This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others & games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

My guest today is Tony Coles, a freelance videogame writer and former videogame PR. The length of the episode gives you some idea of how passionate and excited Tony is by videogames. This episode runs on the rocket fuel of enthusiasm and nostalgia.

We talk about Tony's first experience of Space Invaders on a German Military Base and how that continued to be the defining game of his youth, early video game hacks involving shoot em up simulators and Maria Whittaker, some horror stories of play testing, why video game PR was not for him, and how he was the first writer to ever get a named credit in Edge.

We also chat about the wonders of the SID chip, how Jet Set Willy instilled a love of exploration, how much we miss the Aki wrestling games, why Ikaruga is the most powerful example of games as art and why more games should have a shout button.

'My Ninja brings all the boys to the yard.'

iTunes HERE - SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW

Games discussed: Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy, Mercenary, Space Invaders, Defender, Ikaruga, Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate, SWAT 3, Super Shinobi, Fingers Malone, Oblivion, Ultima 3, X-Com, Thunderforce, Golden Axe, Barbarian, Doom, Aliens vs. Predator, Tron 2.0, International Soccer, Uncharted 4.

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Twitter - twitter.com/CheckpointsShow

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki