Atari Bytes

I LOVE TRASH! ANYTHING FUNNY AND GAMEY AND PODCASTY! OH, I LOVE TRASH...PODCASTS! In episode 291, can you tell me how to get to podcast street? We're playing the 1983 educational title SESAME STREET: OSCAR'S TRASH RACE. Oh, yes. We are. Bad Poetry Corner: GROUCH POTATO - 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. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you should go for info and show notes and episodes for ATARI BYTES here and my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links to buy my books, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES.  Support the show on the ATARI BYTES page on patreon.com. Thanks!

Pass the Pepto!* I mean joystick!  *This episode sponsored by Pepto-Bismol** **We wish. In episode 290, we're playing the Parker Brothers 1984 title MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE, where you race through gloomy caverns, dodging skulls, snakes, spiders, treacherous drops and lava. All to make your way to the toilet. Sorry! Make your way to the treasure room.  May all your TP be encrusted with rhinestones.  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" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes.  www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is your one stop for this podcast ATARI BYTES here and my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links to some places you can buy my books, including HELL'S CERAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES. Support the show on the Atari Bytes page on patreon.com here. 

In ATARI BYTES episode 289, the unicorns are chasing the centaurs across the grassy knolls that dot Mt. Olympus; winged gods soar above, inspiring the mortals...and probably impregnating them occasionally. Not really. We're playing MINES OF MINOS, from CommaVid, 1982. It's all maze, no minotaurs. You can put away your ball of thread. Or not. Something's gotta keep you in your seat.  Short Story: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE MERELY HERE 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" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you need to be for show notes and more for ATARI BYTES here and for my other podcast IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here. The website also has info about my books, including HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES here.  Support the show on the ATARI BYTES page on patreon.com here.   

Play a space game requiring super technical, minor adjustments to thrust vectors and yaw? More like YAWN, amirite? In 288, we're playing Activision's (squee!) 1983 space shuttle simulator SPACE SHUTTLE: A JOURNEY INTO SPACE. Instead of, we suppose, a journey into the local supermarket. The game is a technical marvel. But is it fun? Is it really even a game? Let's discuss. This week's short story: RICH WHITE GUYS CONQUER THE MARTIANS 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" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. https://www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you should go for info and links to this show ATARI BYTES here and for my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here. The website also has info and links to a few places you can buy books, including HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES.  Support the show by subscribing on the ATARI BYTES page on p

Belgian listeners! Episode 287 is for you! On this episode of ATARI BYTES, we're playing the 1982 Coleco game SMURFS: RESCUE IN GARGAMEL'S CASTLE. The game features those super annoying beloved blue cartoon characters the SMURFS! And we're terribly sorry about that. Can you ever smurf us? Hey! watch the smurfin' language! There are smurfettes present! This week's short story: ROYAL RODENT RIDDER 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" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you should go for show notes, episodes and more for this show ATARI BYTES here and for my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links to some of the places you can by books by me! For example, HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES.  You can support ATARI BYTES at patreon.com. Thanks!

Our Olympic fever shows no sign of breaking. The mercury has shot out the top of the thermometer, splattering all over this week's episode.  In 286 of ATARI BYTES, we're playing VIDEO OLYMPICS, one of Atari's 1977 "original nine" games. There's very little actual Olympic content. But that's okay because I have very little actual Olympic skill. This week's short story: MOUNT OLYMPUS FIVE & DIME 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" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you should go for info, episodes and more for this show ATARI BYTES here and for my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info about my books! Including links to some places you can order them, should you so decide. Books like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES could be yours! You can support the show on the AT

In ATARI BYTES episode 285, we're playing the David Crane (squee!) 1983 Activision (squee!) title DECATHLON in honor of the increasingly misnamed 2020 Olympics! With ten events, is this game ten times the fun? We've got our tank top and tight shorts and are ready to find out. Bad Poetry Corner: DEAD CAT LON Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use his songs "Take a Chance", "Reformat" and "Pinball Spring".  Thanks to Sean Courtney for the Storytime and Jason Sez Stuff themes. Go to www.carnivalofgleecreations.com for info, show notes and links for this show ATARI BYTES here and for my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website is also your stop for info and links you can pick up books I've written, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES.  Support the show at whatever level you're comfortable on the ATARI BYTES page on patreon.com here. Thanks!

Episode 284 of ATARI BYTES gets its groove ON with the 1982 Sega port of ZAXXON! (That's a terrible set up. But the episode is good. I promise. Probably. Maybe. Look, just listen, please. ) This week's short story: ZACH'S ON 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" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you should go for info, show notes and links for ATARI BYTES here and for my other podcast IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links to some places you can order my books, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES.  You can support the show by donating on the ATARI BYTES page on patreon.com here. 

Intellivision Month 2021 concludes this month in ATARI BYTES episode 283. We're playing TRON DEADLY DISCS, inspired by the "cult classic" movie. It's a collision of cult classic movie and cult classic podcast! (I might be delusional.) This week's short story: DEADLY DISCS - A STEVE STETSON, 1980s SUPERSPY, ADVENTURE Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creation commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring". Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you need to be for info, links, notes, etc. for this show ATARI BYTES here and my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website is also the place to find info and links to some places to buy my books! For example, HELL'S CEREAL - VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES.  Support the show on the ATARI BYTES page on patreon.com!

INTELLIVISION MONTH 2021 barrels forward on ATARI BYTES 282. Much as we do with the twisty maze that is life, we're winding our way through the twisty maze of Mattel's 1982 Intellivision offering NIGHT STALKER, a/k/a the 2600 game "Dark Cavern". (spoiler!)  But...are you stalking the bats/spiders/robots. Or...are they stalking YOU? More importantly, who keeps dropping all these guns all over? Seems like very poor gun safety. So many questions. BAD POETRY CORNER: NIGHTY NIGHT, STALKER  Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Pinball Spring" and "Reformat". Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. The "Jason Sez Stuff" guy gives a tour of his "office".  www.carnivalofgleecreations.com has all the info about this show ATARI BYTES here and my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here. The website also has info and links to some places to order my books, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SY

You're gliding along peacefully, when suddenly your periscope shoots upward. Through the murky depths you are shocked to see rocketing toward you... ATARI BYTES episode 281! Intellivision Month continues this week with Mattel's 1982 nautical adventure SUB HUNT. Is it a thrilling submarine simulator or a soul-crushingly boring, slow-paced game bogged down by an overly dense manual? Gee, I dunno... This week's short story: Bad Poetry Corner - Floaters and Sinkers 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" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes.  www,carnivalofgleecreations.com is your destination for info and links for this show ATARI BYTES here, and for my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links for books that I've written, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES here. You can also support the show on the ATARI BY

INTELLIVISION MONTH 2021 has arrived in episode 280 of ATARI BYTES!  *Deafening cheers erupt* **Also an angry stampede out the door by some Atari purists** We kick things off with Mattel's 1981 title STAR STRIKE, which may or may not be inspired by Star Wars; which is true of much of life really. That's why I dress as an Ewok much of the time. Can anyone recommend a good conditioner? This week's short story: Star Strike Celebrity Bowling Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring".  Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. Go to the website to find out more about ATARI BYTES here and about my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links to order books like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES here.  Support the show on the ATARI BYTES page on patreon.com 

Doing something a little different this week in ATARI BYTES episode 279. Setting aside the games (Wait! Come back!) to share some thoughts I had while working a booth at a recent convention to promote the show and my books. In short, I noticed Atari did not have a huge presence, nor indeed did very much from before the 1980s. What gives? Could it be Atari is TOO OLD to be pop culture anymore?  Whoa. Let's talk about it.  We'll also read entries from the Pac-Man-story-t-shirt-giveaway I did at that con. This week's short story: Bad Poetry Corner: ONE GROUP, MANY FANDOMS Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of "Take a Chance", "Pinball Spring" and "Reformat".  Thanks to Sean Courtney for the Storytime and Jason Sez Stuff themes. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you should go to find links and info for ATARI BYTES here and for my other podcast IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also have info and links to a few of the places you can buy my books, including HELL

Take a deep breath. Smell that? That's episode 278's equine-filled game. On this week's ATARI BYTES, we're playing the 1980 horse-racing game, STEEPLECHASE.  Jockey your way to this episode and mount your steed. This week's short story: STEEPLECAUGHT 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 "Storytime" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you need to be for info and links for this show ATARI BYTES and for my other podcast IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links for books I've written here, including HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES.  Support the show on the ATARI BYTES patreon project on patreon.com here. 

