From classic arcade and PC games to NES, Atari, Sega, PlayStation, and more, discover the most comprehensive historical video game podcasts around.
As video games continue to dominate the entertainment space in 2023 and beyond, an entire cottage industry has been dedicated to exploring the history of the format online. As a result, there has been no shortage of fascinating and extremely helpful podcasts dedicated to documenting the history of video games, including how the technology has evolved, what a monumental cultural impact they've had on society, and how the trends of the past inform the modern-day industry standard.
Thankfully, those looking to brush up on the entire timeline of video games have plenty of podcast options to choose from in 2023.
Recently publishing its 100th episode, The Video Game History Hour was created by industry professionals Frank Cifaldi and Kelsey Lewin, co-directors of the Video Game History Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving the records of gaming from its inception to its modern-day evolution. Gaming developers, historians, and storytellers join the two hosts and discuss the full gamut of the gaming industry over a casual, coffee-and-chat-style interview.
With comprehensive, in-depth research across wide subgenre of gaming categories, the podcast is ideal for those who want to learn more about everything from Super Mario World and life before Final Fantasy to the launch of various consoles like Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo's Page Boy, etc. Between the informative hosts and expert guests, few podcasts are as authoritative on the history of the gaming industry.
With extensive knowledge dating back to the video game industry in the 1940s, The History of Video Games podcast is another priceless tool for those interested in learning about how far the format has come over the decades. Whether learning about arguably the first retro FPS RPG or the history of 1980s side-scrollers, the clearly-delineated chronology of the video game industry is easy to navigate and extremely informative.
With each episode lasting roughly 70 minutes, the in-depth detail of the podcast will have expert and beginning gamers come back for more. What's really great about the podcast is how it includes various PC gaming consoles dating back to the Commodore PET and its successor, the Commodore VIC 20, giving a wide scope that extends beyond Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and the newer gaming consoles.
With over 250 episodes, Still Loading is one of the most definitive and exhaustive video gaming podcasts dedicated to charting the history of the gaming industry. Aside from charting the history of each gaming console and its various titles, the podcasts also includes video game movie adaptations and how the culture of gaming has pervaded other forms of entertainment.
Whether charting the phenomenon of Japanese phone gaming, anniversary retrospectives for 007 and iconic action-adventure games likeThe Legend of Zelda, or chronicling the evolution of such iconic franchises as Super Mario, Still Loading goes above and beyond to inform viewers about gaming design, artwork, music, etc., featuring industry-leading experts and big name guests with years of experience. Between the sheer amount of episodes and nearly 2-hour runtime per episode, every gamer will find something valuable with Still Loading.
Dubbed as "America's favorite classic gaming podcast…probably," Retronauts mixes entertainment and education like few others, keeping gamers glued to over 500 podcast episodes with deep-dive discussion about iconic throwback games ranging from the 90s puzzle game Lemmings to the classic FPS Metal Gear and everything in between.
Exploring the full video game gamut from black-and-white arcade games to contemporary cinematic RPGs, Retronauts even digs deep to explain the notorious video game console crash of 1983 ushered in by the underwhelmingE.T.Atari game. Thanks to knowledgeable hosts Bob Mackey and Jeremy Parish and the slate of guest gaming professionals, Retronauts is easily one of the most complete historical gaming podcasts that every serious gamer should keep bookmarked.
Hosted by Tyler Otsby and Mike Colleta, Codex History of Video Games harkens back to the nascent days of pinball and Pong, tracing the technological evolution and cultural impact video games have had on society, both good and bad. With a new 1-hour episode released every Monday, the 246 shows and counting will keep casual and expert gamers leaning in to listen closely, especially when the host answers direct questions from fans through their "Mail Bag" episodes.
Beyond the interactive element and historical depth, hosts Tyler and Mike do a wonderful job of clearly articulating their material in ways that are informative yet easy to digest, carefully guiding listeners through the chronological timeline with infectious passion and hilarious patter. Tyler and Mike even analyze such books as The Ultimate History of VideoGames before charting various consoles, developers, gaming trends, and more.
