Episode 73 is a heapin’ second helping of River Raid-esque goodness. RIVER RAID II from 1988 takes what we loved about the original Activision legend and overlays an early era flight simulator. Does the game soar or crash and burn? Hmmm. 1980s. Fighter jets screaming overhead, performing death defying maneuvers as the sexy pilots complete their mission while trading witty banter. Does any of that sound familiar? Let’s discuss… Here’s the article about the true “Age of Aquarius” we talked about in the show. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative... Read More

MAKE THIS PODCAST “GREAT” AGAIN The painstaking production and scrutinizing the schedule that went into developing this theme for this month’s episode, #14 for those of you keeping score at home, is staggering. Both episodes have “great” in their titles. From 1979, we’ve got “You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown” and from 1989, “This is America: The Great Inventors”. That’s what you call synchronicity.* *No, it’s not.** **It’s just a random coincidence.*** ***This is the last footnote. This month’s “Peanuts... Read More

ATARI BYTES EPISODE 72: CHOPLIFTER! has taken flight! That’s two exclamation points already. That means you know the 1987 port of this 1982 Apple game to the Atari 7800 has to be good. Who are the Bungelings? How fast can the delegates run? Who knew the post office could be this exciting? So. Many. Questions. But we’re here with the (made up) answers. My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”, “Pinball Spring” and “Take a Chance”. Atari Bytes notes, links and more It’s a Podcast, Charlie Brown... Read More

For Episode 71, ATARI BYTES gets back to nature with an adventure in the animal kingdom – WOMBAT… *Checks Notes* Whoops! I meant, we’re playing the 1977 Atari original COMBAT. Tanks! Bi-planes! Jets! Mayhem abounds!* *No wombats were harmed in the production of this episode. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”, “Pinball Spring” and “Take a Chance”. Atari Bytes show notes, episodes and links It’s a Podcast, Charlie Brown – my other show! Consider support the show at our Patreon... Read More

EPISODE 70 invites you to be a star and to get your RAID on! STAR RAIDERS is here! This 1982 Atari game was the first to utilize the space-age video touch pad peripheral. It was also the last. That may give you a clue how this game is going to go. Speaking of firsts doubling as lasts, listen to this episode closely for the first appearance of my wife – Mrs. Bytes – on the show. She was thrilled to do it…so thrilled that this will also probably be her last appearance. Yes, sir, this episode is one for the record books. Join us, won’t you? My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com... Read More

What’s in a name? Exactly what you’d expect when the name is a title like the 1979 Atari game CANYON BOMBER. What’s that about? Well, there’s these canyons….and you bomb them. Truth in advertising! Find some sandbags to hide behind, then join us. It’ll be a blast! Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Pinball Spring”, “Take a Chance” and “Reformat”. Atari Bytes show notes and more. It’s a Podcast, Charlie Brown – a show for all your Snoopy needs. Check out cool mugs, shirts... Read More

Good grief! Another month has gone by already? We’ve got a first for the podcast on this lucky episode 13…a guest! Nat Gertler is a respected author (The Peanuts Collection: Treasures from the World’s Most Beloved Comic Strip; The Snoopy Treasures), publisher and Peanuts historian. And he was nice enough to give a bit of his time, wit and wisdom to the podcast. Thanks, Nat! This month, we also watch and discuss two of the 2008 Warner Premiere Motion Comics, animations of 1964 Peanuts strips. The episodes we watched this month were “Crabby Little Girl” and “Mother’s... Read More

One day at the Atari Labs in the 1970s, they looked at Breakout and said, “Yeah, this is pretty good. But we can make it better. We have the technology. We can make the paddle smaller. The balls bouncier. The colors colorier. And we can make ‘colorier’ a word too. We’re Atari and there is zero chance we’ll implode in a video game crash just a few years hence.” The result of this bravado was 1980(?)’s Atari game SUPER BREAKOUT. Is the game indeed super? Well, no. No, it’s not. Spoilers hurt sometimes. But this episode definitely is SUPER. I’m... Read More

We’re back! After an unplanned week off at the exotic locale of my local hospital, ATARI BYTES is back. And we promise you, this episode is worth the wait! First, we talk about the 1982 Atari legend SWORDQUEST: EARTHWORLD, the first in a famously unfinished series of games and pack-in comics at the center of a contest that also went unfinished, courtesy of the video game crash.  Then, after the game stuff, you can hear my conversation with Chad Bowers and Chris Sims. (Thanks again, guys!) They are well-known comics writers on a lot of big things – Deadpool, Guardians of the Galaxy,... Read More

On episode 66 of ATARI BYTES, we’re gonna BREAK…OUT. Mighty mighty. Gonna let it all hang out… And by IT, we mean the 1978 Atari original BREAKOUT. It’s a game about smashing bricks and…well, smashing more bricks. And providing the ying to our gaming yang, we also have a Lego correspondent in the studio giving a play-by-play of his assembly of a stack of Lego bricks into…well, you’ll just have to listen to find out. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”, “Pinball Spring” and “Take ... Read More