A Trip Down Memory Card Lane

In 2007, Irrational Games released BioShock , a first-person shooter that blended philosophy, science fiction, and moral choice into one unforgettable descent beneath the waves. In this episode, we explore the long and complicated development of BioShock, tracing Ken Levine’s journey from theater student to one of gaming’s most celebrated storytellers. Our discussion dives into the abandoned ideas...

In 1978, Scott Adams released Adventureland , the first text-based adventure written for a personal computer. In this episode, we explore how Adams and his wife, Alexis, turned a TRS-80 hobby project into Adventure International, one of the earliest and most prolific independent game studios. Our conversation dives into the creation of the Scott Adams Adventure series, the evolution of text advent...

In 2006, Capcom released Dead Rising , a zombie action game that turned shopping malls into survival playgrounds. In this episode, we trace the series’ unlikely beginnings as a failed sequel to Shadow of Rome, and how Keiji Inafune’s creative team transformed it into a fast-paced blend of horror, humor, and mayhem. Our discussion covers Inafune’s long career from Mega Man to Onimusha, his vision f...

In 1982, Starpath released the Supercharger , a cassette-based add-on for the Atari 2600 that expanded the system’s memory and opened the door for bigger, more ambitious games. In this episode, we explore how the Starpath team—founded by former Atari engineers—designed a cartridge that connected to a standard cassette player, allowing the Atari to load games like Phaser Patrol, Communist Mutants f...

In 1818, Mary Shelley dreamed up Frankenstein , a story born from a ghost-writing challenge among literary legends that became one of the most enduring tales in horror. In this episode, we trace Mary Shelley’s fascinating life, her inspirations in science and tragedy, and how her creation of the Modern Prometheus has lived on for more than two centuries. Our discussion explores how Frankenstein’s...

In 1982, the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum opened in Rochester, New York, eventually becoming The Strong National Museum of Play , the world’s largest museum dedicated to play. In this episode, we trace the fascinating life of Margaret Woodbury Strong, a wealthy collector who transformed her passion for dolls, toys, and miniatures into a legacy that celebrates the joy of play. Our discussion exp...

In 1983, Sega released the SG-1000 , its first home console and the beginning of a new chapter for a company that started by selling jukeboxes to U.S. military bases. In this episode, we trace Sega’s incredible journey from its 1930s pinball roots under Irving Bromberg to its evolution through Service Games, Rosen Enterprises, and the merger that created Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Our discussion follo...

In 1987, Atlus and Namco released Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei , a game born from a Japanese novel about a student who summons demons through his computer. In this episode, we explore how author Aya Nishitani’s fascination with astrology, black magic, and science fiction inspired one of Japan’s most enduring RPG franchises. Our discussion covers Atlus’s early years as a contract developer, t...

In 1991, GameTek released American Gladiators , a licensed video game based on the hit television competition that turned weekend warriors into household names. In this episode, we explore the story behind the show’s creation—from its humble beginnings in a Pennsylvania high school gymnasium to its rise as a global phenomenon. Our discussion dives into the vision of Johnny and Dann Carr, Ferraro’s...

In 2000, Ion Storm released Deus Ex , a game that blurred the lines between shooter, RPG, and immersive simulation. In this episode, we explore how Warren Spector’s fascination with conspiracy theories, cyberpunk settings, and player freedom shaped one of the most ambitious games of its time. Our discussion covers Spector’s early work at Origin and Looking Glass Studios, his call from John Romero,...

In 2018, InnerSloth released Among Us , a quirky social deduction game that quietly launched on mobile before exploding into a global phenomenon two years later. In this episode, we trace the game’s humble beginnings as a three-person project inspired by the classic party game Mafia. We explore how Marcus Bromander, Forest Willard, and Amy Liu built it in just a few months, only for it to go viral...

In 1989, Bullfrog Productions released Populous , a game that let players play god and helped define the god game genre. In this episode, we trace how Peter Molyneux and Les Edgar founded Bullfrog after a bizarre mix-up over baked beans and networking software, and how artist Glenn Corpes’s experiments with isometric landscapes inspired the world’s first digital deities. We explore how Populous gr...

In 1977, Nintendo entered the home console market with Color TV Game 6 , their first step from toys to technology. In this episode, we trace Nintendo’s full transformation from a 19th-century card company into a global gaming giant. We explore Fusajiro Yamauchi’s hanafuda beginnings, the Disney licensing breakthrough, and how Gunpei Yokoi’s Ultra Hand and light gun toys paved the way for electroni...

