This week on the Cocktail Mode podcast, Andy and Dave are taking to the skies to earn their flight licenses in the 1990 SNES classic: Pilotwings!

We’re diving into the game that served as the ultimate showcase for Nintendo’s Mode 7 technology, transforming flat 2D maps into a pseudo-3D playground that blew minds at the SNES launch. We discuss the Zen-like calm of the hang glider, the high-altitude tension of the skydiving targets, and why the rocket belt (jetpack) remains one of the most satisfying mechanics in 16-bit history. We also pay tribute to the iconic instructors like Big Al and Shirley and the smooth, jazz-fusion soundtrack that makes every crash-landing feel a little more sophisticated.

Obviously there’ll also be two "high-altitude" cocktails to help you clear the landing strip!

Andy’s Cocktail

Dave’s Cocktail

Friends of the show (not affiliated):

www.diffordsguide.com

www.consoleMAD.co.uk

https://retrocomputermuseum.co.uk/

#Pilotwings #SNES #Nintendo #Mode7 #RetroGaming #GamingHistory #90sGaming #CocktailMode #VideoGameCocktails #NostalgiaPodcast #FlightSim #SoyoOka #16Bit

This week on the Cocktail Mode podcast, Andy and Dave are heading to the "World Center of Racing" to talk about the legendary Daytona USA in celebration of its real-world inspiration, the Daytona 500!

We’re revving up the engines on Sega’s arcade titan, discussing everything from the accuracy of the track layout to how and why the high-pitched "DAYTONAAAAA!" vocals of Takenobu Mitsuyoshi still live rent-free in our heads.

Tune in for a love letter to Daytona’s 60fps arcade perfection, some classic Sega Saturn port-chat, and two high-performance cocktails selected to keep you on the lead lap!

Andy’s Cocktail

Dave’s Cocktail

Friends of the show (not affiliated):

www.diffordsguide.com

www.ConsoleMAD.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/thenarrowsbaralaska

#DaytonaUSA #Sega #ArcadeRacing #Daytona500 #NASCAR #RetroGaming #SegaModel2 #CocktailMode #VideoGameCocktails #RacingHistory #BlueBlueSkies #GamingPodcast

This week on the Cocktail Mode podcast, Andy and Dave are blasting off into the Sega-blue skies of 1985 to revisit a true arcade behemoth: Space Harrier!

We’re taking a deep dive into Yu Suzuki’s psychedelic masterpiece, discussing the thrill of the hydraulic motion cabinet, remembering the iconic music and sound design, and chatting about why this game remains one of THE all time great arcade experiences.

Tune in for nostalgia, development stories, general banter, and the perfect drinks to accompany your trip to the Fantasy Zone!

Andy’s Cocktail

Dave’s Cocktail

#SpaceHarrier #RetroGaming #Sega #ArcadeClassic #YuSuzuki #SuperScaler #80sGaming #CocktailMode #VideoGameCocktails #NostalgiaPodcast #GamingHistory #FantasyZone #SegaAM2

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/