot of fun to record. We talk gaming as performance, why SNAPs never got the recognition it deserved, making VR games with Justin Roiland, the weirdly sexual characters in Cushion Cats, the magic of practical jokes, actual magic, Slavery! and how Super Mario made him a monster. Places, please!

My guest on today's show is the games editor for the Guardian, Keith Stuart. One of the recurring themes of Keith's life in games is family. From his earliest memories of he and his dad as co-conspirators in the notion that a home computer would be 'good for homework', through to his own life as a father, and how he and his son's relationship has been completely transformed by Minecraft. A story which is soon to be fictionalised in his book, A Boy Made of Blocks. Keith's life in games is a heartwarming one. We talk about writing videogame manuals, the magic of Phantasy Star Online, the forgotten Mario and Zelda games on the CDi, chasing the football dragon in Champ Manager, the role of a games journalist in the world of the streamer and the fascinating relationship between acting and playing videogames. All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. CHOOSE YOUR CLASS. Games diccussed - Life is Strange, Portal 2, WoW, Heavy Rain, Quantum Break, The Last of Us, Minecraft, Jumpgate, Pilotw

Mel Croucher is a living legend. You may not have heard of him and might be thinking, 'Declan, that's a bit strong.' and I'd say, 'Listen to the episode first.' Mel started the first ever videogame company in the UK, Automata. They made games as statements, from profane jabs at the royalty to psychedelic drinking games starring the Pi-man. This all culminated in 1984 with the release of his most ambitious game yet, Devs Ex Machina. It was vastly ahead of it's time. This wasvideogame as concept album. An exploration of life and death with a full celebrity voice cast and a complete musical score. It also proved his undoing. Mel is packed with extraordinary stories, we talk Sooty Xylophones, designing the first skyscrapers in Duba, broadcasting games across the radio, offering a golden sundial as a videogame prize, working with Christopher Lee and the incredible tale of how piracy caused his downfall and how one of those pirates, 25 years later, brought him back to videogames. This was a treat to record, I ho

My guest on today's show is Shahid Ahmad. For many people, Shahid is best known as the Playstation Indie Champion. He was part of a team that changed the landscape at Sony, and made Playstation a home for indie developers, developing the rich ecosystem we see today. But before that, Shahid had already had a rich and varied history with videogames. Starting as a bedroom coder in his teenage years, Shahid has gone on to work in almost every facet of the industry - development, production, publishing, composing - as well as playing in bands and starting his own business. He's won it all, lost it all, and won it all back. His life in games is an extraordinary story. We talk about getting RSI playing Speedball, sibling rivalry in Street Fighter, why Space Invaders is like the monolith in 2001, and the formula for knowing when a game should be greenlit. (Spoiler, there isn't one.) Games discussed - Star Raiders, Speedball 2, Jet Set Willy, Gauntlet, Call of Duty, Olli Olli, Velocity 2X, CoD: Modern Warfare, Knig

Today's guest is Jon Robertson. John is a stand up comedian, the host of Videogame Nation on Challenge TV and the creator of the world's only live-action videogame, The Dark Room. We talk about his introduction to Nazi Germany via Wolfenstein 3D and an eccentric grandfather, why all Australians prounce SEGA incorrectly,why Deadlock is the greatest turn based strategy ever made and how brutalising Buff Bagwell in WCW/NWO Revenge bonded him with a friend for life. We also hear some harrowing tales of school camps, how a love of gaming and anime gave his early stand up career a boost and the incredible origin story of The Dark Room. Games discussed: New Zealand Story, Wolfenstein, Sonic, Columns, Altered Beast, GODS, Red Alert 3, Deadlock, XCOM 2, Goldeneye and Castlevania 64. You can play the Dark room yourself here Good luck, Darren!