The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Bugs Bunny by Atari Sep 12, 2021

Show notes

Long time no see doc! *smak* This week we are discussing the prototype/reproduction game Bugs Bunny, originally from Atari. This Bob Polaro/Alan Murphy collaboration was shelved in the 80s and finally saw limited release at the late, lamented Philly Classic in 2002. It's a beautiful game that I hope you will seek out and try. Coming up next is Sir Lancelot by Xonox. If you have feedback for this guy, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by September 21st at 10 PM EST. You get a smidge more time for this one, then hopefully I'll get back on track and stay that way. HA HA HA HA. Thank you again for all the kind words about the Space Shuttle episode, and thank you so much for listening.

Bugs Bunny on Atari Protos

Bob Polaro's web page

Bob Polaro interview by Sarah Szefer

Bob Polaro interview by Al Backiel

Alan Murphy on Artstation

Atari Promo Video 1983 Bugs Bunny Footage

Photos from Philly Classic 3/Bugs Bunny release

Atari2600.com Bugs Bunny Press Release

Atari Compendium Easter Egg page

Easter egg thread on Atari Age

Video Dames 0 by Kate Willaert

Porno Hustlers of the Atari Age by Kate Willaert on Kotaku

Space Shuttle by Activision Sep 05, 2021

Show notes

The day many of you have been waiting for (and waiting and waiting, sorry about that) is finally here. Today is the finale of the Summer of Shuttles, and I am covering Space Shuttle by Activision. I'm not a simulator fan at all, so I hope I have done this game justice and I hope you enjoy the episode. Coming up pretty quick since I want to keep my schedule is the prototype game Bugs Bunny by Atari. I said in the episode to get me your feedback by the 10th, but let's change that to the 11th at 10PM EST, because when I recorded the episode I thought it would go out on the same day. You can send your feedback to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com. Thank you again for your patience, and as always, thank you for listening.

Space Shuttle on Random Terrain

Space Shuttle on Atari Protos

Electronic Fun article February 1984

Video and Computer Gaming Illustrated article January 1984 (yes, there is no page 75)

Video Game Update article November 1983 (Atari Compendium)

Computer Chronicles episode February 1984

Space Shuttle manual on Atari Age

Space Shuttle Pilot patch on Digital Press

Space Shuttle Commander patch on Digital Press

STS 3 page on Spacefacts

AA thread with Nukey Shay's fuel and docking hacks

Barbara Morgan watches the Challenger 1986

Space Shuttle Operator's Manual by Kerry Mark Joels

Antic Interview 420 with Brenda Laurel

Space Camp home page

Space Camp Movie on Youtube

Shuttle Orbiter by Avalon Hill Aug 11, 2021

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Summer of Shuttles! (It's only a month.) First up we are talking about the Avalon Hill game Shuttle Orbiter, which I enjoyed but found a little frustrating. Lots of great feedback as usual, I hope you enjoy the episode. Coming up next is the one a lot of you have been waiting for, Space Shuttle, a Journey Into Space, by Activision. My attitude towards simulation games precedes me, but I will give this a fair shake. I just can't promise I will be able to figure it out. If you have feedback for Space Shuttle (I know you do), please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by AUGUST 21ST. I'm going to need all the time I can get for this one. I'm sure the description of the game will be rather long, so no need to summarize the gameplay in your feedback, I just want your thoughts and/or memories of the game. Thank you so much for listening!

Shuttle Orbiter on Random Terrain

Phosphor Dot Fossils - Shuttle Orbiter

STS-7, second Challenger flight on Wikipedia

Woodgrain Wonderland - Shuttle Orbiter review

Shuttle Orbiter on The Log Book

35th Anniversary of the Challenger disaster from NASA

Spitfire Attack by Milton Bradley Jul 25, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! Sorry about the delay, but now here is the Spitfire Attack episode for you, by Milton Bradley. We also discuss the Flight Commander controller that came with it. I never had one but we do have a few listeners who did, which is exciting! Also exciting is what's coming up next month, the Summer of Shuttles! I will be covering Shuttle Orbiter by Avalon Hill and Space Shuttle by Activision. If you have feedback for either of these games, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com. I will need the Shuttle Orbiter feedback by August 9th, and the feedback for Space Shuttle by August 21st. I'm expecting a bit for Space Shuttle 😂 As always, I thank you for your patience, and for listening. Please stay safe and stay cool. Spitfire Attack on Random Terrain

Dennis Debro's Spitfire Attack mod

Milton Bradley video game article, June 5 1983

Spitfire Attack Playthrough by Retro Dad No Swear Gamer 499 - Spitfire Attack Matt's Repro Pitfall 2 patch on eBay

Tapper by Sega Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

Hey there, this week I am covering the amazing port of Tapper, the Bally Midway arcade game programmed by Beck Tech for Sega. Please check this game out if you haven't, it is well worth your time. Coming up next on the show is the Milton Bradley game Spitfire Attack, which was packaged with the Flight Commander controller. If you have any feedback on Spitfire Attack, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by July 19. I'm not quite sure what will happen after that, I want to get back on the opposite week schedule so I may take some time off. I will let you know for sure in the next episode.

Tomorrow (July 8th) is national Video Game Day! Play something will ya!

Thank you all so much for listening, it means so much to me.

