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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: February, 2020

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?).

Feb 23, 2020

If sports is a metaphor for human competition, auto racing is a metaphor for life as a whole: going round and round as fast and loud as possible, consuming as many resources as possible, without actually getting anywhere. 

Exhibit A: this week in ATARI BYTES episode 213, we're playing Atari's 1977 contribution to automotive sports INDY 500. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines and perhaps you'll outrun the futility of existence without crashing into the inevitability of the finish line that awaits us all.

This week's short story: ANATOMY OF VROOM: A POEM

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

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" theme.

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

Show notes, episode links, social media for ATARI BYTES here. Same stuff for the monthly exploration of the "Peanuts" comic strip, IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.

The website also has info and links to just some of the places you can order books by your host. For example, 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 zazzle.com/ab_pod_store. 

Become a subscriber and help keep the lights on in the podcast studio by signing up at the Atari Bytes Patreon page. Get episodes early! Get bonus episodes! Good stuff!

Feb 16, 2020

On episode 212 of ATARI BYTES, we learn that maybe not all board games need to make the jump to the TV screen.

To be fair, our discussion of Atari's 1979 BACKGAMMON adaptation could be colored by the flu and flu-related weariness bombarding the podcast studio while putting the episode together. But we're not sure that excuses everything...

This week's short story: GET BACK, GAMMON!

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.

You can find show info, social media and links for ATARI BYTES on www.carnivalofgleecreations.com here and the same for the monthly devotion to ALL things related to the iconic comic strip "Peanuts" IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.

Pick up "Go play some old games. They've missed you." shirts and mugs on zazzle.com/ab_pod_store here.

Support show by becoming a subscriber on the ATARI BYTES Patreon project here. 

Go here for info and links to some of the places you can order books written by your host, like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS.

Feb 9, 2020

Episode 211 of ATARI BYTES asks you, the listener, to test your MEMORY and remember back to a time long ago. CONCENTRATE and get ready to MATCH the fun you had with Hunt & Score in episode 192 as we get ready to play CONCENTRATION this week; the same game, by another name.

I know. You're not sure you can handle so much excitement in such a short time. It'll be okay. 

This week's short story: PERFECT MATCH

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.

Get show notes, episodes, social media and more for ATARI BYTES on www.carnivalofgleecreations.com

Also find show notes, episodes, social media and more for the monthly discussion of all things related to Peanuts comics here on www.carnivalofgleecreations.com 

Get "Go play some old games. They've missed you." shirts and mugs. 

Support the show by subscribing on the Atari Bytes page on Patreon here. Get episodes early! Got BONUS content! 

Feb 2, 2020

Episode 210 of ATARI BYTES is a science lesson. Did you know fire is sentient and can move around at will? It can! But fear not, you can defeat it with a hammer.

Also, gorillas hate you. Also barrels. But mostly you.

That's right! We're playing iconic game DONKEY KONG this week! But, Bill, you say, you done did that! Yes, yes, I did (ep. 37). But this time...it's for the 7800!!!!!! Please try to control yourselves.  Does Jumpman have the same spring in his step this time? Is he springier? We'll find out.

THIS WEEK'S STORY: DONKEY DESTINY

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.

Find show notes, info and links to episodes for ATARI BYTES here. And for the monthly discussion of all things related to the legendary Shoopy-rific comic "Peanuts" IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.

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

Become a supporter of the show by subscribing on Patreon.com. You could get episodes early! You could get BONUS episodes! You could keep the lights on in the podcast studio so I don't stumble around and hurt myself. 

Find info about books I've written and just some of the places you can order them on www.carnivalofgleecreations.com here. 

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