It's been a bad year for me and podcasting, I'm sorry I haven't put that much out this year. I also have not been looking forward to Christmas, but today with the help of a friend, I got a boost of Christmas spirit! I'm going to try and extend it through next year the best I can. Thank you for sticking with me for so long. I love you all and I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons. Thank you for listening 💗💚
Welcome to the show! In this episode I will tell you what I know about Gauntlet by Answer Software. Other than how to play, it's not much; although I am very confident in telling you that this is NOT a port of the Atari arcade game Gauntlet. I can also tell you that despite what you read on the internet, the arcade Gauntlet was partially inspired by the 8 bit computer game Dandy, written by John Palevich. It was not inspired by Atari's console game Dark Chambers, which came out 3 years after Gauntlet. Dark Chambers was also inspired by Dandy. With that pedantry out of the way, I do hope you enjoy the episode. Coming up next is the last game for the year, Mean Santa, a homebrew game designed by Tim Duarte (founder of the 2600 Connection newsletter), and programmed by John K Harvey. The rom has been released for free, and you can get it here if you'd like to try it out. If you'd like to send feedback containing your thoughts on the game and not how to play it, which I cover every episode, please send them to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by November 28th. I will post an updated list of upcoming games to your right (if you're not on a phone) very soon. To all who celebrate American Thanksgiving, I wish you a safe and healthy-ish holiday. I am very thankful for all of you, and I thank you for listening.
You can donate to my Extra Life campaign until December 31st!
Answer Software catalog on Atarimania
April 1983 Video Game Update newsletter on Atari Compendium
I am back this week to discuss a Spectravideo game, after 7 years! This game is called Master Builder, and I really hope you enjoy the episode. Coming up next will be Gauntlet by Answer Software. If you have thoughts on Gauntlet, you can send them to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com. Please just tell me your thoughts, I'll take care of the rest. The last game for the year is Mean Santa by John Harvey and Tim Duarte. If you have feedback for Mean Santa, I'll need it by November 28th. Finally, if you have any video game Christmas memories (it doesn't need to be Atari 2600, but please keep it to video games), I will be doing another Christmas show this year, provided I get enough submissions. Please get those to me by December 16th. Tune in to YouTube this weekend at 8 pm on November 4 and 5 to watch me play games badly for Extra Life. I don't know why you would want to watch that, but I'm glad you do.
Thank you as always for your kindness, and for listening.
Donate to my Extra Life campaign here!
Master Builder on Random Terrain
Columbia Video Game Club thread on Atari Age
Long time no see! Today's episode is about the Atari and Children's Computer Workshop collaboration, Cookie Monster Munch. I loved Cookie Monster when I was a kid (I still do), and I also love cookies, but most cookies actually stay in my mouth, unlike some other monsters I could name. I hope that you enjoy the episode and that it was worth waiting for. Next up will be the very rare Master Builder by Spectravideo. Apparently my episodes covering Spectravideo games are also pretty rare. If you have feedback for Master Builder that does not include its history or how to play it, please send it along to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by October 31st. On November 4th and 5th, I will once again be participating in Extra Life, to benefit the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Hopefully I will have my streaming ability together by then. If you would like to donate to the kids, please see the link below. Thank you once again for your patience, and for listening.
Donate to my Extra Life campaign
Cookie Monster Munch on Atari Protos
Cookie Monster Munch on Random Terrain
UPI article on CMM by Kenneth Clark, Feb 1983
Joystick conversions of Cookie Monster Munch and Big Bird's Egg Catch by Omegamatrix
I say this too much, but I thank you for being patient with me as I navigate through my lovely depression. This long overdue episode features the homebrew game AVCStec Challenge by Simon Quernhorst and Paul Slocum. It's based on the very difficult (to me) Aztec Challenge by Paul Norman, for the Commodore 64. I hope that you enjoy the episode. Next up is Cookie Monster Munch by Atari and the Children's Computer Workshop. Please send any feedback on this or any previous game to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by August 16th. Tell me your thoughts and/or memories of Cookie Monster Munch, I'll take care of the history and gameplay. Take care of yourselves and I thank you so much for listening.
A-VCS-tec Challenge development page
Announcement thread on Atari Age
AA Title in Development page on Wayback Machine
AA Project of the Month thread
Simon Quernhorst interview on Good Deal Games
Buy the game on Packrat Video Games
Atari 50th: The Anniversary Celebration
Limited Run Adventure and Missile Command (both sold out)
On this episode we take a look at the M Network game Frogs and Flies, which was based on the Intellivision game Frog Bog. We also cover programmer extraordinaire Dave Rolfe for the first time, and we even read one of his interesting essays. I hope you enjoy it! Coming up next is A-VCS-tec Challenge, by Simon Quernhorst with music by Paul Slocum. If you would like to try this game out, you can get the rom at Simon's web page. Please send me your feedback for A-VCS-tec Challenge by May 30th, to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com. Thanks so much for listening!
