James Tocchio
@jamestocchio.bsky.social
✏️Writer, video games, cameras & fiction
👋 https://www.clippings.me/users/jamestocchio
📝Editor at http://CasualPhotophile.com
📷Owner http://Fstopcameras.com
🧡Nerd at http://GGDreamcast.com
👋 https://www.clippings.me/users/jamestocchio
📝Editor at http://CasualPhotophile.com
📷Owner http://Fstopcameras.com
🧡Nerd at http://GGDreamcast.com
Pinned
James Tocchio
@jamestocchio.bsky.social
· Dec 12
interviewed a legend, wrote a thing. go buy retro gamer. it's a great magazine full of neat stuff
Played Highguard for two hours. Yeah, idk, it’s a solid game. Good mechanics, interesting premise, fun, balanced. What’s the problem??
January 27, 2026 at 5:26 AM
Played Highguard for two hours. Yeah, idk, it’s a solid game. Good mechanics, interesting premise, fun, balanced. What’s the problem??
Panzer Dragoon Orta is amazing.
January 25, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Panzer Dragoon Orta is amazing.
If you don't know about Panzer Dragoon, here's a brief history lesson. Story First:
An evil empire has discovered an ancient tower filled with limitless weapons and one ultimate, powerful device. To destroy their enemies and rule the world, the Empire has bred a DARK dragon. It races to the tower.
An evil empire has discovered an ancient tower filled with limitless weapons and one ultimate, powerful device. To destroy their enemies and rule the world, the Empire has bred a DARK dragon. It races to the tower.
January 25, 2026 at 4:36 PM
If you don't know about Panzer Dragoon, here's a brief history lesson. Story First:
An evil empire has discovered an ancient tower filled with limitless weapons and one ultimate, powerful device. To destroy their enemies and rule the world, the Empire has bred a DARK dragon. It races to the tower.
An evil empire has discovered an ancient tower filled with limitless weapons and one ultimate, powerful device. To destroy their enemies and rule the world, the Empire has bred a DARK dragon. It races to the tower.
Writing for Retro Gamer today, listening to the Panzer Dragoon soundtrack composed by Yoshitaka Azuma, a new-age composer who blended Japanese wood wind instruments with synth-pop up-tempo percussion. Worked really well in this setting. (I'll share the music below)
January 25, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Writing for Retro Gamer today, listening to the Panzer Dragoon soundtrack composed by Yoshitaka Azuma, a new-age composer who blended Japanese wood wind instruments with synth-pop up-tempo percussion. Worked really well in this setting. (I'll share the music below)
The *only* good thing about the Montreal Canadiens is that every now and then I hear the name Suzuki and I get to momentarily think about Shenmue.
January 25, 2026 at 1:56 AM
The *only* good thing about the Montreal Canadiens is that every now and then I hear the name Suzuki and I get to momentarily think about Shenmue.
Having just written a six page feature on the first X for Retro Gamer, Kaye ain’t wrong.
The story of every Mega Man X game is the same: X starts out looking normal, then over the course of 8 levels his armor becomes the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen in your life.
January 23, 2026 at 4:28 AM
Having just written a six page feature on the first X for Retro Gamer, Kaye ain’t wrong.
Told my 8 yo daughter she’s good at her multiplication flash cards tonight and she said, “I’m a quick thinker.” And I said “Hey that’s what Daffy Duck said about the Titanic.” And she didn’t get it.
January 23, 2026 at 3:25 AM
Told my 8 yo daughter she’s good at her multiplication flash cards tonight and she said, “I’m a quick thinker.” And I said “Hey that’s what Daffy Duck said about the Titanic.” And she didn’t get it.
Beyond the many other more serious reasons this guy stinks, he is a truly egregious punctuation misunderstander.
January 23, 2026 at 3:22 AM
Beyond the many other more serious reasons this guy stinks, he is a truly egregious punctuation misunderstander.
I wrote about using the Game Boy Camera (on an Analogue Pocket). casualphotophile.com/2021/12/19/g...
Shooting the Nintendo Game Boy Camera 24 Years Later
James' new Analogue Pocket retro/modern handheld gaming device prompts him to reconnect with the 24-year-old Nintendo Game Boy Camera!
casualphotophile.com
January 23, 2026 at 3:06 AM
I wrote about using the Game Boy Camera (on an Analogue Pocket). casualphotophile.com/2021/12/19/g...
Unapologetically reminding you all that this is the best Zelda game they’ve ever made and when someone lets me write about why you’ll all agree with me.
January 20, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Unapologetically reminding you all that this is the best Zelda game they’ve ever made and when someone lets me write about why you’ll all agree with me.
My game writing basically boils down to grabbing someone’s face with both my hands and staring into their terrified eyes and gently smooshing their cheeks and saying “Please look at this thing I love with my entire heart and here’s why you might love it too.”
January 20, 2026 at 2:14 AM
My game writing basically boils down to grabbing someone’s face with both my hands and staring into their terrified eyes and gently smooshing their cheeks and saying “Please look at this thing I love with my entire heart and here’s why you might love it too.”
People like to make fun of game journalists but I’ve spent 30 hours of my life with my fingertips and eyes bleeding trying to contact the members of a Japanese band that made a game soundtrack 25 years ago to ask them three questions for an article I’m writing and idk, this isn’t very fun.
January 18, 2026 at 4:19 AM
People like to make fun of game journalists but I’ve spent 30 hours of my life with my fingertips and eyes bleeding trying to contact the members of a Japanese band that made a game soundtrack 25 years ago to ask them three questions for an article I’m writing and idk, this isn’t very fun.
PAX EAST badge arrived and I'll be attending the show with an eye for reporting on new and upcoming games and interviewing creators.
