Console Shock, Retro and Modern Gaming Chat.

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! How did we go from games like ET and Wayne’s World to GoldenEye and Robocop: Rogue City? Trev and Stu take a nostalgic look at the strange world of movie-licensed games, from the countless cash-ins of the 8-bit and 16-bit eras to the genuinely great titles that proved a movie tie-in could be much more than a quick cash grab. Movie tie-ins galore! We look back at the era when virtually every major film seemed to get a game, from Robocop and Rambo to Independence Day and The Phantom Menace. Alien games — from Alien Trilogy to Alien Resurrection, we discuss why the Alien franchise has had a surprisingly strong track record when it comes to video games. Robocop vs Terminator — we revisit some of the best and worst games based on these iconic 80s action franchises, including Robocop 3 and Terminator Resistance. Star Wars and beyond — why some of the best Star Wars games weren’t actually based directly on the films, plus a look at how other franchises expanded beyond their movie stories. The PS1/N64 movie-game explosion — Die Hard Trilogy, GoldenEye, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible and Independence Day all get a mention as we remember one of the golden eras for licensed games. The bad stuff! Wayne’s World, Back to the Future, Batman Forever, Charlie’s Angels and plenty of other questionable tie-ins remind us that not every movie needed a video game. Games that never happened — we pitch movies that should have received their own games, including a rather brilliant idea for a Star Trek: First Contact FPS starring Captain Picard against the Borg. From movies to games… and back again! We finish by flipping things around and discussing which video games could make great movies, including Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid and Heavy Rain. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about different episodes of the Star Trek franchise! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro Music – Title Theme – Pinball Dreams (1992) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Olof Gustafsson Outro Music – Loading Theme – Desert Strike (1993) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Jason A. S. Whitely

🃏 Game Key Cards on PlayStation? – Could Nintendo's approach be the ideal compromise between physical ownership and digital convenience? 🟢 Xbox's backwards compatibility gets even better – Microsoft's original Xbox emulation on PC, Project Helix, and what it means for the future of the Xbox ecosystem. 📥 Day One patches, DLC & digital ownership – Have modern gaming practices gone too far, or are some complaints overblown? ⚽ Pro Evolution Soccer 6 lives on – The world of community mods, recreating classic seasons, and why PES still has a loyal following. 🏆 The greatest retro football games – International Superstar Soccer, Pro Evo, Sensible Soccer and which classics deserve a modern revival. 🕹️ Do retro classics always hold up? – Conker's Bad Fur Day, Banjo-Kazooie, Super Mario 64 and revisiting gaming favourites with fresh eyes.

🎮 Is the Steam Machine worth its £879 starting price, or are DIY SteamOS PCs the better option? 💻 Why SteamOS could kick-start a new generation of affordable "console PCs" from manufacturers like Asus and Lenovo. 🛠️ Can building your own SteamOS-powered gaming box deliver better performance and value than Valve's official hardware? 🔄 The hidden advantages of PC gaming, from cheaper games and free online play to backwards compatibility and upgradeability. 💿 Sony's decision to phase out physical PlayStation games—and what it means for collectors, ownership, and game preservation. 📦 Are code-in-a-box releases the future, and does physical media still have a place in modern gaming? 🔮 How Project Helix, SteamOS, and rising console prices could reshape the future of PlayStation, Xbox, and PC gaming. 🎯 Why Nintendo may be the last traditional console maker standing as PlayStation and Xbox move closer to becoming PC-like platforms. ⚽ Plus, a quick chat about the FIFA World Cup, fan culture, and why football supporters can sometimes set the perfect example.

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Join us as we take a road trip through gaming’s past and future. From Ridge Racer nostalgia and portable racing classics to soaring hardware prices and the possibility of £1,000 consoles, Trev and Stu examine the challenges and opportunities facing the gaming industry. Why modern racing games can feel more like open-world RPGs, and whether the genre has lost sight of pure arcade fun. A look back at Ridge Racer 7, the cancelled Ridge Racer 8 for Switch, and why Namco should bring the series back. Hidden gems on PSP – Sega Rally, Gran Turismo, and the surprisingly strong library of portable racing games. Rising console prices and the impact of chip shortages, AI demand, manufacturing costs, and why hardware isn’t getting cheaper. Predictions for PS6, the next Xbox, and whether £1,000 consoles could become the norm.  The peak of console gaming? – Looking back at the PS2, Wii, Xbox 360 and PS4 eras to see if console sales have already hit their high-water mark. How devices like the Switch, Steam Deck and future PlayStation handhelds could reshape the market. The rise of console PCs – Could SteamOS systems and PC-based gaming devices become the budget-friendly alternative to traditional consoles? Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about different episodes of the Star Trek franchise! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Title Theme – Pinball Dreams (1992) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Olof Gustafsson

