Atari Bytes

Much like the unnamed karate-practitioner in Broderbund's 1988 port of KARATEKA for the Atari 7800, my moves are lightning fast and totally ineffectual. But we both look great with bare feet. Bunions are in now, right? Why is Mr. No Name - let's call him "Ed" - storming the castle of evil warlord Akuma? Why does Akuma leave his doors unlocked? Is the lovely, Princess Mariko longing to be saved by...Ed...or is she doing just fine on her own, thank you? We'll take a flying drop kick into episode 150, roundhouse the deets on this game and then, as the story within the game lies convulsing on the floor, we'll FINISH HIM.  (Note to self, less coffee before writing the show notes for next episode.) 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 his "Mad Mike Hughes Theme".  Atari Bytes show notes, episodes, and social media. It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Good Grief! That's my other show! Patreon - You can s

Episode 149 offers up GOPHER, a 1982 U.S. Games title for those among us who long to bash in the brains of a furry little creature with a shovel.  In the game, you are a farmer defending your carrot patch from relentless gophers stealing your crop. You are armed with a shovel which you wield with merciless glee. Sometimes you actually use to fill in the holes the gopher leaves, but, mostly, you're all about the bonking. Who doesn't love to bonk their pocket gopher now and then? So what's this week's story about? I, too, am scared to imagine... Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring".  Thanks to Mike Mann for his "Mad Mike Hughes" theme. Atari Bytes show notes and more. It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show! You can, if you're able, support the show financially on our Atari Bytes Patreon page here. Thanks! If you're so inclined, check out my novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME, a sort of Santa Claus story fo

What goes better with reheated Thanksgiving leftovers than the disturbing jelled, canned cranberry podcast equivalent ATARI BYTES? If I had to venture a guess, I'd say this week's episode IS THE SINGLE GREATEST PODCASTING EXPERIENCE YOU WILL EVER HAVE... during the time you listen to this particular podcast.  In episode 148, we're playing VENTURE, Coleco's 1982 port of the classic arcade game that I never actually played. Treasure hunters seek their booties in deep, dark dungeons. Meanwhile monsters shake their booties in pursuit of those same hunters.  You'll be relieved to know that I don't think the word "booty" appears anywhere in this week's story. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Pinball Spring" and "Reformat". Atari Bytes - the website It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show. Calling all Snoopy lovers! Thanks to Mike Mann for our Mad Mike Hughes Theme! Consider checking out my novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME, a sort of Sa

Take a deep breath and bend over to touch your toes! Your tic-tac-toes, that is. And 1 and 2 and 1 and 2... This week on episode 147, we're playing an early Atari effort from 1978: 3D TIC-TAC-TOE. Was making tic-tac-toe three dimensional an innovative twist on a perennial diner placement favorite or was it a distracting, pancake-themed riddle over nothing more worthy than a gravy stain on that placemat? Thanks to Mike Mann for the Mad Mike Hughes Theme. 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 and what not. It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show! You can support the show financially on the Atari Bytes Patreon page here. Thanks.  Here's one of many places you can pick up my novel IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME - a sort of Santa Claus story for adults. Don't like this retailer? Pick your own! You can order it pretty much anywhere! Thanks in advance!

Despite the waves of political unrest, some 8 million tourists visit Egypt every year to take in such amazing sites as the Great Sphinx. Therefore, when the listener stats come in for episode 146 of the show, iMagic's RIDDLE OF SPHINX, we're expecting similar numbers. That's reasonable, right? *Ahem* Anyway, as the son of the Prince of Egypt, you are the ultimate tourist striving to get in line ahead of death god Anubis at the funnel cake stand. Or something. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring".  Atari Bytes show notes and oh, so much more. It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show.  Thanks to Mike Mann for his "Mad Mike Hughes Theme". Please consider supporting the production costs for Atari Bytes by joining the Patreon. You can do that here. Thanks in advance! Here is one of the places you can pick up IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME, my holiday Santa Claus story for adults. 

This week on episode 145 of ATARI BYTES, we dive deep into the valley of the poisonous mountain cacti (plural for cactus) that is the intersection of philosophy and science. For example: If the universe encompasses everything we know, but the universe is also expanding, WHAT is it expanding into? Mallory said he climbed Mt. Everest simply because it is there. What the hell does that mean? That second wondering is prompted by this week's mountain climbing game SPIKE'S PEAK, Xonox, 1983. It was hard getting hold of this one. A cadre of strong men put all their effort into turning the double ender cartridge we played "Ghost Manor" on last week around so that we could play SPIKE'S PEAK. We're exhausted. You're welcome.  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 our "Mad Mike Hughes" update theme. Atari Bytes show notes, episodes, social media, puppies* *No actual puppies.  It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown

We've got a spook-tacular Halloween-ish episode this week. You won't get any candy, but it could be worse. You could get a bag full of rocks. (Sorry, Charlie Brown) We scare ourselves silly* with the 1983 Xonox title GHOST MANOR. *Not actually that scary.** **The game has not so much in the way of ghosts as it does have frolicking little boys and girls playing amongst the tombstones.*** ***That's pretty weird though. So, if you think you're brave enough, join us for a chillingly good time... Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring". Thanks to Mike Mann for his "Mad Mike" update theme. Atari Bytes show notes and what not. It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show! The Atari Bytes Patreon page is here.

