AX-015, Chopper Command, & AX-016, Starmaster!

Eh up! Today I discuss Chopper Command and Starmaster, two Activision games that were formerly Atari games. Next week I will be taking off for Thanksgiving, but I will resume the following week with Assault and Great Escape by Bomb. Hopefully that's not prophetic. The following week will be Raiders of the Lost Ark by Atari. After that I will play it by ear, but I will have a Listener Christmas Memories show the week of Christmas. So if you have any Christmas memories, or if you would like to comment on upcoming games or any games I've already covered (the Bomb episode might be a good episode for past game comments). Send it all to me at 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Thank you for listening, and I hope you all have a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving! EAT HEAVY

Pertinent Links

Intarivisions Podcast!
Activision 1982 in-house video
Bob Whitehead interview by Scott Stilphen
Chopper Command patch
Chopper Command patch letter
How To Beat The Home Video Games: Chopper Command
The No Swear Gamer: Chopper Command
Alan Miller interview by Al Backiel
Starmaster main patch
Starmaster additional patches
Starmaster patch letter
Starmaster Promotional patch
Starmaster with awesome graphics!
Favorite Atari 2600 Games of Willie! Starmaster
How To Beat The Home Video Games: Starmaster

11005, Mega Force, &11006, Alien!

Hi everyone, this episode is about the 20th Century Fox games Mega Force and Alien, both based on their movies. Congratulations to Matthew Edwards for winning the Strudders' Score contest! Thanks to everyone for participating. Next week I'll be looking at Chopper Command and Starmaster by Activision, then I will be taking the week of Thanksgiving off. The first week of December I will be covering Assault and Great Escape by Bomb, then Raiders of the Lost Ark by Atari. I would like to release another Christmas show on the 24th, but I will need more Christmas memories from you! The whole episode will be your feedback about anything associated with Christmas and the VCS/2600. I did one last year and it was very successful; the reason it is only feedback is because I am very busy in December with Christmas and my birthday, both at home and at work. So if you do have any feedback about any of these games, games I've already covered, or your Christmas memories, please send them to me at 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Thank you so much for listening!

Deeds, not Links

Bryan Cranston in Mega Force commercial! 
Paul Laughton interview on the ANTIC podcast
Doug Neubauer's Wiki
Doug Neubauer interview with James Hague
Doug Neubauer 1986 interview with Lee Pappas
Player/Missile Podcast Star Raiders episode
The No Swear Gamer's Math Gran Prix review
Willie's Arcade USA contest video! Win a Colecovision with 10 games!

CX 2658, Math Gran Prix, and CX 2661, Basic Math/Fun With Numbers!

Hi there Mathletes! This week we are looking at two math-based games for the VCS, Math Gran Prix and Basic Math (aka Fun With Numbers). I hear your rapturous applause, thank you so much. Next week will be Alien and Mega Force by 20th Century Fox, and don't forget Strudders' Score Contest! See here for more details. Afterwards I will be looking at Chopper Command and Starmaster by Activision; Assault and Great Escape by Bomb; Raiders of the Lost Ark by Atari; Okie Dokie and Stell-A-Sketch by Bob Colbert; Rabbit Transit and The Official Frogger by Starpath, and Hangman and Road Runner by Atari. If you have any feedback on any of these games or any of the games I've already covered, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Thank you so much for listening!

Pythagorean Links

Alan Miller interview on 2600 Connection
Math Gran Prix YouTube review
Atari 1980 catalog
Sears Math manual
Beanie Baby Bash  by Jim Goebel
Michael Current's Atari Timeline
OTR Playlist on the Throwback Network
Jimmy G's podcast - The Side Project Live

IA 3400, Fire Fighter, and IA 3409, Aerial Ace/Sky Patrol!

I apologize for the delay, I ran out of space on Libsyn. I will make sure it doesn't happen again.

Hello once again, today I talk about the Imagic games Fire Fighter and Sky Patrol (which went unreleased in the 80s). Also, Strudders is giving away copies of Alien and Mega Force in a contest on my show! You can check out the details at the link below. Next week I'll be looking at Basic Math (Fun With Numbers) and Math Gran Prix, both by Atari. The next episode will be on the aforementioned Alien and Mega Force by 20th Century Fox. Listen to the show for more details as to why there are not more games mentioned here. Your favorites are coming, don't worry. Thank you so much to everyone for all of your support for my Extra Life marathon, I made $500 for the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and almost made it the entire 24 hours. Thank you for listening!

