Episodes

  • The History of Commodore Pt 1

    The History of Commodore Pt 1
    Oct 15 2025

    TCW Podcast Episode 244 - The History of Commodore Pt 1

    We kick off our look at Commodore with the story of its founder, Jack Tramiel. A Holocaust survivor who emigrated to the United States, Tramiel began repairing lamps and typewriters before founding a typewriter import business in Toronto. His early success was nearly undone by the Atlantic Acceptance financial scandal, which forced him into partnership with investor Irving Gould. Commodore’s venture into calculators nearly bankrupted the company, but the acquisition of MOS Technology set the stage for its move into computers. This episode explores the corporate maneuvering, twists of fate, and personal drive that shaped Commodore’s early years. Featuring audience input, it’s the start of a lively three-part (and possibly four-part) deep dive into one of computing’s most fascinating companies.

    TCW 2025 Livestream: https://youtu.be/BXXAhEVD4Lk

    Jack Tramiel 1983 Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5skpKlVOqc

    Commodore - A Company On The Edge by Brian Bagnall: https://archive.org/details/commodorecompany0000bagn/page/n1/mode/2up

    Computer Chronicles Revisited - SMOliva: https://computerchronicles.blog/post/computer-chronicles-revisited-107-koalapainter-the-wine-steward-skate-or-die-master-composer-keyboard-controlled-sequencer/#the-atlantic-acceptance-scandal-and-irving-goulds-takeover

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 20 mins
  • RCA Studio II

    RCA Studio II
    Oct 1 2025
    TCW Podcast Episode 243 - RCA Studio II The RCA Studio II emerged from the company’s faltering computer division and the vision of engineer Joseph Weisbecker, who had long dreamed of personal computing after reading "Giant Brains or Machines That Think". He developed FRED at home, a TTL-based hobby computer. A later iteration using the COSMAC microprocessor inspired his daughter Joyce, who went onto program Studio II games, and RCA’s forays into coin-op experiments like the Fredotronic. With the development of the CMOS-based COSMAC chip, RCA built trainers like the MicroTutor and kits like the COSMAC ELF, but the Studio II became their entry into the console market. Innovative in concept but hampered by primitive graphics, the system faced FCC challenges delaying release. The console launched in 1977 against the Channel F and Atari VCS, it struggled to find success, though its technology lived on in Taiwan and European licensed systems. Much of its history was later uncovered by researcher Kevin Bunch, which saved the Studio II from being just a footnote in video game history. Mechanical Televisions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5OANXk-6-w 32 Line Mechanical TCV Popeye: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozpBDOBXiPs TCW 096 - Hello Big Blue: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/hello-big-blue/ TCW 026 - The Magnavox Odyssey: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-magnavox-odyssey/ RCA Spectra 70: https://d1yx3ys82bpsa0.cloudfront.net/brochures/rca.spectra70.1965.102646099.pdf Project Gutenberg - Giant Brains or Machines That Think: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/68991/pg68991-images.html Radio Electronics - Simon Computer: https://vintagecomputer.net/simon.cfm Think-a-Dot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think-a-Dot RCA System 00 and FRED: https://www.retrotechnology.com/memship/cosmac_system_00.html Fredotronic: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2021/10/13/home-to-the-arcade-a-perfect-translation/ RCA MicroTutor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCXQZY8XCK8 Popular Electronics - COSNAC ELF: https://archive.org/details/197608PopularElectronics_20181123 Popular Electronics - COSMAC ELF (Condensed): https://archive.org/details/popular-electronics-cosmac-elf/page/n15/mode/2up Building a COSMAC ELF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npvkHmTo_1U COSMAC VIP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDnufgeONYg (Atari Archive has examples of all games and many of the things we talk about!) Atari Archive - EP01 - The Story of RcA FRED and the Studio II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o35y6W9hI-o Atari Archive - EP02 - The History of RCA's Commercial Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXIoi1QAcoY RCA Studio II: http://videogamekraken.com/rca-studio-ii RCA Studio II Console Tour & Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJkedjfK4aQ M-1200 (RCA Studio III): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NstUUSIwUwY Star Wars (Studio II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FYKkCkNZOY Pinball (MPT-02 - Studio III): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b3LO41z7ks New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 23 mins
  • Fumito Ueda

