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ATARI BYTES

Remember those great Atari 2600 games? I have fond memories of playing classics like Pitfall or Yar's Revenge or River Raid. In this podcast, I take another look at the games, but as a writer, not a gamer. When I think of these games now, I see writing prompts; taking inspiration from the game plots or maybe even the titles to create original short stories. But this isn't simply fan fiction. The stories, more often than not, spin-off into some weird places in all kinds of genres. Sometimes funny, occasionally serious, always unique.
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Now displaying: August, 2016

Remember those great Atari 2600 games? Sure, they were fun to play, but didn't you ever wonder why they sent a plumber to take out Donkey Kong? What Yar was seeking revenge against? What the Defender was defending or why those robots went Berserk? Me too! ATARI BYTES is a game review podcast like no other. We review not just the game play, but the STORY within these classic games. We take a BYTE out of the story (get it?) and see if that story BYTES us back (now do you get it?).

Aug 28, 2016
EPISODE 32: PITFALL II: LOST CAVERNS

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."

Aug 21, 2016
EPISODE 31: FROGGER

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".

 

 

Aug 14, 2016
EPISODE 30: POPEYE

I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eats me spinach*, I'm Bill the Podcaster Man!

*Seriously, I do. Raw even.

This week's game is the 1983 Parker Brothers adventure POPEYE. While Olive Oil wears her hearts on her sleeve - and mostly just throws them at her beloved, Popeye is busy running from deck to deck on a ship trying to beat up Bluto/Brutus (which name you refer to Popeye's nemesis by really depends on your age) because...reasons. Sure, the message that disagreements can be solved with your fists is probably troubling, but, the game is a decent romp. Grab a can of the green stuff (We mean spinach. We're old school. No kale for us.) and climb aboard. Adventure, ahoy!

Atari Bytes

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown

Atari Bytes Patreon

Zazzle.com store at AB_Pod_Store

My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incopetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance".

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Aug 7, 2016
EPISODE 29: JUNGLE HUNT

This week, Sir Dudley Dashly swings from vine to vine across the jungle, colliding violently with Pitfall Harry and sending both of them to the hospital with concussions.

If only! That's just my dream premise for Pitfall III.

Instead, we're taking a look at the 1983 game from Atari, JUNGLE HUNT. Vicious vines. Cruel crocs. Belligerent boulders. Savage, uh, savages. Will Sir Dudley Dashly ever see Lady Penelope again? Well, we don't want to spoil anything, but we'd like to point out they never made Jungle Hunt II.

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

Atari Bytes Patreon

The Atari Bytes Zazzle.com store AB_Pod_Store

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