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Gaming hardware used to get cheaper as it aged, but those days seem to be over. This week, Trev and Stu discuss Valve’s surprise Steam Deck price hike, debate whether gaming is becoming more expensive, and explore how changing buying habits could shape the future of consoles and PC gaming. Valve shocks gamers with major Steam Deck OLED price increases. Does the Steam Deck still offer good value, or have rivals overtaken it? Comparing the Steam Deck against the Lenovo Legion Go S and ROG Ally. Why modern consoles and handhelds are getting more expensive instead of cheaper. A look back at the PS2, Nintendo 64 and the era of dramatic hardware price cuts. Is gaming really more expensive today, or are we getting more value from longer-lasting hardware? Budget PCs, second-hand components and why more players may be moving away from traditional consoles. Predictions for the Steam Machine, PS6 and the future cost of gaming hardware. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about different episodes of the Star Trek franchise! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Title Theme – Pinball Dreams (1992) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Olof Gustafsson

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! This week we switch things up with a listener Q&A-style episode, tackling a range of topics like the ever-blurring line between PCs and consoles, and debating whether devices like Steam Deck, SteamOS, and Microsoft’s rumoured “Project Helix” represent the future of gaming. Along the way, we revisit the biggest console generation leaps of all time — from the jump to 3D on the PS1 and N64, to the HD revolution of the Xbox 360 era — before diving deep into modern graphics tech like DLSS, FSR, and frame generation. In this episode: PC vs console convergence – Why SteamOS has pushed Microsoft and others toward more console-like PC gaming experiences Project Helix speculation – Will Microsoft’s future Xbox hardware behave more like a console, a PC, or something in between? The old days of PC gaming – Remembering when installing a PC game could feel like a technical qualification Biggest console generation leap – Why the jump from 16-bit systems to PS1, Saturn, and N64 still feels unmatched Mario 64 & open worlds – How Nintendo’s 3D platformer changed the way games were designed forever Metal Gear Solid & cinematic gaming – The moment games started to feel like interactive movies The HD gaming revolution – Why the Xbox 360 and PS3 era transformed online gaming and visual clarity DLSS, FSR & upscaling explained – Breaking down how modern games fake higher resolutions for better performance Frame generation debate – Smooth visuals vs controller responsiveness, and where the tech works best Steam Deck & emulator experiments – Using modern PC features to breathe new life into retro and PS3-era games Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about different episodes of the Star Trek franchise! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Title Theme – Pinball Dreams (1992) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Olof Gustafsson

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! With the recent Valve leaks, Trev and Stu dive deep into what a potential “Steam Station” could look like in 2025. Can Valve really deliver a device that beats the PS5 on performance and price? Or should they roll out a … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 152: Steam Console Rumours

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! 🎙️ The Mega Drive is a legendary console we’ve revisited in many ways throughout the history of the show—but what’s it actually like to buy one and start a collection today? Are the games easy to track down, is there a … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 151: Sega Mega Drive Buyers Guide

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We’ve hit a milestone — episode 150! And to celebrate, we’re welcoming back retro magazine collecting (and now magazine writing) legend Paul Monaghan for his long-awaited return! What’s he been up to over the last few years? How did he become … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 150: Paul Monaghan is back! Video Game Magazines

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! It’s been a turbulent few weeks for Xbox. From announcing major job cuts to dropping hints about Windows playing a bigger role in the platform’s future, the brand finds itself at its most uncertain crossroads yet. What lies ahead for Xbox? … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 149: The Future of Xbox

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Stu’s got his hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 and gives us his honest review — no over-the-top YouTube theatrics here! Plus, the long-rumoured Microsoft x ASUS collaboration is finally official: meet the Xbox ROG Ally, a new handheld console. But … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 148: Switch and Xbox ROG Ally

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev’s finally done it — he’s bought a PS5! The big question is: why now? Is a PS5 still worth it in 2025? Can it coexist peacefully with a Steam Deck, or is a showdown inevitable? We dive into all that … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 147: PlayStation 5 in 2025

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! In the latest instalment of our “Saving the System” series, we turn our attention to our all-time favourite gaming platform — the legendary Commodore Amiga. Its fate was sealed the moment Commodore collapsed, but can Trev and Stu breathe new life … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 146: Saving the Amiga

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We’ve been speculating for months, but now the Nintendo Switch 2 has been fully revealed! We break down the announcements, react to the hardware, and ask the big questions — is this the upgrade we were waiting for? 🕹️ Did Nintendo … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 145: Switch 2 Thoughts

