88 mph. Rev it up. This is dispatch #3 of Video Game Podcasts! If youāre receiving this via email, thank you for letting me in your inbox. If youāre reading this on the web, go subscribe already. Itās free!
This week, in honor of his return to form, we take a quick deep dive into Kevin Larrabeeās retro gaming podcast, Back in my Play.
Letās get on with it,
Tom
You might likeā¦
Back in my Play
Back in my Play is self-described as a podcast for nostalgic gamers. With each episode, Kevin and friends explore the history and legacy of a single retro video game or topic, with occasional diverging episodes to talk about anything gaming-relevant.
The show started in 2013 and the current release schedule is irregular, but that shouldnāt stop you from digging into an archive of almost 130 episodes and subscribing to catch the new stuff!
Runtime?
Topic/game-specific episodes are around 60-90 minutes. Looser conversational episodes with guests can sometimes reach two hours. The meandering episodes with Mike Mika could be 4 hours, and Iād still want more.
Who hosts it?
The show is produced by Kevin Larrabee ā a gym owner and fitness podcaster who happens to love retro video games. He doesnāt just appreciate them, he really knows retro video games!
Most episodes feature a unique cast of guest co-hosts. Kevin seems to curate the perfect co-host for each game or topic.
Diving into a Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master on Genesis? Of course you want to bring on Sega expert and Generation 16 producer, Greg Sewart.
Taking a stab at Castlevania: Dracula X? Why not invite Hardcore Gaming 101 and The Castlevania Dungeonās, Kurt Kalata.
Whatās the format?
For single game episodes, hereās what you can expect to hear:
General overview of the game,
Well-researched segment on the history of its development and release,
Kevin and guestsā stories/memories with the game,
Brief discussion about the legacy of the game, sequels, ports, and the best ways to play,
Music from the game shared throughout the episode!
For conversational or interview episodes, thereās no format! Just solid conversations about old (and new) video games.
Whatās so special about that?
Seems like everyone with a Raspberry Pi and a USB SNES controller feels equipped to host a retro gaming podcast, so why choose this one:
š¾ Kevin has a deep respect for retro games.
Thereās an evident passion and respect for retro games. From the NES to the Dreamcast, Kevin explores the hardware, software, developers, and stories that made each generation great.
I appreciate that Kevin does decent research when talking about topics, and heās also super knowledgeable about original, FPGA, and modded hardware to share some of the best ways to experience games today.
Kevin is also a strong supporter of the Video Game History Foundation and companies that are doing great work to preserve retro games and soundtracks (like Brave Wave!)
š® The guests are great.
Already mentioned this, but the guests are always fitting for the topic at hand. I enjoy hearing about hardware and ports from Digital Foundryās John Linneman, and Japanese games from Gamespotās Peter Brown.
The frequently rotating cast adds some variety to what could otherwise be a dull, repetitive listening experience.
š¶ The music is dope.
Even on the non-topical episodes, the music shared is the perfect companion for taking a nostalgic trip back to the era of gaming being discussed.
Iāve definitely listened to an episode on the way to work, only to play that gameās soundtrack on repeat for the rest of the day.
What do others say about it?
Thereās a 4.6 star rating on Apple Podcasts currently, from 225 reviewers.
Hereās a good one from āealbertolopezā
āāāāā āGreat Retro Nostalgia Talkā
My hands down favorite retro games podcast. Kevin is an awesome host and you really feel his excitement for old games. He has great guests including *the best* Mike Mika.
Unfortunately, new episodes are now pretty rare but itās still a great one to listen to.
ā
But listen, I donāt want to color this dispatch with my own biases.
Hereās some feedback from a lower review from āGam3rGhoulā:
āā āFrustratingā
This podcast can be entertaining... provided you enjoy listening to people reminisce about games they grew up with, or games theyāre experiencing for the first time. If youāre looking for anything more informative, you should check out Retronauts.
Why did I give this podcast such a low score? The host, Kevin, can be frustrating to listen to. Like a temperamental child, once heās made an opinion, he isnāt interested in listening to alternate points of view. Heās also very quick to get on the defensive, and has a bad tendency of interrupting and talking down to his guestsā¦
As a long-time listener, I can respect this opinion, but I donāt agree with the temperamental child analogy. How we judge podcasts is very subjective! I enjoy Retronauts and Back in my Play for very different reasons.
But I want to quickly acknowledge that every podcast host will have his/her fans and detractors. So, if you donāt dig the host, no harm, just donāt listen.
Is it kid-friendly?
Most episodes feel appropriate (provided the game in question is!) (Note: You might not care about thisā¦ I typically donāt, to be honest, but Iām on an epic quest to find podcasts that I can reliably listen to with my kids in the car!)
Final thoughts?
Back in my Play has covered a ton of ground, from starting with a few classic Nintendo and Sega titles to dedicating an entire summer to the Dreamcast. Thereās something for everyone.
I also enjoy listening to episodes from 2014-2016 and catching references to the gaming ānewsā at the time. Sheesh. It was a different time. š
If you are especially into the console generations that spanned 1985-2000, this podcast is worth exploring.
Where to listen? Whatās a good starting point?
Sift through the archives and jump into your favorite game. I started on the near-and-dear-to-me Mega Man 3.
Kevin and the show has changed a bit since the early episodes, as most things do after 6+ years, so if you want to get a feel for the new stuff, listen to his recent conversation with Mike Mika.
š Here are your links:
Spotify (Sorry, couldnāt find it!)
Do you already listen to Back in my Play? Have you checked it out after reading this? Love it? Hate it? Let me know your feedback!
Random Spotlight: New Game Plus
Iāll be sure to give my friends at New Game Plus a proper dispatch soon, but in the interim, I want to preemptively give a quick shout out for hitting a big milestone - Episodes 200!
NGP also follows the āpick a single game and talk aboutā formula. Their signature āretro master listā and ārandomizerā ensures that a wildly different game gets selected each week.
If you enjoy Back in my Play, and want a super consistent weekly show to get your retro gaming fix, go give New Game Plus a spin.
Reader Recommendations
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