This Week in Video Game History

This week on This Week in Video Game History, we're covering June 1st through June 7th — a week that runs from 1984 Moscow to 2023 and hits some of the most fascinating stories in gaming along the way.On the timeline: Super Mario Bros. 2 on the Famicom Disk System — the brutally difficult Japanese sequel Nintendo of America refused to release, later rebranded as The Lost Levels. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, the first handheld Zelda, born as an unauthorized side project by Nintendo developers working off-hours. EarthBound on the SNES — Shigesato Itoi's genre-defying RPG, which arrives in North America in 1995 and sets up our second deep dive perfectly. GTA San Andreas landing on Xbox and PC in 2005, bringing the Hot Coffee controversy with it. The Sims 3 rewriting the rules of PC game launches in 2009. inFamous 2 closing out Sucker Punch's PS3 era. And Street Fighter 6, one of the best fighting game launches in years — dropping on the same date as Tekken 7 did in 2017 and Diablo Immortal in 2022.Deep dives this week: the Cold War thriller behind Tetris — how Alexey Pajitnov created one of history's most important games in 1984 Soviet Moscow and didn't own a ruble of it for twelve years. The "This Game Stinks" EarthBound marketing disaster. And E3 2009's Project Natal reveal — the night Microsoft showed the world a controller-free future that half-delivered.

0:00 -- Cold Open1:40 -- Intro2:34 -- Smash Ping Pong - May 30, 19873:54 -- Zero Wing - May 31, 19925:04 -- Tokimeki Memorial - May 27, 19946:20 -- The Lion King (NES) - May 25, 19957:48 -- Worms Armageddon - May 31, 19999:14 -- Mario Kart 8 -- May 29, 201410:25 -- Deep Dive: Dragon Quest and the Strange American Journey of the JRPG11:50 -- Deep Dive: Splatoon and the Console That Shouldn't Have Worked13:14 -- Deep Dive: Super Mario Bros. The Movie, and What Happens When Hollywood Doesn't Get It14: 28 -- OutroVideo CreditsSmash Ping Pong (Famicom Disk System, 1987) Full Game Session -- @NenrikiGamingZero Wing (E) - Intro Sequence [TTS] -- @Bot-ultracorpTokimeki Memorial ~ Forever With You Opening -- @TokimekiMediaThe Lion King (NES) Playthrough -- @NintendoCompleteWorms Armageddon Online (WormNET) | Intermediate 3 Players -- @OldNerdPlayingOldPCGames#VideoGameHistory #GamingHistory #RetroGaming #NintendoHistory #JRPG #DragonQuest #Splatoon #MarioMovie #ThisWeekInVideoGameHistory #GamingFacts #GamingPodcast

0:00 - Cold Open1:54 - Intro2:50 - May 22, 1980 -- Pac-Man4:40 - May 1980 -- Golden Axe6:31 - May 22, 2000 -- Perfect Dark8:34 - May 18, 2010 -- Red Dead Redemption10:27 - May 18, 2015 -- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt12:38 - Deep Dive 1 -- Pac-Man's Cultural Invasion14:46 - Deep Dive 2 -- CD Projekt Red: Poland's Game16:34 - Deep Dive 3 -- The Burlingame Moment: May 24, 197219:05 - Outro#VideoGameHistory #GamingHistory #RetroGaming #GamingPodcast #PacMan #Witcher3 #RedDeadRedemption2 #MagnavoxOdyssey #GoldenAxe #ClassicGaming

May 11th through May 17th gave us the first E3, the birth of Guilty Gear, a Japan-only Fire Emblem that never officially left the country, Skate 3's unlikely second life on YouTube, and the story of Team Bondi — the studio that built L.A. Noire's revolutionary face technology, worked itself into the ground, and was liquidated five months after shipping its only game. Plus the press release that accidentally created Counter-Strike.00:00 -- Cold Open02:01 -- Intro03:06 -- Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War (May 14, 1996)04:37 -- Guilty Gear (May 14, 1998)06:37 -- Skate 3 (May 11, 2010)07:50 -- Invisible, Inc (May 12, 2015)09:02 -- Injustice 2 (May 16, 2017)10:52 -- The First E3 (May 11-13, 1995)12:46 -- L.A. Noire and the Studio That Broke Itself (May 17, 2011)14:42 -- The Mod that Changed Everything (May 11, 1999)16:34 -- Outro

Every first-person shooter you've ever played started with one shareware floppy uploaded to a BBS in May 1992. This week we're covering Wolfenstein 3D, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, EVE Online, Red Dead Revolver, Plants vs. Zombies, Prey, and Resident Evil Village — plus three deep dives: how Capcom cancelled the game that became Red Dead, why E3 2006 was the most consequential trade show in gaming history, and the literal birth of practical computing in a Cambridge basement in 1949. The week of May 4th through 10th, across gaming history. So grab your controller, and press start to continue.0:00 - Cold open: 19491:41 - Theme Song1:49 - Intro2:51 - Timeline Intro3:13 - Wolfenstein 3D -- May 5, 19925:40 - Super Mario Bros. Deluxe -- May 10, 19998:04 - Castlevania: Aria of Sorrows -- May 6, 20039:55 - EVE: Online -- May 6, 200312:18 - Red Dead Revolver -- May 4, 200414:07 - Plants vs. Zombies -- May 5, 200916:07 - Prey -- May 5, 201718:39 - Resident Evil: Village -- May 7, 202120:52 - Deep Dive 1: The Capcom-to-Rockstar Handoff: How Red Dead Was Almost a Capcom Game23:47 - Deep Dive 2: E3 2006: The Most Consequential Trade Show in Gaming History25:09 - EDSAC and the Birth of Practical Computing27:33 - OutroNew Episodes every MondayTwitch: twitch.tv/therobustoneContact: [email protected]

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the 2011 PlayStation Network outage, pay tribute to the Noble 14, and look at how Nintendo purchased a Legendary RPG maker for the cost of a house.Timeline this week:- Mario Kart Wii- Grand Theft Auto IV- Star Fox 64- Nier- Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask- Breath of Fire IV- Bomberman HerofA video version of this episode is hosted here: https://youtu.be/2XYl4GLfdLM

This week we are covering April 13th through April 19th — a week that gave us one of gaming's greatest cult classics that almost nobody bought, a DC Comics fighting franchise that redefined superhero games, the most beloved puzzle sequel of its generation, a neo-noir indie that took six years to make and became an instant classic, a shooter that had absolutely no business being on a Nintendo console, and a Japanese action platformer on a dying console that launched a beloved franchise. Plus — yes — the oatmeal people made Atari games.YouTube Video of this episode: https://youtu.be/zt8Q7bZV0AEArt done by MizTinkMusic done by Shane Madani / GrandeWarlockCheck out his music on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Jy9J5vNVFB3BuPUV0yYisFind me on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/therobustone

This week in Video Game History looks at April 6 - 12. Some great games came out this week, and some amazing events that have shaped the gaming world happened this week!

#gaming #retrogaming #videogames #nintendo #videogamehistory #PC #marvelvscapcom2 #dreamcast #afterburner #nes #monumentvalley #metalslug #neogeo #doom64 #n64 #finalfantasyArt done by MizTinkMusic done by Shane Madani / GrandeWarlockCheck out his music on Spotify!Find me on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/therobustone

0:00 - Teaser0:43 - Intro1:43 - Timeline Intro2:44 - Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite3:25 - Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes4:15 - Kirby's Adventure4:56 - Black & White5:55 - Bioshock: Infinite6:47 - Diablo III: Reaper of Souls7:33 - Deep Dive: Resident Evil10:35 - Deep Dive: Nintendo Holy Day10:59 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past12:42 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker14:42 - Gameboy Advance SP16:08 - OutroVideo CreditsThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Intro (1080p): @Z-RollMonster Hunter Freedom Unite - Opening - PSP: @PlayscopeTimelineMetal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes - HD Remastered Opening - GC: @PlayscopeTimelineKirby's Adventure Intro Opening: @BasileousProductionsBlack & White Introduction: @mdaabilBioShock Infinite Beast of America Trailer: @GhostStoryGamesBioshock: Infinite PC - Bring Us The Girl And Wipe Away The Debt (Booker's Apartment) 1080p: @Joe.AlvaradoDiablo III: Reaper of Souls Opening Cinematic: @DiabloLongplay of Resident Evil (1996): @longplayarchiveThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 100% Walkthrough Part 1 - Zelda's Rescue: @packattack04082The Legend of Zelda 1, NES, Magic Sword, Power Braclet: @godofwar2masterRA link to the past Getting the Master Sword: @SuikaNineThe Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker Title Screen Intro: @GhostDeath360Now It's Personal | Zelda: The Wind Waker 100% Walkthrough "2/45" (No Commentary): @KrowsGraveyard14 Minutes of Gameboy Advance Commercials from the 00s: @PixelSlayers#gaming #retrogaming #videogames #nintendo #videogamehistory #xbox #PC #arcade #capcom #residentevil #kirby #gameboy #monsterhunter #diablo #diablo3 #metalgearArt done by MizTinkMusic done by Shane Mandani / GrandeWarlockFind me on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/therobustone

