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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: March, 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?).

Mar 31, 2019

This week, we have another M Network game for you, this one from 1982, boldly titled SPACE ATTACK. That's a name right up there in the creativity pantheon with "Space Battle", "Racing" and "3D Tic-Tac-Toe". At least that last one tries to dress things up with the 3D part.

Does only being in 2D keep SPACE ATTACK from being a classic? Or even fun? Does this week's original short story "It's People I Can't Stand...But I Can Stand With Them" overcome its clunky title? Do I use the ellipsis as a means of expression too much?

So many ... questions. 

And please check out my Atari Bytes - inspired short story collection MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS

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" update theme.

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the Storytime theme.

Atari Bytes show notes and more here.

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show!

You can support the show financially on the Atari Bytes Patreon page. Thanks in advance.

Pick up show merchandise on the Zazzle.com store AB_Pod_Store.

Mar 24, 2019

My dad always said never stay at a hotel called Lakeview. There won't be a lake within sight. It seemed like just a bit of clever wordplay. But this week, ATARI BYTES episode 165 is DARK CAVERN. What we get on screen for this M Network game is neither dark, nor cavernous. 

Holy crap! Dad was right!

So, if you're brave enough, journey down into the caverns of this episode and then, when you come out the other side, enjoy this week's original short story "Lost and Found". 

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" update theme.

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the storytime theme.

Atari Bytes show notes, episodes, social media

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show!

You can support the show financially on our Atari Bytes Patreon page. Thanks in advance.

Check out the Atari Bytes merchandise store AB_Pod_Store on Zazzle.com

Mar 17, 2019

This week, episode 164 of ATARI BYTES is drenched in sweetness. So much squeaky clean gaming joy, it'll make your teeth hurt.

This is bad because of the teeth gnashing you'll do trying to have fun playing STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: MUSICAL MATCH-UPS. To be fair, you're probably not a preschooler who's into mixing and matching the heads, torsos and legs of Strawberry and her friends Lime Chiffon, Huckleberry Pie and Blueberry Muffin. That jerk Purple Pieman has messed them all up. It's basically "Frankenstein" with a fruity pastry scent.

After you get through that, stick around for a big ol' slice of this week's "Untitled Strawberry Shortcake Story". It's like the a la mode to your gaming pie. 

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 show notes, episodes and more here.

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show!

Pick up Atari Bytes merchandise on the AB_Pod_Store podcast store on Zazzle.com

You can support the show financially on our Patreon page here. Thanks in advance for doing so!

Mar 10, 2019

Wallaby darned! It's another episode of ATARI BYTES! Though the game is actually KANGAROO! Not Wallaby! Which makes the pun even more annoying! If that's possible!

That's right. This week, episode 163 is devoted to the largest marsupial in the family Macropodidae, that icon of Australia that isn't Crocodile Dundee: the kangaroo.

KANGAROO is a 1982 Sun Electronics arcade game distributed by Atari, which caused some hard feelings. Know who else is experiencing some hard feelings? The kangaroos in this week's short story "Kanga-Ruined". 

So throw some shrimp on the barbie and hop on over and give us a listen. 

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 our "Mad Mike Hughes" theme.

Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" theme.

Atari Bytes show notes, episodes and social media here.

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show!

Pick up Atari Bytes merchandise at the AB_Pod_Store on Zazzle.com

Please consider supporting the show financially on the Atari Bytes Patreon page here.

Mar 3, 2019

This week, episode 162 of the podcast isn't just coasting in neutral. We pop the clutch, pop a wheelie and burn rubber down the track! It's DRAGSTER from 1980, one of Activision's first efforts for the Atari. 

I know there's been some controversy about world record scores and what not. But know what isn't controversial? This week's poem written (Why not?) in the style of Schoolhouse Rock's "A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing", though not really. Did Schoolhouse Rock feature a clown named Mr. Soggy Pants? Well, MY poem does!

But please listen anyway.

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.

You can support the show financially on the Atari Bytes Patreon page here. Thanks in advance.

Pick up Atari Bytes merchandise in the AB_Pod_Store on Zazzle.com

Atari Bytes social media, episodes and more here.

It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show!

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