Console Shock Podcast

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev’s finally done it — he’s bought a PS5! The big question is: why now? Is a PS5 still worth it in 2025? Can it coexist peacefully with a Steam Deck, or is a showdown inevitable? We dive into all that and more in this week’s episode.

Also in the mix: 🎮 Stu shares his thoughts on Deliver At All Costs for PC.

🆕 First impressions of the PS5 — what stands out, what falls short, and what surprised.

📺 Trev gets hands-on with PS5 YouTube streaming. ⚔️ First impressions of Space Marine 2 — and a nostalgic look back at the original.

💾 Can the Steam Deck keep up with today’s heavy-hitting games?

🕹️ Would the Steam Deck make a good PS Portal alternative?

🎲 PS Plus Premium vs Xbox Game Pass — which service comes out on top?

❌🎮 And is the Xbox still worth it now that its exclusives are creeping onto PS5? Hit play and join the conversation. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! In the latest instalment of our “Saving the System” series, we turn our attention to our all-time favourite gaming platform — the legendary Commodore Amiga. Its fate was sealed the moment Commodore collapsed, but can Trev and Stu breathe new life into this classic machine? Join us as we dive into what could have been, what went wrong, and what should have been possible. This episode includes:

🎮 Thoughts on Oblivion Remastered

🖥️ Could the Amiga 1000 launch have been handled better?

✨ Why the Amiga 500 was pure perfection

📀 Should Commodore have canned the CDTV and CD32 to focus on CD-ROM add-ons?

⏳ Did the Amiga 1200 arrive too late?

⚙️ Why the 68020 CPU was already showing its age in 1992

🚀 How the unreleased AAA chipset might have kept the Amiga competitive

🔮 Imagining what successors to the A1200 and A4000 could have looked like Fire up your Workbench disks — it’s time to rewrite history. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We’ve been speculating for months, but now the Nintendo Switch 2 has been fully revealed! We break down the announcements, react to the hardware, and ask the big questions — is this the upgrade we were waiting for?

🕹️ Did Nintendo nail it or miss the mark? We talk expectations, surprises, and what we’re still hoping to see.

💰 £75 for Mario Kart World — are you kidding?! Is this the new normal for premium Nintendo titles, or just a launch shocker? 🛒 Whatever happened to pre-order deposits? Back in the day, a fiver held your spot. What changed?

🧠 Smart move or safe play? We debate whether building on the original Switch design was the right call. 🔍 A deep dive into the tech specs New hardware features, chipset, display — we’re getting into the weeds.

🚀 A true generational leap? Where does Switch 2 stand compared to the original — and the competition?

📺 Can it really do 1080p handheld and 4K docked? We discuss frame rates, resolution promises, and real-world expectations.

💻 Switch vs PC handhelds Steam Deck, ROG Ally — how does Nintendo’s offering stack up?

🎮 OG Switch games on Switch 2 What kind of backward compatibility are we looking at?

🕹️ Switch 2 launch lineup thoughts Our reactions to the confirmed games — what’s hot, what’s not?

🟪 GameCube emulation is here! Yep, it’s official — GameCube classics are coming to Switch Online. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! 🎉 #marchintosh is here! 🎉 Trev and Stu join in the annual YouTube tradition of Marchintosh, dedicating an episode to all things Apple Mac in March! This year, we’re flipping through a couple of Macworld UK back issues from 2004 and 2005, reminiscing about an era when Apple was transforming into the tech giant we know today. Join us as we dive into:

🎮 Stu’s new obsession: Robocop: Rogue City

🎞️ Were 80s and 90s movie-licensed video games actually better than we remember?

📖 Was Macworld UK just a reprint of the US edition?

🎂 Trev’s 20th anniversary as a Mac user!

🖥️ The long-forgotten Apple eMac desktop. 💡 Apple’s simple pro vs. consumer product matrix in 2004.

🎮 The never-ending saga of gaming (or lack thereof) on Mac.

🎵 A look back at iPods and the entire iPod family. 🖥️ Remember when buying Mac OS X meant getting a massive box?

🏬 Where did Brits buy Macs before Apple Stores? A look at Mac retailers in the UK.

⏳ How mid-2000s Apple computers still hold up today. And more! Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Nvidia has just unveiled its latest generation of RTX graphics cards, and the prices are absolutely eye-watering. But is it really worth dropping thousands on a gaming PC when a £350 second-hand PS5 could deliver a great gaming experience? Let’s dive into the debate! 🎙️ In this episode: 🕰️ Looking back & ahead – We reflect on the podcast’s journey and where it’s headed. 💰 GPU sticker shock! – Are the astronomical prices of modern graphics cards justifiable? 🎮 Console vs. PC – Is a £350 pre-owned PS5 better value than a high-end gaming rig? 🖼️ Upscaling & frame-gen – Have these technologies narrowed the image quality gap between PCs and consoles? 🚀 The PS5 Pro conundrum – Is the PS5 Pro a true alternative to a high-end gaming setup? 🕹️ A blast from the past – How gaming PCs like the Commodore Amiga stacked up against their console rivals. 💾 PC gaming on a budget – Do cheap digital games offset the high cost of hardware? 🎛️ Handheld revolution? – Are low-end gaming PCs, like those from Valve & ASUS, the real value champions? What do you think? Team PC or Team Console? Let’s discuss! Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Are console generation leaps becoming less significant? Back in the day, each new system felt like a revolution—but have we reached a point where improvements are harder to notice? Has graphical fidelity gotten so good that new technologies struggle to stand out?

Trev and Stu look back at console generations from the 90s to today, breaking down whether the leaps were truly bigger in the past or if we’re just seeing things differently.

🎮 Stu’s been streaming Call of Duty on our channel

🐵 Trev’s revisiting Donkey Kong Country Returns on the 3DS—was the 3D effect actually worthwhile?

🌊 Wind Waker on Wii U—a timeless classic or just a glow-up?

📀 The massive shift from 8/16-bit to 32-bit 3D—was this the biggest leap in gaming history?

🕹️ Stu breaks down his four distinct eras of console gaming

⏳ When do console generations truly begin and end?

🧐 Is there anything on PS5/Xbox Series that last-gen couldn’t do? 💡 Do most gamers even care about ray tracing?

⌛ Why are console generations lasting longer than ever? Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled just days after our last show, and now Trev and Stu finally get to dive in! What did we make of the slightly unusual trailer, and what does the future hold? Will the original Switch finally see a price drop when the new model launches? Tune in to find out!

• Trev visits ‘CEX Prime’ on Rathbone Place.
• Reminiscing about video game shopping in the 90s, including Woolworths!
• Stu shares his thoughts on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
• Cheap controllers from Amazon, are they any good?
• Have Nintendo played it safe with no major gimmicks for the Switch 2?
• How innovative will Mario Kart 9 be?
• Will 128gb or 256gb be the minimum storage on the Switch 2?
• What tricks will the Switch 2 use to make games look good on 4k screens?
• £350 or £400, what price will Nintendo go for?
• Can the OG Switch beat the PS2 for the console sales record?

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev and Stu are finally back together after the Christmas break, with a whole bunch of new retro/modern gaming ramblings. This time around we dive into Bazzite, a SteamOS-like operating system that can turn Windows machines into Steam Decks, as well as looking into some of the PC gaming handheld news to come out of CES 2025. We also speculate what we might see in the upcoming Switch 2 reveal. This was recorded before the actual reveal a few days later!

• General overview of Bazzite, and why you might want to use it.
• The pain of using Windows with a controller on a gaming handheld.
• Trev’s experience of using Bazzite on the Lenovo Legion Go.
• The future of SteamOS and gaming PCs in the living room.
• Where will the Switch 2 fall in terms of graphical performance?
• How the OG Switch launched into a very different climate vs the Switch 2.
• Will the Switch 2 launch at £350 or £399?
• How will backwards compatibility look on the Switch 2?

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Special Stage Theme – Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994) – Sega Mega Drive – Composer(s): Brad Buxer, Bobby Brooks, Darryl Ross, Geoff Grace, Doug Grigsby III, Cirocco Jones, Sega Sound Team

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev and Al celebrate the 30th birthday of the PlayStation with a discussion on its chaotic origins, its astonishing rise and how it became the all conquering gaming giant that it is today!

• The PlayStation starting life as a Super NES add-on
• Nintendo’s betrayal, and the creation of the PS1 console as an act of Sony revenge!
• Ridge Racer, Wipeout and their impact on the PS1 launch.
• What did the early 32-Bit systems (Jaguar, 3DO, 32X etc…) offer before Sony joined the race?
• CD-ROMs and how they kept the PS1 ahead of the N64.
• The quirky reason why PS1 graphics looked ‘wobbly’.
• How do PS1 games hold up on a modern TV?
• Which region had the best PS1 game box design?

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Attract Mode Theme – Ridge Racer Revolution (1995) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo, Nobuhide Isayama

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Are physical releases dying? With the PS5 Pro going fully digital by default, is the industry finally moving away from physical media for good? What does that mean for the mountains of games sitting on our shelves? Trev and Stu tackle all of these questions and more, as we debate the pro’s and cons of a disc-less future.

• Stu is still addicted to Call of Duty!
• Trev dives back into the Ratchet & Clank series.
• PS3 on the Steam Deck vs an actual PS3.
• Did the PS2 do mascot platformers better than the GameCube?
• Is streaming a good solution for backwards compatibility?
• How movies and TV shows maintain forwards compatibility.
• Is it reasonable to expect every old game to work on every new console?
• Are official remasters and small official emulated game collections as good as it will ever get?
• Current-era games, and how they could be handled by future consoles.
• Is piracy the only way to preserve old games?

