Retrogaming Times Monthly 62

Movie's With A Byte: The Wizard

Hello, and welcome to my first-ever movie review column. The first movie I will be reviewing is �The Wizard�, starring Luke Edwards, Jenny Lewis, Fred Savage of the Wonder Years, and Beau Bridges. This was maybe not a 10-star movie like Titanic, but as far as impacting the video game world and shaping video game competitions for the next few years, it was very successful and its impact cannot be argued. It also remains sentimental among a lot of NES/SNES players, people with disabilities, and those who value family and closeness.

As for the movie plot, it basically starts off with Jimmy Woods (Luke Edwards) being put in the mental hospital for some type of post-traumatic stress disorder from his sister Jennifer dying. With Jimmy�s mother and father divorced, family problems among his brother Corey (Fred Savage), his Dad (Beau Bridges), and others have been an issue. In essence, Jimmy wants to put the memories of his sister where they were happy the most: California. When Jimmy is institutionalized, his brother Corey breaks him out of the institution and they start a journey from Utah to California.

They end up at a Utah bus depot, which is when Jimmy scores 50,000 points in Double Dragon and in turn gets the attention of a girl named Haley (played by Jenny Lewis) who decides to accompany them on their journey to California. So as they travel the country, they play many money matches and use the riches to travel across the country, with the ultimate goal being Video Armageddon, a national video game tournament. Along the way, they encounter Putnam who was hired to bring Jimmy back by the boy�s mother. They also meet Lucas (�The Power Glove, it�s SO BAD!�) and a truck driver named Spanky who ultimately finishes the trip taking them to Video Armageddon. Along the way are the various thwarts of Putnam (Haley screaming �He touched my Breasts�), Jimmy�s and Corey�s Dad and brother (Christian Slater) following, the constant battles between Putnam and Jimmy�s Dad, a lesson on why you shouldn�t gamble, and eventually, the finals on the stage that would eventually become the stage for Nintendo PowerFest/Nintendo World Championships 1990. Jimmy ends up winning the tournament on secret game Super Mario Bros. 3, and then afterwards the family gets together at Jimmy and Jennifer�s last happy moment before his sister died.

While this might not be the best movie to date, it has its moments where it impacts video gaming. Most importantly was the display of all the major NES games up to the time (wish there were a little more games shown, but it was still good to see this pop culture phenomenon which doesn�t get much mainstream press). Blatantly rolled into this package was the infomercial for Super Mario Bros. 3, which would become one of the best selling and most anticipated games of all time. Video game competitions weren�t in any way mainstream before this movie, so a lot of Twin Galaxies, Evo, and others have this movie to thank as well for getting people into competitive gaming. As far as this movie having a commercial impact, it still does.

A lot of old NES players hold this movie to heart, and honestly without it I don�t think Nintendo PowerFest and Nintendo World Championships 1990 would have been able to fill arenas and sell out slots. Isaiah �Triforce� Johnson, the Leader of Empire Arcadia, a New York area VG team, walks around with the Power Glove made so famous by Lucas. There were others too, though I can�t remember them offhand.

An underrated theme of the movie, but more important in today�s world, is the fact it shows that people with mental disabilities such as post-traumatic stress disorder can overcome their problems and succeed. I personally have one and know people with it and this movie is inspiring to them and gives them confidence to break out. I don�t see many movies documenting this kind of stuff (think I can only mention this and A Beautiful Mind off the top of my head) and I think it shows things can be overcome.

In closing, this movie might be a bit cheesy, but its impact on the video game world has been huge. If anything, it�s a view into the late 1980�s/early 1990�s way of life and video gaming. It also brings to light some things about disabilities and things of the like. In the end I think this overcomes the movie�s cheesy lines and somewhat childish plot. If you have a family and can take some of the dated culture, I�d suggest giving it a play on your home TV.

Movie Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars) Industry Impact: (5 out of 5 mushrooms)

Lunch With Tim McVey

by Paul Zimmerman

Tim McVey was the very first player in the world to score over a billion points on Nibbler (1,000,042,270 on January 15, 1984 to be exact), the very first video game that allowed players to get a billion points. Tim played the game for 44 hrs and 45 min. all at the age of 16.

He was also the very first player in the world to have a �Civic Day� proclaimed in his honor. On January 28, 1984 the mayor of Ottumwa, Iowa declared that day to be �Tim McVey Day.�

�Nibbler is Tim McVey�s game!�

June 1, 2009
Hi Tim. How are you doing? This is my very first interview. Thanks for doing it. I hope it will be fun. So, where do I begin? I know, how the heck did you play one game for 44 hrs. and 45 min. straight?! I mean, how did you prepare, physically and mentally before your game? Drink a bunch of Mountain Dew? During your game, how were you able to just keep playing for almost 2 days straight? What pushed you to keep playing and not fall asleep? Were you in �the zone�? I for sure think enjoyment from playing a game should come first before attempting any marathon or world record. How did you feel after your game? Tired? Happy�proud�excited?! In general, can you give any tips to the readers who are new to marathons, about how to prepare before the game, during the game and after the game?

TIM: Well for me, preparation was simply playing the game. It�s sort of like lifting weights�at first you can�t lift as much weight, or as many reps�but the more you do it, the more weight you can lift, the more times�it just gets easier the more you do it. So for me it was simply a matter of playing, longer each time, and building my endurance. That was it, just going to Twin Galaxies and doing it�

I don�t recall drinking much of anything really, a few Coke�s was it.

As for staying awake. Desire. They were offering a free Nibbler to the first person to score a Billion, and I wanted it! Being the first to do something, knowing that no matter what, if the record got broken, nobody would EVER be able to take away the fact that I did it FIRST. That�s motivation�

Can�t really say it�s an �in the zone� type of thing. Once you get good at Nibbler, and can cope with the pure speed, it just seems to slow down. You�re always in the zone after that basically.

Obviously I really liked that game, I couldn�t play anything that long if I didn�t like it. I wouldn�t play it now if I didn�t still like it.

I was sooooooooooo TIRED after my game, all I can remember thinking was bed�

Not sure I am the best for tips. I mean we covered my preparation! LOL But seriously, if you are good enough to play something you enjoy for a long period of time, common sense will go a long ways.

