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Fifteen years is an eternity in podcast time, especially in retro gaming, where trends cycle fast and attention is always shifting. We’re joined by Retro Asylum’s Dean Swain to get the real story behind one of the longest-running retro gaming podcasts in the UK, and why it still feels like a few mates talking games rather than a polished sales pitch.
We start where so many collectors live right now: trying to keep vintage hardware playable without losing what made it special. Dean walks us through his MiSTer FPGA setup, the recent vector arcade cores that nail that unmistakable glow, and why the Vectrex has become both a dream system and a pricey headache. We also get into practical realities like repairs, CRT servicing, and why finding skilled techs matters if you want these machines to survive the next decade.
Then we rewind into Dean’s gaming history, from early consoles to the Atari 2600, and the moment the ZX Spectrum becomes the center of everything, magazines, BASIC listings, tape swapping, and all. Along the way we hit his all-time favorite game, Double Dragon, plus the bigger question underneath it all: what makes retro gaming feel better than modern 100-hour time sinks.
To close, we dig into how Retro Asylum grew, how the team evolved, what the awards did and didn’t mean, and why listener messages often matter more than charts. If you care about retro gaming community, podcast longevity, and making content that stays fun, you’ll get a lot out of this one. Subscribe, share this with a retro fan, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.
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