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Collision Chaos (Present) Stage Theme – Sonic CD (1993) – Sega Mega CD – Composer(s): Masafumi Ogata

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Following on from our “Saving Saturn” episode a while back, we decided to give the Dreamcast the ‘saving’ treatment for the 25th anniversary of its UK launch! In reality the DC died a premature death, but can we try to turn the dials of history and give it a better life? Featuring our recurring guest, Al!

• Al dives into the world of Amiga emulation!
• DVD and the Dreamcast, was it ever feasible?
• The Mega CD/32X/Saturn era poisoning the SEGA well.
• No decent football (soccer) games limiting its appeal to sports fans.
• Too much focus on short-burst arcade style experiences?
• Publishers and developers who were MIA on the Dreamcast.
• Was the online capability too ahead of its time to be practical?
• Millions of marketing pounds spent on football club sponsorship, money that could be better spent elsewhere.

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – GO GO ! Sega Rally (Attract sequence/menu theme) – Sega Rally 2 (1998/1999) – Arcade/Sega Dreamcast – Composer(s): Tatsuhiko Fuyuno, Susumu Isa, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Jun Senoue, Kenji Eno, Hideki Naganuma, Tomonori Sawada

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The Sony PlayStation 5 Pro has finally been revealed, with the main talking point being its eye-watering £700 price-tag. Do the upgrades that come with it make it worth the extra cost, or should you just save the cash for a PS6? We discuss!

• Stu is still addicted to Call of Duty!
• Trev has another go at PS3 emulation on Steam Deck, is it any better?
• What motivated Sony to release the PS4 Pro back 2016?
• Why aren’t current gen consoles becoming cheaper over time like previous ones?
• Do the ‘Pro’ upgrades justify a purchase over the standard PS5?
• No disc drive included, and issues with digital only devices.
• Is £800 for an OG PS5 with PSVR2 a better deal than a PS5 Pro?
• Are there parallels with the PS3’s original controversial pricing, and other expensive consoles of the past?
• Will the PS6 have even more models in varying form factors and price points at launch?

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Egg Carrier: A Song That Keeps Us on the Move (Egg Carrier Theme) – Sonic Adventure (1998) – Sega Dreamcast – Composer(s): Fumie Kumatani, Kenichi Tokoi

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Incredibly, we are already halfway through the lifespan of the 9th generation of consoles.

This means it’s the perfect time to cast our minds to the future, and speculate on what the 10th gen (Gen X) may hold in store. Will Playstation still dominate, can Xbox make a comeback? Will we see even more PC gaming handhelds?

– Stu’s new found addiction to Call Of Duty online multiplayer.

– How does the video game version of football compare to the real thing?

– Trev’s adventures in learning a new language.

– Why dont consoles get cheaper as they age anymore?

– Have console sales maxed out?

– Will Microsoft still make a dedicated box to connect to your TV?

– Do Sony need to evolve or should they keep iterating on their winning formula?

– Could Valve create a more powerful consolized version of the Steam Deck?

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Hill Top Zone Act 1 – Sonic 2 HD – PC – Composer(s): Toni Leys (Original Mega Drive Version – Masato Nakamura)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The Sony PSP was a groundbreaking handheld console that set a new standard for portable gaming devices. Compared to its contemporaries, such as the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, it featured powerful processing capabilities, allowing it to handle 3D graphics that were comparable to the PlayStation 2, a remarkable feat for a portable device at the time.

Al joins us as we discuss how impressed we were upon first encountering it, and how its home console level experience inspired current era handhelds like the Switch and Steam Deck.

– Stu has started game streaming on our YouTube channel!

– Utter Nintendo dominance of the handheld landscape in the early 00s.

– A hint at the future of handheld gaming in pre-PSP consoles such as the Nokia N-Gage and Game Park GP32

– Stu recounts his Regent Street Gizmondo experience!

– Trev getting his mind blown playing Wipeout Pure on an import PSP in 2004.

– The revelation of the PSP providing close to a PS2 gaming experience in the palm of your hand.

– UMDs, the PSPs achilles heel?

– Legendary PSP games like Ridge Racer, God of War, Tekken, GTA, MGS Portable Ops, and more….

– Was the PSP useful as a music or movie player? Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Attack The Barbarian (Boss battle theme) – Streets of Rage (1991) – Sega Mega Drive – Composer(s): Yuzo Koshiro

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

The demise of GAME stores has been slow but almost inevitable, and with their ever diminishing list of products they sell can they survive another 10 years? Trev and Stu discuss!

– A very British opening to the pod with a discussion about the weather!

– Do ODE solutions on retro consoles make physical game collections irrelevant?

– Modern accessibility of old games vs old movies.

– Is it morally wrong to physically modify retro consoles?

– Retro gaming elitism and the ‘correct’ way to play a retro console.

– GAME retail living on borrowed time and how CEX really is a better option when buying from a store.

– Is Microsoft risking losing customer ‘mindshare’ to their rivals with their increasing focus on xCloud and Game Pass?

– Some speculations on the rumoured Xbox handheld. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – We Are Apple (Leading The Way) – Apple Marketing (1984) – Composer(s): Unknown

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! A little late to the party, but Trev and Stu are finally celebrating a very significant birthday, the Macintosh is 40!

We talk about the legacy of one of the most important computers in the history of the industry, including where it all started and what makes it great! –

Trev is tackling Metal Gear Solid 2 for the umpteenth time, this time for realsies! – Where Mac fandom started for Trev in 2005.

– The state of the Mac in 1984 vs 2005 vs 2024.

– Using a vintage Mac today.

– Are the classic all-in-one 80s Macs actually worth owning?

– How the Macintosh II started the Mac on the path its on today.

– The PowerBook 100, where laptop design was codified. – How the Macintosh line became bloated in the early 90s.

– MacOS, how it evolved and why its better than Windows.

– Trev starting out on the Macintosh platform with the iBook G4 in 2005.

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro segment: “1984” Apple Television commercial – Directed by Ridley Scott – Produced by Chiat/Day & Fairbanks Films – Released in January 1984 – Used here under Fair Use guidelines Intro/Outro Music – We Are Apple (Leading The Way) – Apple Marketing (1984) – Composer(s): Unknown

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! More adventures with Stu on his retro PC gaming odyssey!

This time we focus on the Windows XP era, a point in time when a single PC could natively run a game from the DOS, Win 9x, and late 00s eras. Where do you start when you have access to everything from the mid 90s all the way to the Xbox 360 generation?

– The joys of picking up cheap physical copies of early-mid 00s PC games!

– The story of the first PC Trev owned, featuring the legendary AMD Duron CPU. – What Mac gaming was like during the late PowerPC era.

– How physical PC games started to decline, and the rise of digital downloads during the XP era.

– Some thoughts on Windows Vista, does it have any value for retro PC gaming? – Trev has finally finished Red Dead Redemption 2.

– Red Dead v GTA, which is better! Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – passport.mid – Windows 3.1 (1992) – IBM PC & Compatibles – Composer(s): George Stone

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! No it’s not RedLetterMedia, it’s Console Shock!

This time, Trev and Stu explore the boulevard of broken console dreams as we try to figure out which of the 90s failed systems are actually not bad. Are there any redeeming features to the likes of the CDi and CDTV, and can the Saturn triumph against the Dreamcast?

– Stu describes the tragic death of a retro gaming PC.

– Trev (who is English) controversially describes the Scotland national football team as “alright”.

– Are AAA games limiting their audience by being too complex?

– Jaguar, the Atari swan song.

– Why the 3DO is the best of the pre-PS1 32Bit era.

– CDi vs CDTV, which is better.

– Turbografx-16, not really a failure.

– Handhelds and was the Game Gear really a failure?

– Saturn vs Dreamcast, the Sega shootout!

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Desert Stage Replay Theme – Sega Rally (1995) – Sega Saturn – Composer(s): Takenobu Mitsuyoshi & Naofumi Hataya

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Kickstart 02 is coming this summer, and we have the force behind the operation Ravi Abbott on the show to give us some background on this year’s biggest UK Amiga expo!

– Trev and Stu experience some podcast recording pains!

– What topics end up being popular on a retro gaming podcast?

– Ravi gives us an update on the amazing Amiga Addict magazine.

– How difficult it is to produce a monthly print niche magazine in the age of digital. – Amiga events in the 90s and 00s and how Ravi got into organising Amiga expo’s. – Organising the first Kickstart Amiga convention last year.

– What incredible Amiga goodness can we expect from Kickstart 02? – ….and all the great non-Amiga stuff that will be featured.

– All the info on how to grab tickets and the after-show party! Get more info and buy tickets to the Kickstart Amiga Expo here : https://www.amigashow.com

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Loading Theme – Desert Strike (1993) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Jason A. S. Whitely

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu,

its the Console Shockcast! With rumours of a PS5 Pro model doing the rounds, Trev and Al ponder if there is any value in mid-gen refresh hardware.

We also look back on earlier attempts at ‘Pro’ style console upgrades, something Sega really ran with on the Mega Drive to their detriment.

Has there even been a truly successful ‘Pro’ system or upgrade?

– 4K TVs pushed the development of the Xbox One X/PS4 Pro, is there anything similar creating the demand for Pro systems now?

– Has the cross-gen era of simultaneous PS4/5 and Xbone/Series X releases harmed the newer systems?

– What benefits would we get from a PS5 Pro?

– How big is the market for the Pro consoles?

– Are there fewer new video game IP’s these days?

– ‘Pro’ style upgrades on retro systems, such as the N64 expansion pak, and Sega Mega CD/32X add-ons.

