Atari’s 1981 adaptation of the classic board game OTHELLO is our focus this week on the show. Apparently, we were really desperate. This is a fine strategy game, but flipping black or white tiles from one color to the other doesn’t exactly scream character and plot. So tune in, if for no other reason than to witness the audio trainwreck. Good luck, me. Atari Bytes show notes It’s a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon page Zazzle.com Atari Bytes store AB_Pod_Store My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”,... Read More

Pitfall Harry returns! Just when he thought he was out, they pulled him back in..to PITFALL II: LOST CAVERNS, 1984, from Activision. By “they”, we mean water, condors, bats, albino scorpions, and many, many caverns to fall into and get lost in. Sounds like a party to me! Atari Bytes It’s a Podcast, Charlie Brown The Atari Bytes Patreon page The Atari Bytes Zazzle.com store AB_Pod_Store My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”, “Pinball Spring” and “Take a Chance.” ... Read More

Little Orphan Annie might say the theme on this week’s episode of ATARI BYTES is “Leapin’ Lizards!” She’d be wrong, of course. No lizards here, but there are a bunch of frogs! Our game is Parker Brothers’ 1982 port of the classic arcade game FROGGER. You can’t possibly lick all the frogs in this daring adventure cataloging all the ways to kill a defenseless bit of nature.* But keep on tryin’! This game is more fun than a plate full of chocolate-covered flies. *Seriously. Stop licking frogs. That’s gross. “Is Popeye’s Nemesis... Read More

This month, we take a look at the 1971 Peanuts special “Play It Again, Charlie Brown” and another episode of the 1983 TV series “The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show”. Beethoven in a spray can, blue security blankets that are actually GREEN(???), Schroeder living in a house with blood-red interior and being totally cool with it. What in the WORLD is going on with these episodes? Join us and we’ll see if we can figure it all out. My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Mining by Moonlight” and “Bass Walker”. Thanks... Read More

I’m strong to the finish, ’cause I eats me spinach*, I’m Bill the Podcaster Man! *Seriously, I do. Raw even. This week’s game is the 1983 Parker Brothers adventure POPEYE. While Olive Oil wears her hearts on her sleeve – and mostly just throws them at her beloved, Popeye is busy running from deck to deck on a ship trying to beat up Bluto/Brutus (which name you refer to Popeye’s nemesis by really depends on your age) because…reasons. Sure, the message that disagreements can be solved with your fists is probably troubling, but, the game is a decent romp.... Read More

This week, Sir Dudley Dashly swings from vine to vine across the jungle, colliding violently with Pitfall Harry and sending both of them to the hospital with concussions. If only! That’s just my dream premise for Pitfall III. Instead, we’re taking a look at the 1983 game from Atari, JUNGLE HUNT. Vicious vines. Cruel crocs. Belligerent boulders. Savage, uh, savages. Will Sir Dudley Dashly ever see Lady Penelope again? Well, we don’t want to spoil anything, but we’d like to point out they never made Jungle Hunt II. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons... Read More

This week, we go above and beyond by going under the sea to defend the lost city of Atlantis from annihilation by the Gorgons. Make your old high school Greek mythology teacher stop regretting her life choices and actually use some of that stuff she taught you. Who knew the Loch Ness Monster could kick butt so righteously? * And Not-Dead Elvis is deadly on the sentry post.** *The Loch Ness Monster does not actually appear in this game. **Him either.*** ***OR DO THEY?   Atari Bytes It’s a Podcast, Charlie Brown Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Inompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs... Read More

This week on the podcast, we boldly bravely cluelessly go where no one has gone before! That’s right, in honor of the new Trek film out this summer, Star Trek: Beyond, we slingshot around the sun to go back in time to 1983 and check out the Sega game STAR TREK: STRATEGIC OPERATIONS SIMULATOR. So beam yourself up to this episode and enjoy it at warp factor 10.* *I’m stopping here to avoid any more Trek references. It’s the logical thing to do. (Darn it!) Bill Kendrick’s XEGS Podcast Atari Party The Atari Bytes Patreon Page The Atari Bytes store on Zazzle.com Thanks to Kevin... Read More

We came. We saw. We kicked its…Well, you know. In 1984, GHOSTBUSTERS left an indelible, Mr. Stay Pufft-sized, footprint on comedy/adventure movies. With the new 2016 Ghostbusters finally out, this seemed like a good time to revisit the 1985 Activision take on the Ghostbusters universe. Does the game live up to the film? To find out, who you gonna call? PODCASTERS! (The management requests that you please don’t slime the podcasters) My thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs “Reformat”, “Pinball Spring” and “Take a... Read More

This month, the podcast is all about teachable moments. In IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER, CHARLIE BROWN, Charlie Brown and the other boys dominate the girls at summer camp, because of course “boys are stronger” – well, they try anyway. In episode 2 of the short-run series THIS IS AMERICA, CHARLIE BROWN, “The Birth of the Constitution”, Linus is our guide into the 1787 convention where the agreement that became the US Constitution was cobbled together. Also, Charlie Brown invents all the sports. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his... Read More