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Friends, thank you as always for taking the time to join us for a new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – although this marks the last show for Season 2. Which is why I hope we are going out on a high note, as we will be discussing Q*bert – that classic 1982 platformer from Gottlieb. As I try to do with every episode of the show, I not only share my first experiences with the subject of the episode, but do my level best to attempt to shine the spotlight on those talented people responsible for bringing the game to life. In the case with Q*bert we have three co-creators to thank, those are Warren Davis, Jeff Lee, as well as David D. Thiel. I actually talked about the last two in the Krull episode of the podcast – but I was able to find an interview with Davis in addition to one with Lee, that when you have a moment you will want to read for yourselves. Personally I have always thought that Q*bert was and is a pretty tough game – plus the difficulty seems to ramp up rather quickly. Which is why I was surprised to learn that Warren Davis had been working on a sequel to the hit game he co-created – one that managed to raise the bar for difficulty even higher! Video Provided by Were1974. I am extremely happy to report that Earl Green was able to join me once again on this episode, in his segment he discusses the many ports of Q*bert to the popular home consoles and computers of the day – plus the staggering amount of merchandise that was created for the character. While Gary Burton wasn’t able to appear on this last show of season 2 – as you will hear for yourself, he had a very good reason to miss submitting a segment. Furthermore I make mention on the episode itself that the Retroist has an amazing personal story about Q*bert that he shared on his very own podcast. While this season of the Diary podcast is coming to a close, after a brief two week hiatus, I will return with the first episode of Season 3 of the Saturday Frights podcast. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with us over these past 12 weeks and for all of the wonderful comments about the show. Now then, it is time you get hopping on those cubes along with Q*bert – just keep an eye peeled for Coily and his goons! Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, thank you as always for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to a new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – this week we are tackling 1983’s Krull, the action adventure twin-stick shooter released by Gottlieb. As is standard with the Diary podcast I have shared my first encounter with Krull – in this case both the film as well as the arcade game tie-in. In addition I have done my best to shine the spotlight on not just the long history of Gottlieb but those responsible for bringing Krull to the arcades back in the day. If you have not have had the pleasure of playing the game yourself – while pretty faithfully following the events of the 1983 film – it is a game that is in all honesty pretty tough. Perhaps not as hard as actually attempting to face off against The Beast, the otherworldly villain of the film… but close! As I mention in the show itself, I was able to locate an interview with Jeff Lee – courtesy of Good Deal Games. A brief excerpt where the co-creator of 1982’s Q*bert is able to share his contribution to the Krull arcade game – speaking of the former… you will be hearing more about Lee on next week’s episode. I am afraid that Gary Burton was unable to join us for this episode of the podcast, quite frankly he has his hands full helping to get the Arkadia Retrocade back open. However we do have the esteemed Earl Green back for a new segment, this time talking about the equally difficult Atari 2600 game version of Krull. I truly do hope that you have enjoyed the second season of the Diary podcast so far – I am extremely grateful for your support of the show, taking time out of your precious schedule to give us a listen. So without further ado I hope you will grab your glaive and then prepare to face The Beast for the fair hand of the Princess Lyssa on the Planet of Krull! Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, thank you for checking in with us for a new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – this week we are headed back to 1981 to discuss Exidy’s Venture, what many consider an early dungeon crawler. As I seem to always do with the Diary podcast I share my memories of first encountering the game that is the subject of the show. But in addition I have tried my best to shine the spotlight on those personally responsible for bringing Venture to life – and in this case a little history of Exidy as well. Having said that I was able to locate a quote by Venture designer and programmer, Howell Ivy, from the Retro Gamer magazine – you might want to check it out for a glimpse of what it was like in the early days of creating video games. As I point out in the show itself, Venture is an arcade classic that tasks the Players with taking on the role of… Winky? No matter the name or even the fact it looks like a big red smiley face – Winky is most definitely a hero – and with the Players help will manage to brave a dungeon filled with Dragons, Ettins, and worse. Venture is a pretty tough game and after listening to it, you might understand why Players at the Arkadia Retrocade decided to give it a wide berth. On this show I am afraid that neither Gary Burton or Earl Green were able to join me – real life matters as well as around the clock work on the arcade prevented it for this episode. I am sure they will be back for the next episode though! I truly hope you are enjoying this second season of the Diary podcast and I am very appreciative that you have taken time from your busy schedule to check out the show. I do know there are thousands of gaming podcasts out there for your listening pleasure – far more detailed and knowledgeable than myself. Now pick up your bow and snatch up your quiver of arrows… you are heading into the dungeons of Venture! Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror # 1 (MP3)

Friends, it really is hard to believe but we’ve reached the 50th episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – when I started out on the Retroist with the show I could only dream we would make it this far. Having reached the 50th mark – I think I can honestly say there might even be an episode or possibly two that managed to be good. As I hinted at with the Kung-Fu Master episode last week – this week we are tackling Starcade – that iconic arcade video game show that aired on WTBS the Super Station beginning in 1982 and with it’s last first-run show broadcast in 1984. I have done my best to shine a spotlight on the creation of the series – which is thanks to James Caruso as well as Mavis Arthur of JM Productions. You might be surprised at just how many obstacles the duo had to overcome before Starcade was picked up by Ted Turner for his cable TV station – broadcast on December 27th of 1982. When all is said and done this is a television game show that can claim to have had four hosts – beginning with the original pilot in 1981 until it’s first broadcast on WTBS. I am happy to say that Starcade has an official site where you can watch many of those classic episode – in addition they also have an official YouTube channel you can enjoy as well. As I mention in the show itself – I owe a great deal of thanks to Bleeding Cool, The Golden Age Arcade Historian, and Dragon’s Lair Project sites – as they managed to collect information and interviews with the likes of James Caruso and Mavis Arthur of JM Productions. Giving us fans of Starcade a glimpse behind the curtain of just how much work they put into the show to get it on our television sets. Thanks to this information we also learned why the game show managed to have so many hosts – including Mark Richards and of course Geoff Edwards. On this show we have the return of Earl Green, who not only provided a clip from his Best of the Classic Gaming Expo 2003 DVD that features Richards, but also shares the time he attempted to become a contestant on Starcade. We also have Gary Burton with a new segment – not focusing on any one arcade title this go around but sharing a personal memory of how we became the best of friends. As always I thank you one and all for supporting the podcast – I know there are hundreds of shows out there that tackle classic arcade and home console games – so the fact you would take the time out of your busy schedule to listen to mine is an absolute gift. So I hope you will enjoy this 50th episode of the Diary podcast and are ready to find out all about the Starcade TV series! Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, as always I want to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to check out the latest episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast. This week we are going to be tackling Kung-Fu Master – that classic arcade beat ’em up produced by Irem – although released in the States by Data East. As I mention in the show itself this was a title that I didn’t have the pleasure of playing in any of the arcades of my youth – not Showbiz Pizza or even Games People Play. I first came upon Kung-Fu Master at a local grocery store – although it quickly became one of my favorite arcade games to play when making a trip there. As always on the podcast I have made sure to do my level best in shining a spotlight on those iconic creators who brought the game to life – although in this case we have two gentlemen who would go on to help start the Street Fighter franchise as well as scoring two of the most legendary games of all time. On this episode I have provided what I hope is a brief breakdown of the gameplay for Kung-Fu Master in addition to adding a few choice audio treats related to the game. While I am sad to say that Earl Green wasn’t able to join us for this particular episode – we do have Gary Burton back with us – who gives you a glimpse at the fighting games we are lucky enough to have at the Arkadia Retrocade. Remember to check out the Old School Gamer magazine if you too are a fan of classic arcade and home console games. I thank you once again for being kind enough to listen to the show – now prepare to storm the Devil’s Temple pagoda and rescue Sylvia from the dreaded Mr. X and his legion of minions with Kung-Fu Master! Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, thank you for taking the time to join us once again for an episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – this week we are doing something different from the standard show. A few months ago on the Diary Facebook page I asked if the listeners might not want to break from the podcast focusing on a video game each week – the requests were for some shows to be on individual creators or even game companies. That is why this week I am tackling the career and legacy of Howard Scott Warshaw – the iconic game designer that created three successful Atari 2600 titles with Yars’ Revenge, Raiders of the Lost Ark, as well as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. As I mention in the episode itself – Warshaw has the distinct honor of being credited for ‘The Worst Atari Game Ever Created’ as well as ‘The Best Original Atari Game Ever Created’. I have a few things to say about the falsity of the former statement in addition to Howard Scott Warshaw being responsible for the decline of Atari. While on this episode of the podcast I have refrained from going into all the details of the three games that Howard Scott Warshaw designed and programmed – I naturally included my memories of the games themselves. I also was able to include some exceptional quotes from Warshaw thanks to an interview by Scott Stilphen of the excellent Atari Compendium – in addition to an excerpt from Patrick Hickey Jr.’s fantastic book entitled The Minds Behind The Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers. I am joined once again by the esteemed Earl Green – who not only met Warshaw in person but has a few things to say about E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial supposedly being the worst game Atari produced. I am happy to say that Gary Burton joins us on this episode and shares some of the hard work he had to do to bring the Atari 2600 back to life at the Arkadia Retrocade. By the way there are some wonderful articles by Howard Scott Warshaw on Yars’ Revenge in some of the Old School Gamer magazine. As always I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to check out the podcast – it is very much appreciated. So go and grab your favorite snack and beverage and let us tell you a bit about Howard Scott Warshaw! Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, as always I thank you for joining us for another episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – although I have to admit right up front that the subject of this show had to be changed at the last minute. I mention this all on the show itself but originally this episode was going to be shining the spotlight on Howard Scott Warshaw – the iconic game designer from the Golden Age of Atari. The fact of the matter is two things threw a monkey wrench into that original plan, the first was that I had a co-worker at my day job go on vacation and I had to cover all week – which didn’t allow me the necessary time to do proper research. The other element that reared it’s head is I am now under the weather – I have no fear of it being COVID-19 or the like – I just think I have sadly caught a stomach bug. In fact I would be surprised if you can’t tell that I am a little off on this show… well, more than normal I mean. Having said all of that however the subject for the podcast became Games People Play – that arcade of my youth before Showbiz Pizza rolled into town. Remember the days when a TV ad would show Robotron 2084? It would probably be best to kind of think of this as a bonus episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – it’s a little more loose than the standard show as well as being a bit shorter. I did my level best to attempt to share with you what it was like to not just walk into my first video game arcade – but the first arcade to open up in my neck of the woods. In addition I do share some of my first arcade game experiences on this episode – although a few of them in truth have been covered in past episodes. On the last couple of episodes I have pointed you to the Old School Gamer magazine – while there wasn’t any need for this episode – you should still check them out. Normally I am joined by both Gary Burton as well as Earl Green – although they sit this show out as it is a more personal episode – they’ll be back on the next show though! Friends, as always I do hope you will enjoy the show and I truly thank you for taking time out of your schedule to listen to the podcast. So let me tell you about the electronic Xanadu that was Games People Play! Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, thank you for joining us once again for a new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – for this show we are tackling Smash TV – that twin stick multi-directional shooter from Williams that was originally released in arcades back in 1990. As I mention in the show itself, Smash TV was released long after the beloved Showbiz Pizza of my youth had gone away although at the very least I did play it in an actual arcade – just not one in my neck of the woods. As always I have done my level best to shine the spotlight on the talented individuals who are responsible for bringing the subject of the show to life – in this case it was an incredible team who have worked on the likes of NBA Jam, Defender, Mortal Kombat, CarnEvil to name just a few. One of the lead designers for Smash TV is none other than Eugene Jarvis – who was also responsible for Robotron 2084 – another memorable twin stick shooter. In fact I was able to find a fantastic article with Jarvis courtesy of the Arcade Attack Retro Gaming Network – I included a small excerpt from the interview in the show itself but it’s totally worth your time to follow that link and read the entire thing. I also mention on the show that one of the things that attracted me to Smash TV is the obvious influences of 1987’s The Running Man! “…for more tokens!” On the last couple of episodes I have pointed you to the Old School Gamer magazine – before recording this show I wasn’t able to find time to go through their back issues. I am glad to say that I am joined once again by Earl Green – who not only talks about the ports of Smash TV to the popular home computers and consoles of the day but reveals a little of the difficulties of replicating a twin stick shooter on them. Gary Burton was not able to join us on this particular show but I do hope he will be back for next week’s podcast. Friends, as always I do hope you will enjoy the show and I truly thank you for taking time out of your schedule to listen to the podcast. So gear up and prepare to enter the most popular game show in 1999 – the deadly Smash TV! For even more pop culture related goodness by Earl – make sure to check out his own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror (MP3)

Friends, thank you for joining us again for a new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – on this show we tackle Bosconian, the space-themed multi-directional shooter released by Namco back in 1981. Unlike last week’s episode, Bosconian is an arcade title that I was able to experience at that Showbiz Pizza of my youth – sort of – although as I point out in the show itself, the Arkadia Retrocade does sport the game in it’s collection. As always I have done my level best to shine the spotlight on those individuals we have to thank for bringing the game to life – in this case that was a little tougher than usual as multiple sources online have claimed a handful of different people were responsible for Bosconian. In addition I was able to find a few helpful articles online that shed some light on the possible popularity of the Namco title, in particular on this episode I quote from Galaga Boss Fight Books #4 by Michael Kimball. As usual I have included some of the memorable sound effects of the game itself as well as a few vintage audio treats for your listening pleasure. Condition Red! On the last couple of episodes I have pointed you to the Old School Gamer magazine – before recording this show I wasn’t able to find time to go through their back issues. However I am grateful to have both Earl Green and Gary Burton back on the show with two brand new segments. Earl goes into detail on the handful of Bosconian ports to the home computers of the day – to say nothing of a recent and unexpected port to the Atari 2600 thanks to the resourcefulness of the homebrew community. Gary on this episode shares another behind the scenes look at his work at the arcade – although in this case it has to do with another Namco title. Friends, as always I do hope you will enjoy the show and I truly thank you for taking time out of your schedule to listen to the podcast. So strap into your nearest star destroyer fighter ship and blast off to face the threat of the onslaught of the galactic armada known as Bosconian! For even more pop culture related goodness by Earl – make sure to check out his own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror (MP3)

Friends, welcome back to the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – for our third episode of this second season of the show we are going to be talking about The Empire Strikes Back from ’82. This was a game cartridge for the Atari 2600 but more importantly it also was the very first video game licensed for Star Wars from Lucasfilm – and while I touch upon it in the podcast itself – this also meant that Atari was unable to port their own arcade title to their very own home console! Now you might be wondering why we decided to go with the Parker Brothers release instead of say the 1985 arcade game by Atari – the simple truth is that it happens to be a very good game, quite challenging but fair. As usual I have done my best to shine the spotlight on those individuals responsible for designing and producing the game – in this case that was Rex E. Bradford and Sam Kjellman. In addition I share my first experience with playing The Empire Strikes Back and have brought along a few vintage audio treats for your listening pleasure. “Wish we had some tow cables!” On the last couple of episodes I have pointed you to the Old School Gamer magazine – but for this show I found a fantastic interview with both Sam Kjellman and Rex E. Bradford on the Retro Gamer site. I included just a small piece of said interview – you owe it to yourself to check out the full article when you have the free time. In addition I am very happy to say that joining me on the show once again are Earl Green and Gary Burton with two new segments. Friends, as always I do hope you will enjoy the show and I truly thank you for taking time out of your schedule to listen to the podcast. So everyone don your flight suits and get those Snowspeeders warmed up – because it is time to go face those AT-AT’s in The Empire Strikes Back! For even more pop culture related goodness by Earl – make sure to check out his own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror (MP3)