– Was the NEC PC Engine CD add-on the only real must have console ‘Pro” upgrade? Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Mii Channel Theme – Nintendo Wii (2006) – Composer(s): Kazumi Totaka

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! This week, Trev and Stu try to leap (in a quantum way) into the minds of Sega’s decision-makers during the Saturn era.

We try to work out what we could have done differently to change the fate of the 32-bit machine, and give it a fighting chance against the mighty PlayStation!

Could we create a timeline where the Saturn was actually a worldwide success? Listen on to find out….

– Can you complete Starfield (AKA “Spacerim”) without building anything?

– Were Nintendo justified shutting down the Yuzu Switch emulator?

– The Saturns high launch price instantly putting Saturn on the back foot.

– Abstract marketing and adverts failing to showcase the system.

– Improving the Saturns launch game lineup. – Did the lack of Sonic on the Saturn really harm its potential?

– The legendary programming difficulty of the Saturn.

– The failure of the Mega CD and 32X systems killing consumer confidence in Sega hardware.

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Quantum Leap Theme (Season 5 Version) – TV Series – Composer(s): Mike Post

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

Following on from our previous show about the current state of home video and Blu-ray collecting, we look back at how things were when we were growing up. Remember being excited to rent a video from your local rental shop? Or waiting a year before a movie would even show up on VHS after its theatrical run? We do!

• We cover some of the recent low-key YouTube drama surrounding our friend ReviewTechUSA.
• The slow decline of AVGN.
• The situation with Xbox going multi-platform, what does the future hold?
• Films that were modestly successful at the box office but were huge on VHS.
• Exploring our parents VHS movie collections, discovering new movies.
• Watching dodgy bootleg copies of the latest movies in Ireland!
• Being excited to rent movies, and even pre-ordering rentals.
• The marketing push for a movie lasting much longer in the 90s.
• The huge gaps in time between theatrical releases to VHS rental releases and finally buy to own.
• Laserdisc, did you know anyone that had one?
• The crazy prices of Laserdiscs in the 90s.

Intro/Outro Music – Downtown Times Square (Scene 2-1 theme) – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1989) – Arcade – Composer(s): Mutsuhiko Izumi, Miki Higashino

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

5:30 / 1:05:48

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We chart the further adventures of Stu’s new found love of PC gaming,

before taking a deep dive into the world of physical movie collecting on Blu-ray’s, both retro 1080p and 4K. Is it still fun? Is it even worth it when you can just stream a movie? Will it even be an option in the future? Listen on to hear our thoughts!

– Stu is now a full-time PC gamer!??

– Its ok to play games on easy mode when you’re old 🙂

– How awesome is Steam Remote Play?

– 4K Blu-ray discs vs. 4K streaming.

– Why 4K Blu-ray has struggled.

– 1080p Blu-ray’s looking amazing on a 4K TV.

– The joys of picking up super cheap Blu-ray’s in CEX.

– Advantages of owning physical copies of movies.

– That special feeling of picking a movie to watch from a pile of discs. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Butch Cassidy and Sunset Riders (Train Stage 1, Mega Drive version) – Sunset Riders (1992) – Sega Mega Drive – Composer(s): H.Inoue (Mega Drive version), Motoaki Furukawa (Original Arcade)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Stu is back from holiday a changed man! A Steam Deck skeptic in 2022, he now loves the thing. What changed for Stu in that time and what made him a fan of the handheld from Valve? Find out in our latest Shockcast!

– PC gaming in the 90s.

– Gaming on PC becoming more accessible in the 2010s.

– Stu selling his original Steam Deck and now buying another!

– Seamlessly jumping between desktop and Steam Deck with Cyberpunk 2077.

– MSI’s entry into the handheld gaming PC space with the Claw.

– Windows jankiness being the achilles heel for gaming PC handhelds.

– Are physical copies of games really just becoming unlock keys for the digital version?

– Some thoughts on the current state of physical movies on disc.

– Is Microsofts push for digital harming their retail store presence and mind share?

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Muda Kingdom – Super Mario Land (1989) – Nintendo Game Boy – Composer(s): Hirokazu Tanaka

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! An early Christmas present for our listeners as we round off 2023 with a chat about everyones favourite blurry screened wonder, the Sega Game Gear! With Stu on holiday, Console Shock charter member Al returns to fill the void as we go on a handheld odyssey!

– A little recap on Console Shocks origins.

– Al’s thoughts on No Man Sky

– Pyron’s amazing Mega Drive homebrew, including Sunset Riders Arcade Edition

– The Game Gear being a portable Master System

– Was the Game Gear too expensive, and other negative factors.

– The Game Gear Sonic ports, and home console to GG ports in general.

– The underrated Game Gear TV tuner!

– Repairs and maintaining Game Gears.

– Modern era Game Gear console mods. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Aqua Planet Zone – Sonic Chaos (1993) – Sega Game Gear/Sega Master System – Composer(s): Kojiro Mikusa & Masayuki Nagao

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Al is back with us again!

The Console Shock charter member has returned to join us as we talk the latest on PC gaming handhelds, cloud gaming, and the imminent GTA 6 trailer!

– Does Nova Scotia have pubs?

– Steam Deck OLED, a worthy upgrade from the OG?

– Lenovo Legion Go hands on thoughts!

– Al taking his first steps in the world of the Playstation Triple!

– GTA V is so old now you can run it on an emulator.

– The joys of the Steam Decks TDP settings for extended battery life.

– Gaming via cloud streaming on xCloud, is it a viable alternative now?

– Is Modern Warfare III crap?

– Our hopes and expectations for GTA 6. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! :

https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Welcome to Los Santos – Grand Theft Auto V (2013) – Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 – Composer(s): Oh No (Michael Woodrow Jackson)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Switch fans have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to FIFA, but has that changed with FC 24? Trev got his hands on a copy and tells all! We also look at some of the recent news from Playstation land, including the PS5 not so slim… – FC 24 on Switch, no longer a legacy edition. – The PS5 “Slim”, is it an upgrade in any way? – Console digital storefronts and their crazy pricing vs physical copies. – PS5 Pro rumours, do we really need a mid-gen refresh? – Talking of ‘Pro’ consoles, should there be an Xbox Series X Pro (AKA the Xbox Series XL)? – The fallout and future of the Microsoft/Activision merger. Intro/Outro Music – Overworld – New Super Mario Bros U (2012) – Nintendo Wii U – Composer(s): Shiho Fujii, Mahito Yokota

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! With the rumours of the Switch 2 getting stronger and stronger, we share our opinions on what the final form of the mythical console should take.

This alongside our usual verbal download of gaming thoughts and feelings spanning anything old or new! – Stu gives us an update on his retro PC gaming adventure.

– The weird era of still-mostly offline, and physical retail games in PC gaming in the late 00s and early 10s.

– The problems with releasing older PC games on modern online storefronts like Steam.

– Sega releasing games from their Arcade history, but only within a new game!

– Why do Sega stop at 1995 when it comes re-releasing their old stuff?

– Are early 32bit era games too janky to enjoy in modern times?

– Some quick thoughts on F-Zero 99

– Will the Switch 2 really be in the Series S ballpark in graphical power?

Intro/Outro Music – Taking to the Air – Terminator (1993) – Sega Mega CD – Composer(s): Tommy Tallarico

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We have developer RozzBozzy as a guest on the latest Shockcast, who is currently creating a tribute to the classic Virtua Racing style of 90s polygonal arcade racer, SP Grand Prix!

Discover what motivated RozzBozzy to create SP Grand Prix, along with his other projects and much much more!

– How the Unity tool got RozzBozzy into the world of video game development.

– That awesome low-polygon look, how do you achieve this with modern tools?

– What platforms could SP Grand Prix appear on?

– The process of getting a game on a platform such as Steam.

– That perfect SEGA blue skies arcade racing aesthetic!

– RozzBozzy’s other projects including Re-Xevious and Re-Enduro.

– OutRun 2 being the last classic arcade racer. – Other potential dream game projects RozzBozzy would like to tackle. Intro/Outro Music – Pounding Pavement – Daytona USA (1994) – Saturn – Composer(s): Takenobu Mitsuyoshi

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Friend of the show and all round retro gaming legend Dan Wood joins us again to talk about a certain computer platform that we have all expressed a fondness for over the years. Nope, it’s not the Sinclair QL, it is the Commodore Amiga!

Specifically what is happening in the Amiga scene in 2023. We chat about some of the weird and wonderful goings on in the world of Amiga this year!

– The Xbox 360 is pushing 20 years old? Nooooo way!

– Some thoughts on the Evercade handheld.

– Has the A500 mini started gathering dust on owners shelves?

– How the Antstream service is bringing Amiga classics back to life.

– Amiga events returning to the UK!

– Why Amiga games have a wider appeal than their 8bit C64 or Spectrum counterparts.

– The PiStorm providing a cheap and powerful Amiga accelerator option.

– Replacing the guts of an Amiga with a Raspberrypi, is that cheating?