    Fumito Ueda
    Sep 15 2025
    TCW Podcast Episode 242- Fumito Ueda Fumito Ueda entered game design through art rather than a love of traditional play. Influenced by titles like Flashback and Another World, he sought to tell stories with minimal interfaces and expansive environments rich in mood. After early work on D and Enemy Zero, Sony gave him a trial period that led to ICO, a game shaped by surreal landscapes inspired by Giorgio de Chirico and a hand-holding mechanic to convey emotional connection. ICO struggled in Japan but became a critical hit abroad, influencing games from Uncharted 3, The Last of Us, Dark Souls, and Journey. Ueda expanded his ideas in Shadow of the Colossus, a meditation on cruelty and consequence that inspired epic boss battles in other franchises such as God of War. His long-delayed The Last Guardian explored companionship through a giant creature, though with mixed reception. Now independent, Ueda continues to shape gaming with projects yet to be revealed. Punch Out (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T8hoeVpdV0 Space Harrier (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEWGnj12GO4 The Legend of Zelda (Famicom Disc System): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsmXV06PwnM Smash Ping Pong (Famicom): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd5QSxyG3Z0 Flashback (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNTnRM77XuE Another World (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLC_Un9lNPw D's Diner - Director's Cut (3DO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7G1NuWciEE Enemy Zero (SEGA Saturn): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmkfgDNihZ0 PaRappa the Rapper (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97k0Dy8JweM Prince of Persia (Game Boy): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thAmYGc37pA Virtua Fighter (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7HQ2vspMHA Hello Pac-Man (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5IOwrutZmM Lemmings (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuiyFXMjGxA Chuck Jones - The Evolution of an Artist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHpXle4NqWI ICO Leap of Faith (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WWr_7CoIzY Giorgio de Chirico: https://www.wikiart.org/en/giorgio-de-chirico/all-works ICO cover - Japan: https://www.mobygames.com/game/5158/ico/cover/group-79093/cover-214724/ Uncharted 3 (PS5): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZFYTHMsLUc Zelda Twilight Princess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJPhioaehIY Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkL94nKSd2M FEZ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm9XRDlNDK4 The Last of Us (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJPKTCpL1ws Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34s9b6sLMjk Dark Souls (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdpdkd2eNmE ICO (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIzZkGP3SUk Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZMyBAjQ-QE Shadow of the Colossus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiB8MEJN-QU God of War 2 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pgks8w-HK8 The Last Guardian (PS4): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ssIkVxg_k New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 24 mins
  • The First 10 Years of European Consoles

    The First 10 Years of European Consoles
    Sep 1 2025

    TCW Podcast Episode 241 - The First 10 Years of European Consoles

    The first decade of European consoles began with imports of the Magnavox Odyssey, but soon local experiments took shape. In Spain, the Overkal may have been tied to a possible attempt to bring the Odyssey into the country, though no hard evidence survives, and it is generally treated as a local product. Across Europe, companies like Videomaster in the UK, Zanussi in Italy, and Interton and Grundig in Germany built dedicated ball-and-paddle systems. Many went beyond Pong using discrete logic hardware to support more advanced play, a technical achievement later supplanted by programmable consoles. A key shift came when General Instrument’s Scottish branch developed the “Pong on a Chip,” enabling mass-produced systems like Videomaster’s Superscore and Zanussi’s Play-O-Tronic. By the late 1970s, firms such as Philips, Radofin, and Hanimex moved into programmable systems like the Videopac. The arrival of Atari, Mattel, and other American companies displaced Europe's fragmented but inventive hardware scene, but the North American video game crash killed their systems at the same time European gamers were shifting their focus to home computers.

    TCW 105 - The Big Voice of Magnavox: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-big-voice-of-magnavox/

    TCW 106 - The Small Voice of Magnavox: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-small-voice-of-magnavox/

    TCW 177 - The Intellivision Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-intellivision-part-1/

    TCW 178 - The Intellivision Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-intellivision-part-2

    TCW 076 - A Fairchild Story: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-fairchild-story/

    Overkal: https://prehistoricgaming.com/en/overkal-console/

    Interton Video 2000: https://www.pong-story.com/v2000.htm

    GI Gemini Systems: https://www.pong-story.com/pc-50x.htm

    RCA Studio III Variants: http://videogamekraken.com/rca-studio-iii-by-rca

    Philips Videopac G7000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgG9F9SsgCw

    Interton VC 4000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yqVcULUqOU

    Radofin Programable Video System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvCFYLfQrC0

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 42 mins
  • Nintendo: Playing with Mii & Wii

    Nintendo: Playing with Mii & Wii
    Aug 15 2025
    TCW Podcast Episode 240 - Nintendo: Playing with Mii & Wii From DS touch-and-stylus play to living-room motion, we trace Nintendo's road to Wii. Nintendogs and Brain Age broadened the audience to parents and grandparents. After cold receptions at Microsoft and Sony, inventor Tom Quinn's Gyration motion tech found a home at Nintendo, and internal prototypes were so fun they became Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Fit. The reveal timeline runs from Reggie Fils-Aime's 2004 E3 DS debut and "Revolution" tease, to a controller-free console showing at E3 2005, to the surprise Wii Remote reveal during Iwata's Tokyo Game Show keynote, and the full unveiling at E3 2006. Built on refined GameCube internals, the Wii favored low cost, low noise, and always-on convenience, with Miis inspired by Japanese wooden dolls (Kokeshi) and a channel interface modeled on a TV wall to invite quick, family-friendly play. Iwata Asks: https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/ Nintendogs (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb5j2v10eYs Nintendogs (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb5j2v10eYs Brain Age (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EeU92dl9ME Donkey Kong Bongos & Donkey Konga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64YSuP6G1Uw Wii Sports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp9l7J6w9iE Wii Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfz-l5GI-v4 Wii Fit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDfXealVJyg Kokeshi Dolls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2NIA5GNvfo Nintendo Wii User Interface Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCU1gB3Xdv4 E3 2004 Reggie Fils-Aimé: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89GB6bC9_N4 E3 2004 Satoru Iwata Revolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33BGyhn_ryw E3 2005 Nintendo Revolution (Wii): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt8CBYAnMYc Nintendo - Tokyo Game Show 2005: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdgW4Ox71fw E3 2006 Sony Ridge Racer!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaBUeINW_3s E3 2006 Sony Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaWptXzfETo E3 2006 Nintendo Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Ldhg7swgA Wii Console and Accessories (E3 2006): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pOGKxFD1C8 Wii Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLOccBorPsA Wii Would Like to Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOFhmjTgvY Link's Crossbow Training: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHgyRGeUKxg New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 51 mins
  • Nintendo: Wii Were Struggling

    Nintendo: Wii Were Struggling
    Aug 1 2025
    TCW Podcast Episode 239 - Nintendo: Wii Were Struggling Nintendo’s struggle for cultural relevance in the lead-up to the Wii was marked by the N64’s poor fit for Japanese homes and the GameCube’s failure to outsell even the fledgling Xbox globally. Internally, a power struggle unfolded as Hiroshi Yamauchi prepared to retire. Former Sharp executive Atsushi Asada was brought in and became Executive Vice President and later Chairman of the Board. Satoru Iwata, whom Yamauchi saw great potential in, was appointed president of HAL Laboratory as part of a Yamauchi-backed bailout and ultimately succeeded Yamauchi as president of Nintendo. Minoru Arakawa was passed over, removed from the board, and after his retirement, replaced at Nintendo of America by Tatsumi Kimishima, who was later placed on the board himself, giving credence to the idea that Arakawa was pushed aside in favor of Iwata. We explore how, despite not facing financial collapse, Nintendo risked losing its creative identity after two struggling consoles and Sony's rising threat to its handheld dominance. Iwata Asks Interviews: https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/ Simpsons all you can eat Court Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqT-AvswCZo TCW 153 - Nintendo Playing with Cards: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-cards/ TCW 154 - Nintendo Playing with Controversy: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-controversy/ TCW 155 - Nintendo Playing with Toys: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-toys/ TCW 014 - Nintendo Playing with Power: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-power/ TCW 128 - Nintendo in 1985: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-in-1985/?utm_source=chatgpt.com TCW 037 - Nintendo and Gumpei Yokoi: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-and-gunpei-yokoi/ TCW 063 - Lawsuits for Nintendo: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/lawsuits-for-nintendo/ TCW 068 - SEGA vs Nintendo Round 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/sega-vs-nintendo-round-1/ TCW 069 - SEGA vs Nintendo Round 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/sega-vs-nintendo-round-2 TCW 070 - SEGA vs Nintendo Round 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/sega-vs-nintendo-round-3 TCW 198 - The History of Handheld Games Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-history-of-handheld-games-part-1/ TCW 199 - The History of Handheld Games Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-history-of-handheld-games-part-2/ TCW 200 - The History of Handheld Games Part 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-history-of-handheld-games-part-3/ Business Card CDs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS_QTo6L9dA GameCube Controller: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube_controller Kirby's Dreamland (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJXM4EPbPe0 Shmuplations - Satoru Iwata - 1999 Developer Interview: https://shmuplations.com/iwata/ New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Quake

