Retro Titans - the giants of retro and indie gaming in conversation

Pixel Perfection: Inside the Pico-8 Creations of Johan Peitz

In this episode of Retro Titans, Phil returns to the vibrant world of Pico-8, the tiny virtual console with a massive creative heart. Following the success of our earlier chat with composer Chris Donnelly (aka Gruber), we're diving deeper into this pixel-perfect ecosystem with one of its most prolific creators, Johan Peitz. From Alpine Alpaca to Golf Sunday and Ascent, Johan's games capture the playful experimentation and elegant simplicity that make Pico-8 such a joy for developers and players alike. Phil and Johan explore the origins of Johan's game-making journey, from early inspirations to discovering Pico-8's unique constraints and charm. They discuss the process behind demakes like Pico Driller, how collaboration with Gruber shapes the tone of his games, and what makes the Pico-8 community one of the most supportive and inventive corners of the indie scene. Johan also shares advice for newcomers curious about making their first Pico-8 game — and why the best ideas often come from working within limitations. To wrap things up, Johan takes us through his favourite Pico-8 creations, shines a light on some standout developers in the scene, and reflects on the music that brings his tiny worlds to life. 🔗 Links: Website - johanpeitz.com [https://johanpeitz.com/] Itch.io - johanpeitz.itch.io [https://johanpeitz.itch.io/] X - @johanpeitz [https://x.com/johanpeitz] Bluesky - @johanpeitz.com [https://bsky.app/profile/johanpeitz.com] 🎵 Music: Intro – Neon Gaming, by Dope Stuff Alpine Alpaca and Polar Panic, by Gruber

Evercade Q&A Exclusive - with Sean Cleaver and Ryan Dekker

In this episode, we return to one of our favourite topics on Retro Titans: the wonderful world of Evercade. Joining Phil are Sean Cleaver (Head of Marketing) and Ryan Dekker (Head of Technology) for a special fan-led Q&A — the first of its kind on the podcast. Across a wide range of listener questions, Sean and Ryan discuss the future of Evercade's library and hardware, how they balance nostalgia with modern development, and the ongoing dialogue with the community across platforms like Reddit and Discord. They talk screen improvements, accessibility ideas, bug fixes, and the evolving developer program — including how indie creators can get involved. There's also insight into upcoming collections, the return of Spectrum titles, and what fans can expect in 2026. And to wrap things up, Desert Island Carts makes a triumphant return. Ryan picks his dream Evercade setup, three essential cartridges, and the gaming music track he'd take to his tropical retreat. 🔗 Links: Website - evercade.co.uk [https://evercade.co.uk/] Discord - @evercade-official [https://discord.com/channels/662267976984297473/999550150705954856] Facebook - @evercaderetro [https://www.facebook.com/evercaderetro/] Reddit - @evercade [https://www.reddit.com/r/evercade/] X - @evercaderetro [https://x.com/evercaderetro] 🎵 Music: Neon Gaming, by Dope Stuff Desert Island Disc theme tune, by Eric Coates and his orchestra Roguecraft DX - by Jogeir Liljedahl

The Revolution Story: Broken Sword, Steel Sky, and Going Indie - with Tony Warriner

Tony Warriner is a co-founder of Revolution Software — the team behind Lure of the Temptress, Beneath a Steel Sky, and Broken Sword. From his teenage coding experiments on the Amstrad CPC to shaping one of Britain's most iconic adventure studios, Tony's story is one of creativity, independence, and survival. In this episode, Tony joins me to talk about building Revolution from the ground up, the clever tech behind the Virtual Theatre engine, and what it really took to bring Broken Sword to life. We discuss the indie spirit that's guided him through decades of change, his self-published book Revolution: The Quest for Game Development Greatness, his upcoming game UrbX Warriors, and his thoughts on the future of small-scale game development. Plus, Tony takes on a round of quickfire questions — including a story behind the goat puzzle, the most chaotic genius at Revolution, and the one game cover he'd want on his gravestone. 🔗 Links: Instagram: @TonyWarriner [https://www.instagram.com/tonywarriner/?hl=en] X: @tonywarriner [https://x.com/tonywarriner?lang=en] Bluesky: @tonywarriner.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:3hgkgqj3biicws5r4kmpd6z3] Tony's book: Gumroad [https://tonywarriner.gumroad.com/] 🎵 Music: Intro – Neon Gaming by Dope Stuff Revenge of the Mutant Camels (C64), by James Lisney

Pico-8, gaming music, and moving to Nova Scotia, with Chris Donnelly aka Gruber

Chris Donnelly — better known in the Pico-8 community as Gruber — is a professional pianist, Steinway Artist, and former jazz player and tutor at the University of Toronto who's taken his love of music in an unexpected direction: composing soundtracks for tiny retro-styled games on the fantasy console Pico-8. His chiptune soundtracks have graced fan-favourite titles like Alpine Alpaca, Golf Sunday, and Pico Pirates, blending musical sophistication with 8-bit charm. In this episode, Chris joins me from Nova Scotia to talk about his journey from the jazz world to retro game music, how Pico-8's strict limitations inspire new forms of creativity, and what the experience taught him about community, creativity and learning. But behind the creativity lies a more personal story. After years in academia and performing, Chris faced burnout that led him to step back from the piano - even selling his most cherished instruments. He has come out the other side and has an amazing, inspirational story to tell. And of course, we wrap up with a visit to the Retro Rocket Museum, where Chris chooses his one must-have retro device, two treasured games, and a track to send drifting through the cosmos. 🔗 Links: YouTube – @Gruber_Music [https://www.youtube.com/@Gruber_Music] Pico-8 www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php [https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php] 🎵 Music: Intro – Neon Gaming, by Dope Stuff Kind of Bloop, by Andy Baio Fez, by Disasterpeace Ghouls 'n Ghosts, by Tamayo Kawamoto

From Amiga demo scene to Evercade hit — the story of Roguecraft DX, with Badger Punch Games' Ricki Sickenger & Henning Ludvigsen

Badger Punch Games — the duo of Ricki Sickenger and Henning Ludvigsen — have been creating games together since their Amiga demo scene days in the early '90s. Their breakout title Roguecraft first made waves on the Amiga in 2024, later winning the Debug award and quickly earning a devoted following. Now the game has been reimagined and released as Roguecraft DX on Evercade, bringing their retro-inspired roguelike adventure to a whole new audience. In this episode, Ricki and Henning join me to talk about their journey from humble beginnings in the demo scene, to building games as a side hustle, to becoming part of the Evercade family. We discuss the origins of Roguecraft, the challenges of bringing it to life on classic hardware, and the process of enhancing it for Evercade — from new features to the community support that helped make it happen. Along the way, they share insights into procedural generation, design choices like the lack of save states, and what they'd love to add in the future. As always, we wrap up with a trip to the Retro Rocket Museum, where Ricki and Henning pick their all-time favourite retro device and two games to preserve for future generations, and finish with a music pick to play us out. It's a must-listen for fans of Amiga, Evercade, and indie retro development. 🔗 Links: Website – www.badgerpunch.com [https://www.badgerpunch.com/] Facebook – @BadgerPunch [https://www.facebook.com/badgerpunch] Discord - @BadgerPunch [https://discord.com/invite/Q6uC7RhE9C] Evercade - evercade.co.uk/cartridges/roguecraft-dx [https://evercade.co.uk/cartridges/roguecraft-dx/] 🎵 Music: Intro – Neon Gaming, by Dope Stuff Outro – Driller C64 Loading Tune, by Matt Gray