This week on episode 143, we get a demonstration of what happens when you title a game by smashing two words together to create a third word.  This week's game is ASTROBLAST, an unholy union of "astronomy" or "astronomical" and "blast". Personally, I thing "Astronomical Blast" is just as, if not more, inviting a game title as Astroblast, by M Network in 1982 never asked me.  The title is enough to tell us this game is about blasting things wherever astronomy is. That probably means space! And that is awfully fun.  So is this week's original short story! So much goodness in one podcast episode.  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 his "Mad Mike Hughes" theme Atari Bytes - show notes, episodes, social media It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show The Atari Bytes Patreon page can be found here. Please consider donating. Thanks in advance.

In "Ghostbusters", Rick Moranis told Sigourney Weaver he was the key master. Well, cool as Rick was, he's got nothing on you, my friend. For, with a little luck, you can be the STARMASTER. This week, we're playing the 1982 Activision game STARMASTER. Anyone can wish upon a star. Catch a falling star. See stars if you smack your head on the game console after passing your eighteenth straight hour of Pitfall II. But only the elite listener of this podcast can attain the rank of STARMASTER. Good luck. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Pinball Spring" and "Take a Chance".  Thanks to Mike Mann for his "Mad Mike Theme". Atari Bytes - show notes, episodes, social media and more It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show. Everything you wanted to know about the Peanuts strip, animation, the mind of cartoonist Charles Schulz, and the strip's place in the universe. You can support the show financially on the Atari Bytes patreon page here.

You got to know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away. Know when to run.  Then prepare to get laughed at and possibly shot by the dudes you're playing with at the Old West saloon, because we're not playing poker on episode 141 of the podcast, we're playing BLACKJACK.  This 1977 title from Atari is one of the original nine the company released with this new-fangled devil-machine unleased on the unsuspecting masses who'd only just recovered from the mind scramble that was pong. After the cards are dealt, we have a short story inspired by the sweet science of blackjacking. Or whatever. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring". Thanks to Mike Mann for his Mad Mike Hughes theme. Atari Bytes - our site with all our episodes, show notes, social media and what not. It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey, Peanuts fans (and you know you are), here's my other podcast. On the 15th of every month, dive deep into

This week's episode is dedicated to tennis great Serena Williams, who was beaten recently by a young upstart. Serena, if you're listening (and reading those show notes), you are welcome to come play TENNIS from Activision with me anytime. I assure you, you will have no trouble beating me. That's right, in episode 140, we're playing the 1981 Activision (squee!) game TENNIS. "What's this one about?" you ask. Then I ignore you because, really, that should be self-evident.  We're talking about this sports game, Bert & Ernie, the origins of the cliché "Tennis, anyone?", and the curvature of space/time. Also, we've got a nice little short fiction piece about boys growing up in the early 1980s...until things take a turn... 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 his "Mad Mike" update theme. Atari Bytes - show notes, episodes, social media and more.  It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - the show that mee

"Wouldn't you rather play a nice game of chess?" - Joshua, the WOPR US defense computer, speaking to Matthew Broderick in "Wargames". "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Matthew Broderick, though I think that was in a different movie. Anyway, this week, we're playing the 1979 Atari stalwart VIDEO CHESS. You thought you knew chess, but you haven't lived until you've seen rooks and bishops and whatnot rendered in digital form. It's gonna get CRRRAZZY up in here! How can I ever make a story from this game? No, seriously. HOW? Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring".  Thanks to Mike Mann for his "Mad Mike" theme. Atari Bytes show notes, episodes, social media here It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show! Patreon - Please consider supporting the show on our Patreon page to help us keep the pod-lights shining. 

Sometimes, the setups for these blurbs write themselves. Are you ready? Here we go. This week's game is Atari's 1988 offering for the 7800 console CRACK'ED. Join us to find out if this game is all it's CRACKED up to be. Low-hanging fruit, friends. Or low hanging eggs, we should say. And we have to protect them from snakes and relentless birds. Seriously, Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" has nothing on this game. And why are the eggs in the trees? And in the sewer? And UNDER THE FLIPPIN' SEA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD??? So many questions, so little time. We'll ignore most of them and instead, make lots of egg-related puns. It would be egg-cellent if you joined us! Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Reformat", and "Pinball Spring". Thanks also to Mike Mann for his "Mad Mike" Hughes theme.  Atari Bytes - show notes, social media and more.  It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my Snoopy intensive podcast. Climb inside the doghouse full of strips, TV sp

