535: The Game That Took 37 Years to Finish: Ocean Software's Colin Porch - The Retro Hour EP535

The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)

The Retro Hour

Leisure, Technology, Video Games

4.9 • 558 Ratings

🗓️ 11 June 2026

⏱️ 112 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week we’re joined by veteran programmer Colin Porch, whose career took him through some of the biggest names in British gaming history, including Imagine, Software Projects and Ocean Software. Colin shares stories of Imagine’s dramatic collapse, converting arcade hits like Dragon’s Lair, Operation Wolf and Gryzor to home micros, the infamous lost Parasol Stars C64 port, and the technical wizardry behind bringing Head Over Heels to the Commodore 64, Atari ST and Amiga. Plus, we hear the incredible story of Return to Blacktooth, the Head Over Heels sequel Colin began in 1989 and has finally completed 37 years later.

Return To Blacktooth: https://thalamusdigital.itch.io/

Contents:

00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
48:17 – Colin Porch Interview

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Show notes

RGL Teases The A1200: https://lnk.ua/GqyeXdPJ5
Commodore Teases June 16th Announcement: https://lnk.ua/OXRSP2jzO
Crazy Taxi GenAI Response: https://lnk.ua/5JfoTfy1f
Atari Toy Story Collection: https://lnk.ua/TJqoQuQ5j
Resident Evil Code Veronica: https://lnk.ua/EDTxG2iaS
Ocarina Of Time Remake: https://lnk.ua/6Two6Um7u
Cuphead Devs’ Master System Spin-Off: https://lnk.ua/KnkMouiRw

Transcript

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0:03.7	Army definition
0:05.3	Extra troops or supplies deployed
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0:09.7	Football definition
0:15.6	Bringing three world-class players off the bench at 60 minutes
0:20.2	You're already speaking our language You belong Bringing three world-class players off the bench at 60 minutes.
0:23.6	You're already speaking our language.
0:25.3	You belong here.
0:27.4	Search army jobs.
0:33.3	Hiring isn't just about finding someone willing to take the job.
0:37.1	You need the right person with the right background who can move your business forward.
0:37.5	If you want candidates who match what you're looking for, trust Indeed sponsored jobs.
0:42.3	And listeners of this show will get a 100-pound sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at Indeed.com slash broadcast.
0:51.8	Just go to Indeed.com slash broadcast right now
0:55.0	and support this show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.
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1:01.2	Terms and conditions apply.
1:02.9	Hiring, do it the right way with Indeed.
1:05.9	Coming up on this week's show, Amiga fans get a teaser of the A-1200.
1:13.0	Sega's AI use in the new crazy taxi,
1:17.4	and we chat to imagine an ocean software legend Colin Porch.
	...

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