Van Mai story on Video Game History Foundation
Frogs and Flies on Random Terrain
Frogs and Flies on Blue Sky Rangers
Intellivision Frog Bog on Blue Sky Rangers
Willie! plays Frogs on Arcade USA
Dave Rolfe's website on Wayback Machine
Dave Rolfe interview by Valter Prette
Dave Rolfe interview by Scott Stilphen
Hello my friends, thank you once again for your patience for this new episode featuring Laser Gates by Imagic. A fun time was had by almost all! Coming up next is Frogs and Flies by M Network. If you have any feedback for Frogs and Flies, please send it to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by end of the day on May 17th. I should be able to get it out on time despite this episode being late. Upcoming games include A-VCS-tec Challenge by Simon Quernhorst and Paul Slocum; Cookie Monster Munch by Atari; Master Builder by Spectravideo, and Gauntlet by Answer Software. Thanks so much for listening!
Limited Run Atari preorders (only 1000 of each will be made, I said 1500 in the show because I can no longer read)
Laser Gates (Innerspace) on Atari Protos
My email interview with Dan Oliver
Is Laser Gates Inner Space? Atari Age thread
Dan Oliver's Waterbug Design site on Wayback Machine
In this episode I look at the Activision game Private Eye, by Bob Whitehead. I hadn't put any time into this game before, and I couldn't put enough time into it for the podcast, but I did enjoy it and hope to come back to it. Next up will be Laser Gates by Imagic. If you have feedback for the game that you'd like to hear on the show, please send it to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by May 2nd. Thank you all very much for your kind words about my return, it means a lot to me. i appreciate you all hanging in there. and as always, thank you for listening.
Interview with Bob Whitehead by Scott Stilphen
Rawson Stovall review Feb 10 1984
In case you missed it on the Oscar episode, my friend Richard is sponsoring a contest where you can win loose Atari 2600 Sesame Street carts! It's very simple to enter, all you need to do is send me an email at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com, with Contest in the subject header. There will be 3 winners! 2 people will win loose carts of all 4 of the Sesame Street games: Oscar's Trash Race, Alpha Beam with Ernie, Big Bird's Egg Catch, and Cookie Monster Munch. The 3rd person will win loose carts of Alpha Beam with Ernie, Big Bird's Egg Catch, and Cookie Monster Munch, but without end labels. If you already have the games or if you've won something from the podcast before, please let others have a turn. Please send me your entries by April 30th, and the winners will be announced on the Laser Gates episode. Thanks to Richard, and thank you all for listening!
Welcome back to the podcast everyone! I hope you all are well, and I very much appreciate all the kind words and patience. Today we start the 5 digit Atari part numbers with Oscar's Trash Race, a product of Atari and the Children's Computer Workshop, a tiny little division of Sesame Street. This is the first in a series, so there's lots to talk about. I hope that you enjoy it. Coming up in 2 weeks is Private Eye by Activision. If you have feedback for Private Eye that does not include the Hall and Oates song, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by April 18th. Please make sure you listen to the end of the podcast for a very special Sesame Street game related contest, sponsored by friend of the podcast Richard Grounds. Thanks Richard! I'll post a separate entry for the contest in a few days, but you can send your entry as soon as you hear the episode. Once again, thank you for your patience, your kindness, and of course, for listening. Extra special thanks to my beautiful wife Sarah for getting this ball rolling again. 💖
Oscar's Trash Race on Random Terrain
Oscar's Trash Race on Atari Protos
Oscar's Trash Race on Atarimania
Children's Computer Workshop on Muppet Wiki
CGE 2012 Atari Programmers panel
Preston Stuart interview, Electronic Fun with Computers and Games March 1983, page 40
Atari Age "Loaner Cartridge" thread, shows perhaps final version of Oscar
AA OTR 10-20-82 WIP thread OMGWTFBBQ
OTR Prototype pictures on Atari Compendium
Unreleased static screen version pictures on Atari Compendium
Posts from Guy Hutchinson's Big Bird Bridge blog about Sesame Place:
Detail from Computer Gallery computers
Closeup of Computer Gallery age logo
Sesame Place (Images of Modern America) by Guy Hutchinson on Amazon