Make sure you are comfortable. In every manner possible. Temperature. Control the room temperature, cooler is always better than warm, warm makes you tired�Make sure you have several choices of seating. Padded, non padded, back, no back, variety is very nice over a long game. Have the most comfortable shoes you own on, nice thick soft socks. Do NOT play barefooted! Especially if you stand for any length of time. And if you play for 2+ days, you�ll almost certainly stand for extended periods�

Plan ahead. Try to cut yourself off from caffeine a few weeks before your game. So that if you need a boost during the game, it actually has an effect. Eat sensibly. Nothing during the 48 hours prior to your game that could �interrupt� your game�Spicy Mexican, Chili etc�you get my drift.

Above all else get plenty of rest leading up to the game. Stick to as normal of a sleep schedule as you are used to as possible. I could go on and on, but I think you get it. Just plan ahead, and get plenty of rest. Make sure you have a close supply of whatever food or beverages you will need. Any meds you need, etc�The better rested, more prepared, more comfortable you are, the longer your game will last before you get tired�after that, you are on your own. I think that�s what separates Marathoner�s from other gamers�You really have to WANT to prepare and endure the pain of a marathon to be successful. If not, it�s just not going to happen�

June 2, 2009
You are exactly right about playing the game for preparation. After playing Phoenix many more times since Midwest Gaming Classic, I can now easily get to the world record (and sometimes without even losing a life). There shouldn�t be much pressure on me to make the world record at Video Game Summit. Now it is all about how far I can take the game. I think that is where the pressure will come from, plus of course the live setting. I will do a couple more marathon sessions before VGS. That is interesting about Marathoner vs. Gamer. I do think they are totally different.

So, how often did you go to Twin Galaxies to practice your game leading up to the event? Have any clue about how much money you spent? You were 16 at the time. Did you have a job to help pay for the games? If yes, what did you do? Did you have your driver�s license then? Did you drive to the arcade? If yes, what kind of a car did you have? I know during that time I was too young to drive, so sadly I couldn�t drive to the arcade. Was there any sort of press about your attempt before the event? Did your high school friends know all about it? Do you think you got more attention in high school before and/or after the event?

TIM: I went to Twin Galaxies whenever I had any money to waste�I didn�t spend a lot, remember I could play as long as I wanted for $.25 ;) No job, and I wasn�t actually in school at the time. I had gotten bored in school, it wasn�t a challenge�I ended up dropping out and getting my GED. It was just too boring, I didn�t feel like I was learning anything. I didn�t have any teachers who challenged me anymore�My biggest challenge was not falling asleep in class out of shear boredom. In retrospect I wish I had stuck it out, just to get that piece of paper, the GED isn�t the same, but I do have it�14 years later I went to local community college, had a 4.0 until my girlfriend and I broke up�that�s another long story altogether�

I didn�t get a car or driver�s license until I was in my 20�s. It�s a good thing, I likely would of killed myself or somebody. Thanks to some older brothers getting me started young, I was quite an alcoholic by the time I was 20. It�s all I thought or cared about 24 hours a day, 7 days a week�Glad I lived long enough to outgrow that�My BMX bike was my wheels, or riding around with somewhat sober friends�It�s amazing I lived thru that period. I almost didn�t, broke my back in 3 places in a car wreck 2-22-90. That was actually my wake up call. Our new year�s resolution that year�to be as drunk as possible, every day possible for the entire year. And I was, right up until that car wreck�Pretty stupid huh?

All of my �friends� knew about my attempt, quite a few stopped by and spent some time with me on Sunday, and Monday evening during my game, they were in school at the time, so their time was limited�I was never �popular� in high school etc�I went out of my way to NOT be. The �popular� kids, weren�t the �cool� kids I wanted to hang out with. I was totally into heavy metal music at the time, and that wasn�t exactly popular�So the �popular� people looking down at me for my music, made me say SCREW YOU! So I went out of my way to NOT be anything like them�

I bet this isn�t going quite like you anticipated at this point huh? :p

June 3, 2009
Interesting that you dropped out of high school because you were bored and it wasn�t a challenge for you. So, you never got your Associate�s degree? That is a bummer, especially with that excellent GPA.

So, what heavy metal bands did you listen to at that time? Any favorites? What do you listen to now? I sure hope it is still metal. I noticed on your blog that you talk about BMX bikes. Do you still ride them? Do you collect them?

I also noticed you play Xbox games. Any other next gen systems you have? Do you have any �retro� game systems that you play now? Did you have any when you were 16? Maybe an Atari 2600, even though it was late in the system�s life? In 1984, besides Nibbler, any other arcade game(s) you enjoyed playing? As of the time of this interview, sadly you do not have the world record for Nibbler anymore, but are there any other world records that you have? Did you have any other world records in 1984?

TIM: Never got my associate�s degree, dropped out again after my girlfriend and I broke up after two years�I was never there for myself, just her and her kids�Once they were gone, so was my desire for college. I was really getting burned out anyway. I was taking Computer Programming/Analyst 2 year course, had a 3.647 GPA after one year�And was fried. I would go home some days and go to bed at 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and sleep all night�I was mentally wore out. It was mind numbing boring crap. Business programming�My idea of programming was creating games etc�Not going thru huge databases and creating programs for reports at insurance companies�I see why people go postal, not for me�Who knows, I may take some classes again some time, if I do, it would likely be job related now, machinist/QA oriented�

Heavy Metal was a HUGE part of my life, and still is, although Heavy Metal today, isn�t what it was in the 80�s�I still listen to the old stuff, although now it�s �Classic Rock� DAMN I am OLD!!! I was listening to Iron Maiden, Metallica, Queensryche, Motorhead, Slayer, Anthrax, Whitesnake, etc�before anybody really even knew who they were. I was a total headbanger! I listen to all the stuff still, and enjoy newer music as well, Slipknot, System of a Down, Bullet for my Valentine, Hinder, Seether, etc�I could sit and name bands all day�

As for BMX, yes and yes. I still ride them, and I collect them. I only have one rider at the moment, a 1991 SE Assassin. I was riding a 1998 Torker the past few years, but traded the bulk of that bike for a 1979 Schwinn Sting frame and fork that is currently sitting on my fireplace mantle. Of course riding today, isn�t like riding in 1983�Today, I ride�In 1983, I raced and RODE THE SHIT out of my bikes! I was always a die hard SE Racing fan, and always will be. Currently I own the 1991 SE Assassin, a 1980 Cycle Pro Macho, which is a replica of my 1979 Cycle Pro Macho that I first started racing in 1979�I own the Sting frameset, a 1998 SE Quadangle frame set, that is NOS, that was the first piece I bought in 2003 when I caught the BMX bug again. I also own a 2007 30th Anniversary SE Quadangle frameset�That all I currently own, but I am always looking, I owned dozens of bikes in the 70�s/80�s�And have had at least a dozen more since 2003�A GT, Redline, Specialized, PK Ripper, Patterson, GJS, Torker, a few others that I�m forgetting right now, and the stuff I currently own�

http://bmx.home.mchsi.com/bmx_bikes.html <--- that page is EXTREMELY out of date, but you can see some of the more recent ones I had, and still have there�

http://bmx.home.mchsi.com/old_school.html <--- check out the old school page, see what I looked like as a kid on my old BMX bikes�The one pic I mention �the brat pack� the guy in the middle Pat Harville, is the infamous character that intentionally pulled the plug on one of my Nibbler record runs at Twin Galaxies�

