Page 21 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #8

simplify the graphics, and use a by their debut game. The basic Take away these additional
joystick instead of a trackball. concept, lining up a gun with a game variations, lose the
That's Sssnake in a nutshell. target and pushing a button to colorful graphics, and make the
fire, had been done many times controls slightly less responsive,
before. Atari's own Air Sea and you're left with Skeet Shoot.
Skeet Sh oot
Battle cartridge, released five Is it playable? Yes. But
Games by Apollo released a years earlier, featured something considering what Activision was
couple of decent games before similar as one its 27 game doing in 1982, the game was
going bankrupt, but you never variations, and Epyx's Summer definitely a step in the wrong
would have guessed that anyone Games featured a skeet shooting direction. Today, we might refer
at the company knew how to game as just one of seven to it as a "tech demo."
program the Atari 2600 judging different events.

RetroGaming Roundup
review:
Podcast

By Chris Cavanaugh

Classic gaming podcasts are becoming as For the technical-oriented listeners, Scott
common as Combat cartridges, so finding a Schreiber lends his expertise to such various
quality one can become an exasperating topics as running a business placing arcade
experience. Too often the hosts forget to make units in public spots, pinball and cabinet repair,
the show about the games and focus too much and the lowdown on the recently released,
on themselves. Fortunately, the guys at consumer-friendly Batman pinball machine.
RetroGaming Roundup (Mike Kennedy, Mike Though some of the material is a bit specialized
James, and Scott Schreiber) are able to deliver and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, Scott does an
their impressive gaming knowledge in a way that admirable job keeping the information
never speaks down to their audience. accessible without dumbing it down for his
intended audience.
RetroGaming Roundup’s podcasts cover a
multitude of subjects and span an impressive Other recent highlights include a history of
and entertaining five-plus hours. The highlight pinball “banana” flippers, a dizzying amount of
is the "Roundtable" session, where the trio classic gaming news, recommended websites,
hashes out the best games for a particular and an amazing, must-listen “Tron Radio Show”
platform and compiles them into a “best of” list. that was thankfully saved from the dustbin of
The real enjoyment is actually not in the final ‘80s history.
product, but hearing how the sausage is made.
This segment showcases the chemistry among RetroGaming Roundup’s archives go back to
the hosts. Good-natured insults and brutally 2009, allowing you to hear the show evolve as
honest opinions are slung at the expense of some technical glitches are smoothed over and the
of the questionable choices, while passionate hosts became more comfortable. Don’t let the
defenses are volleyed in return, often leading to length of the shows scare you off: tight
comical exchanges. producing and editing keeps the discussion
flowing, while the various segments allow
Mike James’ “The British Hour” is spent giving listening to be broken up over time. Even after
Yanks a view of what’s happening with video listening to over five hours of classic gaming
games past and present on the other side of The discussion, I couldn't wait to hear more from
Pond. UK Mike is funny and likable, and he does these passionate podcasters.
a great job covering a gaming culture that so few
stateside collectors know about. http://www.retrogamingroundup.com

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