Computer Game Evolution

Fidel Castro and Sylvester Stallone return for another round, joined by Aztecs, wizards, keys, and an unhealthy but adorable number of bats. Support the show

You never know for certain what you're going to get. Sometimes, it's a box of grenades. Sometimes, Santa gives you a gun arm to take down Albert Einstein. Sometimes, a nuclear power plant melts down. Support the show

It's the longest episode so far for two reasons: weaponised boobs, and Margaret Thatcher. Support the show

Will jumping be mastered? Will it ever work in a way that satisfies players? Do players even know what they want? Can Mario beat Goku? Support the show

Apes on vines, frogs on lily pads, cats on cheese, and plumbers on ice – everybody wants to jump, but for now it is still optional. Support the show

A dung beetle, a comet, and a Buddhist counsellor walk into a bar and order a scrolling shooter. Support the show

Your most influential game is not always your best one. Support the show

While micro makers keep trying to improve their product, the saga of IBM's terrible decisions continues. Support the show

Selling micros was tough when everyone wanted to invent their own. Support the show

Arcades decide to stand together rather than die alone, while consoles are advancing into a generation that might not be real. Support the show

A promising start-up splinters into an alphabet race, while nobodies from Japan accidentally make a good game and pretend they meant to. Support the show

A future legend of game design shows a kid a computer game. What's the worst that could happen? Support the show

What happens when a company that is the American video game industry is run by incompetent grifters long enough? Support the show

Computerless entertainment strikes again. Improvised stories: https://wobbupalooza.neocities.org/ Random music: https://opus-infinity.org/ Support the show

Who would have thought years of permeating fear could be so inspiring. Support the show

There are so many types of media to put your game on, but each is promising both exciting opportunities and terrifying flaws. And don't forget the Dutch. Support the show

The competition for pocket money and pocket space brings about strange machines and technological advances. I've got a few pictures of the Microvision here Support the show

Ray Kassar has pissed off the wrong four people with a very particular set of skills. Support the show

One day the mob wants your quarters, the next day IBM lobbies your business into dust. It's a wonder anything got done in the industry at all. Support the show

Weary game masters rejoice at the sight of computers generating dungeons for them. They quaff as many drinks as their magic sack funds allow them, and go watch rats fight giants. Continued in Episode 3.27  Support the show

The world discovers the joy of applying items to problems, and escaping mazes. Support the show

It turns out that getting people excited about space for a decade makes their imaginations run wild. Support the show

Sometimes, a military network project becomes a place for Microsoft to borrow games from. Support the show

Not all pioneers of computing and video games were white and male. Support the show

Sometimes, people want their own pizza place a little too much. Support the show