As for games�I�ve owned a TON of �em over the years. I wanted an Atari 2600 for Christmas, my parents weren�t the most tech savvy, I asked for a 2600, and opened up a Magnavox Odyssey 2 on Christmas morning�I was devastated, but I knew they meant well, and did my best to hide my disappointment. They thought �hey it�s a computer too, it has a keyboard!!!� Over the years I�ve owned, in close to this order I think�Odyssey 2, Atari 5200, Colecovision, NES, Sega Master System, SNES, Genesis, Genesis CD, Genesis 32X, NEC Turbographix-16, Panasonic 3DO, Sega Saturn, N64, PS1, Xbox, PS2, Xbox 360, Wii, and Gamecube�I�ve owned PC�s since my first girlfriend and I moved in together in 1994, she had a POS Tandy ??-1000 forget the first two letters�No hard drive, 2 big 5-1/4� floppy drives, 384K ram�We bought a 486 not long after that, and a Pentium 75, shortly before we split up�Owned too many PC�s and Macs since to even start to try and count�THOUSANDS of games for all those consoles/PC�s over the years�

Currently I have 2 consoles connected to my 65� Mitsubishi DLP set. My 360 and Wii. I bought a 360 for Xbox Live, and high def gaming, and access to most of the Xbox library, as well as XBL Arcade titles�I wanted a Wii primarily for the Virtual Console. I�ve been picking up a few here and there�as well as buying some Wii and GameCube titles as well�If it�s multi platform, I buy it on the 360. I wanted the Wii for the VC, and Nintendo exclusives, like Mario for myself, and Zelda for the wife�Those were our favorites when we were younger�I had my Odyssey 2 in 1984. Pick Axe Pete, K.C.�s Krazy Chase, were my favorites. I set a perfect score on K.C.�s Krazy Chase, and still hold it. As for the rest, you can search my name on TG, Most of my records submitted were on obscure titles, or inaugural records that never lasted long.

I mastered 3 games in the arcade. I could play Nibbler and Robotron as long as I cared to on a single quarter, actually considered marathoning Robotron for a while�but thought better of it. The 3rd title had an end. Space Ace. I could finish every difficulty level, going in every possible direction. I had a notebook, and had wrote down, step by step, move by move directions for Space Ace. I used to sell copies to friends, so they could beat the game! $5 a copy! I wish I could find that notebook, pretty sure it�s still around somewhere, I know I saw it when we moved into our last house, or this one�I saw they were talking about it on TG, and went �Oh Yeah� I had that game�s ass kicked! Had totally forgotten that.

I met Don Bluth in Chicago. We went to some video game convention shortly after getting the record on Nibbler. I remember going up to the Rock-Ola suite and meeting a lot of the head honchos. But I couldn�t wait to go play games on the show floor. Larry Holmes was there promoting Punch-Out, got his autograph�Then I met Don Bluth, he did Dragon�s Lair and Space Ace�He gave us so little flip books, that if you flipped the pages at the right speed, you could watch the animation of certain scenes in the game. Those 3 little books he gave me helped me master the game later�

It would be killer to someday park a Robotron and a Space Ace on each side of my Nibbler�

June 4, 2009
Yeah, I hear computer programming is very boring. Especially if it is not for video games. I thought you wanted to be a computer programmer for video games? Maybe I am wrong? What do you do now for a job? Where do you work?

That sucks about the Atari 2600. Well, at least your parents got you another system. Very cool! I never had an Odyssey 2, but I always wanted to have one. So, you never ever got a 2600? No interest? 7800 is also really good. Plus, it is backwards compatible. ;)

I got my Wii on day 1 and the VC was the only reason why I wanted it. Ever since day 1 I have been very, very happy with the service! I love it so much! Plus some of those WiiWare games are also really good. I also have a bunch of Wii disc games. I never had a Gamecube, so for me the Wii is like 50 systems in one!! I love the Wii!

You mastered Robotron? That is incredible! I think it is a very hard game. So fast moving. I love that game. Same with Space Ace! I love Space Ace, but when I was a kid I had a very hard time with it. My game would always end soon after the beginning. I remember I had fun playing it though. Same with Dragon�s Lair, but I was better at that. Dragon�s Lair 2 was very hard.

Wow! I can�t believe you met Don Bluth!! That is so awesome! Especially meeting him back then! Incredible! I love his games and his movies. You are so lucky! Was that at the Consumer Electronics Show? Do you still have Don Bluth�s flip books? That for sure would be a collector�s item. I don�t know Larry Holmes. What did he do with Punch-Out?

So, are you done marathoning? If not, do you want to marathon any other games besides Nibbler? Of course you for sure will need to stream your marathon game on the internet. My Phoenix world record was streamed live from Midwest Gaming Classic 09 on vgevo.com, but it was a last minute thing since my world record was not planned. A bunch of people watched it live on the internet, but not nearly as many who watched your game. So many players are now streaming their games live on the internet and I think that you and I were the pioneers for that.

I know that �Hollywood� is making a documentary about you and Nibbler. How is that going? Is it �in the can� yet? Do you know if it will have an official run at theaters or will it go directly to DVD/cable? I wish Chasing Ghosts was in theaters. The public needs to see that movie.

TIM: Yeah I thought the computer programming I was getting into at our local college was making games type of stuff, I guess I should of asked more questions�It pretty much sucked, was extremely boring.