For those interested in discovering which famous and obscure retro games have withstood the test of time, Secret Levels is a podcast to check out. Hosted with a playful rapport by Goobz and Toby, each episode is dedicated to one retro game, the history and development is analyzed in great detail before the hosts play the game and rate it in a modern-day context.
Fun, informative, and covering a wide array of gaming subgenres, Secret Levels goes in-depth to explore the history, story, gameplay, music, trivial fun facts, and the durability of one retro game chosen each week, often resurrecting long-forgotten consoles and titles, be they little-known TV video game adaptations like Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday or the Home Improvement video game adaptation. By focusing on one game per show, the level of detail in Secret Levels is hard to beat.
With its own unique historical angle, Scandalous Games focuses specifically on various controversies that have plagued various video games in the past, with host and historian Kevin Impellizeri inviting guests to discuss misguided marketing, moral fallout, societal responses, and a lot more than just the evolution of gaming itself.
Be it the consequences of Darkmoon Greatsword arising in the crypto world to the mystery of the missing NFTs for Atari Arcade, Scandalous Games covers areas of the video game industry's checkered past that few podcasts ever broach, giving listeners a fascinating expose on everything from Uwe Boll to Custer's Revenge, arguably the worst video game of all time.
Boasting the slogan: "Where History and Video Games Meet," The History Respawned Podcast covers everything from the History Game Awards and the depiction of women in classic video games to the evolution of The Oregon Trail and the creation of the Historical Game Network, making it a definitive voice in the gaming podcast space every player should listen to.
Designed as a forum for historians to consider historical games, creator Bob Whitaker holds a PhD in History and Associate Editor John Harney is an Associate Professor of Asian History, sharing their extensive education to impart wisdom on everything from CivilizationandWolfensteinto the historical accuracy ofAssassin's Creed. A truly fascinating listen from the outside perspective of historians rather than industry insiders.
From throwback racing games like F-Zero and arcade mainstays like Streets of Rage to cult classic curios like Battletoads and Super Metroid, Retro Game Guys have everybody's historical gaming needs covered. Hosted with great enthusiasm and knowledge by Zack, Dustin, and Alex, the podcast is divided into thematic seasons and long-form and "Quick Play" episodes sure to appeal to every type of gamer and podcast listener alike.
In addition to deep fact-driven dives into the most iconic games of the '80s and '90s, the podcast offers fascinating trivia, first-person experience, and nostalgic memories, and even includes cool interactive video game giveaways each episode. The great thing about the podcast is how it features one game per show and explores the comprehensive history of its development and post-release impact.
For arcade gamers specifically, Podouken is the number one destination on the internet. Including owners of more than 100 retro arcade games, Podouken is dedicated to sharing extensive knowledge about the history, story, artwork, gameplay strategy, music, and how the culture of arcade gaming has informed modern-day industry trends.
With each biweekly episode covering a specific arcade game that dovetails into a larger thematic miniseries, Podouken makes it very easy to explore everything from racing games and fighting titles to release tie-ins for such new movie and TV adaptations as Jurassic Park, Willowand others. Topical and timely as can be, Podouken is video game edutainment at its finest.
A Senior List Writer covering a wide array of topics who has been with Screen Rant since September of 2019, Jake Dee has written movie news and reviews since 2008, working primarily with OMG Horror (IGN), JoBlo.com, and Arrow in the Head as a freelance reporter based in Los Angeles. A hopeless cinephile, social media Luddite, certified Nic Cage doppelganger, and a big Weekend At Bernie’s fan, Jake can often be found tucked away in a dark corner watching an old horror movie. Born and raised in California, Jake has a Bachelor’s Degree in Film & Digital Media from the University of California Santa Cruz with an emphasis on theory and criticism, is the author of several “WTF Happened To This Movie” and “WTF Really Happened To This Movie” videos on YouTube, and has covered everything in the entertainment industry from set visits, studio luncheons, and red carpet interviews to wrap parties, movie premieres, private screenings, talent interviews, and more.
