Episode 73: Ralph Baer fled Nazi Germany and settled in America where he eventually created the first home video game console, known as the Magnavox Odyssey. Not long after Ralph's creation, Jerry Lawson, a Black computer engineer, built on that idea and lead the team that created the first video game cartridge. Both men have very interesting lives, and are ... Show More
Aug 31
Bunion Derby and Route 66
November of 2026 will mark the 100th Anniversary of Route 66, a highway that inspired road trips, neon signs, writers, singers, and even a movie about talking cars. But first, the Bunion Derby was a publicity stunt for attention on Route 66 and it was America's first cross-countr ... Show More
30 m
Jul 1
Mary Katharine Goddard, Independence Hall, and The Declaration of Independence
Episode 119 looks at some key moment inside Indepedence Hall (and the time they almost tore it down). Likewise, we'll meet Mary Katharine Goddard, who published the first version of the Declaration to contain the names of all the signers. If you look closely, you can find her nam ... Show More
33m 39s
Nov 2018
Video Games: A Tale of Two Pongs
Introducing our brand new history show, Forever Ago! Join host Joy Dolo and kid co-host Kai on an epic quest through history to figure out how video games began. With help from intrepid reporter Cari Spivack, they’ll visit the age of dinosaur computers, hear the sounds of early a ... Show More
34m 49s
Mar 2020
Arsenio: Rocketships and Wiimotes
The unbelievable true story of Arsenio, who now works for NASA and has sent something into space, all because of a video game.Aoife Wilson and Julia Hardy are best mates who love video games and have worked in the industry for years. They find the most shocking, moving and inspir ... Show More
21m 20s
Dec 2023
579: Writing About Video Game History
Jeremy Parish, Bob Mackey, Nadia Oxford, Stuart Gipp, and Kevin Bunch have one thing in common: They've published books about video game history. In this episode, they break down the work involved in making the magic happen. Retronauts is made possible by listener support through ... Show More
1h 44m
Jul 2020
Video Games | Electric Dreams | S30-E1
Call of Duty, Fortnite, Animal Crossing.... The video game industry generates billions of dollars each year. But not so long ago, video games were mostly played by the programmers who made them. On our new season, we’re telling the story of how video games broke out of university ... Show More
38m 56s