Retro Gaming YouTubers and Podcasters
My obsession with retro gaming is fed by some great retro gaming YouTubers and Podcasters. I admit, I don’t listen to many podcasts, and instead have relied mostly on content from YouTube over the years – especially because I want to SEE the games people are talking about and YouTube is…well…you get it.
But as I was going through my Retro Gaming Subscriptions the other day I thought, “Dang, I bet other people would be interested in which retro gaming influencers are worthy of a listen.” So…here’s a list of the retro gaming influencers I listen to on the regular.
Retro Gaming YouTube Channels to Subscribe to
ETA Prime
ETA Prime became a standard for me as I started building out my first MAME arcade cabinet. I went to his videos to find the latest information on emulators, using LaunchBox/Big Box and selecting the best used hardware to emulate games for my arcade cabinet.
PatmanQC
We lost PatmanQC in the summer of 2025, but his videos live on and are absolutely worth watching. While some of his humor didn’t age too well (lots of wife jokes in there), his passion for retro gaming can be felt in the love and attention he gave his content.
Retro Game Corps
Russ at Retro Game Corps reviews retro handhelds, and does an amazing job at it. He’s the reason I bought my first R36S. His videos are thoughtful, in-depth, and if it’s a retro handheld, he’s played it and has a review of it.
SNES Drunk
SNES Drunk is a super fun YouTuber that reviews retro games from multiple consoles (not just the SNES). The opening “SNNNNNNNNESDRUNK” in each video sets the playful tone of each review. The videos are also pretty short and to the point.
Time Rift Arcade
Time Rift Arcade is an actual arcade in Texas, which opened just over a year ago. Their YouTube videos feature a ton of arcade cabinet restorations, which are fascinating to watch, and it’s so great to see that they turned that passion into an arcade business. Watch the videos, and if you’re in Benton, TX, stop in and see them!
Gaming Historian
Norman Caruso runs this incredible YouTube channel and it’s the reason I rely on writing up the history of games instead of producing videos. Because I wouldn’t be able to compete with incredible videos he creates. They’re well researched and very in-depth. His video on the History of the Oregon Trail is SO GOOD.
Modern Vintage Gamer
Modern Vintage Gamer covers a ton of different retro gaming topics, especially emulations. He also goes into detail on how certain games worked and hacks they used to push the gaming envelope on old retro hardware.
Sega Lord X
I’m a Sega fanboy, so Sega Lord X speaks my language. His reviews of old Sega games (including a ton I had never heard of) are fun and informative. His opening music is also so nostalgic.
Coding Secrets
There’s nothing like hearing how games were developed by the developers themselves. Coding Secrets is run by the founder of TT Games, Jon Burton. He goes into great detail on how games were created back in the day and even how to hack them now.
Scott Host
Scott Host created Raptor: Call of the Shadows, DemonStar and many more games, and shares the progression of updating his two biggest titles on YouTube.
Retro Gaming Podcasts
Like I mentioned before, I don’t listen to many podcasts, but here are the couple I tune into regularly.
Retro Blast
Pat at Retro Blast is an incredible storyteller and his podcast is a lot of fun to listen to. His retro roots run deep, as he used to work at the game store FuncoLand way back in the day.
The Retro Hour Podcast
The Retro Hour Podcast has a ton of interviews with retro developers, giving listeners a deep dive into the history of retro gaming. I just got into this one, but so far it’s been great.
I’ll continue to update these lists as time goes on. Sorry there aren’t more podcasts, but I’m not going to just recommend random ones I haven’t heard before for content-sake. 🙂 Got more you think I should check out? Hit me up on BlueSky!