    Quake
    Jul 15 2025

    TCW Podcast Episode 238 - Quake

    We dive into the development of Quake, the ambitious and turbulent follow-up to Doom from ID Software. John Carmack set out to build a groundbreaking engine featuring full 3D rendering, dynamic lighting, and client-server multiplayer. This pushed the technical boundaries in a pre-GPU world. To achieve this, he brought in legendary programmer Michael Abrash from Microsoft, selling him on the vision of Quake as a step toward the metaverse as imagined in Snow Crash. Meanwhile, John Romero envisioned Quake as a fantasy RPG inspired by a character from his D&D campaign, but lack of direction and his growing obsession with Deathmatch led to team frustration and eventual fallout. The result was a game that redefined first-person shooters and laid the groundwork for decades of engine development. It also marked the end of an era at ID with the ouster of John Romero.

    TCW 030 - DOOM!: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/doom-1479057917/

    TCW 197 - The ID of Game Development: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-id-of-game-development/

    Doom States and DeHackEd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTa3diypjv4

    P2P vs Dedicated Servers?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt3ZLHKcP2U

    Token Ring - The Betamax of Networking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjLctlmZSp4

    Artie - The Strongest Man In the World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Bh3LskNbs

    Space Strike (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtDdEuKFQps

    Cosmic Crusader (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKOTa5iQAw8

    Big Top (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXUCacgF72M

    Snack Attack II (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu-SEjcnnjo

    So You Haven't Read "Snow Crash": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO64ZhBYy9E

    Ramblings in Realtime by Michael Abrash: https://www.bluesnews.com/abrash/

    QuakeWorld Launch Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXw6BkZ-gdY

    Quake (DOS 6.22): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyLC1vR9oGk

    Quake Longplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7GagGXXUtI

    Excerpt Quake Postmortem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2OE-74bTQw

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Jordan Mechner and Price of Persia

    Jordan Mechner and Price of Persia
    Jul 1 2025
    TCW Podcast Episode 237 - Jordan Mechner and Price of Persia We continue our look at Jordan Mechner with the development of Prince of Persia. Its cinematic inspirations include Castles of Dr. Creep, the opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the 1938 Robin Hood. To animate the prince, Mechner filmed his brother performing stunts, then manually painted key frames, painting his brother white and the background black to make the footage compatible with a limited digitizer. Memory constraints forced creative solutions, like XORing the prince and bit shifting him to create Shadow Man. A promising film project delayed the game’s release, but Prince of Persia launched on the Apple II with groundbreaking animation. A strong Macintosh port and renewed interest following Disney’s Aladdin helped turn the game into a hit across the early 1990s. The Making of Prince of Persia: https://www.jordanmechner.com/en/books/journals/ TCW 172 - The Computer Price Wars Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-price-wars-part-1/ TCW 173 - The Computer Price Wars Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-2/ TCW 174 - The Computer Price Wars Part 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-3/ TCW 019 - The Great Video Game Crash Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-great-video-game-crash-part-1/ TCW 020 - The Great Video Game Crash Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-great-video-game-crash-part-2/ TCW 021 - The Great Video Game Crash Part 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-great-video-game-crash-part-3/ TCW 071 - A Story of Brøderbund!: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-story-of%C2%A0br%C3%B8derbund/ TCW 072 - The MYSTeries of Brøderbund!: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-mysteries-of-br%C3%B8derbund/ The Castles of Dr. Creep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi2dvxcioBw First 10 minutes of Raiders of the Lost Ark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUWYmTpYdP4 The Thief of Bagdad (1924): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTXZSVIIk-c How Prince of Persia Defeated Apple II Memory Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw0VfmXKq54 Prince of Persia (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZDAPp61aak Robin Hood (1938): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USpQGE5sVAY Prince of Persia (PC DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKQX75dBlEI Prince of Persia (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukSECkajKYA Prince of Persia (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6hylvkCh-8 Prince of Persia (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZtkPZih-3s Prince of Persia (Macintosh): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjR_AhxPnVM Prince of Persia Re-Release Box: https://bigboxcollection.com/PrinceOfPersia.3DBox New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 21 mins