A Trip Down Memory Card Lane

In 1999, Sega reimagined their zombie shooter The House of the Dead 2 with a twist and released Typing of the Dead , a game where you type your way through hordes of the undead. This week, we trace the roots of typing from the first mechanical keyboards and the rise of touch typing to early training programs like TypeQuick and Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing . Our conversation explores how Sega’s paro...

In 1993, Nintendo and Argonaut Games released Star Fox , a 3D space shooter that pushed the Super Nintendo far beyond its limits. We trace how Jez San and his small team at Argonaut caught Nintendo’s attention by hacking the Game Boy, leading to a partnership that birthed the groundbreaking Super FX chip. Our conversation explores how Shigeru Miyamoto and Katsuya Eguchi shaped the animal cast, the...

In 1991, DMA Design released Lemmings , a puzzle game that turned tiny green-haired creatures into one of the most beloved icons in gaming history. This week, we trace how a group of Scottish developers went from animating exploding stick figures to creating a strategy classic published by Psygnosis. Our conversation explores the origins of DMA Design, the legacy of Psygnosis, and how quirky anima...

In 1998, Square released Xenogears , a PlayStation RPG that mixed giant robots, religion, and philosophy into one unforgettable story. We explore how Tetsuya Takahashi and Soraya Saga pitched their dark, psychological script for Final Fantasy VII before it became its own standalone project. Our conversation dives into the game’s development challenges, its ambitious themes drawn from Jung and Niet...

In 1982, Atari followed up the success of Adventure with an even grander idea: Swordquest , a series of four interconnected games that blended comics, contests, and real-world treasure. This week, we explore how Atari’s marketing team turned the concept of the Easter egg into a $150,000 competition, complete with jeweled prizes made by the Franklin Mint and comics from DC. We discuss Tod Frye’s ro...

In the early 1990s, Nintendo tried to prove that video games could be educational, and who better to lead the class than Mario? This week, we explore the odd era of licensed edutainment through titles like Mario is Missing , Mario’s Time Machine , and Mario Teaches Typing . Our conversation digs into how companies like Interplay and The Software Toolworks reimagined Mario as a teacher, historian,...

In 1998, Capcom released Resident Evil 2 , the sequel that turned survival horror into a blockbuster phenomenon. We revisit how Hideki Kamiya stepped into the director’s chair, how early prototypes known as Resident Evil 1.5 were scrapped, and how Yoshiki Okamoto’s vision for a shared universe saved the franchise from an early end. Our conversation explores screenwriter Noboru Sugimura’s Hollywood...

In 1980, Atari released Adventure , a groundbreaking Atari 2600 title that transformed text-based exploration into a visual quest. We trace how Warren Robinett, inspired by Colossal Cave Adventure, built the game under strict memory limits and corporate pressure. Our conversation covers Robinett’s inventive programming tricks, from repurposing missile code to simulate rooms, to creating autonomous...

In 1988, Interplay released Wasteland , a post-apocalyptic RPG that laid the groundwork for Fallout and decades of open-world storytelling. We trace how Rick Loomis’s Flying Buffalo connected a team of authors and artists, Ken St. Andre, Michael Stackpole, and Liz Danforth, whose tabletop experience shaped the game’s world. Our conversation follows Brian Fargo’s rise from Bard’s Tale to Wasteland,...

As 2022 comes to a close, we take a break from our usual gaming history deep dives to look back on the past year of Memory Card Lane . From the early days of RuneScape and SimCity to journeys through Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, and Final Fantasy, we revisit the moments, lessons, and laughter that defined our episodes. The conversation turns reflective as we share what stood out most from 2022, the...

In 1987, Square released Final Fantasy , a game born from desperation that became a cornerstone of the RPG genre. We trace Hironobu Sakaguchi’s journey from aspiring musician to game designer, Square’s early struggles as a part-time software branch, and how a small team created one of gaming’s greatest turnarounds. Our conversation explores the influences of Wizardry and Ultima, Nobuo Uematsu’s ea...

In 1999, Nintendo released the 64DD , a magnetic disk drive add-on for the Nintendo 64 that promised innovation but arrived far too late. We explore how it began as an ambitious solution to the cartridge-versus-CD dilemma and evolved into a bold experiment in rewritable media, online play, and creative expression. The episode dives into Nintendo’s partnership with Recruit to form the Randnet onlin...

In 1995, Namco forged Soul Edge , a bold experiment that swapped fists for steel and set the stage for the Soulcalibur saga. We explore how Hiroaki Yotoriyama and Namco’s Division-1 built the game on PlayStation-based System 11 arcade hardware, taking risks with new 3D motion capture and a focus on character storytelling rare for the genre. Our conversation dives into how Mitsurugi, Siegfried, Vol...

