Hardcore Gaming 101 – Promoting the culture of video games

Hardcore Gaming 101: Where Forgotten Games Get Their Due

Hardcore Gaming 101 is one of those rare corners of the internet that actually cares about video game history. Run for years by Kurt Kalata and a crew of dedicated contributors, it digs into obscure Japanese imports, weird franchises nobody else covers, and classics that mainstream outlets skip. The writing goes deep. Think long-form retrospectives, not hot takes. The site has even spun its research into a whole line of print books and a podcast counting down the greatest games ever made.

The homepage works like a rolling feed of the newest articles. You'll spot fresh reviews of retro oddities and modern indies sitting side by side, links to the book catalog, recent podcast episodes, and a sidebar pointing toward the massive alphabetical game index. It's a launchpad, basically. Pick a title you've never heard of and fall down the rabbit hole.