Wednesday, April 30, 2014

AG 041, Title Match Pro Wrestling, and AG 042, Skateboardin'

This week I look at half of the Absolute Entertainment games, Title Match Pro Wrestling and Skateboardin.' Next week on the show I will be covering Pac-Man! A very polarizing game for sure. I already have quite a few emails for that show, I would love to hear what you think (and thought!) about this game. In the coming weeks I'll be doing MagiCard and Video Life by CommaVid; Submarine Commander and Video Pinball by Atari; Thunderground and Star Trek by Sega; Asteroids and Berzerk by Atari; Cross Force and Tapeworm by Spectravision, and Word Zapper and Commando Raid by US Games. I would love to hear your thoughts on these games or any of the games I've already covered; please send them in text or mp3 form to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Thank you for listening!

Pertinent Links

Interview with Alex DeMeo on 2600 Connection
Skateboardin' map on Atarimania
Earl Green's post about the Alamagordo excavation

Thursday, April 24, 2014

CX 2643, Codebreaker; CX 2644, Flag Capture, and CX 2645, Video Chess!

This week I stupidly cover 3 Atari games, Codebreaker, Flag Capture and Video Chess. Stupidly only because it was Easter and I was more busy than I've ever been. Sometimes 3 in a show is a necessary evil. Next week I'll be delving into Title Match Pro Wrestling and Skateboardin' by Absolute. Upcoming games include Pac-Man by Atari; Magicard and Video Life by CommaVid; Submarine Commander and Video Pinball by Atari; Thunderground and Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator by Sega; Asteroids and Berzerk by Atari (if that show isn't close to 90 minutes with feedback then I'm doing something wrong); and Cross Force and Tapeworm by Spectravision. If you have any stories or memories of any of these games that you would like to share, please send them to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. This of course is not a guarantee that I will read it on the correct show, as I am wont to overlook them sometimes. I just realized I forgot to read Jeff's email this week, I apologize to Jeff and I will read them on next week's show. I hate it when I do that. Thanks for listening everyone.

Pertinent Links

Venetian Blinds by Activision on Atari Protos site
Computer Chess by Atari on Atari Protos site
Win a free game on the Retro Junkies Forum!
Willie's Video for the Retro Junkies 5000 likes contest!
Intellivision vs. Atari VCS Chess!

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

PB 5080, Gyruss, and PB5110, James Bond 007!

This week's episode deals with Gyruss and James Bond 007 by Parker Brothers. Upcoming games include Codebreaker, Flag Capture & Video Chess by Atari; Skateboardin' and Title Match Pro Wrestling by Activision; Pac-Man by Atari; MagiCard and Video Life by CommaVid (tentatively); Submarine Commander and Video Pinball by Atari; and Thunderground and Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator by Sega. Send me your memories of these games or any games I've already covered to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Thank you for listening everyone.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of fellow video game podcaster Kevin Cronin.

Pertinent Links

Gyruss on KLOV
Alternate James Bond 007 artwork on Atarimania (scroll to the bottom)
GoFundMe donation page for Kevin Cronin
Video Game Rescue podcast
James Bond movie intros, featuring the red swirly thing, which now looks like a gun barrel. I am a dope.
Favorite Atari 2600 Games of Willie - Gyruss

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

AR 4102, Suicide Mission, & AR 4103, Killer Satellites!

Back to the wonderful Supercharger for two more of its games, Suicide Mission and Killer Satellites. I forgot to mention in the show that the Prototype version of Suicide Mission, Meteoroids, has a similar descending note scale like the arcade version of Asteroids. You can hear that in the sound clip I played in that section (it speeds up as there are fewer meteoroids onscreen). The released version only has 2 of these notes, and it sounds really weird. Next week on the show I'll be yakking about Gyruss and James Bond 007 by Parker Brothers. Upcoming games include Codebreaker, Flag Capture and Video Chess by Atari; Title Match Pro Wrestling and Skateboardin' by Absolute; Pac-Man by Atari; Magicard and Video Life by CommaVid, and Submarine Commander (Sears exclusive) and Video Pinball by Atari. You can send me your stories or memories of any of these game or any of the games I've already covered to me at 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Thank you so much for listening!

Pertinent Links

Intellivision vs. Atari II: Electric Boogaloo - Checkers!
Steve Hales interview in Halcyon Days by James Hague
Steve Hales' Igor Software Labs web site
Kevin Norman's Science Wiz web site
Suicide Mission at Atari Protos web site
Favorite Atari 2660 Games of Willie - Killer Satellites!
Favorite Atari 2600 Games of Willie - Suicide Mission!

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

CX 2641, Surround, and CX 2642, Hunt 'n' Score (aka A Game Of Concentration)

This week's episode is a little dry, it features the Atari games Surround and Hunt 'n' Score (aka A Game Of Concentration). What this episode lacks in gameplay makes up in audio submissions! I wasn't expecting much feedback this week, but I did get some, which included audio from Shinto and Rob O'Hara. I really appreciate everyone that sends feedback, especially those who take the time to actually record it. I am trying to do that more myself for other podcasts, even though I think my voice sounds worse on other podcasts than it does on mine. Anyway, next week I'll be looking at the Starpath games ("tapes" would be an acceptable term for these, and only these) Suicide Mission and Killer Satellites. Upcoming games include James Bond 007 and Gyruss by Parker Brothers; Codebreaker, Flag Capture & Video Chess by Atari; Title Match Pro Wrestling and Skateboardin' by Absolute, Pac-Man by Atari, and Magicard and Video Life by CommaVid. You can send your feedback for these games or any game I've already covered to me at 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Than you for listening everyone!

Pertinent Links

Al Backiel interview with Alan Miller (contains a picture of Larry Wagner's launch title list)
Dominos on KLOV
Blockade on KLOV
Favorite Atari 2600 Games of FocusRS - Surround
Hunt 'n' Score bitmaps from the manual