Friends, welcome back to the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – for this episode we are going to be tackling Elevator Action, which was released into the wilds of the arcades by Taito back in 1983. Right up front I will warn you this is one of those episodes where the majority of the people responsible for designing or programming a classic arcade title -is simply not known. Although having said that I still managed to shine a spotlight on Taito and Yoshio Imamura – the iconic composer responsible for a few themes and tunes from the heyday of the arcades. I do share my memories of experiencing Elevator Action for the first time – a rather surprisingly positive encounter with some teenagers at the local gas station. Of course as always I have brought along a few vintage audio treats for your listening enjoyment – plus with this episode there was some viewer mail from the Popeye show, giving me a chance to talk a little more about my duties at the Arkadia Retrocade. On this episode I make mention of a publication that any of you fans of old school gaming should check out – the Old School Gamer magazine. For one thing, Brett Weiss, who frequently shares videos and articles on this site also provides content for the magazine. I am also happy to say that Earl Green joins me on the podcast again – in this case to discuss the many ports of Elevator Action to the home consoles and computers of the day. In addition we have a brand new segment featuring none other than Gary Burton – the chief tech at Arkadia who gives you a little insight as to what his job entails at the arcade. Friends, as always I do hope you will enjoy the show and I truly thank you for taking time out of your schedule to listen to the podcast. So don your trench coats and sunglasses and prepare to hear the ups and downs of 1983’s Elevator Action! For even more pop culture related goodness by Earl – make sure to check out his own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror (MP3)

Friends, I am proud to present the first episode of the second season of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – as promised on the River Raid show last month, today we have the classic 1982 platformer released by Nintendo – none other than Popeye. As always for podcast I share my first encounter with the subject of the episode in addition to shining the spotlight on those creative individuals who had a hand in bringing the game to life. Which in this case involves not just Nintendo but Ikegami Electronics – the company that appears to be responsible for a few of the more popular titles from the Golden Age of arcades. In addition we have the likes of Shigeru Miyamoto (Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros.) as well as Genyo Takeda to thank for not just the game design but the beautiful graphics of Popeye. I do touch upon the matter in the show itself but as most of you are already aware, if fate had gone a different route, instead of Nintendo creating a franchise for Donkey Kong they might have had a series of game focusing on the likes of Popeye, Bluto, and Olive Oyl! On this episode I make mention of a publication that any of you fans of old school gaming should check out – the Old School Gamer magazine. For one thing, Brett Weiss, who frequently shares videos and articles on this site also provides content for the magazine. I am also happy to say that starting with this season of the show, Earl Green joins me on the podcast – in this case to discuss the many ports of Nintendo’s Popeye to the home consoles and computers of the day. Friends, as always I do hope you will enjoy the show and I truly thank you for taking time out of your schedule to listen to the podcast. So grab your favorite beverage and down a can of spinach as I discuss Popeye! For even more pop culture related goodness by Earl – make sure to check out his own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, for this episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast we are going to be taking a look at River Raid, that classic 1982 vertical scrolling shooter by Activision. In addition I delve a little deeper into the background information of it’s designer and programmer, the esteemed Carol Shaw – one of the first female game designers. As I do in every Diary podcast I have made sure to share my thoughts on River Raid as well as my personal memories involving the game. Furthermore I have included a few choice quotes and pieces of information in this 1UP episode, the latter is courtesy of an interview between Benj Edwards of Vintage Computing and Gaming and Shaw from back in 2011. The quote is from the September 1983 issue of Electronic Fun with Computer & Games – in which Carol Shaw explains how she came up with the original idea for River Raid. Actually, while I do mention this in the show itself, River Raid was one of the top 5 greatest Activision titles picked by the Vault computer for an earlier 1UP episode of the podcast. In addition to those interviews, I also play a small clip from a special video that was created for the 2017 Game Awards – where Carol Shaw was rightfully presented the Industry Icon award. Video Provided by thegameawards. While 1UP episodes have a tendency to run a little shorter than the standard episode – not to mention be a little looser in format, I have made sure to include a few vintage audio treats for your listening pleasure. Friends, I truly do appreciate you taking the time to listen the show and hope you enjoy River Raid! If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employe Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, with the end of March fast approaching I’ve found myself running out of time on producing the latest Pop Culture Retrorama podcast – which means in the end that it has been nearly two months since the last episode. Quite frankly with the way things have been going of late I haven’t quite felt I possessed the energy to do all of the research for the new show – that goes for both Diary of An Arcade Employee as well as the Saturday Frights podcast. So I thought I would sit down in front of the microphone and talk about the state of the shows and what has been weighing on my mind in regard to their direction and possible futures. Don’t worry, as I state in this bonus episode for all three podcasts (crosses fingers that it uploads to all three properly) – I’m not doing anything drastic like quitting writing or podcasting. This is just a situation where I can sit down and say “Hey, let’s talk about the podcasts”! In addition I hope besides acting as an apology to all of you that have been loyal to the podcasts – you will understand the circumstances that have delayed the shows. As well perhaps as some new directions I might take – if you the listeners think that is prudent – with each podcast. As always with an episode I am honest with you – although in this case I hope in addition I been able to properly explain the situation I find myself in as a creator. Actually even though it is addressed in this bonus episode, if you possibly have thought about becoming a writer and might like to share your personal memories and experiences on pop culture or retro related subjects – throw me a line at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com! All right then, I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to listen to this Let’s talk about the podcasts episode – to say nothing of your support and understanding in the matter of tardiness of said shows. You can also contact me on Facebook or even Twitter. Or perhaps check out the Saturday Frights Facebook Page, Diary of an Arcade Employee, and Pop Culture Retrorama Facebook page? Subscribe to the Pop Culture Retrorama Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) Directly Download the Pop Culture Retrorama Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3) Episode Mirror #2 (OGG)

Friends, while I was unable to produce a new episode of the Diary podcast for the month of January – our first new episode of 2020 focuses on Wizard of Wor -that classic maze shooter from Midway that features the memorable synthesized taunts from the game itself. As always for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast I share my first encounter with the subject of the episode in addition to shining the spotlight on those creative individuals who had a hand in bringing the game to life. Which in this case involves Dave Nutting Associates – as you will learn from listening to the podcast itself, Dave Nutting is a pretty important part of the Golden Age of arcade games. Wizard of Wor might not have exactly set the video game world on fire back when it was originally released but it still stands as a solid game and is just as tough to play as it was back in ’81. In this particular episode I was able to share a quote from the Golden Age Arcade Historian blog – concerning how Dave Nutting found himself entering into the business of producing video games. It is an interesting read and worthy of your time to check out – I only wish that everyone who had a hand in the Golden Age of video games were being interviewed, their knowledge and viewpoints are too important to let slip away with time. Friends, as always I do hope you will enjoy the episode – thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to check out the show – The Wizard of Wor awaits those brave enough to enter his deadly dungeon maze! If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3)

Friends, we have reached the end of 2019 and with it comes the last Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast for the year – although having said that I have chosen to tackle Star Castle for this episode. Granted as I mention in the show itself that is NOT the game I had originally set out to record for the show. Star Castle was a popular title released by Cinematronics in 1980 – one that was designed by Tim Skelly – who you might know best for being the designer and programmer on Gottlieb’s 1982 hit Reactor. Although in addition with this particular show I also take a moment to shine the spotlight on another iconic game designer, Larry Rosenthal, who just happened to be the designer for the first wave of Vector graphic games such as Space Wars. With this show I must beg your indulgence on two matters, one is the fact that I am quite sick… so I am not sure how the quality of the episode is going to sound. The second matter is that there is a not so happy memory attached to Star Castle that I share with you – one that I think explains why my Father has never cared for video games. “GIVE ME ANOTHER TOKEN!” As always with a Diary podcast I attempt to breakdown the gameplay of Star Castle and provide a few interesting tidbits about the game itself. Which in this case is how many times that it has managed to appear in movies and television since it was released to the wilds of the arcades back in 1980. I also manage to briefly discuss Yars’ Revenge and the efforts of the legendary Howard Scott Warshaw to bring Star Castle from the arcades to the Atari 2600. Furthermore I managed to find an extremely interesting interview with Tim Skelly from back in 1999 – one that you might want to take the time and check out. Friends, I hope you will have a very safe and Happy New Year and enjoy the Star Castle podcast! If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3) Episode Mirror #2 (OGG)

