Codex History of Video Games with Mike Coletta and Tyler Ostby artwork

Codex History of Video Games with Mike Coletta and Tyler Ostby

311 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★★ - 112 ratings

Tyler Ostby and Mike Coletta dive into the history of video games from the beginning. From pinball to PlayStation, Tyler and Mike cover it all! Check out new episodes every Monday!

Video Games Leisure Education
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Episodes

Episode 280 - Mailbag 20!

March 18, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 71.3 MB

Mike and Tyler read listener emails and Discord posts! They talk a lot about movies, TV, and their relationship to video games. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 279 - Goldeneye 007 with Alyse Knorr

March 11, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 63.5 MB

Mike and Tyler are joined once again by author and podcaster Alyse Knorr! They discuss Goldeneye 007 for Nintendo 64. Check out Alyse Knorr's book Goldeneye 007 on Bossfight Books! 

Episode 278 - Gaming Legends: Polybius

March 04, 2024 10:00 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MB

Mike and Tyler dive into the urban legend Polybius. Mike says "in the weeds" so much this episode and that's where they are! The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 277 - The Case for Souls Games with Lisa Wallen

February 26, 2024 10:00 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MB

Mike and Tyler have funny comedian and streamer Lisa Wallen on the podcast to convince Mike and Tyler they need to play more soulslike games. Follow Lisa on Twitch or Instagram @wisallalen! The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 276 - Persona Part 2

February 20, 2024 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43 MB

Tyler and Mike continue their series on Persona and discuss the second installment of the franchise. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 275.5 - Codex Remastered: Episode 21 – A Post 16-Bit World Part 1

February 12, 2024 10:00 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MB

Mike is out this week. We are revisiting episode 21 where Tyler and Mike talk about the next generation after 16-bit consoles. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 275 - Mailbag 19!

February 05, 2024 10:00 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MB

Mike and Tyler have a mailbag episode. They talk Super Bowl Video Game teams and video game crushes. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 274 - Twisted Metal

January 29, 2024 10:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MB

Mike and Tyler talk about the 1995 classic PlayStation game Twisted Metal. We go over the gameplay and origins of the game from infamous LA Traffic. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 273 - Storytelling Discussion

January 22, 2024 10:00 - 43 minutes - 81.9 MB

Mike and Tyler are together in the same room! They have a Codex Discussion episode on storytelling in video games. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 272 - Persona Part 1

January 15, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 61.6 MB

Tyler and Mike start a series on the Persona games! They talk about the origins of the series as a spinoff and the localization issues with the first game. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 271 - Book Review - From Ants to Zombies: Six Decades of Video Game Horror

January 08, 2024 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MB

Mike and Tyler do a book review! They talk about the book From Ants to Zombies: Six Decades of Video Game Horror by Alexander Chatziioannou. The go through each section fo the book and talk about a game they have played. They also discuss what they've been playin'! The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 270 - 2023 Codex GOTY Awards

January 01, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 71.9 MB

Mike and Tyler present their games of the year. They also go over some honorable mentions, and other categories. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 269 Game Cartridge Tier List

December 18, 2023 10:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MB

Mike and Tyler do a tier list of video game cartridges based on aesthetics. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 268 - Hook (SNES/Sega CD/Genesis)

December 11, 2023 10:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MB

Mike and Tyler discuss the 2D sidescrolling game Hook based on the 1991 movie of the same name. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 267 - Mailbag 18!

December 04, 2023 10:00 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MB

Mike and Tyler have a mail bag episode! They read listener mail and talk about the top 5 games they want to play in 2024 and discuss video game linearity. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 266 - The Best Non-Violent Video Games with James Batchelor

November 27, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 63.9 MB

Mike and Tyler are joined by author of The Best Non-Violent Video Games, James Batchelor! They go through some of the games in the book and discuss why non-violent video games are an important part of the industry. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 265.5 - Codex Remastered: Episode 20 – Video Game Violence: Friendship or Fatality?