This week, we're battling the flagship of the Galagan fleet on ATARI BYTES, the flagship of all the podcasts on the Internet.* *Might not be the actual flagship.** **The podcast is mostly just tolerated. We're playing the 1987 Atari 7800 port of Namco's legendary GALAGA. The. Best. Game. Ever. Okay, that's debatable, but as much as has been said about the virtues (and some deficits) of the game, has anyone ever speculated about what was ticking off the Galagan Fleet? What it was like to be drafted into the Intergalactic Warrior Fleet? No. No. They haven't. Until now. So jump into your flight suit, squirt some space meatloaf into your maw and strap in for the space battle of all space battles.  Thanks to Mike Mann for his Mad Mike Hughes update theme. 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, fudge. (Maybe)  It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Get a monthly feast of all things

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the podcatcher… ATARI BYTES Episode 136 SHARK ATTACK (formerly known as LOCHJAW) is circling ever closer to its prey - I mean its listener - offering you a unique take on this 1982 Apollo game.  This week's story could feature sharks...but that's a little on the nose, don't you think? We might go with a "My Dinner With Andre" type think piece instead. Or maybe not. You'll just have to listen and find out! Thanks to Mike Mann for his "Mad Mike Hughes Theme" Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Pinball Spring" and "Reformat".  Atari Bytes - shownotes, episodes, social media It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - all things Peanuts in just one monthly podcast.  The Atari Bytes Patreon page is right here, should you wish to financially support the show.

If your lock is warped, do you need a skeleton key with scoliosis to open it? We have many questions in episode 135, WARPLOCK from Date Age, 1982. None of which will be answered. How will the ship get free of the space/time warp leaving it at the mercy of the space pirates? If you warp time, does that mean I can watch Sharknado 6 live again? If you lock space, and you call a locksmith, can you just carpool with the locksmith back to where the ship is since you now occupy the same space? Will any of these questions be answered? No. No, they will not. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Pinball Spring" and "Reformat".  Atari Bytes show notes, social media...keys to the universe. It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - This podcast fills all your Peanuts gang needs from Snoopy to Pig Pen and beyond. You can support the show on our Patreon page here. 

In 2018, the ATARI BYTES podcast life support systems malfunctioned, freezing the host and leaving him in suspended animation. When he was revived five hundred years later, no one had a podcast app. NOOOOOOO! The future is scary, friends. But the future is a safe space in episode 134, BUCK ROGERS PLANET OF ZOOM from Sega, 1982. Why? Because Buck is here protecting us. Well, not actually US. He's protecting Planet Zoom. Or fighting it? And I guess it's never really clear that it's Buck in the ship. Could be Luke Skywalker for all I know. Basically, we have questions about this game. But not about the story (we made up) within the game. That is quite good. *Pats self on back. Cries over dislocated shoulder.* Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Reformat", "Take a Chance" and "Pinball Spring".  Atari Bytes show notes and other stuff.  It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - My other show! Get your fill of all things Snoopy here.  Please consider supporting the podcast financia

In Episode 133 of Atari Bytes, we release our bopper!  It's both creepy and cosmic, man! Our game this week is COSMIC CREEPS from Telesys, 1982. Your orbinaut must save the cosmic kids from the space station before the planet's orbit is in retrograde and the moon is in Sagittarius, but only when Uranus is visible. Or something. And why, exactly, are we unleashing our bopper in front of the orbinaut? Well, you'll have to stick around for the story to find out. 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 providing our "Mad Mike Hughes Update" theme! Atari Bytes - show notes and infinitesimally more. It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Hey! That's my other show! You know you love the Peanuts gang (or know someone who does). On this show, we cover everything in Snoopy's TARDIS doghouse and more. Please consider donating to the production costs of the show on our Atari Bytes Patreon page.  

Imagine slimy worms maneuvering blindly through the topsoil, pooping and plotting the demise of civilization. Not unlike this podcast. In episode 132 of ATARI BYTES, we're playing the 1982 20th Century Fox game "WORM WAR I". War is hell, inspiring much moving poetry. It also inspired this week's somewhat less moving poetry.  Thanks to whoever wrote the kid's nursery rhyme "Inchworm" for making this week's poem possible! 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 his Mad Mike Hughes update jingle. Atari Bytes - show notes, social media, episodes and more It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown - Good grief! That's my other show! Please consider donating to the show on our Atari Bytes Patreon page here. Thanks! The Atari Bytes Zazzle.com store is still up. Go grab some "Go Play Some Old Games, They've Missed You" stuff!

Yodelayheehoo! The hills are alive with the sound of...sparse, but integral music in episode 131, MOUNTAIN KING.  This 1983 CBS Electronics game boasts a dark cave, diamonds, spirts, both flame and skull, and a quest for the mysterious golden crown. Bats and spiders and grumpy spirits bar your way. Sort of like life.  The look of the game is simple..but what about the narrative lying underneath the surface? As our explorer unearths the temple, we are on a quest to unearth the story within this game. (And there just might be a bonus second story in this week's offering!) Hope a giant spider doesn't sit on me. Unless he says "please". *Audio Note* - There's quite a bit of crinkling paper in the audio for this one. Sorry about that. My cohost was busy writing during the recording and I failed to realize how much the microphone picked up. My bad. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Take a Chance", "Reformat" and "Pinball Spring".  Thanks also to Mike Mann for providing