Maximum Power Up

The Super Nintendo is often cited as many retro gamer's favourite console. Just looking at game prices on Ebay etc for Nintendo's 16bit marvel shows that demand isn't fading either. With many amazing games such as Super Mario World, Street Fighter 2, Pilotwings, Starfox and more, fans of any genre were spoilt by choice for the SNES. The machine's capabilities were also shown with the Super FX chip, Mode 7 and later with the amazing art style of Donkey Kong Country. In this episode Paul is joined by fellow Super Nintendo fans Julian from the team and Alex Crowley AKA Nintendo Arcade. The guys discuss a few of their favourite games as well as chat about their early Super Nintendo memories. Also don't be surprised if a certain magazine gets a mention..... As well as this Paul speaks to Sam Dyer from Bitmap Books about his upcoming Super Nintendo Visual Compendium Kickstarter which starts on Monday 10th April 2017.

When thinking back to the 16 bit era, one software developer/publisher stands head and shoulders above the crowd across all platforms. With formidable output on both home consoles and the arcades, Konami built further upon their household name and brand they’d established during the Famicom/NES years. Konami’s roster of games included strong titles from their back catalogue, (Gradius, Castlevania) new IP and gaming in the likes of Axelay and Boktai, and licensed titles that were actually enjoyable (Animaniacs & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Were Konami at the peak of their powers during the 16 bit period? Do the games stand the test of time? Messrs Chris and Jake join Phil to bask in the glory of ‘arcade perfect’ conversions and off-beat, original titles in this homage to Konami.

SEGA Power magazine ran from 1989 until 1997 covering a lot of SEGA games over the years. Although there were many SEGA magazines available SEGA Power had a lot of fans, however in 1994 it went in a different direction. In this episode Paul is joined by Andy Lowe that became editor in the summer of 1994 and gave the magazine quite a shake up! Adding more comedy to the magazine with the features, reviews and more it did split opinion with readers. Also joining Andy are Alison Binns (Harper) and Dean Mortlock to discuss what went on putting the magazine together in this era and share some interesting experiences.

The Nintendo Famicom or Nintendo Entertainment System (for those of us in the west) was the companies first step into the home console market following their success with arcade machines and the much loved Game & Watch. Although it wasn't an over night success Nintendo’s perseverance and cleaver positioning in the market the NES became a huge success and ushered in a new era that saw Nintendo become a global brand in gaming. In this episode Phil, Jake and Alex discuss the birth of the Famicom, how it won over it’s audience and what games really made the system a must own for many people who had previously shunned gaming. As well as this the guys discuss their favourite games that range from the most popular series’ which were first brought to gamers attention on the NES to some titles that were surprisingly left in Japan. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did recording it and please check out our other shows at www.maximumpowerup.com

Retro Gamer Magazine has bucked the trend in recent times, as many other print magazines close down or go fully digital the retro-themed monthly publication goes from strength to strength. Now in it's 12th year of existence, Retro Gamer Magazine shows no signs of slowing down, and every month features original content, exclusive developer interviews and reader interactions. Sections on the indie and home-brew scenes, mixed with reviews of all manner of gaming merchandise and new releases mean there is invariably something for everyone within its pages. The magazine prides itself on bright, visually appealing page layouts and eye-catching cover designs, and is one of the most popular gaming magazines around. In this latest edition of the Maximum Power Up podcast, regular hosts Phil and Tom sit down with Retro Gamer editor Darran Jones to discuss the history of the magazine, and some of Darran's enduring memories of being at the helm of such an influential periodical for so long. Other topics discussed include

Can you believe that the Wii is over 10 years old? TEN YEARS OLD?!  In late 2006  Nintendo decided it didn’t to play the same game as Sony and Microsoft anymore,  instead they created a revolution! Gamers, grannies and the Redknapps could be  found waggling in their front room with the innovative controller. In this episode just as Nintendo attempt to crack the market again with Switch, join  hosts Chris, Phil and Jake as they discuss the highs, the lows and the games that  defined a generation. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did recording it and please check out our other shows at www.maximumpowerup.com

This year GamesMaster magazine turns 25 years old and is one of the last remaining games magazines on the shelves. Following on from the television show launched 25 years ago this month, the magazine gave fans something else to enjoy. In this episode Paul chats to four original staff from issue 1 of the magazine, Jim Douglas, Andy Lowe, Les Ellis and Ade Price. They discuss how the magazine came to market, what they wanted from the magazine, the infamous Sonic 2 review and much more. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did recording it and please check out our other shows at www.maximumpowerup.com

In this latest episode Paul, Phil and Tom sit down to discuss some of their favourite games from 2002. With the Playstation 2, GameCube and X Box, gamers were spoilt for choice with classics such as GTA Vice City, Metroid Prime and many more. Hopefully we can inspire you to give games a second look that you may have missed buying first time round.. Some fantastic titles from the year have previously been discussed on other episodes such as Eternal Darkness on our GameCube episode, so make sure you check out our growing back catalogue at www.maximumpowerup.com. Also let us know your favourite games from 2002 on Twitter @MaximumPowerUp or our Maximum Power Up Facebook page. Also please leave us an Itunes review if possible as everyone helps the show grow.

In this latest episode Paul sits down with Nathan McCree, composer of the iconic Tomb Raider games for the Sony PlayStation. We look back on his career in the games industry starting at CORE Design in the early 90's working on Chuck Rock 2 and other titles before Tomb Raider. Nathan discusses the style of music he had in mind for the game and how these ideas progressed over the original trilogy for PS1. As well as this we chat about game music soundtracks and their growing popularity. Since working in the score for Tomb Raider, Nathan has always dreamed seeing the soundtrack played by a live orchestra. On December 18th 2016 he gets his wish in London. If the show is a success then the show will be taken to other major cities around the world. It was a pleasure talking to Nathan and really hope that as many people as possible get to check out his upcoming show. Please find all the links here for tickets are more: FOR TICKETS TO THE SHOW: http://www.eventimapollo.com/events/detail/tomb-raider-live-in-concer

Welcome to the latest episode of the show. This time Paul is joined by new team member Julian Hill of Boxed Pixels fame. They sit down to discuss the extremely popular Amiga - the fantastic home computer that was in so many homes with an amazing line up of games. Covering so many genres the Amiga covered it all from platformers such as Robocod, Superfrog to sim games such as Theme Park, Populous and loads more. If this wasn't enough it had an amazing demo scene showing off loads of great music and videos. So join us as we discuss a few favourite games and memories from the Commodore Amiga. Music tracks featured are: SWIV - Intro Shadow of the Beast 3 - Level 1 The Chaos Engine - Intro Remember to check www.retrocollect.com for the latest retrogaming news as well as our shows. Also find us www.maximumpowerup.com Also check out www.boxedpixels.co.uk for Julian's work, www.hyperplayrpg.com for the excellent fanzine by friend of the show Kincl and finally www.bitmapbooks.co.uk  for some amazing books including on

On rail shooters is a gaming genre that seems to divide opinion. Some love them for the simplistic hi octane arcade style action, while others see them as nothing more than monotonous gallery shooters. No game in the genre exemplifies this point more than Rez. On initial release it was met with a very mixed response. The title has since retained a cult status among fans an has stood the test of time to the point that it has now become a killer app for the new Playstation VR Headset. In this latest episode Phil and Chris discuss some of their personal favourites in the Rail Shooter genres from arcade hits such as After Burner & Space Harrier to home console releases such as the classic Panzer Dragoon series and the aforementioned synesthetic odyssey Rez. Proving that there is more to the Rail Shooter genre than meets the eye. As well as this Phil and Chris also discuss the announcement of the Nintendo Switch and what the latest generation of consoles could mean for the evolution of the industry. Music trac

Welcome to the latest episode of Maximum Power Up podcast. In this episode Paul and Phil sit down to discuss some of their favourite arcade games growing up. The arcade was always seen as a gaming paradise for gamers in the 80's & 90's full of gamesyou wanted to play at home. Although many arcade favourites got home ports they were often nowhere near as good as the arcade version. So, we hope you enjoy or agree with our choices and even if you don't please tell us why.  Also if you want to experience a great venue full of arcade and pinball machines check out Arcade Club in Bury www.arcadeclub.co.uk  Finally if you enjoy the show please leave us an ITunes review.

In this latest episode of Maximum Power Up, hosts Phil, Jake and Amy get together to show the Nintendo Wii U, a criminally undervalued system, some much needed love & try and convince those who may have dismissed the system a second look before the NX arrives. Many have been put off by the Gamepad, which initially confused consumers on what it actually was. Many thought that it was a new controller for the Wii instead of actually being a brand new system. However for many games that have used the Gamepad, it is one of the best peripherals that have been released for any system, opening up so many avenues for creative ways to interact with many of the games aiding to give the titles a much more immersive experience. Arguably the Wii U has the very best of exclusive titles available on any system today. We discuss some of these fantastic games available that make this console a must own for anyone who appreciates well creative and well crafted gaming experiences. Also a massive thanks as always to Retro Col

This episode is rammed with Nintendo chat as we discuss the much loved Super Play magazine for the Super Nintendo that ran for 47 issues as well as a one off special Super Play Gold.  Paul is joined by Chris as well as two special guests - ex Super Play artist Wil Overton and Damien McFerran from the excellent Nintendolife website. The panel discuss the magazine and what made it so special and much loved even 20 years since it ended. As well as this there is general Super Nintendo chat, favourite games etc and more. The Super Play Top 100 is discussed and can be found here http://www.rvgfanatic.com/7464/1450199.html  As well as this Paul was very lucky to be joined by FIVE other ex Super Play staff discussing their time on the magazine.  We hope you enjoy the episode and please feel free to follow Wil on Twitter @Kosmikat for his latest updates and check out @dinkybox he runs. Also follow Damien @DamienMcFerran & @nintendolife and www.nintendolife.com for all the latest Nintendo news. Also a massive thank

Valve is one of the most well-known and respected developers around today, and their first game, Half-Life spawned one of gaming’s biggest franchises. When it hit the PC in 1998, Half-Life wowed critics and went on to become one of the most popular first person shooters ever released for both PC and console. A seamless mix of first person shooting action and science fiction storytelling, the adventure catapulted Gordon Freeman into the limelight and cemented Valve as a force to be reckoned with. The success of Half-Life lead to a sequel and spin offs on both PC and console, as well as the development of brain teasing, dystopian puzzlers Portal and Portal 2 – a series which has also been blessed with a whole lexicon of lore and internet memes. In this latest episode of Maximum Power Up, hosts Phil and Tom get together to discuss their first encounters with Gordon Freeman’s HEV suit, the famous crowbar, Black Mesa, the Combine, the G-Man, the portal gun and whether the cake really is a lie. It’s time to suit up

In our latest episode Paul and Chris are joined by Kincl from Hyperplay RPG fanzine and Julian Hill who runs the Boxed Pixels website.  All four of them are big fans of the RPG (Role Playing Game) genre. They sit down to discuss the genre in some detail including a few of their favourite games, what makes a great RPG, early memories of getting into the genre and more. Some classic games such as Final Fantasy 6, Dungeon Master, Chrono Trigger are mentioned as well as more recent titles such as Mass Effect 2, Fallout 4 and more. Even though RPGs aren't everyone's cup of tea we hope you find something you like as the whole RPG genre has quite a few types of games. You can check out the amazing fanzine Hyperplay RPG by Kincl and his team here: www.hyperplayrpg.com and on Twitter @HyperPlayRPG  Also check out Julian's website Boxed Pixels here for loads of his views and reviews: www.boxedpixels.co.uk and on Twitter @JulianHillUK Music tracks featured are: Shadow Run - Grundge Joint Mass Effect 2 - The Illusive Man

The controversy surrounding the launch of the SEGA Saturn not only took the media by surprise but also alienated a large amount of retailers. In short the launch was a disaster However even with the consoles glaring short comings, the SEGA Saturn it has gone on to be a much loved system of the retro gaming community. In this latest episode Phil & Chris have a look at the what makes the SEGA Saturn a must own for many gamers. Music tracks featured are: Panzer Dragoon - Flight Burning Rangers - Theme (Japanese Version) We hope you enjoy the show and if possible please leave us an iTunes review or rating. All our shows can be found at www.maximumpowerup.com Also a massive thank you as usual to Retro Collect who we're associated with. Check out their site for all the latest retro gaming news as well as our podcast episodes and their Retro Collect FM episodes which Chris and Tom were part of www.retrocollect.com  

Every console has stand out, must own, games but some great titles unfortunately slipped under the radar. In this episode Paul, Phil and Chris sit down to discuss some of their favourite games that in their opinion are hidden gems. Hopefully some of the games mentioned here will inspire you to go back and check out some of the great titles that, for whatever reason, never stuck a cord with fans the first time around. As well as this we discuss what we've been playing and buying as well as giving our thoughts on a few recent releases. We hope you enjoy the show and if possible please leave us an iTunes review or rating. All our shows can be found at www.maximumpowerup.com Also a massive thank you as usual to Retro Collect who we're associated with. Check out their site for all the latest retro gaming news as well as our podcast episodes and their Retro Collect FM episodes which Chris and Tom were part of www.retrocollect.com

In this episode Paul & Tom interview retrogaming magazine legend Steve Jarratt. Steve worked on many well known magazines in the 80's and 90's including Zzap64, Edge, Total, Commodore Format and more including launching the Official Playstation Magazine.  Steve discusses his career, as well as working with Sam Dyer and Bitmap Books. He also gives his honest opinions on the current gaming industry and also takes part in the first (and maybe last!) Maximum Power Up magazine quiz. Check out the NES Kickstarter from Bitmap books here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2146199819/nintendo-entertainment-system-famicom-a-visual-com and find all the other books from Bitmap Books www.bitmapbooks.co.uk Also any fans of Commodore Format should check out the excellent Facebook page which is always adding full scans of issues and run by CF fans: https://www.facebook.com/#!/CommodoreFormat/?fref=ts We hope you enjoy the show and if possible please leave us an iTunes review as everyone helps us grow. Links for us are

This episode the team discuss the Nintendo GameCube. Although not as popular as the Playstation 2, the GameCube had a wealth of great games for it. As well as the usual Nintendo series you would expect such as Zelda, Mario, Metroid etc there were many other games that were worth checking out such as Pikmin, Eternal Darkness and many more.  Paul, Phil, Jake and new host Amy discuss their favourite games for the system as well as add-ons, GameCube memories and more. Hope you enjoy the show and if you can spare a moment please leave us an iTunes rating or review as everyone helps get us noticed in the chart. Links for us are: Facebook: www.facebook.com/maximumpowerup Twitter: @maximumpowerup YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCrvUX61wemDeRZXOyFDScaw