Pertinent Links

Strudders Score Contest! Win Alien and Mega Force! The games, not the movies!
Sky Patrol on Atari Protos
Sky Patrol on 2600 Connection
Sky Patrol mockup box
Sky Patrol mockup cart label
Brad Stewart interview by Scott Stilphen
The No Swear Gamer - Fire Fighter video
Bill Grubb and Dennis Koble interview, Video Games magazine (scroll down, scans will open in new window)

DA 1003, Sssnake, and DA 1004, Airlock!

Hi there! To-day I discuss Sssnake and Airlock by Data Age, for all of 18 minutes. There just wasn't much to say about these games. Next week I'll be talking about Fire Fighter and Sky Patrol, both by Imagic. Upcoming games will include Math Grand Prix and Raiders of the Lost Ark by Atari, Mega Force and Alien by 20th Century Fox; Star Raiders and Fun With Numbers (Basic Math) by Atari; Assault and Great Escape by Bomb; Chopper Command and Starmaster by Activision; and Hangman and Road Runner by Atari. If you have any feedback regarding these games or any others that I've covered already, please send it to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. I will read it or play it on the show. Thank you for listening!

Pertinent LinkssS

Mindscape flexi disc on YouTube
Lock is Lit Podcast
2 Dudes and a NES Podcast
Greg's 2 Worthy Video Game Podcasts thread post
Please donate to the Extra Life gaming marathon!

CX 2657, Swordquest: FireWorld!

This week, the Swordquest saga continues with Swordquest: Fireworld. Two games left in the series, and only one was actually made. It will be coming up soon. Well, soon in the grand scheme of things. Next week I'll be talking about Sssnake and Airlock by Data Age. Upcoming games will include Fire Fighter and Sky Patrol by Imagic; Math Grand Prix and Raiders of the Lost Ark by Atari, Mega Force and Alien by 20th Century Fox; Star Raiders and Fun With Numbers (Basic Math) by Atari; Assault and Great Escape by Bomb; and Chopper Command and Starmaster by Activision. If you have any feedback regarding these games or any others that I've covered already, please send it to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. I will read it or play it on the show. Thank you for listening!

Inflamed Links
Swordquest Archive of Adventure: FireWorld
FireWorld contest photos
Swordquest Revisited (overview of entire contest)
FireWorld comic uninked! (PDF file)
Kabbalah Tree of Life
Give this guy a medal.
FireWorld at Atari Protos
FireWorld walkthrough
FireWorld contest photos
Robert Ruiz FireWorld solution
Michael Rideout interview
Mark's Pepsi Invaders cart

PB 5300, Frogger, and PB 5310, Amidar!

Hiya kids! Today I wax moronic about Frogger and Amidar by Parker Brothers, and also get a little creative all up in here. Very little. Despite that, I hope you enjoy the episode. Next week, the Swordquest saga continues with game 2 in the series, Fireworld. Who will win the Sword of Ultimate Sorcery? Who indeed! In the coming weeks and months and YEARS I'll be covering Sssnake and Airlock by Data Age; Fire Fighter and Sky Patrol by Imagic; Math Grand Prix and Raiders of the Lost Ark by Atari, Mega Force and Alien by 20th Century Fox; Star Raiders and Fun With Numbers (Basic Math) by Atari; and Assault and Great Escape by Bomb. If you have any feedback regarding these games or any others that I've covered already, please send it to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. I will read it or play it on the show. Thank you for listening!

Splooched Links

Ed English's company Elerts web site
Ed English's Plates USA web site
David Lamkins interview by Scott Stilphen at 2600 Connection
David Lamkins' web site
David Lamkins' Lisp programming language book
David Lamkins on SoundCloud
Information about Executive Games at Pong Story
Ed Temple video interview by Scott Stilphen
How to Beat the Home Video Games - Frogger
General Mills/Parker Brothers Merger: Playing by Different Rules by Ellen Wojahn
Frogger at KLOV
Amidar at KLOV
Fidelity Chess game example
The Tenkop Youtube channel
Favorite Atari 2600 Games of Willie! - Amidar
Favorite Atari 2600 Games of Willie! - Frogger

Win a Colecovision from Willie!