– The big question, has Stu finally bought an Amiga? Intro/Outro Music – Haircut (Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake Theme) – WWF/WWE (1988) – Composer(s): Jim Johnston

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev finally has his hands on the ASUS ROG Ally, and it’s a great portable PC gaming solution. The question on everyones lips is how does it stack up to the Steam Deck? Should you ditch the SD or can they live together in peace? Listen on and find out! – Garish lighting on gaming PC’s, what’s the point? – How the Steam Deck and ASUS Ally fulfil different PC gaming niches. – SteamOS vs. Windows, which is a better fit for a handheld. – Navigating Windows with a joystick, how clunky is it? – Docking the SD and Ally to a TV, as easy as a Nintendo Switch? – Where the ASUS Ally fills the gaps the Steam Deck cant touch. – Using power draw profiles to get more battery life from the SD and Ally. – The extra processing grunt of the ASUS Ally and PS3 emulation. Intro/Outro Music – Face With Courage (Stage 3 Theme) – Sunset Riders (1991) – Arcade – Composer(s): Motoaki Furukawa

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev and Stu chat about some of the recently revealed tech products from Apple and Sony, the Vision Pro and Project Q. Are they worth buying? We also look into what a Nintendo Switch successor should look like, and Stu’s adventures with his new (well actually old) Dell retro PC laptop! – Stu resurrecting a dusty old laptop found in storage! – Modding 2000’s era Pro Evo football games. – The perils of second hand PC games, serial keys and janky authorisation steps. – Do Macs have less games now than in the 90s? – Does Project Q turn the PS5 into a Wii U? – Why bother with Project Q when you can use a mobile phone to stream. – Nintendo’s track record with following up successful consoles. – Is sticking with the current Switch is holding back third party support? – How powerful should the Switch 2 be? – Who is the Vision Pro really for? – What would it take for the Vision Pro to go mainstream?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! After several hints on previous shows that Stu was about to plunge into PC gaming, he has finally pulled the trigger!

We explore some of Stu’s early experiences with his new set up, as well as some of the future joys (and irritations!) he has yet to discover.

– Trev has pre-ordered the Asus ROG Ally, some more thoughts on the new Steam Deck killer!

– Can the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally co-exist?

– Stu has his new gaming PC! What were his initial impressions?

– Getting back into strategy games after years ignoring them.

– The myriad of PC game store apps and launchers.

– Issues with installing old games from DVDs on modern PCs.

– Windows adding a layer of jank to the PC gaming experience.

– What Stu might be up against if he dives into the world of PC retro emulation.

– The awesome pcgamingwiki website. Intro/Outro Music – Butch Cassidy And The Sunset Riders (Stage 2 and 7 Them) – Sunset Riders (1991) – Arcade – Composer(s): Motoaki Furukawa

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

The Atari Lynx launched in 1989 and was a pioneer in handheld gaming. It was the first ever colour portable and had specs that could rival the ‘big’ home consoles of the time. Unfortunately it struggled against the Gameboy and even the Game Gear, but could it have done better?

Trev and Stu share their thoughts on the mighty Atari machine, and more….. – Playing Halo MCC on the PC, and how it’s improved since its original launch on the XBone.

– More updates on the latest ‘Steam Deck killer’ Asus ROG Ally

– Epyx and the origins of the Lynx.

– The incredible 16 bit graphics hardware on the Lynx.

– Lynx strengths in its arcade ports.

– The ups and downs of the Lynx game library.

– Was it price, battery life, lack of portability? What killed the Lynx?

– Comparing the Lynx 1 and the Lynx 2 – Was the Lynx doomed from the start? Intro/Outro Music – Meteor – Starfox (1993) – Super Nintendo – Composer(s): Hajime Hirasawa

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Great Podcast Trev and Stu talk about retro and Modern Video games

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! As kids we used to drool over the console/computer bundle packs we would see on shop shelves or in magazine ads.

What you got in a particular bundle could help determine which side of the video game war you ended up on.

How important were bundles back in the day, and which ones do we remember the most?

– DKOldies and “not for resale” bundle copies of games in shops.

– Is everyone who could be intro retro gaming already involved in the hobby? – Anniversaries of consoles from the 2010’s making us feel old!

– The arcade machine experience in the UK, seasides and chippies!

– Was the Street Fighter 2 or Super Mario World bundle the system seller for the SNES in the UK.

– The 1990 TMNT bundle giving the NES a foothold in the UK market.

– The importance of the PS1 ‘Demo 1’ disc in PlayStation bundles.

– Sega Saturn bundles, or the lack of them!

– Customised bundle packaging art vs. a sticker on the generic console box.

Intro/Outro Music – Lightning Strikes (Stage 1) – Raiden III (2005) – Arcade, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 – Composer(s): Go Sato, Yuji Takemitsu, Yuka Sakamoto, Akira Sato

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Recently there’s been trend of retro gaming YouTubers talking about the “The Retro Problem”, initially started by RGT85. UK gaming magazine legend Jaz Rignall wasn’t impressed with the thumbnails of grumpy people sitting in front of game collections and voiced such disdain on his Twitter. Is there a “retro problem”?

Is it something worth talking about, or a storm in a teacup?

Trev and Stu deep dive into the points made by RGT85 in the latest Shockcast.

– Some thoughts on DKOldies and the controversy surrounding them.

– Stu talks about Atomic Heart.

– Gatekeeping within the retro gaming community. The real retro problem?

– Nostalgia for old games and consoles becoming a thing in the late 90s.

– Game Boy comes to the Nintendo Switch Online service! –

Stu gets his hands on a Mega Everdrive X7!

– A slight segue into the dying days of the Mega Drive and its two Premier Manager games from 1995 and 96. Intro/Outro Music – Act 1-1 and 2-2 Theme – Ultraverse Prime (1994) – Sega CD – Composer(s): Tim Follin, Geoff Follin

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! After a lengthy Xmas and new year break from the Shockcast, Trev and Stu are back with more video game ramblings! We start with a round up of various gaming related stuff on both our minds before shifting the focus to VR. Is it a fad that has run its course or will it ever become mainstream? Let’s discuss! – Thoughts on the GoldenEye 007 re-release. – Have fifth generation graphics aged badly? – Facebook retro gaming group fanboyism! – Thoughts on the classic Konami run and gun Sunset Riders! – Dead Space remake and shader compilation stutter. – Steam Deck and other handheld gaming PCs that have appeared on the scene. – Was PSVR actually successful? – How does VR need to evolve to become ubiquitous. – The headaches (sometimes literal) that come with VR in its current state. – Is the PSVR2 too expensive? – BONUS: Trev doesn’t like Ready Player One. Intro/Outro Music – Stage 1 Theme – Sunset Riders (1991) – Arcade/Sega Mega Drive/Super Nintendo – Composer(s): Motoaki Furukawa

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Retro consoles are still fun to play to this day, but getting them working in an optimal way these days can be a challenge. Those optical drives with them moving parts can also be a ticking time bomb to failure. How can you overcome these issues? We talk about how you get a PS1 boosted with quality of life upgrades to make it a joy to use in 2023 and beyond! – Have waypoints made modern games worse? – Isn’t the PlayStation 3 the best way to play PS1 these days? – Connecting a PS1 to a TV, what are the options. – The MemCard PRO, the only PS1 memory card you’ll ever need. – The XStation ODE, a flashcart-like device for the PS1. – HDMI solutions, are they worth it if you have RGB SCART? – 50hz/60hz switching on a PAL PS1. – Alternate controllers for the PS1. Intro/Outro Music – Canada – Wipeout 2097 (1996/1997) – Sony Playstation/Sega Saturn/PC DOS – Composer(s): CoLD SToRAGE

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! “Did you ever hear the tragedy of Sega Dreamcast The Great?”

There are several myths floating around retro gaming discourse on what ultimately buried the DC.

We take a look at each of them and provide some of our own thoughts. Was there any way the Dreamcast could have had a successful run in the 6th generation, or was it doomed from the start?

– Did the Dreamcast need a DVD drive to succeed?

– Too many short arcade style experiences vs. longer story based games available elsewhere?

– The lack of support from EA.

– How the PS1’s continued success affected the Dreamcast. – Releasing early into the 6th gen causing technological disadvantages. – Piracy being rampant on the Dreamcast. – The console buying public being wary of SEGA products due to previous failures. Intro/Outro Music – Cairodrome – Wipeout (1995/1996) – Sony Playstation/Sega Saturn/PC DOS – Composer(s): CoLD SToRAGE

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! No main topic on this edition of the Shockcast,

Trev and Stu run through a whole bunch of topics on their minds covering retro and modern gaming alike!

– Remember getting your National Insurance Number issued?

– Why dont we go to any of the retro gaming expos and events?

– Some further thoughts on the recent retro video game community YT drama.

– Has there been a lack of AAA games this year?

– Are modern video games better value for money then retro ones?

– CEX stores and and retro game collecting.

– Is the Xbox Series X really holding back game devs?

– Will there be pro versions of the current gen consoles? Intro/Outro Music – On Your Way (Menu Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We were there when the Switch launched, and we even discussed its future at length when the initial reveal landed. It has been an incredible success, one of Nintendos most successful ever, but what does that mean in the context of the wider video game world? Did the arms race of powerful hybrid handheld competitors materialise? Let’s discuss!

– Some thoughts on the Lady Decade copyright issues.

– …and additional thoughts on YouTube drama generally.

– How the Switch made triple A gaming on the go viable, while the Vita failed there. – Earlier examples of taking home console gaming on the road.

– Cloud streaming services, are they any good?

– The PSP being the first handheld that could truly match its home console contemporaries.

– Did the Switch lead to the development of Steam Deck and other handheld PC gaming systems?

– Will Microsoft or Sony launch their own handhelds? – When can we expect a Switch 2 and a next gen Steam Deck? Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

This week Trev and All talk about the big world of gameboy mods

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! It’s an unusual situation where a console gets a price increase nearly two years into its lifecycle, but how will this affect the PlayStation 5 in the long run?

Our hosts contemplate this along with our usual mix of video game topics old and new!

– Will the PS5/Xbox Series get a price drop anytime soon?

– The huge price advantage the PS1 had over the N64 in 1997.

– Some thoughts on The Last Of Us Part 1.

– Will the price increase damage the PlayStation brand?

– The history of Sony cutting the price of PlayStation consoles just as their rivals launch.

– What could a next-gen Nintendo Switch be like?

