Info

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.
RSS Feed
2023
December
April
March
February
January


2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


All Episodes
Archives
Now displaying: May, 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?).

May 31, 2020

ATARI BYTES episode 227 explores a concept many of us in this pandemical age in which we live may have forgotten: commuting from one place to another. That place, specifically, is outer space. We're guessing social distancing is a bit easier up there. And if you sneeze, you just splatter the inside of your own helmet instead of the other commuters.

We're playing Activision's 1984 ode to the soul-crushing time-suck that is the commute: COSMIC COMMUTER. Whatever else can be said, at least we know the experience will be...stellar.

This week's short story: THE COMMUTANTS

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.

You can find ATARI BYTES show notes, social media, episodes and more here on www.carnivalofgleecreations.com and the same stuff for my other podcast, IT'S  A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.

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

Become a subscriber to ATARI BYTES on the Patreon.com page. If you do, you could get episodes early! Even BONUS CONTENT! The commute over to Patreon is totally worth it!

Please consider picking up one of my books, like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS or the novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME. The website has info and links to some places you can do that.

May 24, 2020

The game this week on ATARI BYTES is an unreleased prototype. The episode is not.

Or is it?

We're playing COMBAT TWO, announced by Atari in 1982 for a 1984 release that never happened. Yet, here it is.

Maybe the show has never happened either. Maybe never happened. Or you. Maybe everything is an illusion.

Anyway...happy listening!

This week's short story: COMBAT, COMBAT EVERYWHERE

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

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" theme.

www.carnivalofgleecreations.com has info, show notes, episodes and more for this show, ATARI BYTES, here and for my monthly podcast IT'S  A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.

The website also has info and links to some places to order my books, like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS. 

Support the show by becoming an ATARI BYTES subscriber on Patreon.com. Get episodes early! Get BONUS content!

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

1