RetroBlast: A 90's gaming RetroSpective

[Nz17]

"Guh-lag-uh"? Have I been pronouncing Galaga (Gal-luh-ga) wrong all this time?

Well, the Japanese name is supposed to be pronounced like ghee-ah-lah-gah (Gyalaga), so I'm guessing as the "ee" (like "bee") was dropped out of the U.S. name, that it should be pronounced like gah-lah-gah, with the first and the last syllable pronounced identically. But I believe that all of us would know which game we are referring to merely by the placement of the sounds of the consonants rather than the pronunciation of the vowels anyway, so it's all good.

[Emperor Megas]

Well, the Japanese name is supposed to be pronounced like ghee-ah-lah-gah (Gyalaga), so I'm guessing as the "ee" (like "bee") was dropped out of the U.S. name, that it should be pronounced like gah-lah-gah, with the first and the last syllable pronounced identically. But I believe that all of us would know which game we are referring to merely by the placement of the sounds of the consonants rather than the pronunciation of the vowels anyway, so it's all good.

So then, I HAVE been pronouncing it wrong all this time?

[Nz17]

So then, I HAVE been pronouncing it wrong all this time?

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Would you care for a handkerchief? Know that we're all here for you.

[WCP]

Episode 12 is now up....


Actually, I forgot to post about it two weeks ago, but I also put up a new episode two weeks ago, although it wasn't really a legit episode. More of an email / off topic type episode. But now, with episode 12, I have a legit episode to check out.

On this episode, Chris Alaimo from Classic Gaming Quarterly joins me again, and we discuss a number of various topics. We start off with some general chit-chat but then we get into a pretty lengthy discussion about the June 1991 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly:




After that we do a pretty long Media Minute segment (songs and movies from the time period). To close out the episode we get into a deep dive discussion about Sonic the Hedgehog. My primary gaming purchase of June 1991. Check it out if you get a chance...

[calgon]

I'm about halfway through, and it's shaping up to be another good episode. I really enjoy the media minute and am glad you brought up sports games in relation to retro fans/podcasts. Good to finally see them get some love.

Also for those who haven't checked it out yet, Chris' video on nhl94 was fantastic

[WCP]

Episode 13 is now up. Longest episode of RetroBlast so far....


Here is what is covered on the show:

1. I say goodbye to my L.A. experience
2. Midnight Resistance for the Sega Genesis (my final LA game)
3. I return back to Sacramento (with my tail between my legs ?)
4. The July 1991 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly:



5. Chris Alaimo joins me for a Media "minute" which should probably be renamed Media "hour"
6. Hardball for the Sega Genesis (my first game purchase upon returning to Sacramento)
7. Chris Alaimo joins me for a farewell to my TurboGrafx tribute... (Chris does his best Barbara Walters impression and interviews me on my decision to sell my TG-16)

[Gentlegamer]

Ah, so this is your alt.

[WCP]

Episode 14 is up....


Here is what is covered on the show:

1. Windows 10 tries to derail the podcast...
2. Remember EGM's somewhat sketchy policy of having paid inserts and not mentioning it anywhere ? (I talk about that again...)
3. When did Blockbuster start renting Genesis games ?
4. One of my first rentals after coming back to Sacramento... Spider Man for the Sega Genesis
5. Chris Alaimo and I discuss a "re-creation" of my Top 10 Most Wanted video game list of early August 1991
6. I wax nostalgic about the August 1991 issue of EGM:



7. Chris joins me again and we discuss another Genesis game I rented shortly before the SNES launch... (NHL Hockey by Electronic Arts...)

[WCP]

Episode 15 is now up, and I've finally entered the Super Nintendo era...


Episode 15 includes part 1 of the Super Nintendo Launch Special.... Originally I was hoping to have one long podcast, but didn't want to do a 4 hour marathon, so it's being broken up into two separate episodes...




Chris Alaimo joins me for Episode 15 and we discuss:

The process of Pre-Ordering the SNES and waiting for it's arrival...
Picking up my Super Nintendo on launch day...
Surprisingly.... Pilotwings was actually the first official SNES game that I played....
We close out Part 1 with an in-depth look at the September 1991 issue of EGM which would have arrived within days of the Super Nintendo in late August...

[WCP]

Episode 16 is now in the feed.....


Episode 16 is part 2 of the Super Nintendo Launch Special. Here is what is covered on this episode:


1. Couple of things I forgot to mention on Episode 15
2. We take a close look at launch reactions from rec.games.video newsgroup posts...
3. Lengthy discussion about F-Zero, quite possibly one of the best SNES games of all time:



4. I go off the rails with a personal story of something that happened to me in late August (besides the SNES) that would change my life forever :


DJ Quick changed my life forever ? Well..... kinda ?

5. We close out the show with a discussion on Super Mario World:





I do want to apologize for the fact that the Super Mario World discussion was cut a bit short. We were late in the podcast recording session, and I looked at the time and thought that we had already recorded for a full 3 hours and we still weren't done with the show, so I basically said we were short on time and had to wrap up the show. What I completely forgot about was that we started recording 15 mins late, and we also took a 15 minute break. So we actually had been recording for 2 1/2 hours, but I thought we had already hit the 3 hour mark. So, it's totally my fault for not giving SMW enough time. I definitely have plans to rectify this situation with a future episode...

[calgon]

Loved the episode. Hope people on here will find time to leave a review.

[WCP]

Episode 17 is up...


Topics covered in Episode 17:


1. I start off with an apology for the Super Mario World discussion from ep 16 being shorter than it should have been.
2. I ponder the question.... "Was the Super Nintendo's day 1 launch lineup the best in video game history ?"
3. I discuss various topics from the October 1991 issue of GamePro magazine:



4. I go into a deep dive discussion of Gradius III for the Super Nintendo: