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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: October, 2019

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?).

Oct 27, 2019

Episode 196 featuring the 1983 Fox Video Games offering REVENGE OF THE BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES is clearly an allegory for the plight of the American farmer in the 1980s international trade market.

Also, tomatoes are trying to kill you, so maybe the message is: Kids, eat less fruit.

This week's short story: TOMATO PUREE 

Flat Earth Rocketman Measuring Curve of the Unite States

A ROM Has Been Released of Atari's "Pursuit of the Pink Panther"

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

Thanks to Mike Mann for the "Mad Mike Hughes" update theme.

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" theme.

www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you can get info, episode links and social media for this show, ATARI BYTES, and my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN.

The webiste also has info about my novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME, a sort of Santa Claus story for adults and MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS.

Pick up "Go play some old games, they've missed you." shirts and mugs at the AB_Pod_Store on Zazzle.com.

You can support the show financially by becoming a Patreon subscriber here. Get episodes early! Get bonus episodes!

 

Oct 20, 2019

In episode 195, we're teeing up the golf ball that is the podcast to sink in a hole in one of your earholes. Or maybe both. But we don't want to overreach.

That's right, we're playing MINIATURE GOLF, Atari's 1978 plaintive cry about being out of ideas already. "Weird. I thought they'd come up with more stuff. They had such potential," said the 1970s consumers.

This week's short story: MINIATURE DEATH 

*Producer's Note: This week's recording was overrun with audio drops. Don't know why. Tried to clean it up as best I could, but if it sounds incoherent in places, just assume it's a technical issue, not the failings of your host. Please.

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

Thanks to Mike Mann for the "Mad Mike Hughes" update theme.

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" theme.

ATARI BYTES show notes, episodes, social media and more at www.carnivalofgleecreations.com 

IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN is a monthly show about all things in and around the "Peanuts" universe. Find out more here.

Pick up "Go play some old games, they've missed you" shirts and mugs at the AB_Pod_Store on Zazzle.com 

You can become a Patreon subscriber and get access to bonus content by going to the Atari Bytes Patreon page here. 

Find out here about my books IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME and MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS

Oct 13, 2019

Don't stop believin'...it's episode 194 of ATARI BYTES!

Drive one of your Cars to your game console and Wham your cartridge in. Don't get distracted by the Eagles above or Hall & Oats bringing you chicken nuggets and Oreo Speedwagons. We're playing JOURNEY ESCAPE, a 1982 game inspired by the artwork on Journey's album of the same name. Because apparently in 1982, Atari was doing lots of coke.*

*Kidding.**

**It was probably heroin.

This week's short story is: IT'S THE JOURNEY. NOT THE DESTINATION

Atari Brings Back Centipede, Asteroids & More in Exclusive Arace1Up Deal

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

Thanks to Mike Mann for the "Mad Mike Hughes" theme.

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" theme.

ATARI BYTES info, episode links, social media can all be found at www.carnivalofgleecreations.com 

IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN is my other show; a monthly excursion ito all things Peanuts. Find out more here.

Support ATARI BYTES by becoming a Patreon subscriber here. Bonus episodes! Early episodes! Madness!

Find out about books I've written like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS here.

Pick up "Go play some old games. They've missed you." stuff at the AB_Pod_Store at Zazzle.com

Oct 6, 2019

Cogito ergo sum.

I think, therefore I am.

Cogito ergo playsumhuhhhh????

I think no one knows what this game is; does it exist?

In episode 193, we're playing AUTO RACING, which despite hold it in my hand, seems to not exist if the Internet is to be believed. But I played it...I think I played it...does anyone else see the walls melting?

This week's bad poetry corner: OTTO RACING

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Pinball Spring" and "Reformat". 

Thanks to Mike Mann for the "Mad Mike Hughes" theme.

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" theme. 

Find show notes, social media and show info for ATARI BYTES and IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN at www.carnivalofgleecreations.com

At the website books and publications page, you can also find out about my publications like IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME and MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS.

Support ATARI BYTES at Patreon to unlock early access to episodes and BONUS episodes here. 

You can get "Go play some old games, they've missed you." shirts, mugs and more at AB_Pod_Store at Zazzle.com

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