Swordquest Fireworld Contest Rom thread on Atari Age

Tapper on KLOV

Root Beer Tapper on KLOV

MGA Tapper Patent

Tapper on Atari Protos

February 1984 Tapper newspaper article

December 1984 Sears ad

Steve Beck's web site

Tom Sloper interview on Atari Compendium

Tom Sloper interview on GDRI

Arcade USA Ataricade 2600 - Tapper

No Swear Gamer 535 - Tapper

No Swear Gamer Tapper gameplay

Taz by Atari Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

Hi there! This episode is all about Taz by Steve Woita for Atari. Taz was converted to PAL as the game Asterix, which we already covered, and I really should have put them together. Oh well, there's some great feedback this episode. Next up will be the amazing Tapper by Sega. If you have any feedback for Tapper, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by 6PM EST on July 6th. Thanks so much for listening and enjoy your 4th of July holiday if you're in the United States!

Taz on Random Terrain

Taz on Atari Protos

Taz mention in May 1984 issue of Electronic Games

Steve Woita's web site

Steve Woita interview on Atari Compendium

Jerome Domurat interview on Atari Compendium

No Swear Gamer Taz Easter Egg

NSG 361 Taz

JVGS Atari 2600 High Scores page

Surf's Up by Amiga Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

It's almost summer, and that means it's time for surfing! I think you may have to look elsewhere though, because this week we are covering Surf's Up by Amiga via Video Soft. Surf's Up was made for the Joyboard controller but never came out. Was that a good thing? YOU make the call! Coming up next is a summer rerun Taz by Atari! If you have thoughts on Taz, please send them to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by June 20th. Thanks so much for your patience, and for listening.

THE DREAM IS ALIVE

Surf's Up on Atari Protos

Surf's Up on Atari Compendium

Surf's Up on Atarimania

Surf's Up kerfuffle on Stellalist, 1998

Surf's Up eBay thread from 2006 on Atari Age

Amiga Power Play Arcade carts on Atari Protos

Amiga 1982-1984 on Atari Gaming HQ

Gregdeg Games Surf's Up world record

Alfred Challenge by Ebivision May 19, 2021

Show notes

Hey everyone, this week on the program we have a very early homebrew and the first from Ebivision, Alfred Challenge! It's a very difficult game but one I personally enjoyed. Mrs. Ferguson the Librarian also makes an appearance in this episode! Congratulations to the winners of the PlusCart and the Edladdin Super 78 controller from the episode 200 contests. I haven't notified them yet so I want it to be a surprise. Don't worry, I picked the winners before I started talking about the game. You WILL have to wait a little longer to hear the countdowns though, sorry about that. Next up on the show is the unreleased prototype called Surf's Up by Amiga. If you have feedback for Surf's Up or any game I've already covered, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com. Thank you all for entering the contests, and of course, for listening.

Igor Barzilai's web site

2003 Interview with Eric Bacher by Good Deal Games

2000 Interview with Eric Bacher by Scott Stilphen

Current location of Classic Ebivision site

Best Electronics disclaimer

Alfred Challenge on Videogame Homebrew wiki

Eric Bacher's company, Brainwave GRC

Igor Barzilai's Tarot Artisinal site

ZeroPage Homebrew Alfred Challenge playthrough #1

ZeroPage Homebrew Alfred Challenge playthrough #2

Cosmic Corridor by Zimag May 05, 2021

Show notes

Hello! This week on the show we are looking at the Zimag game Cosmic Corridor, which most likely began life as Space Tunnel by Bit Corp. If you want to know what Hindi movie soundtracks and jail time have to do with Cosmic Corridor, I hope you'll give the episode a listen. Coming up next is the homebrew game Alfred Challenge, programmed by Eric Bacher for Ebivision. If you have feedback for Alfred Challenge, please send it to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by May 17th. Don't forget to send your entries for the PlusCart and Super 78 controller contests! Send in your bottom 5 2600 games for the PlusCart, and your top 5 7800 games for the Super 78 controller. You can include both lists in the email, please put Contests in the subject line. Thanks so much for listening!

Cosmic Corridor on Random Terrain

Zimag/Emag thread on Atari Age

Amarjit Singh Anand obituary on Hindi Movies Songs website

LA Times story on Amarjit Singh Anand (Paywall, sorry)

Zimag catalogs on Atarimania

No Swear Gamer 530 - Cosmic Corridor

No Swear Gamer Cosmic Corridor playthrough

Q*Bert's Qubes by Parker Brothers Apr 23, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to episode 200, where we are talking about the Parker Brothers arcade port Q*Bert's Qubes, via James Wickstead and Associates. Thank you all so much for helping me get this far. To help me celebrate, Doug and Ed are giving away another PlusCart and an Edladdin Super 78 controller respectively. To win the PlusCart, just send me your BOTTOM 5 Atari 2600 games. To win the Super 78 controller, please send me your top 5 7800 gamesfoodfight. Email your entries to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by May 16th, and please put CONTESTS in the subject line. You can put both entries into one email. I'll announce the winners in the May 19th show and then someday do the countdowns 🙄

Thank you all so much for listening to this weird thing that I am doing. It means a lot to me and I am very grateful for the community that has grown around this podcast. There is a lot more to come, so I hope you will stay tuned. Thank you all!

Q*Bert's Qubes on Random Terrain

Q*Bert's Qubes on KLOV

Computer Entertainer May 1985 on Atari Compendium

Atari Archive Kid Vid article 2/13/85

Scott Stilphen's interview with Todd Marshall, LOTS of great links here

Q*Bert's Qubes on Atari Protos

Thunktronix store on Etsy

Arcade USA Q*Bert's Qubes

No Swear Gamer 689 - Q*Bert's Qubes

No Swear Gamer - Q*Bert's Qubes gameplay

Brian Fulton blog post about Top Dog Arcade and Zack Periwinkle's in PA