retronauts

Episode 461: The Games That Shaped Japan / Documenting Video Game History

Added 2022-06-06 12:00:07 +0000 UTC

It's been quite a while since we last posted a live recording from a Retronauts-related event panel! But even if the world's nowhere close to being back to normal, we've at least figured out how to make live presentations a safe and viable thing again. This week's episode comes from two panels recorded at Midwest Gaming Classic a few weeks ago. First, Nadia Oxford, Kevin Bunch, and Brian Clark help me dig into a pet topic: Classic games that had an outsize influence on Japanese game design but aren't so well known in the West. Think Xevious, Heiankyo Alien, The Tower of Druaga... yeah. You know.

For the second segment, I led a panel with Kelsey Lewin of The Video History Foundation and Norman Caruso of The Gaming Historian about the task (and challenging) of attempting to document video game history.

Thanks to Jason Gares for recording these segments and to Kelsey and Norm for lending their presentation to the podcast! Art by John Pading and edits by Greg Leahy.

08:31 - Arkanoid DS: Boarding Gate
18:08 - Namco Museum Vol. 2 (PSX): Xevious Game Room
30:07 - The Black Onyx (SG-1000): In-Game BGM
42:52 - Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir (Switch): Investigation
48:12 - The Tower of Druaga: Congratulations (Arranged ver.) | Retro Game Challenge: Title Theme
59:05 - Chrono Cross: Chronopolis
1:09:46 - Cannondale Cup (AKA Mountain Bike Rally): Purgatory
1:20:11 - Akumajou Densetsu (FC): Clockwork
Closing - Retro Game Challenge: Staff Roll