What's that in your teeth? Why, it's another episode of ATARI BYTES! In episode 277, we take a huge, wet bite out of TOOTH PROTECTORS and let juices drip down our chin. This is the Johnson & Johnson (yes, the one-shot vaccine people) 1983 mail order, promo game. Instead of saving planets, shooting monsters or winning races, the goal is good oral hygiene. What kid doesn't love that?!?! This week's short story: THE PARABLE OF THE SUGAR BUGS 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" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes.  carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you should go to find show notes, episodes and more for this show ATARI BYTES here, and my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links to some places to buy my books, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES. Support the show on the ATARI BYTES patreon page he

This planet sucks. Wait! Don't go! This isn't political or cultural commentary. THIS PLANET SUCKS, a self-published Greg Troutman title from 1997, is the name of this week's game on ATARI BYTES. So, absolutely NO sucking to be had in episode 276. Well, no more than usual...      Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring".  Thanks to Sean Courtney for "Storytime" theme and the "Jason Sez Stuff" theme. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you need to go to get info about this show, ATARI BYTES, here and about my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info and links to some places to order books I've written, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES. You can support the show by signing up on the ATARI BYTES patreon page here. Thanks!

For those of you who lack the physicality to dance to the time warp, ATARI BYTES episode 275 has you covered. In the 1983 Coleco port of TIME PILOT, the time warp requires no dancing, just wave after wave of aerial dogfighting. Not even Tim Curry can help you. This week's short story: MARKING TIME 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 "Jason Sez Stuff" theme and the "Storytime" theme. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is your one stop shop for info, social media, show links and more for this show, ATARI BYTES, here and for my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info about other things I've done and books I've written, including HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES. Support the show on the ATARI BYTES page on patreon.com. Depending on what level you come in on, you could get stuff!

In ATARI BYTES episode 274, we're playing LASER GATES. Two guesses what this game is about. Wrong! It's monkeys and gonads, obviously. (You gotta listen to the show to understand that.) This week's Bad Poetry Corner: IF WARREN ZEVON'S A ROBOT Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incometech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Reformat", and "Pinball Spring".  Thanks to Sean Courtney for the "Storytime" and "Jason Sez Stuff" themes. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you need to go for social media, show notes and episodes for this show ATARI BYTES here, and for my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website is where you should go to find out about my other projects, including books that I've written, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES. Consider supporting the show by subscribing on the ATARI BYTES page on patreon.com. Subscribers get bonus stuff!

One day in April 2021, ATARI BYTES drifted into Data Age's 1982 game BERMUDA TRIANGLE and was NEVER SEEN AGAIN. Episode 273 is the chronicle of that disappearance.  If you look up, you might see your host mooning you from the spaceship. This week's short story: BERMUDA SHORTED 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. Thanks to The Delroys for the use of their song "Bermuda Shorts" www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you can go for show notes, episodes, and info for this show ATARI BYTES here, and for my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info about my books, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES here.  You can support the show by subscribing to the Atari Bytes patreon page here. 

This week's ATARI BYTES episode, 272 for those scoring at home, is totally tubular (that's for you Gen Xers) Or is it? We're playing the unfinished 1984 effort TEMPEST, which tries to translate the 3D tubes the action plays out on on the arcade screen onto our home screens. Listen to find out if it works. We also talk about Shakespeare and say the word "panties". A lot.  This week's short story from Bad Poetry Corner: Parched in a Tempest. 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 all the info you need about this podcast, ATARI BYTES here, and my other show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here.  The website also has info about my books, like HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES here. Support the show by subscribing at patreon.com here.