It was around October 07, I had been on Destructoid for a few weeks, reading posts and commenting randomly never really getting too into the site. But one fateful day I was bored and was looking through the podcast page and out of curiosity I downloaded a episode of Podtoid and RetroforceGO. I would listen to them an enjoyed them but I never kept up to date with any of them.

So I found both Podcasts highly entertaining, but I started to wonder why Podtoid was not being updated anymore and I wanted to listen to something new, so I started to delve into the older episodes of Retroforce.



Then something odd was starting to happen. The folks of Retroforce were starting to become fleshed out individuals in my mind and in a weird way starting to becoming a comforting voice to listen too. The more familiar I was becoming with each member, the more I started to realize that these people are amazing. So I started to listen to the podcast more and on a regular basis.

At the same time I was starting to find my ideas about being a gamer were changing. My whole life I have been a gamer but I always had the mentality that once a new system was out, it was time to discard the older games and move on. When I got a Nintendo, I dumped my Atari stuff, when I get a Super Nintendo I got rid of my NES stuff, and I repeated this pattern all the way through the recent purchase of a 360.

It almost feels like I was brainwashed by the hype that is most mainstream video game coverage and in a weird way, Retroforce helped me feel more like a individual than just every other typical non informed Gamestop shopper.

So I started to backtrack a bit and started to think I need to replace my ps2, I needed to get another Super Nintendo and I am still waiting till I get some extra cash before I buy a Dreamcast. There are so many games across so many old platforms that I needed to play. That focus on new games and new graphics was just stupid in the end, to dismiss what are classics was my biggest mistake. It was not necessary to dump all my new games either, the focus was more on being open and willing to go back and play games I missed or that I loved.

A few months have passed and I went back and listened to EVERY single Retroforce podcast ever made.

I forgot what episode I was listening too but I started to hear stories of all the hosts past. Then it got more personal for me, since the hosts are just regular folks and have the same gaming pasts that I had. I recall the stories Colette was telling of having a childhood of having not many friends, and just being a geek in general that I started to connect with. They all started to feel like people that I can totally relate too and that is a very comforting feeling knowing that I was not the only one that grew up a bit odd. The feeling that people like me existed was the breaking point in the end, once I knew I was not alone in the world, was the moment when I realize I was in love with the podcast, hosts, ideology and just what Retroforce strived to convey.

Now as a gamer a few things have changed. My week does not start till I download my weekly dose of Retroforce. I am finding myself going back and replaying games that I have not touched since I was a wee little gamer in the SNES/NES days.



And the last thing I really need to say is thank you to Dyson, Colette, Chad and Topher. I hope I get to meet you folks in the future, cause your small endeavor in podcasting means a lot to me