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! 🎉 #marchintosh is here! 🎉 Trev and Stu join in the annual YouTube tradition of Marchintosh, dedicating an episode to all things Apple Mac in March! This year, we’re flipping through a couple of Macworld UK back issues from 2004 and … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 144: #Marchintosh 2025

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Nvidia has just unveiled its latest generation of RTX graphics cards, and the prices are absolutely eye-watering. But is it really worth dropping thousands on a gaming PC when a £350 second-hand PS5 could deliver a great gaming experience? Let’s dive … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 143: The Gaming PC Value Equation

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Are console generation leaps becoming less significant? Back in the day, each new system felt like a revolution—but have we reached a point where improvements are harder to notice? Has graphical fidelity gotten so good that new technologies struggle to stand … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 142: Generation Jump

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled just days after our last show, and now Trev and Stu finally get to dive in! What did we make of the slightly unusual trailer, and what does the future hold? Will the original … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 141: Switch 2 Revealed!

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev and Stu are finally back together after the Christmas break, with a whole bunch of new retro/modern gaming ramblings. This time around we dive into Bazzite, a SteamOS-like operating system that can turn Windows machines into Steam Decks, as well … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 140: Bazzite OS

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev and Al celebrate the 30th birthday of the PlayStation with a discussion on its chaotic origins, its astonishing rise and how it became the all conquering gaming giant that it is today! Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 139: PlayStation 30th Anniversary!

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Are physical releases dying? With the PS5 Pro going fully digital by default, is the industry finally moving away from physical media for good? What does that mean for the mountains of games sitting on our shelves? Trev and Stu tackle … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 138: Digital Dystopia

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Following on from our “Saving Saturn” episode a while back, we decided to give the Dreamcast the ‘saving’ treatment for the 25th anniversary of its UK launch! In reality the DC died a premature death, but can we try to turn … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 137: Saving the Sega Dreamcast

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The Sony PlayStation 5 Pro has finally been revealed, with the main talking point being its eye-watering £700 price-tag. Do the upgrades that come with it make it worth the extra cost, or should you just save the cash for a … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 136: Is the PlayStation 5 Pro worth it?

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Incredibly, we are already halfway through the lifespan of the 9th generation of consoles. This means it’s the perfect time to cast our minds to the future, and speculate on what the 10th gen (Gen X) may hold in store. Will … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 135: Generation X

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The Sony PSP was a groundbreaking handheld console that set a new standard for portable gaming devices. Compared to its contemporaries, such as the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, it featured powerful processing capabilities, allowing it to handle 3D graphics … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 134: Sony PlayStation Portable PSP

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The demise of GAME stores has been slow but almost inevitable, and with their ever diminishing list of products they sell can they survive another 10 years? Trev and Stu discuss! – A very British opening to the pod with a … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 133: GAME Over?

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! A little late to the party, but Trev and Stu are finally celebrating a very significant birthday, the Macintosh is 40! We talk about the legacy of one of the most important computers in the history of the industry, including where … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 132: Macintosh 40th Anniversary

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! More adventures with Stu on his retro PC gaming odyssey! This time we focus on the Windows XP era, a point in time when a single PC could natively run a game from the DOS, Win 9x, and late 00s eras. … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 131: Windows XP Gaming

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! No it’s not RedLetterMedia, it’s Console Shock! This time, Trev and Stu explore the boulevard of broken console dreams as we try to figure out which of the 90s failed systems are actually not bad. Are there any redeeming features to … Continue reading Console Shockcast 130: Best of the Worst!

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Kickstart 02 is coming this summer, and we have the force behind the operation Ravi Abbott on the show to give us some background on this year’s biggest UK Amiga expo! – Trev and Stu experience some podcast recording pains! – … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 129: Kickstart – The UK Amiga Expo with Special Guest Ravi Abbott

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! With rumours of a PS5 Pro model doing the rounds, Trev and Al ponder if there is any value in mid-gen refresh hardware. We also look back on earlier attempts at ‘Pro’ style console upgrades, something Sega really ran with on … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 128: A ‘Pro” Problem

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! This week, Trev and Stu try to leap (in a quantum way) into the minds of Sega's decision-makers during the Saturn era. We try to work out what we could have done differently to change the fate of the 32-bit machine, and give it a fighting chance against the mighty PlayStation! Could we create a timeline where the Saturn was actually a worldwide success? Listen on to find out.... - Can you complete Starfield (AKA "Spacerim") without building anything? - Were Nintendo justified shutting down the Yuzu Switch emulator? - The Saturns high launch price instantly putting Saturn on the back foot. - Abstract marketing and adverts failing to showcase the system. - Improving the Saturns launch game lineup. - Did the lack of Sonic on the Saturn really harm its potential? - The legendary programming difficulty of the Saturn. - The failure of the Mega CD and 32X systems killing consumer confidence in Sega hardware. Check out Trev and Al's other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music - Quantum Leap Theme (Season 5 Version) - TV Series - Composer(s): Mike Post

