Best PC Magazines Podcasts (2025)

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The Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 2 - The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1:37:47

Play Pause

6d ago1:37:47

1:37:47

ISSUE LINK: https://archive.org/details/official-u.-s.-play-station-magazine-volume-1-issue-02-november-1997 For the first time, we were ON CAMERA as we dug in to The Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine's hard pan of The Lost World, a beautiful and ambitious mess from Dreamworks that barely connects to the blockbuster Jurassic Park movie sequel it's…

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#150 : PC-Man And "The Spark" Of Childhood Wonder 32:44

6d ago32:44

32:44

Teenager Greg Kuperberg wrote three fast-action arcade games for the IBM-PC in 1982 and 1983 (an almost impossible of feat at the time) and then took another path. In this rare examination of his work, we look at the legacy and inspiration of this "would-be" game programming auteur, who "moved-on" while at the top of his game. Links: -Tony Longwort…

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GamePro 108 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [S1E17] 1:28:43

20d ago1:28:43

1:28:43

ISSUE LINK: https://archive.org/details/gamepro-issue-108-september-1997/GamePro%20-%20Issue%20108%20%28September%201997%29/mode/2up Grab your whip, your holy water, and your PlayStation 1, because we're reviewing GamePro's review of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night! We also get on one of Aidan's biggest hobby horses--2D graphics vs. 3D graphics,…

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#149: Atari Now! November 2025 38:27

29d ago38:27

38:27

Atari now! Notes here Atari Now! November 2025 https://www.reddit.com/r/atarinow/ Atari Now, News and Homebrews. See full notes here: Thanks for support from: Atari Legend, AtariBasement Atari Crypt BCB Coffee Boy, Daniel Beasley++, Barry Burkey Chris++ Dave the Velociraptor ED Possible, David L. Farquhar Jolt7800 Tony Longworth David Schmidt Danie…

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NEXT Generation 31 - Blasto [S1E16] 1:34:37

1M ago1:34:37

1:34:37

ISSUE LINK: https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_31/mode/1up Great jumpin' ray guns, or some similar 1950sesque exclamation! Captain Blasto, everyone's favorite James Bond-meets-Inspector-Clouseau-meets-Flash-Gordon, except make it a parody, and also it's Looney Tunes, superhero got a big, splashy cover and a huge preview spread in this issu…

1
ULTRA Review Crew Bonus UNLOCKED - Computer Entertainer reviews Super Mario Bros., featuring the Video Game History Foundation [S1B5] 1:19:14

2M ago1:19:14

1:19:14

ISSUE LINK: Computer Entertainer, Volume 5, Number 3 | Video Game History Foundation Library – Digital Archive VHGF HOME: Home | Video Game History Foundation BONUS UNLOCKED!! This week, for our six-month anniversary, we're making one of our favorite bonus episodes available for everyone--one featuring a pair of guests we've been dreaming about lan…

1
ULTRA Review Crew TEASER - Matt Leone's Design Room [S1B6] 8:35

2M ago8:35

8:35

DESIGN ROOM DOT SITE: https://www.designroom.site/ Matt Leone, formerly of Polygon, EGM, and elsewhere, has launched a new subscription-based site that gets right to the heart of everything Ty and Aidan love about games media: oral histories of classic, beloved and/or interesting old games. Not only do we get deep into how and why Matt launched the…

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Game Players 83 - Resident Evil [S1E15] 1:24:39

2M ago1:24:39

1:24:39

ISSUE LINK: https://www.retromags.com/magazines/usa/game-players-1993/game-players-issue-83/ Here come the RPGs...sort of. Aidan and Ty revisit Game Players yet again, as the drumbeat for more RPGs gets louder across 1996 and 1997. The splashy cover art of Beyond the Beyond's Finn helped rook a young Ty into buying one of the most disappointing and…

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#148 Atari Now! October 2025 News and Home brew for all Atari systems 38:55

2M ago38:55

38:55

#atari #atari8bit #atari2600 #atarist #atari5200 #atari7800 #atarijaguar #atarilynx #atarivcs #atarirecharged Atari Now! October 2025 News and Home brew for all Atari systems https://www.reddit.com/r/atarinow/ Notes: https://intotheverticalblank.com/2025/10/05/148-atari-now-october-2025-news-and-home-brew-for-all-atari-systems/ 0:00 Opening 0:50 At…

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#147: People Not Things: The Enigma Of Chris Crawford 47:32