In this Episode:- Pac-Man- Punch-Out!!!- EverQuest- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion- Animal Crossing: New Horizions- The Founding of Konami- The Sims Dethrones MystVideo CreditsAtari 2600 Longplay Pac-Man: @worldoflongplaysArcade Long Play Punch-Out: @worldoflongplaysEverquest Original Trailer: @everquestThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Trailer: @bethesdaAnimal Crossing: New Horizions - Nintendo Switch Trailer - Nintendo E3 2019: @NintendoAmericaFrogger Arcade: @oldclassicgameScramble Arcade: @oldclassicgameCastlevania - Intro: @ElectroDuck123Contra - Intro: @ElectroDuck123Gradius Opening Nintendo Entertainment System: @nesjp5573Myst 1993 Intro: @ElwynGlitchwoodThe Sims 1: Vanilla Gameplay: @BarakaPlayMetal Gear NES Intro: @NoxHardiganSilent Hill Intro: @xasthured7074#gaming #retrogaming #videogames #nintendo #videogamehistory #xbox #PC #arcade #everquest #konami #pacman #elderscrolls #bethesda #animalcrossing #castlevania #silenthill #contra #metalgear #gradius #konamicode #myst #thesimsFind me on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/therobustone

0:00 - Teaser0:50 - Intro1:27 - Timeline1:42 - Ms. Pac-Man2:13 - Super Mario RPG2:51 - Titanfall3:31 - God of War II4:25 - Ori and the Blind Forest5:13 - Starcraft 26:03 - Feature: Chrono Trigger8:02 - OutroVideo CreditsChrono Trigger Intro: ⁨@ShiryuGL⁩ Ms Pac-Man: ⁨@oldclassicgame⁩ Super Mario RPG: ⁨@MegamanNG⁩ Titanfall: ⁨@IGN⁩ God of War II Trailer: ⁨@IGN⁩ Ori and the Blind Forest Trailer: ⁨@xbox⁩ Starcraft II : Heart of the Swar: ⁨@StarCraft⁩ #gaming #retrogaming #videogames #nintendo #videogamehistory #xbox # #ps2 #playstation #starcraft #starcraft2 #godofwar #mspacman #chronotrigger #oriandtheblindforest #supermariorpg Find me on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/therobustone

This Week in Video Game History March 2 - 8In this episode:0:00 - Flash back to PS2/Switch launches1:11 - Intro2:30 - Timeline Start2:49 - Ninja Gaiden3:40 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild4:19 - Donkey Kong II4:47 - Dragon Age 25:35 - Mass Effect 36:41 - PS2 and Switch Launch Looks6:56 - PS2 Release8:05 - Switch Release9:10 - Outro#gaming #retrogaming #videogames #nintendo #videogamehistory #xbox #ninjagaiden #dragonage #donkeykong #ps2 #playstation #switch #zeldaFind me on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/therobustone