– Dad humour, YouTube drama and ReviewTechUSA. Intro/Outro Music – Hyrule Castle Courtyard – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) – Nintendo 64 – Composer(s): Koji Kondo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We covered the Steam Deck last year upon its announcement, but now Trev and Stu finally have one in their sweaty mitts! Is it truly the Nintendo Switch destroyer some were billing it as, or is it more of a Virtual Boy? We are joined by Al who doesn’t have a Deck, but has plenty of questions about them. So, if you’re thinking of diving into the Steam Deck, this episode is here to help! – What made it difficult for devs to make handheld versions of games pre-Deck? – How the Nintendo Switch laid the groundwork for the Steam Deck. – Trev and Stu’s personal experiences with the Deck. – Thoughts on SteamOS v Windows. – The joy of playing full-fat AAA games on a handheld. – Keyboard and mouse focused games on the Deck, how well do they work? – Going beyond the Steam store on the Deck. – Emulation, how is it on the Deck? Intro/Outro Music – Speed King – OutRunners (1993) – Arcade – Composer(s): Takayuki Nakamura, Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, Hiroshi Kawaguchi

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We are living in a golden age of Amiga upgrades; with a myriad of accelerators you can jack into your Miggy to take it to computational heights we could never have imagined!

Which should you go for though? To help out, Amiga aficionado Dan Wood joins us on the show and we take a look at the best options for your needs.

– Boosting your Amiga in the 90s, what was it like?

– The advantages that upgrading your Amiga can give you.

– Are accelerators from the 90s still worth using?

– Why don’t classic Macs have modern accelerators?

– How Dan left the Amiga platform, and later got back into it. –

CD32 upgrades, de-consolize the system! – Modern Amiga accelerator options, both cheap and expensive.

– How powerful do you need your Amiga to be for WHDLoad?

Intro/Outro Music – Fire Level – Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1991) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Anthony Crowther, Ben Daglish

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! One of our all-time YouTube heroes joins us on the Shockcast, none other than Joe from Game Sack!

Joe produces amazing long form episodes covering retro (and a lot of modern) gaming, and we chat to him about producing the Game Sack show and well as a ton of thoughts and banter on retro gaming in general.

– How Joe got Icheb from Star Trek Voyager on the show.

– What abandoned game series does Joe want to return?

– Thoughts on the recently announced Mega Drive 2 Mini.

– Does Joe actually like the CD32/Amiga?

– Behind the scenes on the awesome YouTuber parody episode!

– Quirky european only consoles like the GX4000 and the Comodore 64GS

– How long does it take to make an episode of Game Sack?

– Joes ‘desert island console’ choice! Intro/Outro Music

– Desert Land (Forest Track Theme) – Sega Rally Championship (1995) – Arcade/Sega Saturn – Composer(s): Takenobu Mitsuyoshi

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! It’s the 100th episode of Console Shock!!! We are joined by fellow Console Shock charter member Al, as we tackle a subject worthy of an anniversary like this, our Top 3 video games of all time! We don’t want to spoil the countdown too much with the episode notes here, so dive in, listen on, and feel free to add your own Top 3 in the comments. Oh and a huge thank you to everyone who has supported the Shockcast over the years. Here’s to the next 100! Intro/Outro Music – Soul on Desert (Desert Course Theme) – Sega Rally 2 (1998) – Arcade/Sega Dreamcast/PC – Composer(s): Jun Senoue

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Ravi joins us again on the Shockcast to give us more insight into the awesome new Amiga magazine Amiga Addict! Learn about some of the behind the scenes work that goes into the production of the mag, as well as how it became the first Amiga magazine to hit the high street shelves in over 20 years! – A year on, how is Amiga Addict doing? – Pixel Addict, the new multi-format sister mag to Addict! – The editorial process at Amiga Addict. – Ravi’s thoughts on the A500 Mini. – How Amiga Addict landed in WH Smiths! – The resurgence of the Amiga in popular culture in recent years. Intro/Outro Music – Harmony (Band Land Theme) – Rayman (1995) – Sony PlayStation/Sega Saturn/DOS PC – Composer(s): Rémi Gazel

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

Being from the UK, we probably had a different introduction and experience with the Mario series during its 8-bit and 16-bit eras then our American and Japanese friends.

Did the early games really register over here while we had our heads buried in microcomputers? Listen on to find out! – A slightly random warm-up chat about the Northern Ireland national football team! – EA dropping the FIFA name and license, does it matter?

– Some thoughts on the first Gears of War. –

Our earliest introductions to the Mario character via store kioks, the cartoon and a sticker album!

– Finally experiencing the Mario series for the first time via the Game Boy and Super Mario Land.

– The UK ‘Golden Age’ of Mario games with a flurry of releases from 1989 -1995. – Playing the original Super Mario Bros on NES during the consoles mid-90s twilight years.

– The incredible Super Mario 64 and the lasting impact it had.

– How the series progressed in the 2000s with games that hit the Gamecube, DS and Wii. Intro/Outro Music – Underground – Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island (1995) – Super Nintendo – Composer(s): Koji Kondo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! As we move through the video game console generations, the conversation around video game preservation is becoming more and more important.

Should video game creators and publishers make more of an effort to make their old games available on the latest hardware?

Should backwards compatibility covering multiple previous systems be demanded? Al joins us as we contemplate all of the above and more!

– The importance of collecting original copies to preserve video game history. – Modern day one patches potentially rendering physical discs useless in the future. – How can we recreate unique arcade experiences like light gun games at home? – Replicating the CRT experience, is it worth it?

– Are modern video game retro compilation releases doing enough? – Should original versions of games remain available when a remake is released?

– Do we need modern consoles to support and play the physical media of older systems? – Could the previous and current gen Xbox and PlayStation systems be the most forward compatible ever?

*Apologies for the slightly janky audio on this episode, our streaming software was having an off day!* Intro/Outro Music – Hiding (Kage-Maru Stage Theme) – Virtua Fighter 3tb (1997/1998) – Arcade / Sega Dreamcast – Composer(s): Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, Fumio Ito, Hidenori Syoji

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! In this weeks shockcast,

we focus on a genre that has its roots in the earliest days of video gaming. It went on to become quite a niche and specialist area enjoyed by hardcore players especially in Japan.

Well, we aren’t that hardcore, but we do love shmups, so we talk some of our experiences and favourites in this awesomely rich corner of video gaming.

– The Switch Mario Kart expansion and not liking SNES Mario Kart. – Some thoughts on the awesome Dead Space series.

– Is the new updated PlayStation Plus subscription service worth it?

– The SHMUP golden age of the late 80s to the late 90s.

– SHMUP forefathers like Space Invaders, Asteroids, Galaga, and Xevious.

– Konami SHMUPS like the Gradius and Parodius series.

– Pseudo-3D SHMUPS like Xevious 3D+, Raystorm, and R-Type Delta.

– PC Engine, Saturn or PS1, what is the best SHMUP console?

– SHMUPS on the PS2 and how the genre faded from the mainstream.

Intro/Outro Music – Blue Spheres Special Stage Theme – Sonic 3 (1994) – Sega Mega Drive – Composer(s): Yoshiaki Kashima

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We’ve been collecting video games for a long time, but how have things changed over the years.

Are we inside a collecting bubble that will burst? Should you aim for full console library sets or just focus on games that actually interest you? This week we contemplate the video game collecting past and future, and give some of our experiences on this fun and sometimes complex aspect of retro gaming.

– How we started with video game collecting.

– Our biggest collecting regrets.

– What drives us to collect.

– Aiming for a complete console library set, is it worth it?

– Buying retro from CEX.

– What areas are we looking to focus on with our collecting.

– Is the collecting “bubble” a myth?

– Will Xbox One/PS4 games be collectible when the Day One patches for them aren’t available? Intro/Outro Music – NiGHTS Pinball Table Theme – Sonic Adventure (1998) – Sega Dreamcast – Composer(s): Jun Senoue, Kenichi Tokoi, Fumie Kumatani

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Al is with us again as we take a journey through Nintendo in the early 00s.

The GameCube struggled against the Xbox and PS2 in the sixth generation, but is remembered fondly for its strong lineup of titles.

Join us as we chat about the console that saw Nintendo take the bold leap into the world of optical storage media, and proved that handles really work on consoles! – Stu gives us another update on his Super Macintosh Odyssey!

– The GameCube’s 2002 UK launch, and its competitive pricing.

– The awesome £99 2003 GameCube Mario Kart Double Dash/Zelda collection bundle! – GameCube’s launch titles and other early software.

– Getting a GC set up on a modern HDTV.

Using the Swiss homebrew software and SD cards to run games on a stock GC.

– Do 6th gen control schemes make them difficult to play now? – Luigi’s Mansion and its 2018 3DS port.

Intro/Outro Music – Delfino Plaza – Super Mario Sunshine (2002) – Nintendo GameCube – Composer(s): Koji Kondo, Shinobu Tanaka

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! With the news of Nintendo shutting down the eShop for the Wii U and 3DS in 2023, we decided to chime in with our thoughts on the issue. Is it just us retro gamers that are bothered, or do digital store closures affect us all? Also Stu finally decides to take the plunge into vintage Mac gaming! – Stu buys an Apple PowerBook G4 Titanium! – Some of the issues Stu is running into with the PBG4. – Thoughts on the Wii U and Wii U collecting in general. – Nintendo’s decision to close the eShop. – The problems facing video game companies with “future proofing” their digital stores. – Is the general gaming public really bothered when digital stores close? – The issues with game preservation when official digital stores close. – Is it realistic to expect video game companies to keep these digital stores open forever? Intro/Outro Music – Training Theme – Starwing (1993) – Super Nintendo – Composer(s): Hajime Hirasawa

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We are joined once again by Console Shock OG Al,

as we talk about the diverse and sometimes controversial topic that is emulators! Starting from our early experiences in the late 90s with DOS PCs,

we go all the way to modern solutions like RetroArch and much more in-between..

– A quick chat about Microsoft buying Activision, and the impact that will have. – Early DOS based emulators like Nesticle and Genecyst.

– The wonder of having an entire console library at your fingertips!

– Emulators being our introduction to 60hz versions of games.

– Using a keyboard to play old games before gamepads became easy to configure. – The legal issues surrounding emulation.

– The slightly patchy official emulation and backwards compatibility solutions. – Enhancing the graphics on old games with emulators.

– FPGA based devices like the Analogue Pocket. Intro/Outro Music – Hang Glider Theme – Pilotwings 64 (1996) – Nintendo 64 – Composer(s): Dan Hess

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! In November 2021, Microsoft celebrated the 20th birthday of the Xbox! The console launched in March 2002 in the UK, and as we are currently sat between the US and UK launch dates, we thought now is a good time for us to commemorate the birthday. What impact did the Xbox have on our gaming lives? Check out the show to find out! – Our experiences with the OG Xbox in its heyday. – Halo, did we actually like it when it launched? – OG Xbox Live and how it worked out for us in the UK. – The Xbox 360 and how it helped Xbox live massivley expand. – How Xbox fared in Japan. – The Kinect, and how great it was for fitness stuff! – Xbox One, and its disastrous “TV, TV, TV!” unveiling in 2013. – The XB1 vs PS4 8th gen war. – Xbox Series consoles, Xbox Game Pass and the future! Intro/Outro Music – Loading Screen Theme – Grand Theft Auto V (2013) – Xbox 360/PS3 – Composer(s): Tangerine Dream, Woody Jackson, The Alchemist, Oh No

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

Console Shock has finally got it hands on a modded Xbox 360 console, and this episode we take a look at all the effort that goes into getting it set up nicely.

Want to experience OG Xbox in glorious HDMI, or play some delisted XBLA games?

Maybe you missed out on the Xbox Indie games store.

Check out the show, and see what you can do with a modded 360!

– What exactly is a modded Xbox 360?

– Why you might prefer to get one pre-modded.

– The fairly tedious process Trev went through to get a large library of titles onto the system. – Playing long delisted XBLA games.

– Xbox Live Indie Games.

– Going beyond the 500GB hard drives of retail units.

– How does it compare to a modded PS3? Intro/Outro Music

– Kokiri Forest Theme – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time (1998) – Nintendo 64 – Composer(s): Koji Kondo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! This time around theres no focus on a specific topic, we just go nuts talking about whatever is on our minds gaming and tech wise!

We touch upon a ton of stuff, from MiSTers, the downfall of PES, gaming room set ups, and even a quick overview of NeXT Computer and how that affected the development of the Macintosh. T

his and even more…… – Whats happened to Pro Evolution Soccer?

– Will OG editions of consoles ever be PS1 sized again?

– Stu thoughts on the MiSTer.

– The simple joys of mid-00s plasma screen TVs.

– The difficulty of setting up a home-cinema in a normal sized apartment.

– A brief history of the NeXTcube and NeXT Computer. – …and following on from that, how the Mac progressed in the late 80s to the early 00s. Intro/Outro Music – The Ride – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Kohta Takahashi

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! On this episode we welcome a super special guest,

Nick from the amazing PandaMonium Saturn Reviews channel! Nick produces incredible video deep dives that cover the production of legendary (and not so legendary) Sega Saturn games.

These include interviews from the devs who worked on them, and the challenges and triumphs they experienced working with the Saturn hardware.

We chat to Nick about how he got started with his channel and a lot more! – How Nick got into the Saturn.

– Will Nick achieve his goal of reviewing the entire Saturn library?

– Virtua Racing Saturn, we bloody love it!

– Saturn collecting, and the insane prices on some of the games.

– How Nick finds obscure late 90’s Saturn info sources.

– Nick’s TV news reporting background.

– The process of finding the original developers for Saturn games.

– The combination of issues that led to the downfall of Saturn.

Check out the PandaMonium Saturn Reviews channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/scarper42 Intro/Outro Music – National Park Speedway Theme – Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition (1996) – Sega Saturn – Composer(s): Jun Senoue, Richard Jacques, Kenichi Tokoi, Tomonori Sawada

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Its another Atari ST focused show, and we cant talk about this venerable home computer without our favourite ST Youtuber,

Marc AKA The Joy of Sticks! The Atari ST got a ton of arcade ports in its time, with very mixed results. Some of these were our only way to play a lot of 80s and 90s arcade classics, so we look at some of our personal faves, including those that werent too accurate but we still loved them!

– The hardware issues that limited the scope of Atari ST arcade ports.

– Final Fight ST, why we love it.

– Did publishers use screenshots to trick us into buying their shoddy ports? – Golden Axe, good enough to rival the Mega Drive version.

– Double Dragon, a terrible port but fond memories for many of us ST fans!

– Sega Super Hang-On, one of the best ST arcade ports.

– Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : The Coin-op, another low quality yet enjoyable arcade translation. – …and many more ports! Check out The Joy of Sticks channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thejoyofsticks Intro/Outro Music – Desert Replay Theme – Sega Rally (1995) – Sega Saturn – Composer(s): Takenobu Mitsuyoshi *Apologies for the slightly glitchy video occurring at a couple of points, will try to catch these before upload next time. Thankfully the audio isn’t affected.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The Commodore Amiga is a legendary computer platform, and Trev and Stu make no secret about it being their favourite of all time.

With the release of numerous mini system remakes in recent years we have pondered on past shockcasts if the Amiga would ever get the same treatment. Well it turns out, it has!

We talk about The A500 Mini, what it means for us as Amiga fans and for the Amiga computing community as a whole, including:

– Our thoughts on `The C64 Mini/Maxi`.

– Who will the A500 Mini appeal to?

– The announced games included.

– Does it hit that pricing sweet spot.

– Potential accessories for the A500 Mini.

– Will there be an A500 Maxi?

– Would a full size A1200 recreation fare better then an A500 one? – Can it replace a real Amiga? Intro/Outro Music – Deejay Stage Theme – Super Street Fighter II Turbo (1994) – 3DO – Composer(s): Isao Abe, Syun Nishigaki

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

For some, the news of the Switch OLED was a disappointment, but with the dust barely settled Valve threw down their own solution to high spec handheld gaming, the Steam Deck! It could be seen as the realisation of everything we hoped for (and then some) with the rumoured Switch Pro, but will it be a success?

Trev and Stu take a look at the device and untangle the announcement, along with everything else we know about it so far.

– Are we buying a Steam Deck?

– Will it challenge the Nintendo Switch?

– SD Card storage, will it be good enough to run games reliably?

– The advantages of cheap Steam games vs the pricey Nintendo Switch versions.

– Are the specs good enough for high quality PC gaming?

– The potential for the Steam Deck to be a handheld emulation beast. – Installing Windows, what would be the advantages?

– Will the Steam Deck spark an explosion in PC gaming handhelds from other manufacturers. Intro/Outro Music – No Chance In Hell – Vince McMahon’s Entrance Theme – WWF (1999) – Composer(s): Jim Johnston

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

Its another Shockcast and its another awesome guest, as we welcome Matt from the Sharopolis YouTube channel!

Matt does amazing Digital Foundry-esque deep dives into retro gaming, showing us what makes them tick and how devs used all manner of tricks and hacks to squeeze every last drop of power from outdated hardware.

We chat about some of those stunning accomplishments achieved on classic systems, as well as:

– How Matt got into retro game technical deep dives.

– Which system had the biggest technical leap from its earliest games to the final ones?

– Using modern emulators to break down how classic games work.

– Original hardware vs modern recreations.

– What is the most impressive game to come out late in a consoles life?

– Games that were just too much for the hardware they released on.

– The games that pushed the older systems to the limits.

– What is Matt’s favourite console enhancement chip?

Check out the Sharopolis channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/sharop

Intro/Outro Music – Out to Lunch/Thunder – WCW Thunder Theme – TBS Television (1998) – Composer(s): Steve Everitt

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! In a bumper episode, once again we are joined by fellow gaming podcaster, the awesome Paul AKA Maximum Power Up!

We do like a chinwag about retro gaming magazines on the shockcast, but Pauls magazine coverage on his show has become legendary. We talk with Paul about the world of retro gaming magazines and the people that created them.

– Paul’s tips on where to grab retro magazine bargains!

– Do the writer/editors of the retro mags collect them?

– The humble origins of Paul’s mammoth collection.

– Sampler issues, how rare are they?

– How do the old magazines compare to their modern equivalents that are still published?

– Pauls work on the new magazine Amiga Addict.

– Reading mags on a device vs print.

– When did the gaming print magazine market start to dry up?

– The explosion of new magazines that cover retro platforms.

Intro/Outro Music – Jeffry – Virtua Fighter (1994) – Sega Saturn – Composer(s): Akiko Hashimoto, Kazuhiko Kouchi, Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, Takayuki Nakamura

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

The Retro Shed is a unique gaming channel on YT in that it is hosted by a father and son duo! Add to that the fact that it is literally presented in a shed filled with gaming goodies makes it even more awesome! Barry and his son Josh join the shockcast to chat about everything gaming including:

– Where did the idea of a father and son gaming show start?

– How the shed itself came to be!

– What are Josh’s thoughts on retro games.

– Barry’s favourite generational gaming leap.

– Is Goldeneye on the N64 too janky now?

– Are retro games harder then modern games?

– Thoughts on the new Xbox/Playstation consoles.

– What are Barry and Josh’s favourite systems? Check out The Retro Shed channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRetroShed Intro/Outro Music – Arms Black Market (stage 1) – Virtua Cop (1994) – Arcade/Sega Saturn – Composer(s): Kentaro Koyama (Arcade), Tatsuya Kozaki (Saturn)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

On this Shockcast we welcome another fellow YouTuber, Mike AKA Retro Gamer Boy!

Being a bunch of 90s SEGA fanboys, the conversation takes on a distinctively Sega Mega Drive themed flavour.

We chat to Mike about what its like to collect Mega Drive in the UK, as well as some of our memories and general thoughts on SEGA’s legendary machine. All this and even more nuggets:

– Mike’s background and how he got going on YouTube.

– What makes the 16Bit era so iconic to gamers?

– How Mike started collecting for the Mega Drive.

– How Mike managed to grab the mythical Lakers vs the Celtics.

– The new Retro-Bit wireless Mega Drive pads vs OG pads.

– Mega Drive 1 vs Mega Drive 2, which design do we prefer?

– Selling your collection for beer? Collecting regrets!

– Types of boxes, counterfeit carts, bad capacitors, demo discs and other MD collecting tidbits!

Intro/Outro Music – A Shooting Star – Gradius II (1988) – Arcade/PC Engine – Composer(s): Shinji Tasaka, Motoaki Furukawa, Kenichi Matsubara, Seiichi Fukami

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

With the release of the next-gen consoles, there has been some debate on the backwards compatibility features of the PS5. Some people were hoping to be able to play everything all the way back to the PS1, others are quite happy with the ability to just play PS4 games on it. Sony have said that back compat is a feature many people ask for, but few use. Does Xbox do it better? We jump in with our own thoughts on playing old games on new systems!

– Stu finally gets an Xbox Series X!

– A look at the history of backwards compatibility in consoles.

– Our thoughts on Sony’s backwards compatibility stance.

– Sony IE’s CEO Jim Ryan’s comments on old games.

– How Xbox does back compat vs PlayStation.

– The developer mode back compat “hack” on the Xbox Series consoles.

– Is the OG PS3 the greatest back compat console ever made?

Intro/Outro Music – Mean Streets – WCW Monday Night Nitro Theme – WCW (1995) – Composer(s): Jonathan Elias

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

On this episode we welcome Scott from The Retro Shack Youtube channel! Scott’s channel focuses on vintage computing and features videos about mods, add-ons, repairs and upgrades for such hardware legends as the C64, BBC Micro and the ZX Spectrum.

We chat to Scott about his channel and get his thoughts on retro gaming and computing in general.

– As a relatively new channel, how did Scott get started?

– What triggered The Retro Shack’s rise in popularity?

– Scott’s retro setup at home.

– What we love about the systems that lag behind their rivals in specs, like the Atari ST and ZX Spectrum.

– We reminisce about the legendary Telegames in Leicester, and its epic range of games for sale.

– What machine is on Scott’s wishlist to add to his collection, and how is the collection going?

– Thoughts on flash carts and modern ways of using old machines. – The MSX! What the hell is this thing?

Scott’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRetroShack​

Intro/Outro Music – Title Screen Theme – Tomb Raider (1996) – Playstation/Saturn/PC CD (1996) – Composer(s): Nathan McCreeSHOW LESS

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The PS5 and Xbox Series consoles have been out for a few months now, and we talk about the pro and cons of each system along with the difficulties in actually getting one!

We even cover the debacle that is Google Stadia, and what contributed to its failure and what might have helped it gain some success.

Also on the show:

– Lockdown haircutting issues!

– Playing Cyberpunk 2077 on the Nintendo Switch, wtf?

– Remember OnLive, the original game streaming service from 2010?

– Xbox Game Pass, our thoughts on the “Netflix of gaming”.

– If you have an Xbox One X/PS4 Pro, is the jump to next gen worth it? – Are console launch lineups underwhelming these days?

– Advantages of the XBSX/PS5 vs last gen Intro/Outro Music – Ghost Town Triumph – Hangman Adam Page entrance theme – AEW (2019) – Composer(s): Vincent Pedulla

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Amazing things are happening on the granddaddy of all consoles; the legendary Atari 2600!

We welcome James from ZeroPage Homebrew onto the show, and we talk about some of the stunning homebrew Atari 2600 games that are being developed by the 2600 programming community!

– How James got started with ZeroPage Homebrew

– What actually is video game homebrew?

– The crazy limitations of the 2600 and how homebrewers work around them – Flashcarts on the 2600, what are the options?

– Online gaming on the 2600, its real!

– Great 2600 homebrew titles

– The emerging Atari 7800 homebrew scene

– Great modern ways to play Atari 2600 games Intro/Outro Music

– Crystal World (Third stage theme) – Gradius II (1988) – Arcade/PC Engine – Composer(s): Shinji Tasaka, Motoaki Furukawa, Kenichi Matsubara, Seiichi Fukami

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We are somewhat fond of Sega on this show, and in that spirit our special guest this time around is Lewis from segadriven.com!

Lewis set up this awesome site 12 years ago and it covers a ton of Sonic the Hedgehog and racing game related content.

We dive into the history and motivations behind segadriven, as well as Lewis’s thoughts on retro gaming :

– How Lewis got going with segadriven

– The vibrant Sonic online community

– Sega’s stance on fanmade projects

– Would a 3D Sonic game have worked on the Saturn?

– Was the Dreamcast doomed to fail?

– Retro gaming setups in modern times

– Weird PS1 ripoffs of Sega racing games.

– Stu’s complex relationship with RPGs.

Check out Lewis’s website here: https://www.segadriven.com/​

Intro/Outro Music – Tidal Tempest – Sonic CD (SEGA 1993) – Sega Mega CD – Composer(s): Naofumi Hataya, Masafumi Ogata

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

Ever wonder how this whole Console Shock gubbins began?

Well on this show we have a super special guest, one of the co-founders of Console Shock, the legendary Al!

Have a scroll down the uploads on our channel and youll see the original CS video shows, featuring Trev & Al presenting alongside the M&M games (now Playnation games!) gang. As well as the origins of CS, Al joins us to chat about a bunch of other retro & modern gaming topics:

– How did Trev & Al get the idea to make a show?

– Trev & Al’s initial attempts to start a podcast

– Behind the scenes on those early video CS episodes. – Where did Al go? – The tragic story of Al’s OG Xbox in Canada!

– Moving between video game regions, 60hz vs 50hz

– Al’s Arcade 1up cab collecting addiction

– What does the future of classic arcade ports look like? Intro/Outro Music – Keep the groovin’ – Streets of Rage (SEGA 1991) – Sega Mega Drive – Composer(s): Yuzo Koshiro, Motohiro Kawashima

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We caught the Speccy and C64 at the tailend of their legendary runs, so we might have a slightly different perspective to those folks who grew up with them from the beginning.

We talk about our experiences with both systems and debate which one we think is the best. This and a lot more of the usual Console Shock nonsense you know and love! – Fans inside consoles, when did they become a thing?

– More thoughts on PS5/Xbox Series scalpers!

– Why dont we like RPGSs?

– Luigi’s Mansion on 3DS, and some other 3DS nuggets.

– C64/Speccy emulation via Retroarch

– Which Speccy model is the best?

– Multiplats where the Speccy version is better

– Sound on the C64 vs the Speccy

– Our fave C64/Speccy games

– Street Fighter 2 on the C64, is it terrible?

Intro/Outro Music – Attack on the Shuttle – Transformers The Movie Soundtrack (1986) – Composer(s): Vince DiCola

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! They are such an integral part of gaming fabric they almost go unnoticed, but the bundled console controller can really make or break a system.

A good one can set the standard for generations to come, and a bad one can render a system unplayable and tarnish its reputation. We chat about some of our favourite (and least favourite!) controllers, including:

– A quick segment covering the PS5/Xbox Series console launches and issues!

– N64 controllers, have they aged well?

– The original Playstation Dual Shock, a pioneering design that still persists to this day

– The OG Xbox “Duke” controller, as terrible as everyone says?

– Is the GameCube controller overrated or the greatest ever?

– The Sega Saturn pad, the best 2D controller ever.

– Amiga controllers, what are the better options.

– The NES controller, perfect for 8Bit gaming!

Intro/Outro Music – Rockhouse – NWO Theme (World Championship Wrestling 1996) – Composer(s): Jimmy Hart

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Its nearly space-year 2021 and hot on the heels of our recent Amiga mags show, we now have a new for-real monthly(!) print Amiga magazine available to buy and its called Amiga Addict! Join us as we chat to Ravi Abbott, deputy editor of Amiga Addict and one of our personal Amiga scene heroes! Get the low-down on Amiga Addict, and more:

– The waning years of Amiga magazines

– How did the idea of Amiga Addict begin?

– Why a print magazine in the age of the interwebs?

– Meet the team putting Amiga Addict together

– A sneak preview of what youll find inside issue 1!

– How you can get your copy of Amiga Addict Check out Amiga Addict Magazine here: https://www.amiga-addict.com/ Check out Ravi on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/RetroRavi Check out the Retro Hour here: https://theretrohour.com/ Intro/Outro Music – New Junk City – Earthworm Jim (Shiny Entertainment 1995) – Sega Mega CD – Composer(s): Tommy TallaricoSHOW LESS

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Instead of a specific subject this time around, we take you on a nostalgia tour!

We talk about our fond memories of tech, music, TV and even what shopping was like in our 80s and 90s years. This and lots more :

– The origin of Trevs radio voice!

– Trying to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation in the UK in the late 80s/early 90s

– The experience of shopping for games, music and videos at Virgin Megastore in the 90s/00s

– Listening to and buying music in our teens vs now

– Early hard drive mp3 players vs MiniDisc!

– Stu having fun upgrading his PC

– Our thoughts on the 8Bit guy blowing up a rare old computer

– More thoughts on other Youtubers we like such as Luke Mose, and This Does Not Compute

– What we think of Limited Run games (again!) Intro/Outro Music – Dr.Eggman Theme – Sega Rally 2 (Sega 1998) – Sega Dreamcast & Arcade – Composer(s): Tatsuhiko Fuyuno, Susumu Isa, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Jun Senoue, Kenji Eno, Hideki Naganuma, Tomonori Sawada

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

We are joined by Ms Mad Lemon to talk retro video game magazines and the Amiga

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast!

We have Dan Wood from The Retro Hour back on the show again, and this time we have a really special topic to cover, our all-time top 3 video game platforms! If you’ve listened to our show and Dan’s over the years, you may have an idea of what platforms could make it, but did they? Listen on to find out, and we also pick Dan’s brains about general YouTube and podcasting life.

– Dan gives us some behind the scenes info on the Retro Hour! – Who is Dan’s most interesting Retro Hour guest?

– The lowdown on Dan’s OS countdown video!

– Our thoughts on the impending PS5 v Xbox Series battle

– …..and the main event, our Top 3 systems of all-time! Intro/Outro Music – NewSan – MegaRace (The Software Toolworks/Cryo 1994) – PC CD-ROM – Composer(s): Stéphane Picq

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu! Its the Console Shockcast! Think of Konami and all of the legendary series come to mind; Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid, Contra, Silent Hill and the like. One series though has outlived them all, and rarely does it get mentioned with the same degree of reverence as the others.

That is of course Pro Evolution Soccer, or its now eFootball: Pro Evolution Soccer? We take a look at the history of this awesome football series. – Konami’s first attempts at football games on the Famicom and NES

– The classic International Superstar Soccer on the SNES and its obscure PS1 port. – How the series forked into two separate branches, N64 vs PS1

– How the Japanese market would get three Winning Eleven releases each year!?! – The 2000s change from ISS to PES

– Modding the PS2 era PES games with kits and player names

– The PS1 got a port of N64 ISS 2000 and its actually good?

Intro/Outro Music – Menu theme – International Superstar Soccer Deluxe (Konami 1997) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hideyuki Eto, Harumi Ueko, Tomoya Tomita

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu!

Its the Console Shockcast! Did we all grow up in the 90s surrounded by video game arcades, stuffed with all the classics just like the big American YouTubers reminisce on? Was the arcade gaming experience the same for us growing up in small English towns as it was for them? Take a trip with Trev and Stu, as they talk about what arcade video gaming looked like to them during their childhoods. This and much more….

– Did you own any of the classics in the 90s?

– How we bought games as kids.

– Arcade gaming in the UK, was it common?

– Renting games in the 90s

– Growing up playing games in seaside Essex and Kent!

– PS Vita hacking

– how easy is it?

– FIFA 21 “Legacy Edition” on Switch – is it a ripoff?

– Nintendo eShop game sales vs PSN Vita game sales

– Sega Astro City Mini

– what we like about it and what could make it better

– The new Mega Everdrive Pro, worth the upgrade over the X7?

– Sega Game Gear Mini – a cute retro gaming remake, or a useless novelty?

Intro/Outro Music – Scene 1 Theme – Teenage Mutent Ninja Turtles (Konami 1989) – Arcade – Composer(s): Mutsuhiko Izumi, Miki Higashino, Kozo Nakamura

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu! Its the Console Shockcast! With the lockdown ongoing, we get together to chat about a whole bunch of video game stuff that has kept us occupied during our extended time at home.

Armed with everdrives and hard drives, weve played a lot of games, and watched a lot of YouTube! All of that and more:

– Thoughts on our fave YouTubers

– Buying retro on Amazon vs CEX vs eBay

– Playing all the Transformers games during lockdown, good and bad!

– Thoughts on Streets of Rage 4

– Streets of Rage on the Master System!

– Home-brew Game Gear ports for the Master System!

– Playstation 3 controller collecting

– Do you like to 100% complete a game or just the story missions?

Intro/Outro Music – Escape From The City …city escape – Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) – Sega Dreamcast – Composer(s): Fumie Kumatani, Tomoya Ohtani, Jun Senoue, Heigo Tani, Kenichi Tokoi

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu! Its the Console Shockcast! We welcome back another guest from our recent past, Bob from RetroRGB! Bob is a legend among us folk who like to hook our old consoles with their quirky analog connections to the latest and greatest displays.

Join us as we go on a journey through the world of SCART switches, CRTs, display lag, HDMI converters and composite crazyness!

– RAD2X plug n play HDMI cables are here!

– OSSC settings per console, great resources to help you

– The lowdown on display lag, and how converters can add to it

– Does 480i/480p content look better on CRTs?

– What is the hardest console to get working on a HDTV?

– What is the Polymega and is it worth it?

– New ODE options for the Sega Saturn, but which is best?

Check out Bobs YT channel! : https://www.youtube.com/user/RetroRGB

Intro/Outro Music – Sewer Surfin – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Turtles In Time (1992) – Super Nintendo – Composer(s): Mutsuhiko Izumi & Kozo Nakamura

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu! Its the Console Shockcast!

Got a spare PS3 somewhere, or picked one up on the cheap that youre not sure what to do with? Unlock some hidden potential with custom firmware, and gain features like region free ps1/2 compatibility, rip games to the HDD, play more ps2 games on slim models and you can even get access to long since delisted PSN games! All this and more is covered on this weeks pod, as well as:

– 2nd gen consoles controller follow-up chat

– What are Playstation 3 “test” consoles?

– What is a good custom firmware PS3 setup?

– The features that CFW unlocks

– The advantages of the original “phat” PS3 over the later slim models, and disadvantages!

– Games deslited on PSN/XBL, does piracy preserve gaming history? Intro/Outro Music

– Egg Carrier: A Song That Keeps Us on the Move – Sonic Adventure (1998) – Sega Dreamcast – Composer(s): Jun Senoue

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu! Its the Console Shockcast!

Everybody loves a bit of 8Bit NES infused console nostalgia, but what about the consoles that came before? We take a look at a generation that started before both of us were born, and actually didnt end until the 90s! Everyone thinks of the mighty

Atari 2600 as the go-to pre-NES era console, but what about the ColecoVision and Intellivision? For the first time on the Shockcast we cover them all!

– Which consoles were part of the second gen?

– Collecting second gen consoles.

– Hooking second gen consoles up to a modern TV.

– Whats with those weird telephone keypad controllers?

– 8Bit is as far back as I go, will this be too primitive for me?

– Have simple mobile phone games made 2nd gen gameplay viable again?

Intro/Outro Music – National Park Speedway – Daytona USA 2001 (2001) – Sega Dreamcast – Composer(s): Keiichi Sugiyama, Naofumi Hataya, Tatsuyuki Maeda, Junko Shiratsu, Hidehiro Kobayashi, Hirofumi Murasaki

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Super chat with Dan Wood from the Amazing Retro Hour podcast we talk classic gaming on the Apple Macs

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu! Its the Console Shockcast!

With both systems now on life support we thought it was about time to look at the history of the 3DS and PS Vita.

A handheld battle for the ages, or two systems in totally different markets that didnt compete? Worth chatting about!

How did their predecessors fare?

– The 3DS and Vita launches

Our first impressions of both systems

– Is the 3D mode on 3DS any good?

– The Vita in Japan vs the rest of the world

– Some of our favourite games

– How they differed in their game libraries Intro/Outro Music

– Soviet Connection

– Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)

– Microsoft Xbox 360/Sony Playstation 3/Microsoft Windows – Composer(s): Michael Hunter

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu! Its the Console Shockcast!

The console battle for the ages! It was a video game war like no other, but how did it work out in the UK though? Did the SNES beat the MD over here, or did Sega really do what Ninten’didnt?

We take a deep dive into what is considered the greatest console rivalry ever.

– Our memories of early 16bit console years

– The awesome Sega “Pirate TV/Cyber Razor cut” ad campaign

The legendary Rik Mayall SNES ads!

– Anybody remember the Official Sonic The Hedgehog UK comic?

– How did the specs of the two systems compare?

– Which is the best system to collect for? Intro/Outro Music

– Flying Battery Zone Act 2

– Sonic & Knuckles (1996) – Sega Mega Drive – Composer(s): Howard Drossin, Tokuhiko Uwabo, Sachio Ogawa, Yoshiaki Kashima, Masaru Setsumaru, Tatsuyuki Maeda, Tomonori Sawada, Masayuki Nagao, Jun Senoue

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu! Its the Console Shockcast! This week we cover a real hidden gem of a console, the 3DO! An underrated 32-Bit powerhouse in the pre-PS1 era.

we look at the development and launch history of the 3DO as well as how it fared during the 5th gen of consoles. Including: – The 3DO’s origins with Amiga legends RJ Mical and Dave Needle – How Trip Hawkins and EA helped birth the 3DO – The unique video game licensing model of the 3DO – Classic 3DO games, including FIFA and Need for Speed – How the 3DO fared against the giants of Sony and Sega – What caused the 3DO to fail? – Is the 3DO worth buying now?

Intro/Outro Music – Main Select – Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition (1996) – Sega Saturn – Composer(s): Jun Senoue, Richard Jacques, Kenichi Tokoi, Tomonori Sawada

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Check out our latest episode with kieren from Laird’s Lair, We talk Atari ST, rare machines and how we got into gaming

https://www.youtube.com/user/LairdOfForsyth

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS