In this episode of Retro Titans, we head across the Atlantic to talk retro gaming, arcades, Evercade and the journey from lifelong gamer to YouTube creator.
Phil is joined by Andrew Bender, one half of the Ronnie and Andrew YouTube channel, which has built up a huge library of videos covering retro and modern gaming. Andrew talks about how the channel developed, what he has learned along the way, and why sharing his passion for games has become such an important part of the hobby.
Andrew's gaming story goes much further back. We explore his love of Falcom games, his experiences with the American arcade scene, collecting arcade hardware, and why the social experience of playing games in an arcade still has a magic that is difficult to recreate at home.
There's plenty of Evercade discussion too, including Andrew's approach to reviewing cartridges and discovering games he might otherwise never have played.
In this episode, we explore:
1️⃣ From gamer to YouTuber
How Andrew and his wife started creating gaming content, and the learning curve involved in building a channel with more than 600 videos.
2️⃣ Growing up with games and discovering the arcade
Andrew shares his gaming history and why arcades became such an important part of his passion for the hobby.
3️⃣ The magic of arcade hardware
From cabinets and fighting games to Neo Geo and pinball, we discuss what makes playing on original or dedicated hardware such a different experience.
4️⃣ Evercade, collecting and discovering old games
Why physical cartridges and curated collections appeal to Andrew, and how reviewing Evercade releases has introduced him to games from across gaming history.
5️⃣ Why retro gaming still matters
Andrew and Phil discuss nostalgia, collecting and the communities that continue to celebrate classic games and hardware.
🔗 Links
Roni and Andrew on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@GameOverRandA
Andrew's arcade tour (mentioned in the interview) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naT_bFW2a_0
🎙️ Credits
Sponsored by Thalamus Digital Publishing
Produced by Rocket Media
Voiceover by Mark Silk
Music: "8 Bit Skyway" © Piotr Pacyna