November 20, 2023 10:00 - 58 minutes - 53.1 MB

Tyler and Mike discuss the making of Mortal Kombat, the 1993 hearing on violence in video games, and more!

Episode 265 - Codex Discussion: Arcades in 2023

November 13, 2023 10:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MB

Mike and Tyler talk about going to arcades in 2023. They specifically discuss the two different kinds of arcades you run into today, the ticket focused arcades like Dave & Busters, and the "barcade" style focused on classic games. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 264 - Spyro the Dragon

November 06, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MB

Tyler and Mike talk discuss Spyro the Dragon! They talk about the early development of 3D platformers and mascots in the 1990s. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 263 - Resident Evil Redux

October 30, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 43.3 MB

Mike goofed and Tyler and him revisit Resident Evil. Mike had a chance to play through the first game in the series and has thoughts. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 262 - Minesweeper with Kyle Orland

October 23, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MB

Mike and Tyler talk to Gaming Editor at Ars Technica and author of the Boss Fight Book Minesweeper, Kyle Orland! They discuss the origins of Minesweeper at Microsoft and the games surprising competitive scene. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 261 - What Makes a Good Comic Book Game with Mike Cronin

October 16, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 62 MB

Mike and Tyler are joined by comedian Mike Cronin to talk about comic book videos games. They go through some of their favorites and in the end talk about what makes a comic book video game good. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 260 - Mailbag 17!

October 09, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 42.7 MB

Mike and Tyler have a mailbag episode! They discuss their Mount Rushmore of video games, who would be the crew of their fictional starship, and more! The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 259 - Activision Part 3

October 02, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 55.8 MB

Tyler and Mike discuss the history of Activision. In the final installment they go through all the actiquisitions. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 258 - Pokémon Snap

September 25, 2023 09:00 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MB

Mike and Tyler discuss the history of Pokémon Snap for the N64. They talk about how the game holds up today and it's strange development history. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 257 - Activision Part 2

September 18, 2023 09:00 - 44 minutes - 40.8 MB

Mike and Tyler continue their series on Activision. They discuss the companies short time as Mediagenic and the acquisition by Bobby Kotick. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 256 - Nintendo Before Video Games Part 5

September 11, 2023 09:00 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MB

Mike and Tyler finish their series on Nintendo before video games by talking about, well, video games. They discuss the early home consoles Nintendo released in the late 1970s/early 1980s as well as the first arcade games released by Nintendo. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 255 - Mailbag 16!

September 04, 2023 09:00 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MB

Mike and Tyler read listener mail on the show! Once again they get into artificial intelligence in games and try to remember games they already covered on the show. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 254 - Activision Part 1

August 28, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MB

Tyler and Mike start a deep dive into Activision. They go into the early days of their founding and the industry issues that created them. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Epsiode 253 - Video Game Protagonists Tier List Part 2

August 21, 2023 09:00 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MB

Mike and Tyler make their own list to include some of the video game protagonists they felt were forgotten last week. Mike also causes a rift in their friendship. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Epsiode 252 - Video Game Protagonists Tier List Part 1

August 14, 2023 09:00 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MB

Mike and Tyler start their teir list of video game protagonists. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 251.5 - Codex Remastered: Episode 19 – The 16-Bit Console War

August 07, 2023 09:00 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MB

Mike is getting married! Enjoy this rerelease of episode 19. Tyler and Mike start to talk about the 16-bit console war between Sega and Nintendo. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge. 

Episode 251 - Nintendo Before Video Games Part 4

July 31, 2023 09:00 - 39 minutes - 36.2 MB

Mike and Tyler are together in person to continue their history of Nintendo before video games. They discuss the Nintendo Laser Clay Shooting system and other mechanical games of the 1970s. Their source is The History of Nintendo: 1889-1980, from playing cards to Game & Watch, Volume 1 by Florent Gorges. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 250.75 - Codex Remastered: Episode 19 – The 16-Bit Console War

July 24, 2023 09:00 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MB

Tyler and Mike start to talk about the 16-bit console war between Sega and Nintendo. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge. 