Nils' Killbots Retro Gaming Challenge video
Amidakaju description

Player/Missile Podcast Space Invaders Contest UPDATE

Hi there! Rob from Player/Missile Podcast is sponsoring a contest for my show; previously he was giving away a Kindle copy of Racing The Beam by Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost, a great book about Atari 2600 programming that focuses on 6 classic 2600 games. NOW, the prize is an actual copy of the book, so it is now open to all. You don't need to be in the US or have an Amazon account. All you have to do is guess my and Rob's combined scores on Space Invaders without going over to win the book. Rob will be playing the 2600 version, and I am playing the Atari 800 computer version. Clever, right? Rob has a clue to his score in his Space Invaders episode, and I have included a clue here. I am extending the contest one day to October 7th at 11:59 EST (that's Eastern Standard Time). The closest guess to our combined scores without going over will win and will be announced on the Frogger/Amidar episode next week. I will have a new pinned post on the Facebook page and it will also be on other groups on Facebook, and you can also send your guesses to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Get your guesses in now, and thanks for listening to my and Rob's podcasts!

4325, AD&D Treasure of Tarmin; 4518, BurgerTime; and 4627, In Search of the Golden Skull!

Hi! Today I am talking about 3 M Network games, AD&D Treasure of Tarmin, BurgerTime, and In Search of the Golden Skull. The middle one was released, but the other two never were. Next week is Frogger and Amidar by Parker Brothers! Upcoming games include Swordquest: Fireworld by Atari; Sssnake and Airlock by Data Age; Fire Fighter and Sky Patrol by Imagic; Math Grand Prix and Raiders of the Lost Ark by Atari, and Mega Force and Alien by 20th Century Fox. If you have any feedback regarding these games or any others that I've covered already, please send it to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. I will read it or play it on the show. Thank you for listening!

Pertinent Links

Player/Missile podcast
BurgerTime thread on Atari Age
BurgerTime thread 2 on Atari Age (picture of later release innards)
Favorite Atari 2600 Games of Willie! BurgerTime
BurgerTime on KLOV
BurgerTime on Intellivision Lives
Jerry Lawson interview
Channel F Files podcast - Talks with Jerry Lawson
In Search of the Golden Skull on Atari Protos
In Search of the Golden Skull on Intellivsion Lives
Treasure of Tarmin on Intellivision Lives
Treasure of Tarmin on Atari Protos
Intellivisionaries podcast Treasure of Tarmin episode
Holiday Special podcast
Greatest American Hero podcast
Telegames catalog
Strong Museum of Play Jerry Lawson papers (this is just a list, you have to go to the museum to look at them)
Videosoft Atari 2600 titles by Jerry Lawson, available at Good Deal Games (3D Ghost Attack, 3D Genesis, 3D Havoc, Atom Smasher, Depth Charge & S.A.C. Alert)

SoundX and Edtris 2600!

This time I talk about the first two homebrew games made for the Atari 2600, SoundX and Edtris 2600, both written by Ed Federmeyer. There are arguments that some other games are the first, but these were first after the 2600 ceased to be. SoundX is a sound utility program, and Edtris 2600 is a version of Tetris. Next week I'm looking at In Search of the Golden Skull, AD&D Treasure of Tarmin, and Burgertime by M Network. Only one of these games was actually released! Coming up I'll be yakking about Frogger and Amidar by Parker Brothers; Swordquest: Fireworld by Atari; Sssnake and Airlock by Data Age; Fire Fighter and Sky Patrol by Imagic; Math Grand Prix and Raiders of the Lost Ark by Atari, and Mega Force and Alien by 20th Century Fox. If you have any feedback for any of these games or any of the games I've covered so far, please send it to 2600gamebygame@comcast.net. Thanks for listening everyone!

Homebrewed Links

Hozer Video Games web site (order the games here)
Inverse Atascii Podcast
Player/Missile Podcast
Player/Missile Podcast Space Invaders contest! Submit your guesses!
Channel F Files podcast
Colecovisions Podcast
Arcade USA on Youtube