Editors or site owners who want coverage, please DM me. I'd love to work for you.
For reference, my (badly maintained) Clippings page www.clippings.me/users/jamest...
Editors or site owners who want coverage, please DM me. I'd love to work for you.
For reference, my (badly maintained) Clippings page www.clippings.me/users/jamest...
James Tocchio - Writing Portfolio
Games and technology, cameras and photography, and why any of it matters.
My game writing can be found in Game Informer, Retro Gamer Magazine, Uploa...
www.clippings.me
January 16, 2026 at 11:19 PM
PAX EAST badge arrived and I'll be attending the show with an eye for reporting on new and upcoming games and interviewing creators.
Editors or site owners who want coverage, please DM me. I'd love to work for you.
For reference, my (badly maintained) Clippings page www.clippings.me/users/jamest...
Editors or site owners who want coverage, please DM me. I'd love to work for you.
For reference, my (badly maintained) Clippings page www.clippings.me/users/jamest...
One of the easiest and free things people can do if you actually want video game critical analysis and commentary to be healthy would be to just share links to articles you like on socials.
Reminder that video game journalism cannot exist without functioning newsrooms that have the capacity to mentor and train new talent and the bandwidth to pursue long-form investigative pieces and break news—all while paying writers a living wage.
January 16, 2026 at 11:03 PM
One of the easiest and free things people can do if you actually want video game critical analysis and commentary to be healthy would be to just share links to articles you like on socials.
I really need to chat with Fumito Ueda and his pals about storytelling in video games. No one does it better and I neeeeed to interview them.
January 15, 2026 at 11:52 PM
I really need to chat with Fumito Ueda and his pals about storytelling in video games. No one does it better and I neeeeed to interview them.
This issue is really great. The Colossus piece is required reading for people who love games, and the tributes to Nick made me laugh and tear up in equal measure. I love this magazine.
It's Retro Gamer's 22nd birthday and the new issue is in stores today.
It's features…
Shadow Of The Colossus
Sonic The Hedgehog
Earthion
Sensible Software
Goal!
Analogue 3D review
Monty On The Run
+ much more
And tributes to our dear friend, Nick Thorpe
www.magazinesdirect.com/uk/retro-gam...
It's features…
Shadow Of The Colossus
Sonic The Hedgehog
Earthion
Sensible Software
Goal!
Analogue 3D review
Monty On The Run
+ much more
And tributes to our dear friend, Nick Thorpe
www.magazinesdirect.com/uk/retro-gam...
January 15, 2026 at 4:09 PM
This issue is really great. The Colossus piece is required reading for people who love games, and the tributes to Nick made me laugh and tear up in equal measure. I love this magazine.
Life is nice. Some memories of Panzer Dragoon. www.lowpolypigeons.com/blog/the-win...
the wings of a blue dragon — Low Poly Pigeons
I remember Panzer Dragoon.
www.lowpolypigeons.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:46 AM
Life is nice. Some memories of Panzer Dragoon. www.lowpolypigeons.com/blog/the-win...
2026 writing goal is to write one short piece of fiction every month. And get one published. And complete one draft of a novel. We’re on the way.
January 12, 2026 at 4:00 AM
2026 writing goal is to write one short piece of fiction every month. And get one published. And complete one draft of a novel. We’re on the way.
The best video games follow Kurt Vonnegut’s Rules for Fiction Writing.
I wrote an essay about it that may be useful and interesting for game devs, critics, and anyone who’s ever wondered “Does this game suck?”
I wrote an essay about it that may be useful and interesting for game devs, critics, and anyone who’s ever wondered “Does this game suck?”
January 8, 2026 at 4:52 PM
The best video games follow Kurt Vonnegut’s Rules for Fiction Writing.
I wrote an essay about it that may be useful and interesting for game devs, critics, and anyone who’s ever wondered “Does this game suck?”
I wrote an essay about it that may be useful and interesting for game devs, critics, and anyone who’s ever wondered “Does this game suck?”
The proliferation of AI-generated music on YouTube is an actual catastrophe for artists and people who make things with their human heads and hearts. It's awful. And then there's the inconvenience of searching for music to listen to, and every result is AI... Bad technology. Rich people ruined it.
January 6, 2026 at 5:27 PM
The proliferation of AI-generated music on YouTube is an actual catastrophe for artists and people who make things with their human heads and hearts. It's awful. And then there's the inconvenience of searching for music to listen to, and every result is AI... Bad technology. Rich people ruined it.
One time I accidentally cut my fingertip off with a razor blade because I was cutting toward myself instead of away. About two months later I was showing someone how the accident happened and did it again.
What's the most ridiculous way you ever hurt yourself? I got out of the tub, skidded in water and tripped over the toilet. Ankle sprain.
😅
😅
January 5, 2026 at 11:42 PM
One time I accidentally cut my fingertip off with a razor blade because I was cutting toward myself instead of away. About two months later I was showing someone how the accident happened and did it again.
This is hopeless but I’ve been trying to figure out the first video game I ever played for about ten years and despite being decent at research, I can’t figure it out. Help me!
It was a very old game. Like, late 80s if I had to guess. And you played as a guy with a hat who had to catch bombs in…
It was a very old game. Like, late 80s if I had to guess. And you played as a guy with a hat who had to catch bombs in…
January 5, 2026 at 5:01 AM
This is hopeless but I’ve been trying to figure out the first video game I ever played for about ten years and despite being decent at research, I can’t figure it out. Help me!
It was a very old game. Like, late 80s if I had to guess. And you played as a guy with a hat who had to catch bombs in…
It was a very old game. Like, late 80s if I had to guess. And you played as a guy with a hat who had to catch bombs in…