2M ago47:32

47:32

Game Developer Chris Crawford recently declared his lifelong work a "failure". In this Video, we deep dive into Crawford, his legacy, and why we think h is wrong. End Of An Era https://www.erasmatazz.com/personal/self/end-of-an-era.html Chris Crawford's web site: https://www.erasmatazz.com/ Dragon Speech: https://youtu.be/VwZi58u1FjI Gossip Documen…

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Game Informer 47 - Carnage Heart [S1E14] 1:50:33

3M ago1:50:33

1:50:33

ISSUE LINK: https://archive.org/details/game-informer-issue-47-march-1997 ANDY MCNAMARA ON MY PERFECT CONSOLE: https://shows.acast.com/my-perfect-console/episodes/andy-macnamara-former-editor-in-chief-game-informer MATT MILLER ANNOUNCING GI'S RETURN: https://gameinformer.com/letter-from-the-editor/2025/03/25/game-informer-is-back We've been grindin…

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PC Gamer Vol. 4, Issue 3 - Diablo [S1E13] 1:42:58

3M ago1:42:58

1:42:58

ISSUE LINK: Video Game History Foundation Library | Collection: PC GAMER (US) More info on "Free Speech and Magic Money," Jillan E. Foley, PhD's forthcoming book from Harvard University Press: Book – Jillian E. Foley We enter the dangerously Adult world of PC gaming: Mail-order explicit games, game-deletion utilities to keep people from finding out…

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#146: Atari Now! September 2025 45:42

3M ago45:42

45:42

Monthly update about the world of Atari. Atari Now! News and Homebrews, September 2025 https://www.reddit.com/r/atarinow/ Games Featured: Super 3D Maze 16 https://store.steampowered.com/app/2751700/Super_3D_Maze_16/ Dash (2600) https://forums.atariage.com/topic/382967-dasher-a-new-64k-platformer/ Axercise (2600) https://forums.atariage.com/topic/38…

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Tips & Tricks Vol. IV, Issue 1 - Tomb Raider [S1E12] 1:20:24

3M ago1:20:24

1:20:24

ISSUE LINK: Tips & Tricks - Volume IV Issue 1 GAME LOSERS T&T ARTICLE: A Comprehensive Oral History Of Tips & Tricks – The #1 Video-Game Tips Magazine | Game Losers We're the Tomb Raiders! Aidan and Ty teased Tomb Raider takes last episode, and here they finally are--and so is our look at a very popular game magazine that didn't (quite) have review…

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ULTRA Review Crew TEASER: Video Game History Foundation - Super Mario Bros. 1 [S1B5] 22:43

4M ago22:43

22:43

ISSUE LINK: Computer Entertainer, Volume 5, Number 3 | Video Game History Foundation Library – Digital Archive VHGF HOME: Home | Video Game History Foundation A pair of guests we've been dreaming about landing since before we launched the show, Frank Cifaldi and Phil Salvador of the Video Game History Foundation are two of the highest authorities o…

1
Edge 16 - Final Fantasy VI [S1E11] 2:05:58

4M ago2:05:58

2:05:58

ISSUE LINK: https://archive.org/details/Edge_Gaming/Edge%20Gaming%20Magazine%20016/mode/2up KEITH STUART EULOGY FOR JASON BROOKES: https://www.eurogamer.net/always-on-edge-my-life-with-jason-brookes We're going back to the future of interactive entertainment! EDGE magazine, the UK-made precursor to/sister publication of NEXT Generation, revolutioni…

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Game Players 92 - NBA Live '97 [S1E10] 1:13:59

4M ago1:13:59

1:13:59

ISSUE LINK: Ultra Game Players No. 92 - Christmas 1996 Mike Salmon's shot-calling review of NBA Live '97 stuck with Ty for almost 30 years—and it cuts to the heart of everything our podcast is about. For the first time ever, we revisit a magazine: Game Players, right after the "ULTRA" makeover that inspired the name of the very premium tiers you su…

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#145: What The Heck Is The Vertical Blank Anyway? 7:31

5M ago7:31

7:31

In this piece we play the long versions of our two songs, mixed with a segment from our movie "The Best *#@! Christmas Ever: An Atari 8-bit Journey Into The Vertical Blank" To lay out just what The Vertical blank means to us and why we use it as the metaphor for the retro gaming hobby. Video version here: https://youtu.be/qudbVpMUCWI Late night fue…

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#144: Atari 800, Blue Max, and the Zen of Vintage Computing 10:30

5M ago10:30

10:30

Atari 800, Blue Max, and the Zen of Vintage Computing A crack the seal, an essay, a something, whatever this is. Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank Thanks for support from: BCB, Atari Legend, Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/ ED Possible, Tony Longworth Daniel Beasley+…