In 1992, Westwood Studios released Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty , the game that turned strategy into real time. We revisit how Martin Alper’s obsession with Frank Herbert’s novel led from Cryo’s canceled adventure game to Westwood’s genre-defining classic. The episode explores how Brett Sperry and Louis Castle drew inspiration from Herzog Zwei and Populous to create resource gathering, base-...

In 1994, Rare released Donkey Kong Country , a visual powerhouse that redefined what the Super Nintendo could do. We trace how Chris and Tim Stamper’s journey from Ultimate Play the Game to Rare led to a partnership with Nintendo and the creation of a jungle platforming legend. The episode explores how Silicon Graphics workstations brought the game’s pre-rendered visuals to life, how Diddy Kong em...

In 2007, Ubisoft released Assassin’s Creed , a game born from the ashes of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and inspired by the real-life Order of Assassins. We revisit how creative director Patrice Désilets drew from Vladimir Bartol’s novel Alamut and the legend of Hassan-i Sabbah to craft Altair’s world of stealth, parkour, and historical intrigue. The episode explores the challenges of bring...

In 2000, Valve released Counter-Strike , the Half-Life mod that forever changed online shooters. We revisit how Minh Le, a Vietnamese Canadian computer science student, and Jess Cliffe, a web designer from the Action Quake 2 community, turned a small class project into a tactical phenomenon. The episode traces Le’s early modding roots, the birth of the terrorist-versus-counter-terrorist concept, a...

In 1976, Fairchild Semiconductor released the Channel F , the world’s first cartridge-based console and one of gaming’s forgotten pioneers. Our episode traces how engineer Jerry Lawson and his team transformed Alpex’s RAVEN prototype into a revolutionary home system, introducing features like swappable games, a pause button, and rudimentary AI opponents. We dive into Fairchild’s roots with the “tr...

In 1994, Shiny Entertainment released Earthworm Jim , the groovy platformer that made a worm in a supersuit a ’90s icon. Our episode follows David Perry and Doug TenNapel’s journey from contract work to creating one of the most distinct voices in gaming, exploring how humor, animation, and attitude made Jim stand out in a crowded mascot era. We discuss the studio’s inventive use of the Genesis har...

In 1997, DMA Design released Grand Theft Auto , a chaotic open-world experiment that made being bad fun. We revisit how a buggy cops-and-robbers prototype called Race ’n’ Chase transformed into a top-down crime spree through Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City. The episode explores the creative freedom that fueled the series’ identity, from AI police chases gone wild to satirical radio statio...

In 1997, Interplay released Fallout , a darkly humorous post-apocalyptic RPG that helped revive the genre on PC. We revisit how Tim Cain and his team turned a failed GURPS license into a retro-futuristic wasteland filled with moral choices, mutant creatures, and 1950s-style optimism gone wrong. The episode explores the creative tensions that birthed the SPECIAL system, the team’s cinematic storyte...

In the 1990s, Sega made multiple attempts to dethrone Nintendo’s Game Boy, launching a trio of handhelds that were bold, colorful, and often impractical. We trace the lineage from the Game Gear , a portable Master System with a full-color screen and TV tuner, to the airline-exclusive Mega Jet and the North American-only Genesis Nomad . The episode explores Sega’s push for technical superiority, ag...

In 1995, Westwood Studios released Command & Conquer , the real-time strategy game that defined a genre. We trace Brett Sperry and Louis Castle’s journey from Eye of the Beholder and Dune II to creating a modern warfare epic of asymmetric conflict and Tiberium-fueled power struggles. Inspired by the Gulf War and 1950s sci-fi, the game pitted the Global Defense Initiative against the Brotherhoo...

In 1984, Elite launched on the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron, redefining what video games could be. We trace the partnership between Cambridge students David Braben and Ian Bell, who turned a 3D space combat demo into the first open-ended space-trading simulation. The episode explores the duo’s technical breakthroughs—wireframe 3D, hidden-line removal, and procedural galaxy generation—plus Acornsof...

In 2004, Fable arrived on Xbox after years of hype from designer Peter Molyneux, who promised the greatest RPG ever made. We trace Molyneux’s journey from floppy disk salesman to Populous creator, Bullfrog founder, and eventually head of Lionhead Studios. The episode explores the chaotic development of Fable under Big Blue Box, its partnership with Microsoft, and the lofty design goals of moral ch...