This series is like popcorn - a comparison that's even more apt when the episodes are consumed as individual 13-14 minute bits on YouTube, where the show can be accessed for free on Retroware and Pat Contri's channels.
It's a brilliant concept: examine the history of video games in the late '70s through the '80s with high quality editing, flashy transitions, copious usage of original gameplay footage and archival video game advertisements, and have a variety of talking head YouTube personalities tie it all together with context and commentary. I love how the interviews were all conducted in front of green screens so that colorful footage, animation, and graphics can play over the subjects' shoulders while they talk. It yields lots of visual interest, without being overly distracting.
The show is fun and fantastically re-watchable, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out some of the flaws. Frequently, the show suffers from a conflict between its high level of presentation and the quality of the commentary provided by the YouTube talking heads, most of whom I was unfamiliar with outside of Pat Contri, James Rolfe (The Angry Video Game Nerd), Jason Lindsey (Metal Jesus Rocks), and Mark Bussler (Classic Game Room) - and the latter three of barely appear at all. While the hosts are clearly having a good time, none of them are experts about any of the things they're talking about - they're all enthusiasts, reminiscing about their childhood video game experiences or providing Wikipedia-like factoids about the games they're discussing. For a show with such a polished TV documentary feel, the lack of serious video game scholars or historians hindered things a bit for me, though some old-school game programmers and company reps are included such as Howard Scott Warshaw and David Crane.
And the humor didn't always land with me - many of the jokes are profoundly dumb and there's an unnecessary smattering of sexual humor, as well as an irritating recurring gag where the commentators will loudly attempt to vocally recreate classic video game tunes.
Despite all that, I enjoy this series. In the crowded subgenre of YouTube retro gaming videos, these are some of the most professionally produced ones out there (apparently there was an Indiegogo campaign as well, where the producers raised over $13,000). They're almost - almost! - to the point where you wouldn't bat an eye if you caught 'em on a real TV network.