1
Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy, with set designer Gavin Verhey [S1E9] 1:40:30

5M ago1:40:30

1:40:30

ISSUE LINK: The Duelist No. 21, January 1997 ALLISON MCKENZIE'S TERRA PRINT: FFVI - Terra and Mog Print It's a bonus BONUS! Ever since the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy set dropped, our Discord's hottest channel has been #ttrpgs-and-card-games. Aidan and Ty decided that if it's all they could talk about, and all our most engaged listeners coul…

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#143: Finding Electronic Games Magazine In 1981 (Remaster) 18:47

5M ago18:47

18:47

The story from Season 2, Episode 5, remastered. Video version here: Thanks for support from: BCB, Atari Legend, Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/ ED Possible, Tony Longworth Daniel Beasley, Barry Burkey David Schmidt, Dave theVelociraptor Jolt7800 wesbrown18 Daniel Stephens All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @…

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Nintendo Power 88 - Super Mario 64 [S1E8] 1:15:53

5M ago1:15:53

1:15:53

ISSUE LINK: Nintendo Power 88, September 1996 Gamemaster Classified book KS page "Fun" & Games Podcast home The episode so many of you have been waiting for: Our first look at Nintendo Power! And boy, is it ever a big one--the debut of Super Mario 64, the game that would define the Nintendo 64, and the company itself, for the entire console generat…

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ULTRA Review Crew Bonus UNLOCKED - Mollie Patterson of EGM & GameFan [S1B2] 1:31:02

6M ago1:31:02

1:31:02

Mollie Patterson's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mollipen.bsky.social Mollie Patterson's homepage: https://mollielpatterson.com/ The EGM Compendium Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/egmbook/egmcompendium UNLOCKED AND FREE FOR ALL LISTENERS: A FunFactor ULTRA Review Crew bonus episode!! We talk with the great Mollie L. Patterson …

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#142: The Worst Game Visits The So. Cal Retro Gaming Expo 9:50

6M ago9:50

9:50

The Worst Game Visits The So Cal Retro Expo 2025. Additional music: Music: Heart Of Neon (Spectral Grid Mix) - Tony Longworth Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank Thanks for support from: BCB, Atari Legend, Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/ ED Possible, Tony Longworth D…

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Intelligent Gamer 2 - Jumping Flash! 2 [S1E7] 1:28:43

6M ago1:28:43

1:28:43

ISSUE LINK: Intelligent Gamer No. 2, July 1996 A true trailblazer of a magazine, which Ty mistook at the time for a craven NEXT Generation ripoff. Instead, Ziff-Davis bought what might have been the world's first fully digital online games magazine and soon put its precocious editor at the head of a real, monthly, big-boy print equivalent. Besides …

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ULTRA Review Crew bonus TEASER - Demo Discs with Sean Seanson & EposVox [S1B3] 10:56

6M ago10:56

10:56

Please enjoy this sample of a FunFactor ULTRA Review Crew bonus episode bursting with international flavor! With EposVox and Sean Seanson joining Aidan and Ty, we bridged three countries and seven time zones to go deep on our love of demo discs--the best (and sometimes only) way to taste the breadth of some old consoles' libraries and indie scenes.…

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#141: How STOS Helped People Forge Careers in Software 37:01

6M ago37:01

37:01

STOS The Game Creator (and like software) might have been seen as silly or non-serious shortcuts for hobbyists, but for many many people it became entry point into the world of professional software development. This is just one such tale, the story of "Zamboozal Poker Dice" Video version here: How STOS Helped People Forge Careers in Software The i…

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GameFan Volume 4, Issue 5 - Lufia II [S1E6] 1:31:36

6M ago1:31:36

1:31:36

TODAY'S ISSUE: GameFan Volume 4, Issue 5 - May 1996 This one's special -- we recorded it right before the Mollie Patterson bonus episode (which you should join the FunFactor ULTRA Review Crew to hear!), wherein she gave the amazing backstory behind some of the unique production and culture wrinkles that were evident in the final product of this uni…

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#140: The Game Creator: Atari ST STOS History, Games & Community 30:19

6M ago30:19

30:19

If you were a teen, pre-teen, or even a curious adult with an 8-bit computer in the 80’s, you most likely started your journey as a computer enthusiast by playing with the basic language included with your machine. Some typed in a few programs, then moved to games and never looked back, while many of us were so engrossed in the power to control the…

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NEXT Generation 5 - Kirby's Dream Course [S1E5] 1:38:52

7M ago1:38:52

1:38:52

TODAY'S ISSUE: NEXT Generation Issue No. 5, May 1995 Whew, this one's a doozy. Not just diving into one of Ty's favorite magazines for the very first time, but the very first issue he ever picked up: A massive roundup of all the news and rumors ever about Nintendo's Ultra 64 project. Ty and Aidan also dig into console launches successful and -un, t…

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ULTRA Review Crew bonus TEASER - Mollie Patterson of EGM & GameFan [S1B2] 23:29

7M ago23:29

23:29

Mollie Patterson's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mollipen.bsky.social Mollie Patterson's homepage: https://mollielpatterson.com/ The EGM Compendium Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/egmbook/egmcompendium FunFactor ULTRA subscribers are getting our full 91-minute interview with the great Mollie L. Patterson of EGM and GameFan fam…

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#139: "Brandon" - When Your Best Gaming Friend Passes Away. (from the lost tapes) 1:04:26

7M ago1:04:26

1:04:26

A lost tape from 2023. Jeff and I sit down to talk about our friend Brandon, the day we found out he passed away. Brandon was with us on our gaming adventures from 1982 to 2023.By Jeff Fulton & Steve Fulton

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EGM 74 - DOOM [S1E4] 58:20

7M ago58:20

58:20

TODAY'S ISSUE: EGM No. 74 - September 1995 Ty and Aidan dive into the super-edgy EGM ads, before flipping through one of the most fearless, innovative outlets of a fearless, innovative era. Then they dig into the four-way capsule review of the Super Nintendo port of DOOM, highlighting the strengths and faults of both the EGM review system and the g…

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#138: Project Save Atari (from The Lost Tapes) 1:23:54

7M ago1:23:54

1:23:54

In 2008, when quite literally, NO ONE CARED we published a multi-part series called "Project Save Atari" with ideas and predictions for Atari's future. In 2024 we sat down to revisit it, and see how we did. These are the lost tapes from 2024 and 2008. These were predictions and suggestions to help save the then struggling Atari/Infogrames. In this …

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#137 : The Worst Game Ever For The Atari 2600 19:05

7M ago19:05

19:05

In the final episode of "Worse Than E.T. ?" we attempt to, once and for all, find the "worst Atari 2600 game", even if we have to make it ourselves...so we do. Here is the itch.io page for the game when you can download it, get the code, see the box-art, etc. All free, of course. https://intotheverticalblank.itch.io/worst-game #worst #atari #atari2…

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#136: What Does It Mean To Finish A Game? 1:01:58

8M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

What Does It Mean To Finish A Game? Atari 2600, 400/800, 520/1040 ST A lost tape from 2022, finally released. Inspired by an episode of The Retro Hour, We discuss all the games we "finished" for Atari platforms. With gobs of new video for each game. #atari #atari2600 #atari800 #atari400 #atarist Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded …

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GamePro 77 - White Men Can't Jump [S1E3] 44:27

8M ago44:27

44:27

TODAY'S ISSUE: GamePro No. 77, December 1995 (Internet Archive) Ty and Aidan are two short white guys who don't play basketball--but do love sports, and sports video games. We've had quite few pleas from listeners to break down a good review of a bad game, and GamePro 77 has the goods. Of course, there are plenty of other things to talk about in th…

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#135: Live from The Tarriff Bunker, April 2025 29:45

8M ago29:45

29:45

We get together live and in person to talk about the state of Atari and play victim to the C64, NES, and the Amiga. Whoa is us, as Atari fans. Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank Thanks for support from: BCB, Atari Legend, Atari Crypt, ED Possible, Tony Longworth Daniel Beasley, B…

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#134 Atari ST Special: SSI on the ST and a STOS STE game engine 40:30

8M ago40:30

40:30

#134 Atari ST Special: SSI on the ST and a STOS STE game engine Welcome to episode 134 of the Into The Vertical Blank Podcast. Today we have a special treat. It’s the 40th anniversary of the Atari ST this year, so we will be confusing most of the audio and video channels on the Atari computers and especially the ST. First up we have a segment focus…

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ULTRA Review Crew bonus TEASER - Mike Drucker interview [S1B1] 13:59

8M ago13:59

13:59

Mike Drucker's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikedrucker.bsky.social Here's a teaser of the very first FunFactor ULTRA bonus episode! It's our exclusive interview with Mike Drucker--the author of "Good Game, No Rematch: A Life Made of Video Games." We talk about the book, Mike's life as a gamer and writer for some of the most prestigious shows …

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Game Players 75 - Chrono Trigger [S1E2] 1:28:47

8M ago1:28:47

1:28:47

TODAY'S ISSUE: Game Players No. 75, September 1995 (Internet Archive) Ty and Aidan basically became friends over their shared love of Chrono Trigger, and everything it stood for as an artistic achievement in video games. Game Players was also their mutual favorite magazine--so Game Players No. 75, and its dual-writer review of Chrono Trigger, natur…

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133: Beautiful Disaster: An Ode to Fry's Electronics 19:17

8M ago19:17

19:17

Beautiful Disaster: An Ode to Fry's Electronics A story about technology change from generation to generation and the importance of feeling useful with DIY See video version here: https://youtu.be/r78tcGiIzP4 #diy #atari #motorcycles #pcgames #fryselectronics #southbay #memoir Music licenses: Soundstripe Full Throttle: Code: UKYZGYCBOZ5E6MSB 1 Up: …

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PSM No. 1 - Final Fantasy VII [S1E1] 1:17:54

9M ago1:17:54

1:17:54

TODAY'S ISSUE: PSM No. 1, September 1997 (Internet Archive) The very first issue of PlayStation Magazine went big on "independent" 'tude, and on Final Fantasy VII--including cover art, a massive walkthrough, and a five-star review of the game that would redefine a series, a genre, and arguably the top console of the 32-bit generation. Ty and Aidan …

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Introducing: FunFactor! [episode zero] 8:23

9M ago8:23

8:23

Professional authors, journalists, gamers, and critics Ty Schalter and Aidan Moher introduce FunFactor: an insightful and incisive look back at the retro video game magazines that inspired them to do what they do. In this trailer they play highlights from the first few episodes, discuss the passions that drove them to read about games as well as pl…

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132: Finding Our Story at Vintage Computer Fest So. Cal. 2025 43:09

9M ago43:09

43:09

There were as many stories as there were people at Vintage Computer Fest So. Cal. 2025. This is Ours Video version of the main story here: Finding Our Story at Vintage Computer Fest So. Cal. 2025 #retrogaming #vintacomouting Links, etc. Panel Attendees: → David from Usagi Electric - youtube.com/@UsagiElectric → Jeri from Tilt Five - tiltfive.com → …

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131: The First Atari 2600 Homebrew Cartridge? Ed Federmeyer And The Story of Sound-X and Edtris 1:13:15

9M ago1:13:15

1:13:15

In the 1994, when retro gaming wasn't even really a thing yet, Ed Federmeyer decided he wanted to make his own Atari 2600 software. His drive to actually bring this dream to fruition may have sparked the modern are of retro games. Includes a new 2025 interview with Ed Federmeyer. Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.bu…

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130 : The Curious Case Of Atari 2600 Action Pack For Windows 3.1 1:02:49

10M ago1:02:49

1:02:49

What started as simple "crack the seal" to open and play a 30 year old Windows game, became journey to discover, what might be, the origins of retro gaming itself. Many Thanks to Eclectic Lee for creating the archive page used in this story. See Video Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Sge_pELco&feature=youtu.be Music: All Systems Go by use…

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129: The Best *#@! Christmas Ever: An Atari 8-bit Journey Into The Vertical Blank 1:10:56

12M ago1:10:56

1:10:56

The final, definitive version of the story we've been trying to tell for the past 6 years. Christmas 1983, the Atari 8-bit computer Christmas was, for many reasons, the best *#@! Christmas ever. This new version gives a rounder picture, explains The Vertical Blank, obsesses over Star Wars, and tries to explain the actual result of Christmas 1983, o…

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128: The Legend Of SwordQuest: Is This The Best Atari Podcast Ever created? 10:59

12M ago10:59

10:59

There is a new Atari related limited podcast out there that blew us away! The Legend Of SwordQuest from iHeartRadio Atariage Thread: Legend of Swordquest podcast - Atari 2600 - AtariAge Forums iHeartRadio Podcast Page: The Legend of SwordQuest | iHeart Jamie Loftus Page: Jamie Loftus School Of Humans: The Legend of SwordQuest — School of Humans Lat…

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127: The Essential: Atari ST Michtron’s Time Bandit from 1986. 43:31

1y ago43:31

43:31

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank On the Into The Vertical Blank’s The Essential #atari ST, we investigate, discuss and evaluate #atarist Computers games and try to uncover titles worthy of play by all who are interested in the platform. I will be giving you a history of #timeba…