This week on the Cocktail Mode podcast, Andy and Dave are warping back to the golden age of 8-bit vector graphics to sit down with a true legend: Ian Oliver, the coding mastermind behind iconic games from the era including 3D Starstrike and Carrier Command!

We chat about how Ian and the Realtime Games team managed to squeeze lightning-fast, wireframe 3D out of the ZX Spectrum, effectively bringing the Star Wars arcade experience into our living rooms. There’s insight into the high-stakes pressure of 1980s software development, and the legacy of a game catalogue that proved the "speccy" could handle the third dimension with style.

As usual, we’ve also selected a cocktail each to match the theme of the episode.

Tune in for a break-neck journey through the ̶t̷r̷e̷n̷c̷h̷e̷s̷ equatorial duct of the ̶D̷e̷a̷t̷h̷ ̷S̷t̷a̷r̷ a hollowed-out moon!... or at least the closest thing that 1984 (and fear of litigation) could offer!

Andy’s Cocktail

Dave’s Cocktail

Spectaculator

Diffords Guide

#3DStarstrike #ZXSpectrum #RetroGaming #CocktailMode #IanOliver #RealtimeGames #VectorGraphics #80sGaming

This week on the Cocktail Mode podcast, Andy and Dave are hitting the high-gloss streets of the year 2000 to revisit the Dreamcast’s definitive urban racer: Metropolis Street Racer (MSR)!

We’re diving deep into the game that famously prioritized "style over speed" and paved the way for the Project Gotham Racing series. We break down the revolutionary (and occasionally brutal) Kudos system, the technical feat of recreating London, Tokyo, and San Francisco with pinpoint accuracy.

And as usual we attempt to pair a sophisticated, city-inspired drink that perfectly captures the vibe of this fantastic game.

Tune in for a nostalgic journey through one of the Dreamcast’s most stylish exports, complete with expert pairing, retro banter, and a few "joker" laps along the way!

Andy’s Cocktail

Dave’s Cocktail

Farewell of Bizarre Studios

#MetropolisStreetRacer #Dreamcast #RetroGaming #CocktailMode #Kudos #BizarreCreations #PGR

Merry Christmas! The season of giving is here, but which games deserve a spot under your Christmas Tree?

This week on Cocktail Mode, Andy and Dave are getting festive for the annual Holiday Special! They’ll be counting down their highly debatable list of the 12 Games of Christmas: the perfect Retro Video Games to play with family and friends, and maybe get them to finally understand your obsession with games from the 20th Century!

And in true Cocktail Mode fashion, they’ll attempt to pair a festive cocktail that perfectly complements a night of Holiday Gaming Marathon chaos.

Grab your eggnog (spiked, of course!), settle in, and tune in for a smashing good time!

Andy's Christmas Cocktail

Dave's Christmas Cocktail

Links and friends of the show (Not affiliated)

Torinak (Online Spectrum Emulator)

https://www.consolemad.co.uk/

https://retrocomputermuseum.co.uk/

https://www.amigalive.com/

Bill Bailey 'Argos' (Youtube)

https://evercade.co.uk/

Bomber Man Trade-up Story (imgur)

https://www.thebowlinggreen.uk/

So it's come to this: A Cocktail Mode list episode!

Andy and Dave are ready to unleash their most ambitious, potentially most divisive, and almost certainly most overlong episode yet: Our Top 50 Retro Games!*

Did your favourite make it? Did we choose the same 25 games each? Did ANY Nintendo games make the cut? What is the meaning of that asterisk?

Listen in and find out!

Of course we have to shoe-horn in the usual Cocktail or two, but considering how much we struggle with finding drinks for a single game, how on earth are we going to manage for FIFTY!?

Andy's Cocktail

Dave's Cocktail

Friends of the show: (Not affiliated)

https://www.consolemad.co.uk/

https://www.amigalive.com/

https://www.diffordsguide.com/

This week on the Cocktail Mode podcast, we're bowing to one of the most unique and respected fighting games ever made: Bushido Blade on the original PS1!

Andy and Dave explore why this One-Hit Kill Samurai simulator remains a definitive Cult Classic. We break down the revolutionary mechanics that set this Squaresoft title apart from every other fighting game - no health bars, no time limits, just pure, sudden-death duel tension. We're talking body-part damage, the honour system, and why it's considered by many to be the best PS1 fighting game.

And finally, we tackle the all-important question: How do you pick a cocktail to match the honour, precision, and sudden violence of a samurai duellist?

Andy’s Cocktail

Dave’s Cocktail

Friends of the show (not affiliated):

Torinak

Amiga Live

https://www.consolemad.co.uk/

Welcome back to the Cocktail Mode podcast, where we're pairing the ultimate dystopian action experience with a dangerous drink!

This week, we’re loading up on VCRs and Toasters to cover the bloody crossover between the legendary 1990 Arcade Classic, Smash TV, and the definitive Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, The Running Man (1987) - Just in time to set you up for Edgar Wright and Glenn Powell's new version of Steven Kings pre-emptive dystopian reality TV novel.

Join us as we dive into the frantic Twin-Stick Shooter action and the hyper-consumerist nightmare that made Smash TV a technological marvel. .

We’ll discuss how these two pieces of entertainment defined the 90s action genre and, of course, we'll each select a powerful, high-proof cocktail that mirrors the chaotic energy and ruthless efficiency of the Smash TV arena. Good luck, you'll need it—tune in now!

Andy's Cocktail

Dave's Cocktail

Clear the sector and grab your coins! This week on the Cocktail Mode podcast, we’re dropping into the definitive 90s beat 'em up experience: Capcom’s Alien vs. Predator Arcade from 1994!

We break down everything that made this Capcom AVP game a legendary, fan-favourite Retro Gaming experience. Discover how it perfected the Final Fight style formula with gorgeous, massive sprites and intense co-op action.

We’re discussing the playable characters—the ferocious Predator Warrior and the fan-favourite human cyborg, Major Linn Kurosawa—and why fans often call this the best Alien vs. Predator game ever made. We dive into the game’s immaculate design and whether this Arcade Classic still holds up as one of the best licensed 90s games.

If you love classic Capcom beat 'em ups and strategic arcade action, hit subscribe now!

Andy's Cocktail

Dave's Cocktail