In 1986, Enix released Dragon Quest , the game that defined Japanese role-playing for generations. This week, we trace how writer Yuji Horii, programmer Koichi Nakamura, artist Akira Toriyama, and composer Koichi Sugiyama came together to make RPGs accessible to everyone. Our conversation follows Enix’s unusual origins as a real estate company, the Game Hobby Program Contest that discovered new ta...

From ancient India to artificial intelligence, chess has evolved alongside human intellect. In this episode, we explore the full history of the game and how it transitioned into the digital age with Battle Chess (1988) and its modern successor, Battle vs. Chess (2011) . We trace the journey from The Mechanical Turk and Claude Shannon’s early chess algorithms to IBM’s Deep Blue and its victory over...

In 1976, Atari released Breakout , a single-player spin on Pong that would become one of the most influential arcade games of all time. In this episode, we trace how Nolan Bushnell’s vision led Steve Jobs to recruit his friend Steve Wozniak to design a prototype that pushed the limits of Atari’s technology. We explore Wozniak’s minimalist circuit design, Jobs’ questionable payday, and how Breakout...

Long before pixels and polygons, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s 12th-century writings gave us King Arthur , a legend that would echo through centuries of storytelling. In this episode, we trace Arthur’s journey from medieval literature to modern gaming, exploring how his myth inspired titles across genres and decades. We discuss King Arthur and the Knights of Justice , Young Merlin , and Conquests of Came...

In 1990, SNK released Neo Geo , a platform that brought the arcade experience home. In this episode, we trace how Takashi Nishiyama, fresh off creating Street Fighter, pitched an arcade system built on interchangeable cartridges—and then dreamed of a console that could play the same games. We explore the dual life of the MVS arcade cabinet and AES home console, its staggering price, and the games...

Every April 20th, gamers and pop culture fans alike take a moment to appreciate the number 420, but how did it become tied to marijuana, and what does that have to do with video games? This week, we explore the origins of the 4-20 phenomenon and trace how cannabis culture found its way into gaming, starting with Drug Wars in 1984. We discuss how a simple class project turned into a viral BBS hit,...

In 1993, Wizards of the Coast released Magic: The Gathering , a collectible card game that reshaped both tabletop and digital gaming. We trace how Richard Garfield’s graduate school math project evolved into a global phenomenon built on strategy, luck, and imagination. Our story highlights early prototypes, the scramble to print Alpha sets, and how gameplay rooted in resource management inspired c...

For over twenty years, PETA has used video games as part of its animal rights campaigns. This week, we explore their long and strange gaming history, from Make Fred Spew and Save the Chicks to the infamous Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals . Our discussion covers how parody became PETA’s favorite protest tool, targeting everything from Super Mario to Pokémon, and even drawing direct responses from...

In 1998, Blizzard Entertainment released StarCraft , a real-time strategy classic that reshaped gaming history. This week, we celebrate its 25th anniversary by exploring how a small team built an intergalactic war of Terrans, Zerg, and Protoss. Our conversation traces Blizzard’s origins as Silicon & Synapse, their transition from Warcraft to science fiction, and the long development that turne...

In 2005, Santa Monica Studio and David Jaffe unleashed God of War , a brutal mythological action game that redefined cinematic storytelling on the PlayStation 2. This week, we explore how Jaffe’s inspiration from Onimusha and Clash of the Titans led to a fusion of Greek mythology, adult themes, and fluid combat built on the Kinetica engine. Our conversation traces Kratos’ bloody journey of vengean...

This week, we take a break from the usual format to celebrate the wonderfully weird side of gaming. From blood-sucking puzzles in Mister Mosquito and talking fish in Seaman to the human-faced robots of Natural Ultimate Digital Experiment and the unforgettable arcade cabinet Boon-Ga Boong-Ga , our conversation covers some of the strangest ideas ever turned into games. We also look at surreal classi...

In 1984, Jordan Weisman and L. Ross Babcock founded the FASA Corporation and launched BattleTech , a tabletop universe of giant mechs, mercenary wars, and futuristic politics. This week, we trace Weisman's journey from struggling student to simulation innovator, exploring how a fascination with training tech led to one of sci-fi’s most enduring franchises. Our conversation follows the evolution fr...