Atari Bytes

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hey! Wake up. Splash some cold water on your face and drown your hangover in coffee. Then crawl feebly onto the couch to check out this first episode of 2017. Our focus this month is Atari's 1983 port of the legendary GALAXIAN (legendary mostly in the sense of being the forerunner of the way more popular Galaga). Like the Baby New Year, does this game fills the diaper of our souls with the promise of great things to come or a steamy pile of eight-bit poo? Now, let's fire up the Atari and get our galaxi-ON! Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance." Atari Bytes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes store at Zazzle.com The Atari Bytes Patreon page The video of that dude making me look bad by getting 99 points in Sky Diver is right here. Grrrrrrr! How I hate that guy!* *I don't really hate him.** **Well, maybe a little.

It's Christmas Day! Merry Christmas! (If you're listening to this in, like, June, then, um, happy Tuesday or whatever.) Here's a brand new, shiny yuletide package of pod-goodness from me to you. And maybe, just maybe, if I've been a good little podcaster, there'll be a new game under my audio tree. But what game will it be....? It's a Chrismystery! So ignore your relatives for thirty-eight minutes or so and come find out! My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring". Atari Bytes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon page The Atari Bytes store at Zazzle.com Check out my year in review at my blog. It's GOODNIGHT, 2016! presented in the style of "Goodnight, Moon". Here's an Amazon link to Bill's novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME, but you can get it wherever you like to get books.

This week, episode 48 of the podcast is going to the dark side. In fairness, it wasn't a long journey given life in late 2016. But it's all good because we're celebrating the release of STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE by playing the 1983 Parker Brothers game STAR WARS: JEDI ARENA.  You versus a fellow Jedi in a fast-moving battle of light saber on light saber action. If this is not the droid game you're looking for...moving along. But not until after you listen to this episode. My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Pinball Spring", "Reformat", and "Take a Chance". Atari Bytes show notes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon page The Atari Bytes store at Zazzle.com Bill's novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME makes a great gift! Could even be a stocking stuffer!

This week on the show, we plummet into the abyss and hope the parachute opens. It's like life, really. Our focus is Atari's 1979 port of the class arcade game SKY DIVER. As you plummet to the ground from a zooming plane hoping to hit the tiny landing pad, you'll wish you had that golden parachute. That's dumb, of course, since a gold parachute would be way too heavy and you'd crash to the ground like a bag of wet sand. Maybe it's best if you just stay in the plane and order another drink. My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Reformat", and "Pinball Spring". Atari Bytes notes and episodes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes store at Zazzle.com The Atari Bytes Patreon page Bill's novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME

You know how sometimes people say "this isn't your father's...whatever" to imply that the version of that thing YOU have is way cooler than what YOUR DAD had? Well, this week on the show, we talk about your father's whatever. That sounds weird. I'll explain. The focus this week is Atari's 1980 port of the 1978 arcade classic SPACE INVADERS. When pong clones (soon to be a BBC series starring Tatiana Maslany) killed the video game market in 1977, an invasion of aliens marched in lock-step to bring the market back. SPACE INVADERS became so closely identified with gaming, that the little aliens are still iconic of that era. But what about the game itself? Any good? Why are they invading? What do they want? Why are you the only one that can defend the Earth? So. Many. Questions. Join us, won't you? Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons access to his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance". Atari Bytes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown Atari Bytes Patreon Page Zazzle.com Atari By

This week on Atari Bytes, we're burnin' down the house! Well, burnin' down a skyscraper anyway. Also, technically, we're supposed to be saving the building. Would have been nice to know that sooner. Our focus is the 1982 U.S. Games production TOWERING INFERNO, which may or may not be based on the 1974 classic disaster film "The Towering Inferno". (Pick whichever enhances your enjoyment of the experience.) In the game, you are a firefighter braving relentless flames, going floor-by-floor searching for survivors. I don't want to brag about my firefighting skills, but I'm going to be Mr. January in next year's "shirtless firefighter" calendar. So watch for that! My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance." Atari Bytes shownotes Zazzle.com AB_Pod_Store Atari Bytes' Patreon page It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown Bill's book IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME

A funny thing happened on the way to the podcast, this week... We intended to do Codebreaker, as announced on the last episode. Turns out, though, that you need keypads to play it. This is a problem inasmuch as I didn't know Atari keypads existed. Fear not! Armed with this knowledge, Codebreaker will appear in a future episode. Instead, we've got one of the original nine Atari games: 1977's AIR SEA BATTLE. This is a good time for a game based on conflict given that November 2016 has seen SO LITTLE conflict in American life. Oh well. It's play time! My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring". Atari Bytes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown Atari Bytes Patreon page Atari Bytes stuff at Zazzle.com Bill's novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME  

Adventure has one name and that name is...James Bond. Wait. That's not it. What is it again? *Whip cracks* Oh, right. Adventure has one name and that name is INDIANA JONES. This week, we're off to Cairo as we race Nazis to get to the fabled lost ark first in Atari's 1982 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK adaptation. Also, Henry has a snack. So there's that. Join us if you dare. But fair warning: there will be snakes. Bonus points if you can hear my dog snoring on the audio. (Sorry 'bout that.) My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring". Atari Bytes notes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown Zazzle.com store at AB_Pod_Store Atari Bytes Patreon page Amazon link for Bill's novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME (or get it wherever else you choose)

Mega! Mega-mania! it's gonna drive you insane! Not really. if it does, maybe you should dial it back a bit. BUT...the 1982 Activision (we love us some Activision!) game MEGAMANI is tons of crazy fun. (Spoiler: I really like this game.) It's our focus on this meaning-of-life-defining episode 42 (That's for you Douglas Adams fans) and we are crazy excited to get to it. Maniacal even! Join us, won't you? My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance". Atari Bytes page It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown Atari Bytes Patreon page Zazzle.com store - AB_Pod_Store Bill's novel - In the St. Nick of Time (Amazon link; but feel free to order wherever you like)

It's Halloween! (As this episode drops). Here's a little pod-treat for your goodie bags, you little goblins. I'm joined by not one, but TWO, cohosts as both Henry and Sophie light candles and come along on a tour of Zachary Graves' spooky old mansion in Atari's 1981 fright-fest HAUNTED HOUSE. Join us...if you've got the guts. BOO! My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Reformat" and "Pinball Spring". Atari Bytes show notes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown Zazzle.com store AB_Pod_Store Atari Bytes Patreon page    

Grab a martini and Radar's teddy bear and come play M*A*S*H! The video game! On your TV!* *You might need to put down either the martini or the bear to hold the joystick. In episode 40, our focus is the 1983 20th Century Fox Video Games edition of the game based on the HUGELY popular show about whacky doctors and nurses plunked down in the army camp 4077 during the Korean War. Plus...We have a special guest.  Henry is back! He joins us to share his thoughts about a game set in a war that, historically, means little to him because it happened sixty years ago and he's only seven. But did he like the game? Tune in to find out! Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance." Atari Bytes show notes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon page The Zazzle.com store AB_Pod_Store    

Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? G.I. JOE: COBRA STRIKE, the 1983 Parker Brothers Atari game, is here to slither its way into your ear holes. The game finds the evil COBRA organization targeting new Joe recruits with a HUGE laser-shooting and venom dripping snake. As one does. In the game, you are manning the guns to defend the Joes. All of this smacks of bad military strategy to me. Does the plot hold up? We put our forked tongue all over this one to find out. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance." Atari Bytes show notes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon page The Atari Bytes Zazzle.com store AB_Pod_Store  

In "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", Harrison Ford saved his father. Ian Ziering saved his dad David Hasselhoff a bunch of times in those "Sharknado" movies. And now, this week, Donkey Kong Junior steps - make that leaps - up to claim his own place as daddy-saver. Will he do the family proud? If not, there's always "Sharknado IV". Also in the episode: I rap, apparently. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance". Atari Bytes show notes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Zazzle.com store at AB_Pod_Store The Atari Bytes Patreon page

Back when this full-grown podcaster was but a wee audio sprout, there were the BIG THREE GAMES that were integral to forming his arcading self: Frogger and Pac-Man were two of them, both of which we have talked about on this show. And now, we look at the third of the triumvirate: DONKEY KONG - Coleco, 1981.  Does this port live up to the thrill of the arcade version? Does the story of a little Italian plumber (who, in this game, is actually a carpenter because...reasons) chasing down a homicidal gorilla still hold up? Did it EVER make any sense? These questions and more will be answered this week. So put down your bowl of Crunch Berries and DVD collection of the Donkey Kong cartoon show and join us. My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring and "Take a Chance". Atari Bytes Show Notes Its a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon Page The Zazzle.com AB_Pod_Store for all your merchandise needs.

Well, we wanted to find signs of alien life, and now we're being conquered by our new alien overlords. Yet another reason why interaction with the outside world is a bad thing. In Atari's 1982 space adventure DEFENDER, you are all that stands between the invading hordes and civilization as we know it. Don't worry! We believe in you!* *Podcaster writes farewell letter to his fellow humanoids.* Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance." Atari Bytes notes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Zazzle.com store Atari Bytes Patreon Page    

"Animal Farm" was a freakin' petting zoo compared to what's going on in this game. This week's focus is Activision's (!) 1983 game Oink! It's an adaptation of the "Three Little Pigs" story that lets you work out your very understandable porcine hostility in a light-hearted romp where you kill a bunch of pigs with halitosis, apparently. Join us, won't you? My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance". Atari Bytes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown Zazzle.com store Our Patreon page  

It's autumn and you know what that means. Yep, time to sit on the couch by the fire getting drunk on spiced rum. But autumn also means FOOTBALL! If video games do nothing else, they provide a fine substitution for physical activity outside in the sunshine amongst other humans. This week's game - REALSPORTS FOOTBALL, a 1982 Atari game - is no exception. So, suit up and get out on the field. Let the gridiron smooth out the wrinkles in your athleticism. No need to thank us. Atari Bytes site It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Zazzle.com Atari Bytes store AB_Pod_Store The Atari Bytes Patreon Page My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring".

Atari's 1981 adaptation of the classic board game OTHELLO is our focus this week on the show. Apparently, we were really desperate. This is a fine strategy game, but flipping black or white tiles from one color to the other doesn't exactly scream character and plot. So tune in, if for no other reason than to witness the audio trainwreck. Good luck, me. Atari Bytes show notes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon page Zazzle.com Atari Bytes store AB_Pod_Store My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance".  

Pitfall Harry returns! Just when he thought he was out, they pulled him back in..to PITFALL II: LOST CAVERNS, 1984, from Activision. By "they", we mean water, condors, bats, albino scorpions, and many, many caverns to fall into and get lost in. Sounds like a party to me! Atari Bytes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon page The Atari Bytes Zazzle.com store AB_Pod_Store My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance."

Little Orphan Annie might say the theme on this week's episode of ATARI BYTES is "Leapin' Lizards!" She'd be wrong, of course. No lizards here, but there are a bunch of frogs! Our game is Parker Brothers' 1982 port of the classic arcade game FROGGER. You can't possibly lick all the frogs in this daring adventure cataloging all the ways to kill a defenseless bit of nature.* But keep on tryin'! This game is more fun than a plate full of chocolate-covered flies. *Seriously. Stop licking frogs. That's gross. "Is Popeye's Nemesis Names Bluto or Brutus?" - The Straight Dope Atari Bytes It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes store at Zazzle.com That Atari Bytes Patreon page My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance".