Nostalgium Arcanum - Episodes Tagged with “Retro Games”

NBA Jam

Doug Lief — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Boom shakalaka! In 1993 NBA Jam abandoned videogame basketball verisimilitude in favor of wild 2-on-2 arcade action and like its playable athletes, caught fire. Comedian and improviser Rich Baker (www.daretofailimprov.com) is ON FIRE! He joins us to revisit this classic game, its impressive (and sometimes even presidential) roster of all-stars, and the phenomenon that ensued when hoops gave way to havoc.

Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium!

Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod).

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Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions.

Musical Credits:

Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie)
All music from NBA Jam by Rick Fox

Video Game Soundtracks

Doug Lief — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0700

From the moment you pop in a quarter or press start, video games have used music to enthrall, entice, and plumb even more complex emotions, far more than one might expect from the push of a button. On this podcast we celebrate the composers who have wrestled microchips, midi, and mp3s into the rich sonic (and sometimes Sonic) tapestries that elevate simple zeroes and ones into powerful musical experiences. We're joined by a full panel of games podcasters including Dave Jackson (Tales From The Backlog), Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) and Chris Coplien (Retro Hangover) to roundtable our favorite game soundtracks.

Check out the incredible podcasts from our panel:

Retro Hangover (https://retrohangover.captivate.fm/)
Pixel Project Radio (https://linktr.ee/pixelprojectradio)
Tales From The Backlog (https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/)

Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium!

Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod).

You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts

Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions.

Musical Credits:

Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie)
Pac-Man -Shigeichi Ishimura, Toshio Kai
The Legend of Zelda – Koji Kondo
ActRaiser – Yuzo Koshiro
Crash Bandicoot - Josh Mancell
Live & Learn – Crush40
Legend of Mana – Yoko Shimomura
Silent Hill 2 - Akira Yamaoka
The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time – Koji Kondo
Narita Boy - Salvador Fornieles
Grandia - Noriyuki Iwadare
Skullgirls - Michiru Yamane, Vincent Diamante, Brenton Kossak, Blaine McGurty
Shovel Knight – Jake Kaufman
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse - Hidenori Maezawa, Jun Funahashi, Yukie Morimoto, Yoshinori Sasaki
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – Brad Buxer, Sega Sound Team, and maybe Michael Jackson?
Kingdom Hearts 2 - Yoko Shimomura
Hotline Miami – Paris (M|O|O|N)
The 7th Guest – The Fat Man
Final Fantasy VIII – Nobuo Uematsu
Final Fantasy IV – Nobuo Uematsu
Final Fantasy VI – Nobuo Uematsu
Sadow of the Colossus – Kow Otoni
Super Mario Galaxy – Koji Kondo
Ni No Kuni: The Wrath of the White Witch – Joe Hisaishi
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean – Motoi Sakuraba
Street Fighter EX Plus α - Takayuki Aihara, Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht - Yasunori Mitsuda
F-Zero X - Taro Bando, Hajime Wakai
Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag – Bryan Tyler
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana - Hayato Sonoda, Takahiro Unisuga, Yukihiro Jindo, Mitsuo Singa
Drakengard - Nobuyoshi Sano, Takayuki Aihara
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War - Keiki Kobayashi, Tetsukazu Nakanishi, Hiroshi Okubo, Junichi Nakatsuru
Hollow Knight – Christopher Larkin
Chrono Cross - Yasunori Mitsuda
Nine Sols – FFXX, Im Baek Hun, Troy Lin, Shih-Wei Yang
Dead Kennedys – Police Truck
Claire Obscur: Expedition 33 – Lorien Testard – Lumiere
Streets of Rage 2 - Yuzo Koshiro, Motohiro Kawashima
Lisa: The Painful - Austin Jorgensen
Nier - Keiichi Okabe, Kakeru Ishihama, Keigo Hoashi, Takafumi Nishimura
Megaman 2 - Takashi Tateishi – Wily Stage 1
Chrono Trigger - Yasunori Mitsuda, Nobuo Uematsu, Noriko Matsueda
Pentiment - Alkemie Early Music Ensemble
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - Jamie Christopherson
Super Mario World – Koji Kondo
Conker’s Bad Fur Day - Robin Beanland

Crash Bandicoot

Doug Lief — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0800

1996's Crash Bandicoot tackled the leap from 2d gaming to 3d with wild abandon, cartoon mania, and down-under flair. Guest James Hughes of the TeamWorks podcast joins us to revisit a mascot platformer that dominated his era of videogame history.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions.

Musical Credits

Intro - Dark Flute - Jim Guthrie
All music from Crash Bandicoot by John Mancell
Score from Uncharted 4 by Henry Jackman

Uncharted

Doug Lief — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 01:00:00 -0700

The Uncharted franchise grew to greatness from small beginnings as globe-trotting treasure hunter Nathan Drake took the archaeological reins from Indiana Jones and Lara Croft before him. Josh Covel of the Still Loading Podcast (@stilloadingpod) helps unearth what made this game franchise a true treasure that belongs in a museum.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content.

Musical Credits:
Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie)
All score from Uncharted 1, 2, and 3 by Greg Edmonson
All score from Uncharted 4 by Henry Jackman

Doom

Doug Lief — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 01:00:00 -0700

Doom's lasting impact on the world of video games remains as potent as ever 30 years on. Comedian Rich Baker (@richbakercoaching) throws on a helmet with us to return to Mars and blast away at all manner of digital demons.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content.

Musical Credits:

Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie)
Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Joey Scarbury)
Theme from Seinfeld (Jonathan Wolff, Yoni Wolf)
Theme from The Simpsons (Danny Elfman)
All music from Doom (Mick Gordon)

Chrono Trigger

Doug Lief — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 01:00:00 -0700

Time keeps on slippin' as Matt Storm of the Fun & Games podcast (@funandgamespod) travels with us back to 1995 to revisit Chrono Trigger, one of the most highly regarded and influential video games ever. With an adventure that criss-crosses eons and an indelible soundtrack, the story of Chrono remains enthralling nearly three decades on.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content.

Also, please subscribe to the Fun & Games podcast to check out a recent bonus episode on Conquests of the Longbow featuring your host, Doug Lief.

Musical Credits:

Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie)
All tracks from Chrono Trigger by Yasunori Mitsuda and Nobuo Uematsu

Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest

Doug Lief — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 01:00:00 -0700

What a horrible night to have a curse! Comedian Rich Baker (@richbakercoaching) joins us to whip it good as we revisit Castlevania 2, a game far more foreboding, obtuse, and influential outing than the original.

If you want to take an online improv class from Rich, go to www.daretofailimprov.com (first class is free!).

Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content.

Musical Credits:

Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie)
All score from Castlevania 2 by Kenichi Matsuraba