The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast - podcast cover

The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast

The 2600 Game By Game Podcast will delve into the history, gameplay, and personal stories of every game made for the Atari 2600.
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Episodes

Tapper by Sega

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...

Jul 07, 20211 hr 24 minEp. 205

Taz by Atari

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 Ter...

Jun 23, 20211 hr 23 minEp. 204

Surf's Up by Amiga

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...

Jun 09, 20211 hr 19 min

Alfred Challenge by Ebivision

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 WIL...

May 19, 20211 hr 25 min

Cosmic Corridor by Zimag

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 entrie...

May 05, 20211 hr 27 minEp. 201

Q*Bert's Qubes by Parker Brothers

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...

Apr 23, 20212 hr 7 minEp. 200

Condor Attack by Ultravision

Hi there! Today's game is a bit late, is it worth waiting for? Have a listen to Condor Attack by Ultravision and find out for yourself. Big thanks go to Rob @Atarispot on Twitter, who helped me with the research into this game and company. Next up is the big 200th episode, which will feature Q*bert's Qubes by Parker Brothers and a PlusCart contest courtesy of Doug. But first, I need a vacation. The 200th episode will be out on April 21st, so if you have feedback for Q*bert's Qubes, please get it...

Mar 28, 20211 hr 10 minEp. 199

Mario Bros. by Atari

Happy Mar10 Day everyone! Today we are taking a look at Mario Brothers, the Nintendo arcade game ported by Atari. Lots of opinions and info in this one, it seems like a simple game but there's a lot of nuance to it. I really hope that you enjoy listening to it. Next up will be Condor Attack, the first game I am covering from Ultravision. If you'd like to tell me your thoughts on Condor Attack, please send them to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by March 21st and I will get them into the show. We ...

Mar 10, 20211 hr 57 minEp. 198

Marauder by Tigervision

Welcome to the show! This week we are looking at Marauder, by Tigervision. It's a pretty rare and expensive game, but worth the play if you have the means. I really enjoyed it. Coming up next is the Atari game Mario Brothers, yet another terrific Dan Hitchens arcade port. If you have any feedback for Mario Brothers, please get it to me by the end of the day on March 7th. I will tell you all about the game, no need to repeat that stuff, just tell me what you think of it. you can send all feedback...

Feb 24, 20211 hr 33 minEp. 197

Gopher by U.S. Games

Hello there, this week's once again late entry is all about Gopher, by US Games. Coming to you from the Wickstead Design Associates arm of US Games, Gopher is a pretty fun title. I hope that you enjoy the show. Next up will be Marauder by Tigervision. If you have any feedback for Marauder, please send it to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by the end of Monday the 22nd. I hope you all are well, thank you for your patience and for listening. Gopher on Random Terrain February 1983 Video Game Update on Ata...

Feb 14, 20211 hr 24 minEp. 196

PlusCart Contest Winner, and excuses

I'm sorry I don't have the Gopher episode ready today, but I wanted to announce the PlusCart winner at least because Doug is very kind to sponsor this contest. Please give a listen, I will be sending the winner an email to get their address. Doug is a much better shipper than I, so there's that. If you have Gopher feedback that you didn't send but want to, get it to me by the end of Friday the 12th. Thanks so much for your patience, and for listening. Doug's Contest video...

Feb 10, 20215 min

Pressure Cooker by Activision

This week, a little late, I am discussing the wonderful Activision game Pressure Cooker, by Garry Kitchen. If you haven't played this one, you really owe it to yourself to try it. Coming up next is Gopher by US Games. It's not about the Ship's Purser on The Love Boat, but that would probably be a cool game. Please send feedback on Gopher to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by 6 PM EST on Tuesday, February 9th. I have an appointment on Wednesday morning so I have to have the show done in a more timely ma...

Jan 31, 20211 hr 44 minEp. 195

Tooth Protectors by DSD/Camelot

Happy New Year everyone! I hope the new year finds you well and hopeful. We are starting this year off with Tooth Protectors, the mail away advergame sponsored by Johnson and Johnson and put together by Camelot Marketing Services Group and Diversified Software Development. I hope that you enjoy the episode. Coming up next on the show is Pressure Cooker by Activision. If you have any feedback for Pressure Cooker, please get it to me by January 24th at the end of the day. Also, our friend Doug has...

Jan 13, 20211 hr 12 minEp. 194

2020 Christmas Memories

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa! Whatever you celebrate, I hope that you all have a wonderful time at the end of this weird year. I am hopeful for the future and I hope that for you as well. We have some newcomers sharing memories with us, and some very touching stories as well. I hope that you will enjoy the show, Sarah and I enjoyed making it for you. I am grateful to all of you for listening to this show and I wish you nothing but the best for the new year. Epcot Candlelight Pr...

Dec 23, 20202 hr 11 min

Asterix by Atari

Thank you for listening to the final game for this year, Asterix by Atari. It's basically the same as Taz, but Taz actually appears later in the part number order, and we'll get to that game next year. Coming up on January 13th is Tooth Protectors by DSD/Camelot. If you have any feedback for Tooth Protectors, please send it to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by January 10th. also, the Christmas episode is coming up fast! if you have any kind of holiday or birthday video game memories or whatever, pleas...

Dec 02, 20201 hr 1 minEp. 193

Cakewalk by Commavid

Hi there! This week we are taking a look at a game that kind of involves my profession, Cakewalk by Commavid. Spoilers, I hate making cakes. But I think I have a fun episode for you, Mrs. Ferguson the Librarian is back, and be sure to stay tuned at the end for some really filthy bloopers. Don't worry, I bleeped them. Bleep bloop! Next up is the last game this year, another super rare one, Asterix by Atari. It's loosely based on the French comic series of the same name. I'll tell you all about it...

Nov 18, 20201 hr 16 minEp. 192

Interview: Jan Hermanns, Blinky Goes Up

I was delighted when Jan Hermanns agreed to speak with me for the podcast about his terrific game Blinky Goes Up. We talk about programming the game, Jan's artwork and other hobbies, and also a tantalizingly half finished game that he has! I really enjoyed talking with him and I hope you will give the interview a listen and try Blinky Goes Up if you haven't already. Thanks for listening! Jan Hermanns's artwork on Instagram Jan's new site for Blinky Goes Up...

Nov 04, 202041 min

Blinky Goes Up by Jan Hermanns

It's a homebrew episode this week, featuring the absolutely wonderful Blinky Goes Up by Jan Hermanns. I'm sorry about the lack of homebrews lately, I was working on my list recently and I put more in to be covered in the coming months. I also interviewed Jan and had a great time talking with him, you can find that interview here when I post it, which should be soon. Next up is the autobiographical Cakewalk, by Commavid. If you have any thoughts or feedback on the game, please send them to me at ...

Nov 04, 20201 hr 6 minEp. 191

Kyphus by Apollo

Hi everyone, today we are looking at an unfinished prototype by Apollo called Kyphus. It's not really playable, but there is some interesting stuff to go into. And I apologize for posting the wrong date for feedback on Facebook and Twitter, if you didn't get your feedback in for Kyphus because of that I'm sorry. Please do send it next time if you can. The next game is the homebrew Blinky Goes Up by Jan Hermanns. Blinky is so cute! If you have feedback for this game, you can send it to me at 2600...

Oct 21, 202055 minEp. 190

Xevious by Atari

Hi there! This week's game is the unreleased prototype for Xevious, by Atari. I think Tod Frye did a great job on this, it's a shame that it didn't come out at the time. Coming up next on the show is the prototype game Kyphus by Apollo. After I put it on the list however, I discovered that it's not really a playable game. But it does have a part number assigned to it, and you know the law around these parts. If you want to take a look at it and send me some feedback about it, please send it to 2...

Oct 07, 202057 minEp. 189

Lock n Chase by M Network

Hi there, thanks once again for your patience (I thought I was done saying that, apparently I have more work to do). This week I am covering Lock 'n' Chase by M Network, which is a Pac-Man wannabe that doesn't quite get there for me. The prototype for Xevious by Atari is coming up next, and I'm going to try to stay on schedule despite this week's show being late. If you have any feedback for Xevious, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by 6 PM EST on October 6th. You can get a copy ...

Sep 27, 20201 hr 9 minEp. 188

Bank Heist by 20th Century Fox

This week we go back to the 20th Century Fox catalog to take a look at Bank Heist. It's a simple looking game but a lot of fun to play! I hope you enjoy the episode. Next up will be Bump and Jump by M Network. If you have any feedback for Bump and Jump, please send it to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by end of the day September 20th to be included in the show. I hope you all are staying safe and are doing well. Those of you with children, I wish you the best with whatever schooling your kids ar...

Sep 09, 202053 minEp. 187

Party Mix by Starpath

In this episode I finally take a look at the Starpath game Party Mix, which may be one of the first collections of mini games in a video game. It is a rare 4 player paddle game at the late date of Fall 1983, but it has its usual Starpath polish. I hope you enjoy listening. Next up will be Bank Heist by 20th Century Fox, and hopefully it will be released in two weeks. If you have feedback for Bank Heist, please send it to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by end of day September 5th. Thank you so much for...

Aug 27, 20201 hr 22 minEp. 186

Moonsweeper by Imagic

Hi there, thanks for sticking with me through all of this, I hope you all are well. This episode is about the Imagic game Moonsweeper, by programmer extraordinaire, Bob Smith. If you haven't already checked the game out, I hope you will after listening. Next up will be Party Mix by Starpath. If you have any feedback for Party Mix, please get it to me by Sunday the 12th. Send it to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com. I am shooting for the episode to be out on the 15th, but please keep in mind that may chan...

Jul 01, 20201 hr 11 minEp. 185

Interview with Steve Cartwright

Hello friends, this is a rare interview edition of the show, in which I talk to Steve Cartwright about his career. We talk about his time at Activision, Accolade, and Electronic Arts, as well as what he's doing now and even touch on some of his hobbies. It was an honor and a privilege to talk to Steve, and I thank him very much for speaking with me. I hope that you enjoy it and I thank you for listening.

May 13, 202054 min

Frostbite by Activision

Thanks so much for tuning into the show, this is a very special episode featuring Frostbite by the great Steve Cartwright. It also marks the release of a heretofore unknown work in progress prototype of Frostbite called Iceman, which you can find in the links below. Please listen to the episode for the whole 22 year journey of Iceman! Steve Cartwright was gracious enough to do a phone interview with me as well, that will be coming up in the feed very soon. Next up is Moonsweeper by Imagic, which...

May 06, 20201 hr 40 minEp. 184

Pole Position by Atari

Hello there, I hope that you all are safe and sane during this weird and difficult time. Today's episode is about Pole Position, the Namco arcade game that was ported to various Atari systems by General Computer Corp. (GCC if you're nasty). Coming up next is the wonderful Frostbite, by Activision's Steve Cartwright. If you have any thoughts on Frostbite (and I know that you do), please send them to me at 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by the end of the day on May 3rd. Thank you so much for listening a...

Apr 23, 20202 hr 24 minEp. 183

Bonus Track - Concert Ticket Stubs

Hi there! I hope very much that you all are staying home when you can and staying safe. For the first time in a loooong time, I have a Bonus Track for you. In this episode I go through my concert ticket stubs that I saved (most of them from before my twenties), and talk about each show, if I remember anything about it. There's some fun stories in there that I hope you will like. Thanks to Sean and Lisa for the inspiration, there's an Autobiography of a Schnook episode where the two of them talk ...

Apr 06, 202056 minEp. 8

Z-Tack by Bomb

Hi there, I hope that you are all safe and staying home if you can. I know in many cases that is more difficult, a lot of my friends have to work from home while home schooling their kids, which I imagine is a lot. We will get through this! One thing that may or may not help with that is Z-Tack by Bomb, the super rare ripoff of a PAL game called Base Attack. I was kind of surprised that I got so much feedback for this game, thank you so much. Next time I'll be covering a big game, Pole Position ...

Apr 01, 20201 hr 13 minEp. 182

Robin Hood by Xonox

Thank you all once again for your patience! Today's episode is about Robin Hood by Xonox. Xonox seems to be a company that people are split on, so tune in to see how it goes for Robin Hood. Next up is Z-Tack by Bomb. Please send me your feedback by March 29th to be included in the show. I will supply all the info about the game, you tell me your thoughts. Please. Stay safe out there everyone, I wish you all the best and I thank you for listening. Robin Hood on Random Terrain Thread on Atari Age ...

Mar 18, 202055 minEp. 181
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