This Week in Video Game History February February 23 - March 1In this episode:- Pokemon Day (February 27, 1996)- Brief History of Sports games--- Ralph Baer Demos Brown Box (February 24, 1968)--- Intellivision Major League Baseball (February 28, 1980)--- Intellivision NFL Football (February 28, 1980)--- EA Sports MVP Baseball 2005 (March 1, 2005)- Space Invaders port comes to Atari (February 28, 1980)- Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages (February 27, 2001- Super Street Fighter II Turbo (February 23, 1994)- Contra III: The Alien Wars (as Contra Spirits in Japan February 28, 1992)- Stardew Valley (February 26, 2016)Happy Birthdays- Sid Meier (February 24)- Ron Gilbert (February 27)- Make Rodkin (February 29)- Steve Jobs (February 24)Youtube Video Sources:Pokemon Red for Game Boy Full Playthrough:  @NintendoUtopia  Evolution of Pokémon Games Graphics (1996 - 2022):  @aWiibo  Tennis for Two:  @doteaters  Ralph Baer and Bill Harrison testing the brown box:  @videogamesfoundation  Intellivision Major League Baseball:  @doteaters  Intellivision NFL Football:  @RetroSlayerGaming  John Madden Football:  @Squakenet  MVP Baseball 2005 Gameplay:  @GamePlayStation12345  MLB The Show 26 Trailer:  @SonySanDiego  NFL Challenge © 1985 XOR Corporation - PC DOS - Gameplay: @Darkleon_TVGMRBI Baseball - NES - Full Game AL vs NL (Bunt HR!):  @deiradinn  Space Invaders Atari 2600:  @NML32  Zelda Oracle of Seasons:  @TanderXS  Super Street Fighter II Turbo Arcade Gameplay:  @longnplay  Contra III: The Alien Wars:  @NintendoComplete  Sid Meier Retrospective:  @Verac_VG  Ron Gilbert: short interview:  @tivi-leonis  Playing Dead Episode 4:  @Trendkillervideos  Breakout: <a href="https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCboj4uX8i-1sU8Qgz

This Week in Video Game History February 16 - 22In this episode:- Nintendo Releases the Famicom Disk System- The Legend of Zelda - The Legend of Zelda II- Starfox (SNES)- PlayStation Vita launches in the US- Horizion Forbidden West- Destiny 2: The Witch Queen- The New 3DS XL hits North America- PS4 Unveiling- EA Aquires Criterion- The Xbox Multiplatform PivotSpecial thanks to The Gaming Historian for the FDS Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9PuSrn_H1cOther YouTube Sources:Famicom Disk System Japanese Ad: @NeoGoemonStar Fox: @errantmindPlaystion Vita: @playstationHorizion Forbidden West: @PlaystationDestiny 2: The Witcher Queen: @GameSpotNintendo 3DS Reveal: @IGNPlaysation 4 Reveal: @IGNCriterion Logo: @DG1000Halo/The Multiplayer Pivot: @Xbox#gaming #retrogaming #videogames #nintendo #n64 #arcade #gameboy3ds #snes #nes #famicom #videogamehistory Find me on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/therobustone

This Week in Video Game History February 2 - February 8In this episode:- Release Timeline - Dragon Warrior III (February 10, 1988) - X-Men Arcade (February 12, 1992) - Super Mario 3 (February 12, 1990) - Metroid: Zero Mission (February 9, 2004) - World of Warcraft Launches in Europe (February 11, 2005) - R.C. Pro Am (February 1988) - Mario Kart 64 (February 10, 1997)- Ralph Baer demonstrates TV Game Unit 2Special thanks to Motherboard for the interview with Ralph Baer in 2014 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83ThW_HjtBg&t=209sOther YouTube Sources:Dragon Warrior III:  @now-loading  X-Men Arcade:  @NintendoComplete  Super Mario 3: @marioandsonicnotsuck  Metroid: Zero Mission @naswinger  Warcraft Cinematic Trailer:  @Warcraft  RC Pro-Am:  @perfectgame191  Mario Kart 64:  @piplupwater  #gaming #retrogaming #videogames #nintendo #n64 #arcade #gameboyadvance #nes #videogamehistory Find me on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/therobustone

This Week in Video Game History February 2 - February 8In this episode:- Quick Hits: - Paper Mario (Feb 5, 2001) - Valheim (Feb 2, 2021) - Helldivers 2 (Feb 8, 2024) - Defender (Feb 1981) - Contra on NES (~Feb 2, 1981)- The Death of Flappy Bird (Feb 8, 2014)- Sony sells Sony Online Entertainment (Feb 2, 2015)- The Sims is released (Feb 4, 2000)

This Week in Video Game History January 26 - February 1In this episode:- Quick Hits: - Silent Hill (Jan 31, 1999) - Mass Effect 2 (Jan 26, 2010 - Dying Light (Jan 27, 2015) - Kingdom Hearts III (Jan 29, 2019)- The Fall of Hardware Sega- The Great Betrayal - Final Fantasy VII's Japanese Launch

The first episode of This Week in Video Game History! In this episode:- Capcom Coincidence- Indie Class of 2018- The Shadow Drop Hear 'round the World- The Viral Anomoly