I currently work at Oskaloosa Engineering and Manufacturing. Right now, I am doing the QA quality control, while the regular guy is on vacation for two weeks. I�ve had the job a few times in the past, and wasn�t thrilled about it. I like running the machines. But I like them, because I like going in, knowing what I have to do for the day, and only being responsible for MY work. I did Quality for a year again recently January 08 to January 09, when they needed two people, and it wasn�t too bad as a two man team. Then we got slow and laid off a lot of people, and I ended up running machines again, I was fine with that�We aren�t looking real good right now�There was an article in the Ottumwa Courier yesterday, John Deere Ottumwa is laying off 700 of it�s 1000 workforce. 494 indefinitely, the rest on revolving layoffs�90% of our parts for John Deere Ottumwa�There layoffs and/or seasonal shutdown is going to screw with us. The layoffs are June 29th, and are expected to last until mid November�

I think it�s sad that Heaven and Hell can�t use the Black Sabbath name�Ozzy is a douche. Never had a 2600, thought about getting a 7800, but the reality is, I�d likely never touch it, and it would be more clutter. I forgot to mention I currently have an actual NES hooked up to a 24� TV in our bedroom, only have SMB, Duck Hunt, and Goonies II for it. I was playing SMB until I got it on the VC, now the NES just sits�I�d rather just stick to games on the 360/Wii on the big screen. Between all the retro collections, XBL, and Wiiware/VC, I�ve got plenty to choose from for old games, and then I have Xbox/360 and Wii/GC discs to choose from as well�I�ve already got several hundred games between those two consoles�And I LIKE wireless controllers�LOL

I�m no longer capable of marathoning Robotron, but I suspect I could get back to that point if I had regular access to a good working machine. Nibbler didn�t take long to return to form on, and I was just as good at Robotron as Nibbler back in the day�Not sure where those flip books are, but I�m pretty sure they are still around�Amazing the amount of �junk� you can accumulate over 40 years�and moving between states and several houses�lots of stuff ends up in boxes, in closets, and isn�t seen for decades�LOL

Definitely NOT done marathoning�but unless I get laid off, it�s hard to marathon without vacation time. My job is more important than playing games. Twin Galaxies wants me to marathon Nibbler in July, they want me to time it so I break the record on a Thursday while RAGBRAI is in Ottumwa�if I am working, I can�t afford to do it. I used all my vacation time for the year over MAGFest and Easter for my last marathon�Nibbler is currently the only title I am capable of marathoning right now, arcade or otherwise�

Haven�t really talked to Andrew Seklir or Tim Kinzy for a while. I know they went up to Canada to film footage [for the documentary] with Dwayne a few weeks back. Not sure where it�s at right now. It�s been in progress for 1-1/2 years now. Last I heard they were hoping to have a rough edit done by memorial day weekend, and hoped to finish it to start showing at the film festivals later this year�Last I knew there was no distribution deal of any sort in place, not even for DVD release�So I have no idea where the project is, or goes from here quite honestly.

Click Here To Go To Page 2 Of The Interview

Show Report: Funspot XI

by Eric Cummings

This year I attended the 11th Annual Funspot International Classic Video Game Tournament in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire over 180 miles away from my house in Connecticut. Before leaving for Funspot: I got an oil change, cleaned my car, packed a bunch of snacks, water, soda, Tums, grabbed my camera/camcorder and directions, then boxed up some rare NES games so people there could play them (which they never got to, sorry guys). After gearing up and making sure I had everything, I drove over to my folks� house to pick up my Dad. A few weeks earlier, my Father and I watched The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters because I wanted to show him what Funspot was since it�s featured in the film. After watching the movie, it was pretty easy to convince the 71 year old gamer to go with me.

We left Connecticut a little before 2PM, fully gassed up the car, then set out for the Manchester Airport to pick up the Legendary Walter Day. For any who don�t know, Walter is the Creator and Founder of Twin Galaxies. Twin Galaxies is recognized by Guinness as the Official Video Game World Record Tracking Organization. Simply put, if you want to have a World Record in Video Games, you do it by the rules so there�s no confusion. They�re the best at what they do and they�ve been tracking and verifying scores for quite some time now.

Twin Galaxies started as an arcade in Ottumwa, Iowa back in 1981. On November 10th at around 6:30 PM, they opened their doors to the public as an arcade and then on February 9, 1982 grew into Twin Galaxies National Scoreboard thanks to Walter Day supplying high score statistics he personally collected by traveling the country and making phone calls. These scores were made public so all could see who was the best at each game (See their website at http://www.twingalaxies.com for more info and the full story).

Funspot Electronic Sign We arrived at the airport a little ahead of schedule to see if Walter�s flight was on time, which it was, and located the gate he�d be coming through. While waiting, I took some photos and recorded some video to kind of document everything. I got some blurry pictures of my Dad when we were making each other laugh. My old man is a real joker and can be really sarcastic at times. I recorded some video of Walter coming through the gate and us making proper introductions but I stopped recording because I wanted to show him respect. After helping Walter with his luggage and getting it into my car, we departed, heading to our main destination, Funspot!

On the road, my Father and I got to know Walter and vice versa. We talked about the movie The King of Kong and how it portrayed the people, places and Twin Galaxies. The movie sort of makes Billy Mitchell and Twin Galaxies look like the bad guys. Well�without a clear good guy and bad guy, a movie wouldn�t do as well or be as interesting/entertaining now would it? Regardless of the story, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters has boosted awareness of Twin Galaxies and competitive gaming. It�s honestly been an eye opener for people that never knew these things existed. Walter has even dedicated a forum thread called The King of Kong - Official Statement so those that have watched the movie and visit the site can read about what the movie doesn�t show its viewers. I don�t think it would have done as well or been as dramatic if the film-makers decided to include all the facts, not to mention it would have made the movie a bit too long.

We found our way to Funspot without any problems, although I missed the place Walter needed to visit so he could get his room key on the way there (sorry about that Walter, I was zoned out from 4 hours of driving). We knew we were there when we saw the giant electronic sign blinking different messages like "Bingo!" and "11th Annual International Classic Video Game Tournament!" When I saw that, my heart started racing and scenes from The King of Kong started flooding my mind. I was home. After parking, we headed inside where Walter took my Father and I on a tour of the facility. Not exactly sure, but I don�t think Walter Day personally gives many people a guided tour of Funspot! That was really awesome! We met a bunch of nice, cool people along the way like Scott Patterson (PSP, one of the Twin Galaxies Refs I send World Records to and holder of almost 400 himself), Graham Ogilvie (fellow World Record holder), Adam Wood (gamer from the King of Kong) and a bunch of others including many of the staff. It really is an amazing place and I was overwhelmed at what I saw the first time around. There�s just so much! It truly is the largest arcade in the world and much more (Click here to see a full list of games). There�s also Mini Golf, a Bowling Alley, Virtual Driving Range, skee ball, air hockey, a Bingo hall, the Braggin Dragon restaurant, D.A. Long Tavern, token spewing slot machines and The American Classic Arcade Museum. Funspot has been family owned and operated for over 55 years. I need to thank Gary Vincent, the Lawton Family and everyone who helps keep Funspot running because I truly had one of the best experiences of my life there. I recorded some video of Funspot plus lots of footage outside and posted it on my YouTube account along with some other clips.

After registering for the tournament, meeting tons of cool people, walking around and checking everything out, we went back towards the tournament area when my Fathers phone rang. It was Billy Mitchell from Time/Life magazine, King of Kong fame, the Arcade Donkey Kong World Record holder and Perfect Pac-man Gamer of the Century himself. Walter had called him after we left the airport then left a message for him and he was calling back to chat with us. Walter talked to Bill for a bit then asked if we�d like to talk to him. I said sure, took the phone then didn�t know what to say? Oh yeah! I said �Hey Billy,� told him my name then talked for a bit. After a little while I gave the phone back to Walter, who gave the phone to my Dad. I was kind of star struck by both Walter and Bill. One celebrity, I�m good. I can keep my composure. Two stars, well I guess I�ll need to work on that!

I talked to Walter shortly after the phone call and we decided to grab his room key so he could go unpack then relax. I helped him bring some luggage to his room where he invited us in for a little bit. We talked a bunch more as he kindly posed for pictures, gave us some souvenirs, autographs and even gifted us a bunch of chocolates. I asked him if it would be alright to do an interview and he said yes! I never ended up doing it though because I only spent two days at Funspot. I wanted to let Walter relax so I told my Dad we should probably get out of his hair and let him do his thing. I practically had to pull my Dad out of the room when it was time to leave since he loves to talk. I�ve honestly never met anyone as kind as Walter Day. He�s a great guy and I can�t thank him enough for making my trip something I�ll never forget.

My Father and I headed back to Funspot where I went to check out the games we�d be playing in the tournament. The 15 games were: Bump�n Jump, Cheeky Mouse, Commando, Congo Bongo, Crazy Climber, Deluxe Space Invaders, Grand Champion, Lock�n Chase, Lunar Rescue, Moon Shuttle, Pengo, Radical Radial, Rally-X, Red Alert, and Video Pinball. The 6 games in the Manufacturers Challenge were: Astro Invader, Bagman, Frenzy, Pooyan, Super Cobra and The End. There were also 4 arcade games being raffled off. Those games were Ataxx, Klax, Midway Skins and Primal Rage. I didn�t play anything the first day except Mortal Kombat, which was oddly missing from the tourney games, harhar! There simply wasn�t enough time to do much because we had to pick up my Mother at the Providence Airport at 12:00 midnight. At least I got to hang out with Graham Ogilvie (NES Contra, Mario Kart) for a little while before leaving though. He�s a great guy and gamer. Graham watched me beat Mortal Kombat without continuing as we talked, then I pulled out my camcorder at the end to capture the moment. After that, it was off to get my Mom then a quick stop at Dunkin Donuts before dropping off my parents and returning home.

The second day of the Funspot XI tournament, my Father and I arrived midday. It was hot and humid. I could only play a few games at a time before I needed to wipe the sweat out of my face. I did manage to play 7 of the tournament cabnets but I�m really not sure how many I actually submitted scores for. It really wasn�t about that for me though. I went there to experience Funspot and that�s what I did. We went downstairs to the Braggin Dragon and had a large extra cheese, pepperoni pizza with large soft drinks. We looked at the pictures that document some of Funspot�s history hanging on the walls as we ate. They have some of the best pizza I�ve ever had and I�m not just saying that because I was hungry. After ingesting some gamer fuel (pizza and soda) my Dad and I played some classic arcade games in a few of the rooms that are filled with them. We tried some Missile Command and quickly found we�re out of practice then wandered off in different directions to find games we liked. He played 1943, Duck Hunt and some other classics while I jammed on Ghost�n Goblins for a bit. I saw a Tapper machine but a cute girl was playing it rather well so I went to a lonely Mr. Do! in the corner and ended up with a top 5 score! Do! rules! After that I placed in the top 5 on Tapper! We played a few more games here and there then headed back over to the Tournament area.

Gary Cummings (My Dad) and Walter Day I really wanted to meet everybody I could before we left so I started looking for nametags with familiar names. I found and met two of the TG refs that I send World Records to and I wanted to meet, Tom Votava and Mr. Kelly R. Flewin while I stood in line for a game of "Name That Tune: The Gamers Edition" (which Adam Wood won). My Dad saw Walter at a table and we started walking over to say goodbye when I spotted a microphone on the table. I told my Dad we should wait and started walking past, waving as we went with Walter pointing to the microphone. I nodded acknowledgement. A little while later we told Walter we were leaving and he gave us some more goodies like some of Billy Mitchell�s Rickey�s Hot Sauce, Make Traxx and Rivalries limited edition bottles made special for Funspot. Walter also gave us posters which were signed by five attendees and a few others including Walter and Billy. Later, Walter was being interviewed by someone from 2old2play.com before we came over and he told the interviewer about my 71 year old gamer Dad. He actually recorded a quick conversation with him but I don�t think it ever saw the light of day. Oh well. It was getting late and my Dad�s back was starting to hurt really bad so we decided it was time to head home.

We said our goodbyes to everyone and I let Walter know we might not be back for the rest of the Tournament then thanked him repeatedly for everything. He in turn thanked us for the ride and our friendship and said we�ll keep in touch. I�m grateful to call him a friend.

This year at least 160 people from 24 different states as well as Canada, Holland and the United Kingdom registered for the Funspot XI Tournament. After some tedious score checking, 1st Place plus $500 went to Tom Votava of Scottsdale, Arizona, a Twin Galaxies referee that specializes in verifying Super Nintendo and Genesis/Mega Drive submissions. 2nd Place and $200 went to Jason Cram of West Lebanon, Maine. 3rd Place and $100 went to David Nelson of Derry, New Hampshire, who is also (I believe) a Twin Galaxies referee. Congratulations to all three of this years Funspot XI tournament winners, you deserved it.

Now that I know what a Funspot tournament is like, I�ll have to practice my arcade skills and get into better shape for next year because just like Arnold, I�ll be back!

On Parallel Universe Theory And The Art Of Cornering

by Paul Inglehart

Sea Breeze. Sunset Valley. Sky Ramp. King's Forest. These all sound like lovely places, so why am I pulling my hair out every time I visit them? The answer is that all of these seeming innocent-sounding locations are all names of racetracks in Nintendo's 1994 follow-up to the legendary Star Fox, Stunt Race FX. As I sit here and try to play this game that I once spent months and months mastering in my youth, I can't help but wonder, "Did my mother put something in my food that made me enjoy this? Was it an act of vengeance for not doing my math?"

On the surface, it's just another cutesy game from Nintendo. The cars have eyes that look around as they drive, and the track is littered with billboards featuring Mario, Kirby (in his original Game Boy color scheme no less, rather than that pink nightmare that came later), Fox McCloud, and even one for the Super Famicom. Once you get past the silly art style and the strange music that doesn't quite fit (seriously, does every game have to have banjo music? I'm looking at you, Mr. Miyamoto), this game has a lot going for it. The four cars, the FWD, Coupe, F-Type and 2WD each have different strengths and weaknesses that have a major effect on the gameplay. The FWD, a blue truck, is slow but will plow through just about anything, while the F-Type is a finicky little red race car that will outrun anything else in the game as long as you can keep it in one piece. The Coupe is very much a middle-of-the-pack car, with moderate strength, acceleration, and top speed, but the ultimate ride in Stunt Race FX is the 2WD, a strange motorcycle-like beast with an insane top speed and acceleration. The only problem with the 2WD is it is nearly impossible to control, and unless you absolutely know what you're doing, you'll find yourself making good friends with a wall, which I will discuss in a moment.

Stunt Race FX Glass Tunnel

The racetracks are the real reason to play this game. They look like they were designed by a team of children, skateboarders and eccentric billionaires. Underwater tunnels, extensive half-pipe sections, a plesiosaur, and operational drawbridges all make an appearance in the Speed Trax section, and each track has enough variety to keep things interesting. The Stunt Trax are a bit different in that there are no other cars to race against, but they have the same crazy obstacles like ramps and quarter-pipes to play with, and the quest for more stars and better times more than make up for the short length of the tracks.

So, you're probably wondering why I'm pulling my hair out about Stunt Race FX. It's not that this is a bad game. The months I spent playing it when it was new are a testament to that fact, and it generally received glowing reviews upon its release. It's still a ton of fun to play. It just hasn't aged particularly well. The graphics, while boasting a major improvement over Star Fox's grey polygons, still look like geometry class gone horribly wrong. The game does well with what it has, though, and the tracks have some clever elements, like the Aqua Tunnel (my personal favorite), where a large section of the track dives into an underwater glass tunnel. Little details like schools of fish scattering as you drive by, or a sunset on the final lap, or even a fly-by performed by the Star Fox team in their Arwings make this game fun to watch, but it's still incredibly blocky, and there's no real sense of speed or distance. 140 miles per hour looks about the same as 40 miles per hour, and corners show up out of nowhere, due to the short draw distance allowed by the Super Nintendo's processor.

The main reason I'm going bald right now, though, are the controls, which are miserably unforgiving, especially when you fire up the 2WD. Your car either doesn't turn at all, or it decides it wants to turn on a dime. Granted, there are walls in most sections of the track if things get bad, but the walls themselves can work against you, because each one has its own private little gravity well built right in. Once you hit a wall, you're stuck on it until you mash the steering in the opposite direction, which usually ends up putting your car into the opposite wall, where the joy begins again. It's a bit like bowling with those silly little inflatable bumpers. You can eventually learn to control the cars, but it's a very steep learning curve, and by the time you get everything sorted out, you've most likely finished the game.

I suppose the true beauty of Stunt Race FX is in the fact that, even with its blocky graphics, horrific play control and physics pulled from some alternate universe, I still find myself playing it regularly. Maybe it's just nostalgia, attempting to relive the joy I once felt driving around bumping into everything. Maybe it's the fact that the tracks, even after fifteen years, are still a fantastic exercise in design, and just a ton of fun to play with when they work. Most likely, though, it's just that old Nintendo brilliance, taking something simple and silly and making it last forever.

Atari Playfield - Michtron

by Jeff Fulton

This series of articles will specialize in chronicling the history of games for both the Atari 8-bit and ST (as well as STE, TT, and Falcon) line of computers. In this edition we will cover the very early ST game developer, Michtron. The goal is to eventually cover all of the major and many of the smaller (some forgotten) releases along the way. Where I can find interviews with the developers and original magazine converge I will make sure to at least quote them to give some context to the games. Finally, if possible, I will re-play each game via emulation and discuss how they stack up with my memories, other games on the system, and games of the era in general.

I was and have always been an Atari guy. My twin brother, Steve, and I grew up with Atari machines and progressed from the 2600 to the 800 (and 800xl), then the 7800, 520 ST (and 1040), Lynx, and Jaguar. Along the way, we were especially taken with the computers and had huge collections of games (most of them purchased, but a few by nefarious means) for both machine families. We purchased the Atari 520 ST in early 1987 and after the shops in the USA stopped carrying an array of decent games (late 1988), we switched to the import stores and found 16-bit gaming Nirvana from the shores of Europe.

Although the ST line of computers would see its peak popularity in Europe between 1988 and 1992, they were actually quite popular in the USA upon their launch in late 1985. Many early games were produced for the 520 and 1040 machines from 1985 - 1988. For the first few months of the ST's life, the games of Michtron (based in Michigan) were some of the only titles available. These games took full advantage of the ST machine's powerful 16-bit capabilities, and some were nothing more than 8-bit games with a new coat of colorful paint. In 1986, Time Bandit, Major Motion, and Mud Pies were first titles I remember seeing discussed in magazines such as Antic, Analog, and Atari Explorer. Enticed by the look of these games, and by the need to move on to a next generation computer system, we sold all of our Atari 800 computer gear in late 1986. Even with the fire sale, we did not scrape together all of the cash needed for the system right away. With the hope of some birthday money in January 1987, we planned to purchase a system and make our 16 bit gaming dream a reality (a 520 ST with Mono monitor that hooked up to the TV for color games). With a month or two lag in between computers (and games obviously) we had ample time to read over every magazine article and advertisement for available ST games. The name Michton was everywhere then from the start, so we will start there too...

Michtron published and distributed many games over the course of its short history. The company was initially named Computer Shack, but rumor has it that they changed the name after pressure from Radio Shack in 1984. Founded in 1982 by high school friends Gordon Monnier and Bill Dunlevy, mainly to market Bills TRS-80 and Sanyo targeted game titles, they would expand to other platforms soon after. The most notable game in the early years was a very well respected TRS-80 classic called Time Bandit (more below) which would be translated to the Atari ST and Amiga a few years later. Bill was very taken with the capabilities of the new 16-bit computers and in 1985 decided to translate some of his games to the Atari ST and then solicit and market games from other like-minded developers. Michtron became affiliated with UK based Microdeal in 1987 to co-market and distribute each others games (especially as the State-side market for ST games started to dry up). Microdeal produced a number of good ST games (and will be featured in a later article). Michtron moved on to create some very well respected Atari ST development tools, but declining sales in the USA and eventually the UK led to its demise and was sold to Creative Computer Corp in 1991.

