

Play Retro Show
Scott Johnson
Scott Johnson and Brian Dunaway talk about retro video games! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 24, 2025 • 1h 25min
PLAY RETRO 198: Descent
Descent (1995) and Descent II (1996) are six-degrees-of-freedom first-person shooters developed by Parallax Software for MS-DOS. Set entirely inside fully 3D mine complexes, the games emphasize free movement, spatial awareness, and objective-based level design. Known for their technical ambition, mouse-and-keyboard flight-style controls, and unforgiving enemy AI, the Descent series remains one of the most distinct FPS experiences of the DOS era.Uncut Video: https://youtube.com/live/iER-PDsesac?feature=share Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 18, 2025 • 1h 9min
PLAY RETRO 197: Jagged Alliance
A turn-based tactical strategy game developed by Sir-Tech Canada for MS-DOS. Players recruit mercenaries from the Association of International Mercenaries (A.I.M.) to liberate the fictional island nation of Metavira from enemy control. The game blends squad-based tactical combat with strategic planning, character relationships, and resource management. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 11, 2025 • 1h 22min
PLAY RETRO 196: Star Wars: Dark Forces
A First-person shooter developed by LucasArts for MS-DOS using an in-house game engine. Introduces mercenary Kyle Katarn and the Imperial Dark Trooper project. Features mission-based FPS gameplay, environmental objectives, vertical level design using the Jedi Engine, and an arsenal of Star Wars weapons. Later ported to Macintosh and PlayStation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 4, 2025 • 1h 46min
PLAY RETRO 195: StarCraft & Broodwar
Blizzard Entertainment’s real-time strategy game featuring three fully asymmetric factions: Terran, Zerg, and Protoss. Built around resource management, base construction, unit control, and a branching story told through three linked campaigns. Released for Windows and Mac OS. Expanded the same year with the official StarCraft: Brood War expansion and two licensed mission packs, Insurrection and Retribution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 27, 2025 • 1h 36min
PLAY RETRO 194: Beyond Good and Evil
2003 Action-adventure from Ubisoft Montpellier combining stealth, melee combat, hovercraft exploration, and a photography-based investigation system. You play as Jade, a photojournalist uncovering a conspiracy on Hillys involving the DomZ and the Alpha Sections. Released on PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and Windows. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 20, 2025 • 1h 34min
PLAY RETRO 193: Harvest Moon
Taking our favorite retro Harvest Moon games on the road with our GameBoys for some cozy gameplay while riding in the backseat of the family car. With a look back at the console games that made it possible. Harvest Moon for the SNES and HARVEST MOON: BACK TO NATURE for the PS1 and their portable little siblings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 13, 2025 • 1h 12min
PLAY RETRO 192: Max Payne
Max Payne (2001) and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003) — Remedy Entertainment’s third-person neo-noir shooters that introduced bullet-time gunplay, graphic-novel storytelling, and hard-boiled narration to the early-2000s gaming landscape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 6, 2025 • 1h 31min
PLAY RETRO 191: Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001, Xbox / 2003, PC). A first-person shooter developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios as the flagship launch title for the original Xbox. Its combination of open-ended combat, vehicles, and science-fiction storytelling helped define console FPS design for the following decade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 30, 2025 • 1h 31min
PLAY RETRO 190: KISS: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child
Dive into a world where players become circus performers, embodying KISS personas to thwart a Nightmare Child's birth. The discussion highlights the chaotic blend of gaming and rock culture, exploring the game's ties to Todd McFarlane's comics. Discover the contrasting PC and Dreamcast versions, along with quirky design choices and weapons like the magma cannon. The hosts also share nostalgic tales of October gaming, CRT hunting, and KISS merchandising misadventures. It's a delightful mix of retro gaming, music history, and personal anecdotes!

Oct 22, 2025 • 1h 9min
PLAY RETRO 189: The 16bit Scooby Doo Games!
Scooby-Doo Mystery (1995) for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Both titles shared the same name but were completely different games developed by separate studios: Illusions Gaming Company and Argonaut Software. The Genesis version took a point-and-click adventure approach with investigation and dialogue mechanics, while the SNES version played as a platforming mystery with clue collection and a fear meter system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