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Following on from our previous show about the current state of home video and Blu-ray collecting, we look back at how things were when we were growing up. Remember being excited to rent a video from your local rental shop? Or … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 126: Retro Home Video

5:30 / 1:05:48 Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We chart the further adventures of Stu’s new found love of PC gaming, before taking a deep dive into the world of physical movie collecting on Blu-ray’s, both retro 1080p and 4K. Is it still fun? Is it even worth … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 125: Blu-ray Movie Collecting

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Stu is back from holiday a changed man! A Steam Deck skeptic in 2022, he now loves the thing. What changed for Stu in that time and what made him a fan of the handheld from Valve? Find out in our … Continue reading Console Shockcast 124: Stu vs. Steam Deck Reloaded!

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! An early Christmas present for our listeners as we round off 2023 with a chat about everyones favourite blurry screened wonder, the Sega Game Gear! With Stu on holiday, Console Shock charter member Al returns to fill the void as we … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 123: Sega Game Gear

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Al is back with us again! The Console Shock charter member has returned to join us as we talk the latest on PC gaming handhelds, cloud gaming, and the imminent GTA 6 trailer! – Does Nova Scotia have pubs? – Steam … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 122: GTA 6, xCloud gaming and the Steam Deck OLED.

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Switch fans have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to FIFA, but has that changed with FC 24? Trev got his hands on a copy and tells all! We also look at some of the recent news … Continue reading Console Shockcast 121: EA Sports FC 24 on Nintendo Switch and more…

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! With the rumours of the Switch 2 getting stronger and stronger, we share our opinions on what the final form of the mythical console should take. This alongside our usual verbal download of gaming thoughts and feelings spanning anything old or … Continue reading Console Shockcast 120: Switch 2

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We have developer RozzBozzy as a guest on the latest Shockcast, who is currently creating a tribute to the classic Virtua Racing style of 90s polygonal arcade racer, SP Grand Prix! Discover what motivated RozzBozzy to create SP Grand Prix, along … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 119: RozzBozzy and SP Grand Prix

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Friend of the show and all round retro gaming legend Dan Wood joins us again to talk about a certain computer platform that we have all expressed a fondness for over the years. Nope, it’s not the Sinclair QL, it is … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 118: Amiga in 2023 with special guest Dan Wood! Retro Hour

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev finally has his hands on the ASUS ROG Ally, and it’s a great portable PC gaming solution. The question on everyones lips is how does it stack up to the Steam Deck? Should you ditch the SD or can they … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 117: ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Trev and Stu chat about some of the recently revealed tech products from Apple and Sony, the Vision Pro and Project Q. Are they worth buying? We also look into what a Nintendo Switch successor should look like, and Stu’s adventures … Continue reading Console Shock podcast 116: Apple Vision Pro & Sony Project Q

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! After several hints on previous shows that Stu was about to plunge into PC gaming, he has finally pulled the trigger! We explore some of Stu’s early experiences with his new set up, as well as some of the future joys … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 115: Stu’s new gaming PC!

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! The Atari Lynx launched in 1989 and was a pioneer in handheld gaming. It was the first ever colour portable and had specs that could rival the ‘big’ home consoles of the time. Unfortunately it struggled against the Gameboy and even … Continue reading Console Shock podcast 114: Atari Lynx

Great Podcast Trev and Stu talk about retro and Modern Video games

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! As kids we used to drool over the console/computer bundle packs we would see on shop shelves or in magazine ads. What you got in a particular bundle could help determine which side of the video game war you ended up … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 112: Classic System Bundles and Pack-Ins

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Recently there’s been trend of retro gaming YouTubers talking about the “The Retro Problem”, initially started by RGT85. UK gaming magazine legend Jaz Rignall wasn’t impressed with the thumbnails of grumpy people sitting in front of game collections and voiced such … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 111: The Problem with The Retro Problem

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! After a lengthy Xmas and new year break from the Shockcast, Trev and Stu are back with more video game ramblings! We start with a round up of various gaming related stuff on both our minds before shifting the focus to … Continue reading Console Shock podcast 110: Virtual Reality

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Retro consoles are still fun to play to this day, but getting them working in an optimal way these days can be a challenge. Those optical drives with them moving parts can also be a ticking time bomb to failure. How … Continue reading Console Shock Podcast 109: The Playstation UNO in 2023