Have you ever packed a suitcase for a trip? Don’t worry. I’m going somewhere with this. If you have packed a suitcase, you know sometimes you have too many sweaters and Snoopy print underwear to stuff in there. Episode 25, it turns out, was kind of like that. There was just TOO MUCH SHOW to stuff in there. Thus, this bonus episode was born. The Elmhurst History Museum in Elmhurst, Illinois is the FIRST IN THE NATION to host the Charles M. Schulz traveling exhibit “Snoopy and the Red Baron”. In this centennial year since the end of WWI, the exhibit is a celebration of Snoopy’s... Read More

Episode 25 of the podcast is a celebration! No, really, it’s in the title. We’re watching A CHARLIE BROWN CELEBRATION from 1982. I’ll bet Lucy hates that concept. Is the party that is this HOUR LONG episode worth show up for?  The undercard for this month’s episode is a new segment on the podcast. I do a deep dive into the origins and history of Snoopy’s alter-ego The World Famous Author, which, of all his personas, is the one most near-and-dear to my heart.  Of course, we also have a new “Random Strip of the Month” and check out another “Peanuts... Read More

What up, moms of the world! What better way to celebrate on the day in which we honor the mothers in the world who do so much for us than by putting on headphones and ignoring them while we listen to podcasts? This week, on episode 120, we’re checking out I WANT MY MOMMY from Zimag. It’s a game deliberately targeted to the under-eight-year-old set. We assume that’s chronological age, not maturity level. Will this game delight us or leave us weeping for OUR mommies?  In this week’s story, WHY exactly do we want our mommies? The mystery awaits… Thanks to Kevin McLeod... Read More

On episode 119 of ATARI BYTES, there’s magic all around us. *Waits patiently for my Dr. Strange cape to wrap itself around me. Nothing happens. I sigh heavily and move on.* We’re playing the 1983 Mythicon game SORCERER. The wizards fight the sorcerer – you – for the treasure Pitfall Harry apparently left behind. We’ll take Harry’s leftovers. We’re not picky. You could wonder why, if you’re a sorcerer, you can’t just conjur your own treasure. But perhaps it’s best not to ask so many questions. The plot in this week’s story doesn’t... Read More

Hollywood has unleashed monsters on an unsuspecting country. No, I don’t mean predatory Hollywood executives.  We’re talking, of course, about the 2018 Duane Johnson blockbuster movie “RAMPAGE”, based on the beloved 1986 arcade game. An evil corporation loses it’s “gene-editing” sample. A wolf, a crocodile and a gentle, though foul-mouthed (tsk)(via sign language), gorilla named George grow to thirty feet tall and go on a, well, on a RAMPAGE to Chicago. As one does.  This week, on episode 118, we’re taking a break from playing games and making up... Read More

I just flew in from Milwaukee and boy are my arms tired.* *I didn’t actually fly. I drove.** **My arms are fine. Thanks for asking. I just came back from the 2018 Midwest Gaming Classic where I had a great time at the Atari Bytes table talking to current listeners and lots of potential new listeners. If you are one of those new listeners, welcome to the party! I also picked up some great new games from the various vendors selling their wares, played some great arcade games and met a slew of well-known gaming people from the guys at the “Guys, Games and Beer” podcast to legends... Read More

A political hot button issue is the state of America’s infrastructure. Our bridges, roads and buildings are crumbling before our eyes. It’s a national crisis. And, yet, our politicians do nothing. What the liberal media WON’T tell you about, though, is the plague of mutated dinosaurs, werewolves and gorillas that are single-handedly (triple-handedly?) devouring our great cities and pooping the rubble into those devastated roads.  The Atari 7800 port of the 1986 Bally Midway arcade classic RAMPAGE, our focus in episode 116 of ATARI BYTES, puts you in the role of those mutant monsters.... Read More

For episode 24 of the podcast, it would be cool if I had a clever tie in to twenty-four hours in a day. But I don’t. What I do have is my conversation with Stephen Lind, author of the 2015 book A Charlie Brown Religion, which is much more than a mere Schulz biography. Lind does a deep dive into Schulz’s faith and outlook on the world. You need to read this. (After you listen to the conversation, of course.)  We also take a look at episode 9 of “The Charlie Brown & Snoopy Show” from October 29, 1983, in which lots of people are cruel to other people and some of them... Read More

As you emerge from your chocolate Easter bunny sugar coma, let episode 115 of ATARI BYTES spool soothing wake up game info into your ear holes. Back in 1980-81-ish, we imagine, the folks at Activision had this new space battle game, sort of a top-down Missile Command with alien invaders and ground forces and lots of laser battles. “What should we call it?” someone asked. They came up with lots of cool options, but couldn’t agree on one. It was getting to be 5 o’clock and the production team wanted to get to the bar, so someone said, “Screw it. Let’s just call... Read More

Here, in episode 114, there be monsters! In Froggo’s 1987 treasure-hunting adventure SEA HUNT, it’s raining gold doubloons. The pieces of eight are scattered like our dreams on the ocean floor as you, fearless skin diver, harpoon man-eating fish and sea monsters to get to a sunken Spanish galleon. Is the game a treasure chest or a bucket of chum? Whatever the answer, the story within might be the key to Davey Jones’ locker…and his heart. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Take a Chance”, “Pinball Spring”... Read More