Now, on to the Atari ST games from Michtron!

Flipside (1985)
By Ken Olson and Phil Hollyer Flipside

Flip Side In the STEEM Emulator This was one of the first ST games of any kind. It was a very simple Othello / Reversi variant and was one of the first commercial ST games to make use of the GEM interface (or a color mouse-based interface of any kind).

Re-play in Steem: Flipside is exactly as I remember it - a low-res version of the classic Othello game. There is no sound, but it plays a very good game and is a challenge to beat at the higher skill levels. There is nothing fancy here, but for one of the first games ever created on the system, it holds its place in time very nicely.

Grade: C+
Many better games would follow in later years, but this classic is still one that I would play today.

What the media said back then:
From Antic Magazine (Feb 1986) Review: "Flipside plays a formidable game. It beat me most of the time, at the lowest skill levels. And I've been playing Othello for several years."

From Computer Gaming World (Jan/Feb 1986): "Flip Side, also from Michtron, which is a competent implementation of Othello for one or two players. It's also the only game that works with both the color and monochrome monitors"

Major Motion (1985)
By Jeffrey Sorensen and Phillip MacKenzie

Major Motion In the STEEM Emulator Major Motion was a very well done version of the arcade classic Spy Hunter. It was controlled using the mouse (a mistake that would not be duplicated in many future ST action games). Basically, you race your car up the screen (with the mouse?), collect bonus weapons (by docking with an equipment van - ala Spy Hunter and Knight Rider) and blow other cars away.

Back in the day: We had a copy of this game. I'm pretty sure it was one of the first titles we purchased for the machine. This game was lacking in the visual department, but played very well. I remember being very happy to have a Spy Hunter clone for our shiny new 520 ST.

Re-play in Steem: Like almost all Michtron games, Major Motion used the mouse. That version was virtually unplayable via emulation because acceleration was very difficult to emulate properly. I found a Joystick (a later re-released version) on an Automation compilation. There is something funny about this version also. Many early ST games used the mouse port for joystick control. That means the player had to unplug the mouse and plug in a stick to play. It took me a few minutes to realize this because I had forgotten all about it. When the ST had its "hay day", in the late 80's, very few games made this mistake. 99% of ST games used port 1, not port 0. Anyway, this is a nice little game with competent visuals (more colorful than Spy Hunter on the Atari 8-bits) and very fun to play.

Grade: B-
It looks dated now, but plays a mean game. The racing, shooting, and docking action is all there and I had a nice few minutes playing this once again. The sound fx are only passable, but the (mutable) music score is very well done. It has better visuals than Mudpies and actually looks like it could be a 16-bit game rather than an 8-bit re-tread.

What the media said back then:
From Computer Gaming World (Jan/Feb 1987): "However, this leads me to an ethical dilemma. I like the game, but it is, strictly speaking, about 80% a thinly-disguised copy of Spy Hunter and 20% unique material."

Mudpies (1985)
By Jeffrey Sorensen and Phillip MacKenzie

Mud Pies In the STEEM Emulator I remember this as being the first commercial game for the ST of any kind advertised in Antic and Analog magazines. It was a pretty simple 8-bit game that seemed to have been re-skinned and placed on the ST. The action is pretty good - run around the screens throwing pies (Food Fight style) at clowns. The game also seems like a slow moving Robotron, and didn't really show off the audio/visual capabilities of the machine.

Back in the day: We had this title, but I don't think we purchased it. Either it was a legit release that we borrowed or a copy (sorry Jeff and Phil). I don't remember playing it very often, but I do remember being frustrated with the controls and not really being blown away by the visuals. I think even back then I thought it looked like an ugly C64 game.

Re-play in Steem: It was actually pretty difficult to get this game to work properly in Steem. No matter what I did I couldn't figure out how to get the Joystick to work. Then I pushed the mouse by accident and my player ran in the direction pushed...OH YEAH! This was one of several early games that relied on the ST mouse for input. The game plays pretty well actually with this control configuration. Now that I play Mudpies once again, I actually find it fun and quite good. The graphics are not very pretty, but there are some fun animations and the music tune (which can be turned off) didn't detract from the game. It actually reminded me of a colorful Apple IIe game and is a combination of Berzerk / Robotron and Food Fight.

Grade: C+
While it doesn't look very pretty, it's action packed and combines elements from two of my favorite games: Food Fight and Berzerk.

What the media said back then:
From Antic Magazine (Feb 1986) Review: "Mudpies essentially takes no advantage of the power of the ST. In fact, were it released for the 8-bit Atari, I'd be disappointed. It looks very much like a game designed for an 8-bit that was quickly transferred to the 68000 machine to reach a software-starved market."

From Computer Gaming World Magazine (Jan/Feb 1986): "It's competently programmed but as forgettable as dozens of microcomputer arcade games; buy it only if you have the money to burn."

Time Bandit (1986)
By Harry Lafnear and Bill Dunlevy

Time Bandit In the STEEM Emulator Time Bandit is an action adventure maze-based scrolling shooter that too often has been mistaken as a Gauntlet clone (it was actually based on an arcade machine called Tutankham) . In fact, it even pre-dates Gauntlet, having been a TRS-80 (and Sanyo) game in 1982. Even though the graphics are relatively simple (but well done), the game play and action in this title was some of the first to show off the capabilities of the new Atari machines.

The goal in each of the 16 beautifully crafted lands is to collect artifacts and BLOW STUFF UP! The lands vary in theme through various recognizable time periods, such as Ghost Towns and Egyptian ruins. You start with 14 lives and receive an extra after you collect 1000 Cubits. You can earn the Cubits by solving puzzles, collecting artifacts, and shooting stuff - like snakes and hilarious rolling eye balls. There is even a level that contains an entire text adventure to play through.

Back in the day: After reading about this game for months, it was one of the first titles we purchased from the old Software Etc in a mall (remember those?). I must have played this game for days on end. The colorful graphics and humorous sprites made the game very enjoyable.

