You know that mildly frustrated feeling of waiting for an elevator; that eagerness for something to happen? Well, now you can feel that for the entire half hour and change of a podcast episode! In episode 254, we’re playing ELEVATOR ACTION, the unreleased 1983 port of Taito’s popular arcade game. Unreleased that is, until (we assume) in a 2001 late night, trench coat-wearing exchange in a dark parking garage – or perhaps an elevator??? – and the game came to light.  Does the game shoot upward like Wonka’s glass elevator or crash to the basement? Hit the button and... Read More

Episode 253: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING: JOURNEY TO RIVENDELL. As the sun rises on Hobbiton, you find yourself on the podcast road seeking the one episode to rule them all. At last, you have found it! Don’t lie! You have it! I put it up here! What has it gots in its pockets, precious!?!?!? Yes, that’s a “Hobbit” reference to tell you about a “Lord of the Rings” thing. Go ahead and rat me out to Gandalf.  We obtained this 1983 unreleased prototype in a secret, late night exchange. No. Wait. That was something else. Anyway, this week’s short story is: FELLOWSHIP... Read More

In ATARI BYTES episode 252, we play the the 1981 Apollo game INFILTRATE; a game which feels like it should have an exclamation point at the end of its name, but doesn’t. But is that the only disappointment? Listen and find out. Also, I mention how much I like Lego. I mean, Christmas is coming… THIS WEEK’S SHORT STORY: ENTERING S.H.E.I.L.A.: A STEVE STETSON, 1980’s SUPERSPY, ADVENTURE 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... Read More

Looney Tunes fans rejoice! In episode 251 of ATARI BYTES, we’re playing Atari’s 1983 offering TAZ, featuring the tornadic glutton, the Tasmanian Devil. Whether you think the game is brilliant or garbage or brilliant garbage, nothing compares to one particular line in the instruction manual. I promise you this line has never appeared before or since. I won’t spoil it here. Tune in to experience the awesomeness! This week’s short story: BAD POETRY CORNER: I’M SO FULL Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”,... Read More

We may still be in the time of Covid, but episode 55 of the podcast is going to the theatre…virtually. We’re exploring Bert V. Royal’s 2004 play “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead”. It’s a self-described “Peanuts parody” imagining the Peanuts gang as teens dealing with LGBTQ issues, substance abuse, violence and issues of identity and place in the world.  To give us some perspective on why we need this play and why we need it right now, we chat with Muscatine (Iowa) Community College theatre director Alyssa Oltmanns, whose controversial... Read More

MMMMMMMMM! There’s some tasty gaming going on in ATARI BYTES ep 250. MMMMMMMMM! as in “M NETWORK” that is! We’re playing the 1982 flight simulator AIR RAIDERS. Is the game a dogfight utopia or just a dog? This week’s short story: CORPORATE AIR RAIDERS 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” theme.  www.carnivalofgleecreations.com has show notes, episodes, social media for this show ATARI... Read More

Episode 249 of ATARI BYTES is going to the dogs.  We’re playing powerhouse gaming publisher Purina’s maze game… Hold on…*checks notes* Yep, PURINA. Ok…see, in 1983 Purina ran a deal where you could send in proofs of purchase (kids, go ask your parents) from bags of dog food and get an Atari game called CHASE THE CHUCK WAGON. Spectravision did the programming. Such as it is. But we’ll get into that. WOOF! This week’s short story: CHUCK WAGON, THE ANACHRONISTIC COWBOY Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Take... Read More

I know Halloween is coming, but after all the chaos of this year, politically, culturally and pandemically, it would be great if the game in episode 248 is a quiet, relaxing affair. Let’s see…what have we got this time? THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING, 20th Century Fox, 1983. Well, crap.  This week’s short story: ALL OVER BUT THE SCREAMING 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” theme. You can find show... Read More

Episode 247 revs its podcast engine to soar over the pond of other podcasts, leaving them in the dust as we fly down the dirt roads of the Internet. Yee-haaaah! From 1984, we’re playing Atari’s developed, but unreleased, DUKES OF HAZZARD, inspired by the classic TV show “I Love Lucy”.  Just kidding. Or am I? Tune in to find out. This week’s short story: THE DUKES OF HAZARDS 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... Read More

IT’S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN episode 54! A GREAT episode for a GOOD man! The good man in question is, of course, our man Chuck Brown. We talk about the history of iconic stage musical YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN. We cover the original 1966 “concept” album to the 1967 off-Broadway production, to Broadway, to TV (including the 1985 animate feature) and beyond.  We also have a “Random Strip of the Month” and a “Peanuts by Schulz” review. This month’s episode is “Amateurs”. Looks like they’re dimming the houselights. Get... Read More