In episode 16, we ride the rails in the 2/10/89 edu-tainment THIS IS AMERICA CHARLIE BROWN: BUILDING THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD. Want to know the saga of one of American history’s biggest construction projects, a story about literally uniting a post-Civil war country? Then hop aboard! As the train pulls away from the station, we jump on to run away with Snoopy as he joins the circus in the 10/24/80 LIFE IS A CIRCUS, CHARLIE BROWN. Forbidden passion! The lure of fame! Popcorn wantonly mingling with cotton candy! It’s all here! This month’s “Peanuts by Schulz” short... Read More

In episode 81, we DIG deep into yet another game and leave no stone, worm, or dog turd unturned until we’ve DUG up the truth about the 1982 Namco classic DIG DUG. If we hit the center of the Earth, we’ll tell Jules Verne you said “hi”. Grab a motor-powered shovel and join us! 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 more here. It’s a Podcast, Charlie Brown – Hey, that’s my other show! Find it here! Support... Read More

This week on the podcast, we’re excited to offer another Conversation Bytes segment. This time, we’ve got Eoin Marron, the artist drawing the new “Centipede” comic from Dynamite Entertainment.  Centipede is a classic 1982 arcade shooter and a favorite among Atari fans. The game about a giant, rampaging centipede, angry, jumping spiders, and mushrooms galore already got the comics treatment via a pack-in comic from DC in the ’80s. THAT story gave us little Oliver, magic wands and wizards. We don’t want to spoil anything for you, but we can assure you the new... Read More

If you learn only one thing from ATARI BYTES episode 79, let it be this:  Bears who live in crystal castles, shouldn’t throw magic gems. Wait. That’s not it. Actually, throwing magic gems is exactly what you should do in this 1983 Atari port of the proto-3D arcade adventure game CRYSTAL CASTLES. I mean, how else is Bentley Bear going to defeat the evil witch Berthilda? With an earnest heart-to-heart over steaming lattes?* *I’m totaling waiting for someone to make a steaming latte adventure homebrew game. Why is Bentley the only bear for this job? Did Fozzie, Yogi and Smokey... Read More

EPISODE 78 of the podcast is in the ZONE, baby! Unfortunately, the zone is the BATTLEZONE. So, you know, duck! We are tank-ful for this 1983 Atari port of the 1980 arcade tank shooter. And we know after you listen, you’ll give us your TANKS for the episode too! My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Pinball Spring”, “Reformat” and “Take a Chance”. Atari Bytes show notes and more here. It’s a Podcast, Charlie Brown episodes here. Support the show financially at our Patreon page here. Pick up Atari Bytes... Read More

In episode 77, we find out whether the Pac-Apple falls far from Ghost Tree. Then we gobble it up because….mmm, pac-apples.  We’re playing JR. PAC-MAN, the 1984 son-of-a-classic-arcade icon. Does the game surpass it’s predecessor? Or is it an embarrassing disappointment to the family? Then we dig into whether Jr. Pac has daddy issues or if he’s his own Pac.  Also, we eat some ghosts! And a bicycle! Good times! Join us! Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”, “Pinball Spring” and “Take a Chance”.  Atari... Read More

This month in episode 15 of the podcast we wade into the Peanuts neighborhood kiddie pool to take on the burning question: If a Peanuts character says “Rats” alone in the woods, does it make a sound? Also, we explore the mysteries of why Peppermint Patty is sneaking out in the early morning hours, why is crime so rampant in Peanuts Town, and where did Marcie get an automatic duck plucker? The episodes this month are: She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown, originally aired 2/25/80; episode 5 of “The Charlie Brown & Snoopy Show” from 10/22/83; and we check out another... Read More

EPISODE 76: SPIDER-MAN swings in on a web to fill your earholes with sticky podcasting fluid. We’re playing the 1982 Parker Brothers adventure in honor of SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING being in theaters right now. (As this episode drops.) The Green Goblin has planted a super bomb in the high voltage tower atop a skyscraper. Will Spidey defuse the bombs in time? Will the Green Goblin get away? What exactly does the high voltage tower do? Who should get fired for signing off on the design choice of having a high voltage tower so accessible to people who want to scale it? These questions and more will... Read More

EPISODE 74: SKY JINKS. In this 1982 high-flying adventure from Activision, you need cat-like reflexes (though, ironically, felines are notoriously bad pilots. They prefer train travel.) to bank left and right around those pylons while dodging trees and hot-air balloons. Sure, you want to finish the time trials in record time, but, hey, don’t let all those fast, high-altitude turns make you queasy or anything… Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”, “Take a Chance” and “Pinball Spring”. Atari Bytes... Read More

Did you know that “dogie” as in “Git along, little dogie,” is spelled with just one “g” when it’s cattle, not with two like in “My doggie just peed on your cat”? Me neither! That’s just one of the many things we learn in episode 74 of the podcast where we drive those dogies across the digital prairie in Activision’s 1981 tribute to the American cowboy STAMPEDE. So go find your ten-gallon hat and chaps (pants are optional) and join us on the cattle drive! Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs... Read More