Re-play in Steem: When you first boot up Time Bandit you realize that a lot of time was spent creating this quality title. It's for one or two players (each can use a joystick) and player one uses the port 1 stick (or joystick 2). No fiddling with the mouse for a single player game - the way the games were meant to be played on the ST! Everything here still has a slight 8-bit feel to it (compared to later 16-bit games), but the sheer quantity of animations and sprites, as well as the colorful presentation could not have been done on any machine before the 16-bits were introduced. You will have a blast running around, Gauntlet-style, blowing up all of the enemies, but the game has more to it also. I still love blowing up those rolling eye-balls, and the adventure elements make it a must play for anyone who missed it the first time around.

Grade: B+
It has very pretty early 16-bit visuals (actually, more like colorful 8-bit). The scrolling is masterful for this early in the ST life. There were later games (Great Giana Sisters, etc) that couldn't figure out how to do what the Michtron guys did with barely a decent dev kit. The quality of American Atari ST games was high at the beginning, and it is a shame that no more than a few handfuls of good games were created and released for the system in the USA. More importantly, the game is FUN, and should be played by anyone who enjoys this genre of games.

What the interviews and magazines said:
From an Atarilegend Interview with Harry Lafnear, "Actually, the game was originally called "Pharaoh" and was heavily based on the arcade game, Tutankham.."

From Antic Magazine (Oct 1986) review: " it will be the ST arcade game by which all others are measured for some time to come."

The Original Time Bandit Artwork, Courtsey of Richard Davey, www.atari.st Notice that this version is from Microdeal and is the UL version of the game.

8 Ball (1985)
By Stanley Crane

8 Ball In the STEEM Emulator This was one of the first physics based sports titles for the machine. I remember playing it quite a bit and have the Entertainer song from the title screen firmly implanted in my brain. This title is well done, but limits the player to just one game of pool (8-Ball).

Re-play in Steem: The "Entertainer" chip tune is very well done and the physics of the pool action are modeled nicely (especially for the early date of this title). Everything is pretty small graphics-wise but colorful, and since I am not much of a pool player (darts and Foosball are my bar games), I may not be the best judge of the accuracy of the action.

Grade: B
It looks nice, it plays nice, but there certainly were much better looking pool sims that came after. It is a very well done early ST game that used the 16-bit processor and might have been a stretch to re-produce on even the best 8-bit machines.

What the media said:
From Antic Magazine (Mar 1987): (In comparison to another pool game called ST Pool) "Overall, 8-Ball has the most realistic action, although even it falters a bit when the cue ball goes crashing into a pack of closely-clustered balls. "

Tanglewood (1988)
By Ian Murray-Watson and Pete Lyon

Tanglewood In the STEEM Emulator I don't remember playing this one much (if at all). It involves you taking control of 5 robots on an alien planet by remote control to solve problems and puzzles. The game screen is made up of controls, switches, and other devices to monitor and program the robots. The story involves you helping your uncle reclaim mining rights (for Dog Crystals and Ice Emeralds) on a strange planet (Tanglewood). The game is long and complex and very little of it is explained in the thin manual. This was one of the last games we ever purchased from a normal USA software store for the ST. (The actual last one was a copy of Phansasie III that we had to order from Software Etc because they no longer had an ST section). I remember being both enchanted and pissed off at the game. The graphics were outstanding, but the control and the puzzles (especially right from the outset) were frustrating to say the least.

Re-play in Steem: FAIL! I failed to get this game working in Steem the first time around and had to consult Richard Davey, who runs The Little Green Desktop, for some assistance. He provided me with a working version of Tanglewood, the docs, and the beautiful screen shot above (in Vista?). The game is complicated, but I had a fun 30 minutes trying it out. More time will be needed to really delve into this one.

Grade: B+
The game is very well done and warrants a lot of time spent replaying. The graphics and animation are very well done and anyone interested in GOD style games or strategic puzzlers should take a look.

What the magazines said:
From ST-Log Magazine (Feb 1989): " Tanglewood is a great, sprawling, complex complex? that utilizes 700K of graphics. It's all mouse, not one keyboard poke. The animation is faultless, smooth as this page; but it's the detail that'll knock your socks askew. If the colorful graphics don't get you, the multiple sound effects will. They're superb, from the underwater gurgles to the mobile motors." From Antic Magazine (June 1988): "Ultimately, the game becomes a search in which you try to locate objects and use them properly. Tanglewood can confuse, and possibly challenge, you for days to come.

Lands Of Havoc (1985)

Contrary to popular belief (well somewhat popular), Lands of Havoc is not a Michtron game, but the first ever UK Atari ST game by Microdeal. It was produced by Microdeal's in-house wizard, Steve Bak (Gold Runner, Leather Neck, James Pond, etc). It is unclear exactly when this game was distributed by Michtron in the USA, if at all. I never had a legitimate copy, but did have a pirate version. It was an ambitious, maze-based, 2000 screen shooter (a C64 conversion). It didn't take advantage of any of the ST machine's 16-bit power, but holds its place in time as certainly one of the first, if not the first commercial game for the system in the UK. We will cover it in more detail in the next ST edition as we explore various other ST games from 1985 - 1987.

Other Michtron Games
(Some distributed by Michtron but developed by other companies)

A number of these will be covered in detail in later articles:

Cards (1986) by J. Weaver Jr. - A selection of solitaire card games
Perfect Match (1986) by Mark Nelson - An educational game.
Techmate Chess (1986) by Szabo Software
Gold Runner II (1988) by Microdeal (Alex Herbert, David Whittaker, John Dower, Martin Kenwright)
A sequel to Microdeal's Gold Runner, but a very different game.

That's all for this month. Next time we will switch over to the Atari 800 and look at the early launch titles as well as a couple Atari Program Exchange games. We'll be back to the ST the following month, still sifting through the early years.

Jeff Fulton runs www.8bitrocket.com with his twin brother, Steve. The site specializes in tutorials and articles on programming optimized retro style games for the Flash platform. It also features retro game reviews, stories, and features. The "Atari Playfield" name is a tribute to the long running series of articles with the same name in the wonderful, but sadly now defunct USA based magazine, Computer Gaming World. They covered Atari computer games from 1981 - 1986, but sadly stopped all but spot coverage (if any) in the following years. Still, they held out with Atari computers coverage longer than most multi-format magazines before finally moving on.

A Special Thanks To Richard Davey. He provided invaluable help with this first part of the series and I am sure will help out a lot in the future. If this has piqued your interest in Atari ST games, please visit his wonderful site, The Little Green Desktop (www.atari.st).

The Thrill Of Defeat: Hurting The Ones We Love & Making Up For It

by Mark Sabbatini



COVERING 3 DECADES OF GAMING