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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: May, 2018

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?).

May 27, 2018

The star power driving the nuclear fission that is this week's episode, 122, of the podcast is off the (radiation) charts

There's me, of course.

But we've also got Jane Fonda! Michael Douglas! Jack Lemmon!

Oh, and some super naughty Muppets!

Okay, technically, none of those people is on the show. They're all in the 1979 movie China Syndrome. A "China syndrome" is a theory that an exploding nuclear reactor could punch a hole through the Earth from North America to China. This theory inspired the 1982 Spectravision game of the same name. Because there's nothing kids love more than nuclear physics.

Oh, there's no Muppets actually on the show either. There's still me, though, and I'm pretty sure I'm not a Muppet. No matter what my eighth grade teacher said. 

We'll take the atoms floating around this game reactor and smash them together to unleash the story energy within. Or something.

Beware the Atari Mushroom Cloud awaits.

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

Atari Bytes - episodes, show notes, social media, on and on and on

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show! Anything you want to know about the Peanuts strip, films, TV, merchandise. We do it all.

Get your "Go Play Some Old Games" mugs, shirts and more at our store AB_Pod_Store on Zazzle.com here.

Please consider supporting the show financially on our Atari Bytes Patreon.com page here. Thanks in advance.

May 20, 2018

In space, can anyone hear you fall into a cavern?

The 1982 Games by Apollo shooter with the most Five-PM-On-A-Friday-Trying-To-Get-Out-Of-The-Office title ever, SPACE CAVERN is our focus this week in episode 121. 

Where is this cavern? Is it just floating in space? Is that even possible? Instead, is it on a planet and, if so, shouldn't the game be called "Planet Cavern" or maybe just "Cavern"? What is an electrosauri? Why does it want to kill us?

All these questions (and more) will be answered in this week's story (or not).*

*Which is to say, probably no questions will be answered.**

**And more will probably be generated. Such is life.

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

Atari Bytes - show notes, episodes, social media, etc.

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show! Have a need to know about Snoopy and friends in any form - strip, TV, film or merchandise? We've got you covered.

AB_Pod_Store is our merchdise store on Zazzle.com - get yer "Go play some old games" mugs and stuff here.

Here's a link to the Atari Bytes Patreon page. Please consider supporting the show financially if you are able.

 

May 13, 2018

What up, moms of the world!

What better way to celebrate on the day in which we honor the mothers in the world who do so much for us than by putting on headphones and ignoring them while we listen to podcasts?

This week, on episode 120, we're checking out I WANT MY MOMMY from Zimag. It's a game deliberately targeted to the under-eight-year-old set. We assume that's chronological age, not maturity level. Will this game delight us or leave us weeping for OUR mommies? 

In this week's story, WHY exactly do we want our mommies? The mystery awaits...

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, links, social media, episodes and more can be found here.

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show! If it exists in the Peanuts universe, we talk about it on this show. Check it out.

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

Patreon.com - Please consider supporting Atari Bytes financially to offset some of our costs here.

May 6, 2018

On episode 119 of ATARI BYTES, there's magic all around us.

*Waits patiently for my Dr. Strange cape to wrap itself around me. Nothing happens. I sigh heavily and move on.*

We're playing the 1983 Mythicon game SORCERER. The wizards fight the sorcerer - you - for the treasure Pitfall Harry apparently left behind. We'll take Harry's leftovers. We're not picky. You could wonder why, if you're a sorcerer, you can't just conjur your own treasure. But perhaps it's best not to ask so many questions. The plot in this week's story doesn't just have holes. It has craters. Bring your climbing equipment. 

Here's a link to the complex.com 50 greatest Saturday morning cartoons we talked about.

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, episodes, social media

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show. Interested in some aspect of the Peanuts universe? We probably cover it.

Pick up "Go play some old games" shirts, mugs and more at our Zazzle.com AB_Pod_Store here.

Please consider support the show at our Patreon page here.

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