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PODCAST

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane

David Kassin and Robert Kassin

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane is a weekly video game history podcast that tells one story per episode, guided by the current week in gaming history. Hosted by brothers David Kassin and Robert Kassin, the show explores the stories behind the games we grew up with. It looks at the creative risks, technical limitations, business realities, and human decisions that shaped what players ultimately experienced. It’s a show for anyone who likes knowing how things were made, why certain paths were chosen,

leisure video games

All Episodes

00:58:32

Ep.284 – Handlebars and Hard Lessons: How Paperboy...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2026/02/05

In 1985, Atari released \Paperboy\, an arcade game that looked simple at a glance but demanded something entirely different once players grabbed the handlebars. In this episode, we explore how Paperboy nearly disappeared during early testing, struggling with tone, readability, and player connection before being torn apart and rebuilt from the ground up. We trace how designers Dave Ralston and John Salwitz reshaped its world by watching real players, grounding its chaos in familiar suburban spaces,

en-US

01:02:16

Ep.283 – A World That Doesn’t Wait: Why Romancing...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2026/01/29

In 1992, Square released \Romancing SaGa\ for the Super Famicom, challenging players to navigate a world that refused to explain itself. In this episode, we explore how Akitoshi Kawazu’s design philosophy took shape as Square moved beyond traditional role playing formulas, trusting players to wander, experiment, and live with permanent consequences. We discuss the game’s eight protagonists, nonlinear Free Scenario system, and unconventional mechanics that rewarded curiosity over grinding. Our

en-US

00:59:48

Ep.282 – A Notebook Full of Secrets: The Story of...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2026/01/22

In 2007, \Hotel Dusk: Room 215\ arrived on the Nintendo DS and quietly proved that handheld games could tell slow, moody, adult stories. This week, we explore how the studio Cing used Nintendo’s family friendly system to deliver a noir inspired mystery built around conversation, atmosphere, and trust. We trace Cing’s roots through Riverhillsoft, Glass Rose, and Trace Memory, and how those experiments shaped their vision of interactive novels. Our conversation dives into the game’s book like

en-US

00:55:01

Pandemic's Sandbox of War: Paydays, Airstrikes, and...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2026/01/15

In 2005, \Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction\ dropped players into a warzone that cared less about heroism and more about chaos, contracts, and consequences. This week, we explore how Pandemic Studios built an open world sandbox where loyalty was optional and destruction was the main attraction. We trace the studio’s rise from strategy hybrids like Dark Reign to breakout hits like Star Wars Battlefront, and how that experience shaped Mercenaries into a game driven by systems rather than scripted

en-US

00:52:44

Ep.280 – Racing on a Tiny Scale: The Legacy of Micro...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2026/01/08

In 1991, Micro Machines turned kitchen tables, school desks, and pool halls into racetracks, proving that racing games did not need realism to be unforgettable. This week, we explore how Galoob’s tiny toy cars became a cultural phenomenon and how Codemasters adapted that spirit into one of the most inventive multiplayer games of the 1990s. We trace the game’s unusual development, from reverse engineering the NES without Nintendo’s blessing to shipping cartridges with built in hardware fixes to solve

en-US

00:46:39

Ep.279 – Hugo’s House of Horrors: How One Dev...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2026/01/01

What do you get when one programmer, a parser, and a haunted house come together? Hugo’s House of Horrors, of course. Released on January 1, 1990, this quirky shareware adventure was the work of David P. Gray, who left his day job in air-traffic-control software to build a spooky, puzzle-filled parody of B-movies. Players typed their way past skeletons, vampires, and infamous pumpkins in a game that felt equal parts creepy and comedic. Distributed through BBSes, floppy swaps, and mail-order

en-US

00:28:35

Ep.278 – 2025: Year in Review

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/12/25

In 2025, our year in video game history took us from foundational classics to unexpected deep cuts as we explored stories across consoles, companies, genres, and eras. In this episode, we look back at the games that shaped our conversations this year, from Battle Arena Toshinden and Resident Evil 4 to Secret of Mana, Morrowind, and Super Mario Bros 3. We revisit strange detours like Seaman, D, and Trauma Center, along with major industry topics such as the rise and fall of E3 and the legacy of the

en-US

00:53:13

Ep.277 – A Star is Born: Why Phantasy Star Became...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/12/18

In 1987, Phantasy Star arrived on the Sega Master System and proved that Sega could compete in a genre dominated by Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. This week, we explore how a small internal team led by Kotaro Hayashida, Yuji Naka, and artist Rieko Kodama set out to build an RPG that broke from medieval tradition. We trace how the game blended science fiction and fantasy, introduced one of the earliest female protagonists in Alis, and pushed the Master System far beyond expectations with full screen

en-US

01:09:01

Ep.276 – Spirited Away to a New World: How Level-5...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/12/11

In 2010, Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn introduced players to a world where Studio Ghibli’s hand-drawn warmth met Level-5’s heartfelt RPG design. In this episode, we explore how a studio famously cautious about video games found unexpected harmony with a developer that valued emotion as much as mechanics. We follow the project from its DS origins and physical spellbook to the deeper PS3 reimagining that blended animation, music, and storytelling into something that felt unmistakably Ghibli

en-US

01:01:47

Ep.275 – Scanning for Fun: Exploring the History of...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/12/04

In 2001, Nintendo released the e-Reader, a quirky card-scanning accessory for the Game Boy Advance that blended trading cards with tiny bursts of digital content. This week, we explore the long road that led to its creation, tracing the evolution of barcode gaming from Japan’s Barcode Battler craze to Bandai’s Datach and even arcade hits like Mushiking and Love and Berry. We follow how Pokémon cards, dot-code technology, and Japan’s card culture shaped the device, and why the e-Reader thrived

en-US

01:01:37

Ep.274 – 64-Bits of Trouble: The Rise and Fall of...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/11/27

In 1993, Atari launched the Jaguar, a console that promised 64-bit power and a bold return to gaming glory—but the reality was far more complicated. In this episode, we explore how Atari partnered with Flare Technology, canceled its 16-bit Panther system, and aimed to leapfrog the competition with a futuristic design that was ambitious, confusing, and notoriously difficult to develop for. We trace the Jaguar’s tangled architecture, marketing push to “Do the Math,” and the hardware quirks that doomed

en-US

00:57:03

Ep.273 – Silent Assassin: Exploring the Origins and...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/11/20

In 2000, \Hitman: Codename 47\ introduced players to Agent 47 and a new breed of stealth gaming built on improvisation, experimentation, and precision. In this episode, we trace how a small team of Danish demoscene veterans formed IO Interactive, built the Glacier Engine from scratch, and turned a 'simple shooter' concept into one of the most influential stealth franchises in history. We follow the evolution from Codename 47’s experimental beginnings to Silent Assassin’s refinement and Contracts’

en-US

00:59:00

Ep.272 – Mattel’s Vision: The Rise and Fall of Mattel...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/11/13

In 1979, Mattel entered the console wars with the \Intellivision\, a machine that promised to outthink Atari with its 'intelligent television' design. This week, we explore how a toy company known for Barbie and Hot Wheels transformed into a technological powerhouse, creating one of the first true competitors to Atari’s 2600. We discuss the innovations that made the Intellivision stand out, its 16-bit processor, unique keypad controllers, and focus on realism, and the missteps that led to its fall

en-US

01:06:32

Ep.271 – Chainsaws and Cover: How Epic Games...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/11/06

In 2006, Epic Games released Gears of War, a brutal and cinematic reinvention of the third-person shooter. In this episode, we trace Cliff Bleszinski’s journey from teenage shareware designer to creative director at Epic, and how his vision helped transform a scrapped Unreal prototype into one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. We explore the birth of the Lancer, the evolution of cover-based combat, and how Epic’s technical mastery of Unreal Engine 3 changed console gaming forever. Our conversation

en-US

01:08:46

Ep.270 – The Magazine That Started It All: ...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/10/30

In 1981, a trio of writers—Arnie Katz, Bill Kunkel, and Joyce Worley—released Electronic Games, the first magazine dedicated entirely to video games. In this episode, we trace how their early ‘Arcade Alley’ column evolved into a full publication that gave the gaming world its first real voice. Our conversation explores the magazine’s creation, from pitch meetings and prototype covers to its bold editorial vision that treated games as art rather than toys. We discuss the rise and fall of the magazine

en-US

01:11:22

Ep.269 – The Tanooki Takeover: The Story of Super...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/10/23

In 1990, Nintendo released Super Mario Bros. 3, the NES encore that pushed 8-bit gaming to its absolute limit. In this episode, we explore how Shigeru Miyamoto and his team built a theatrical masterpiece from the ground up, transforming technical constraints into creative brilliance. Our conversation traces the journey from Donkey Kong to the Mushroom Kingdom’s final curtain call, covering the team’s innovations in overworld maps, new power-ups like the Super Leaf and Tanooki Suit, and the MMC3 chip

en-US

00:53:34

Ep.268 – Click, Chop, Conquer: How Ensemble Studios...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/10/16

In 1997, Ensemble Studios released Age of Empires, a real-time strategy game that transformed history into spectacle. We trace Tony Goodman’s journey from running a Dallas software company to founding Ensemble, and how veteran designer Bruce Shelley brought board game and Civilization experience to the team. The episode highlights the creation of “Dawn of Man,” the challenges of pathfinding and dial-up multiplayer, and Microsoft’s gamble on a game that mixed Warcraft’s immediacy with Civilization’s

en-US

00:53:28

Ep.267 – Monkey Business: The Struggle to Develop...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/10/09

In 2010, Ninja Theory released Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, a post-apocalyptic reimagining of the Chinese epic Journey to the West. We trace Tameem Antoniades’ turbulent path from Kung Fu Chaos and Heavenly Sword to founding Ninja Theory and building Enslaved on a shoestring budget. The episode highlights the extraordinary creative lineup—Andy Serkis shaping Monkey, Alex Garland embedding with the team as co-designer, and Nitin Sawhney composing its score. Our conversation explores its lush

en-US

00:55:36

Ep.266 – Basement Blues: Faith and Trauma in The...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/10/02

In 2011, Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl released The Binding of Isaac, a crude Flash project that grew into one of the most influential indie games of its era. We trace McMillen’s path from comics to Super Meat Boy, his partnership with Himsl, and the deeply personal religious themes that shaped Isaac’s grotesque story. The episode highlights its Zelda-inspired dungeons, roguelike randomization, and item transformations that turned every run into a new tale of survival. Our conversation explores

en-US

00:56:09

Ep.265 – Heroes in the Cockpit: Chris Roberts and...

A Trip Down Memory Card Lane ·

2025/09/25

In 1990, Origin Systems released Wing Commander, Chris Roberts’ groundbreaking space combat simulator that aimed to feel like a movie you could play. We trace Roberts’ path from teenage programmer on the BBC Micro to his time at Origin, where Times of Lore shaped his cinematic ambitions. The episode explores how Roberts taught himself 3D tricks, pitched Squadron, and assembled a small team to bring branching campaigns, cockpit chatter, and dynamic music to life. Our conversation highlights critic

en-US

284 results

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