Episode 250.5 - Codex Remastered: Episode 18 – The Road to Console War

July 17, 2023 09:00 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MB

Tyler and Mike talk about the release of the Super Famicom (SNES) and personnel changes at Sega. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 250 - Mailbag 15!

July 10, 2023 09:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MB

Mike and Tyler have a mailbag episode. They spend a lot of time on AI in gaming and list their top 5 their favorite games of all life (list subject to change). The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 249.5 - Codex Remastered: Episode 17 – Sega Genesis, Game Boy, and TurboGrafx

July 03, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MB

Mike and Tyler are on their summer sabbatical. Enjoy episode 17 where they talk about about all the hardware that showed up in 1989. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 249 - Legend of Zelda Games Tier List

June 26, 2023 09:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MB

Mike and Tyler create a tier list of the Legend of Zelda games. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 248 - Super Mario Bros. 3 with Alyse Knorr

June 19, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 62 MB

Mike and Tyler are joined by the author of the Boss Fight Books Super Mario Bros. 3 and GoldenEye 007 Alyse Knorr! They discuss the secrets, history, and development of Super Mario Bros 3 from Alyse's book. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 247 - Nintendo Before Video Games Part 3

June 12, 2023 09:00 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MB

Mike and Tyler continue their history of Nintendo before video games. They discuss the hiring of Gunpei Yokoi, Iroshi Imanishi, Masayuki Uemura, and the impact that had on Nintendo in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Their source is The History of Nintendo: 1889-1980, from playing cards to Game & Watch, Volume 1 by Florent Gorges. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 246 - Codex Discussion: Minigames

June 05, 2023 09:00 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MB

Mike and Tyler discuss their favorite minigames. They also chat about, in their opinion, what makes a good minigame? The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 245 - A History of Fishing Video Games

May 29, 2023 09:00 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MB

Mike and Tyler discuss three of the first fishing video games ranging from 1977-1985. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 244 - Codex Discussion: Popular Games We Couldn't Get Into

May 22, 2023 09:00 - 36 minutes - 67 MB

Tyler and Mike talk about the big video games, they personally, just couldn't get into. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 243 - Nintendo Before Video Games Part 2

May 15, 2023 09:00 - 49 minutes - 45 MB

Mike and Tyler continue their history of Nintendo before video games. They discuss the beginnings of the Hiroshi Yamauchi era from 1927 to the mid 1960s. Their source is The History of Nintendo: 1889-1980, from playing cards to Game & Watch, Volume 1 by Florent Gorges. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 242 - Mailbag 14!

May 08, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MB

Tyler and Mike read listener emails! They do some revisions and new submissions to their aesthetics tier list, discuss narrative games, and Mortal Kombat Jr. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.  

Episode 241 - A Selective History of 'Bad' Video Games with Michael Greenhut

May 01, 2023 09:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MB

Mike and Tyler are joined by author Michael Greenhut. They discuss his new book, A Selective History of 'Bad' Video Games. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 240 - Kingdom Hearts Part 1

April 24, 2023 09:00 - 52 minutes - 48 MB

Tyler teaches Mike the history of Kingdom Hearts. They start with the origins of the series and Kingdom Hearts 1. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 239 - Nintendo Before Video Games Part 1

April 17, 2023 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MB

Mike and Tyler go through the history of Nintendo before video games. They start with the rise of playing cards in Japan in the 1500s all the way up until the birth of Hiroshi Yamauchi in 1927. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 238 - Handheld Aesthetics Tier List

April 10, 2023 09:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MB

Mike and Tyler now rate handhelds solely on their looks! This time they focus on handhelds in their lifetime. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

Episode 237 - Console Aesthetics Tier List

April 03, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 60.5 MB

Mike and Tyler rate consoles solely on their looks! They focus only on consoles they know. Handhelds and controllers will be a separate list. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.