For this brand new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podast we have a 1UP show – the subject of this episode is 1982’s Night Stalker, the classic maze shooter that was produced for Mattel Electronic’s Intellivision home console. As I mention in the show itself, the Intellivision was a console that found a lot of love in the household of my youth – in particular thanks to the home port of Data East’s Lock ‘n’ Chase as well as Night Stalker. The latter has a lot going for it and stands as a solid game even today. As usual I have done my level best to shine a spotlight on those talented individuals who helped to bring the game to life in addition to providing some interesting anecdotes about the game itself. I mention towards the end of the podcast that Night Stalker appears to be getting a new incarnation – courtesy of the Intellivision Amico console – which is set to debut in October of 2020. Here is the 2019 Gamescom trailer that not only shows off what this new Night Stalker might look like… but a few other classic Intellivision titles and even arcade game ports! Video Provided by Intellivision’s YouTube Channel. As always with the Diary podcasts, I give a rundown of how the game itself plays and have even provided some vintage audio treats for your listening pleasure. In addition I mention something odd that occurred with iTunes on the Asteroids episode of the podcast – it turns out that you might want to subscribe to make sure you are hearing the latest offering – as it took over a month for the last one to show up on the iTunes page. I really have no clue why that happened but I desperately hope that was just a one time occurrence. Friends, I truly do appreciate you taking the time to listen the show and hope you enjoy Night Stalker. If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify? If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employe Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3) Episode Mirror #2 (OGG)

For this episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast I am tackling a big one – none other than 1979’s Asteroids by Atari. As I mention in the show itself this classic arcade game was only the second title produced by Atari that featured Vector graphics although it most certainly overshadowed the first title in popularity. Asteroids really is one of those iconic games that broke new ground when it first was released to the arcades back in November of ’79 – even if it borrowed some elements from other games at that time. Thanks to the likes of Ed Logg, Lyle Rains, and technician Howard Delman among others – Asteroids ended up becoming one of the highest selling games for Atari, a company that already had more than a few arcade hits under it’s belt at that time. For what it might be worth -I had originally intended on producing a Halloween episode of the podcast… but since for the last two Diary 1UP shows I have been promising Asteroids I felt that it was only fair to make sure it was finally recorded. As I touch upon in the podcast itself, while the gameplay for Asteroids is a little on the simple side – the truth is there is quite a bit of history to share about the game. I lucked out for this show and found issue #68 of the Retro Gamer magazine on the Internet Archive… that features an exceptional interview with Lyle Rains, Ed Logg, and Howard Delman among others. Trust me when I say you are going to want to check out that interview when you have a moment to spare – it will open your eyes to the kind of magic these guys were pulling off at Atari at the time. In addition there is a quote I located on the Arcade History site that was of great interest in regards to how Delman was able to pull off the sounds on the arcade game – especially since there were no sound chips available for Asteroids! Atari as I’ve mentioned was no stranger to making popular arcade games at the time but in all honesty they had no idea how popular Asteroids was going to become. Beyond the usual interesting trivia and facts in the show – I have made sure to include some vintage audio treats for your listening pleasure. That includes a surprising number of records that were released for fans of the classic arcade title to snap up – like the Kid Stuff produced book and record! Video Provided by JR Todd‘s YouTube Channel. Friends, thank you as always for taking the time to listen to the show – now have a token on me as I tackle 1979’s Asteroids! If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employe Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3) Episode Mirror #2 (OGG)

It is time for a new Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast and this time we have a 1UP offering – focusing on the top 5 Activision games that were released for the Atari 2600. As I mention in this podcast episode, I had originally intended for this show to be focusing on Atari’s Asteroids from 1979. The truth of the matter is that at this time of year – both the arcade and my day job are extremely busy – special events and the like and time just simply got away from me. So for this show we are instead focusing on a company whose name – at least in my household – stood for quality games. I am referring to Activision of course, a company that is still rather well known as I hear tell – this gaming juggernaut though got it’s start making titles for the Atari 2600. And while I understand that perhaps you will disagree with the Vault computer’s decisions – I am willing to bet there are going to be a few on the top 5 Activision games list that you will see coming. Can you hear that 8-Bit Tarzan yell in your head? I tried to keep it pretty light for this 1UP podcast episode – to make it a little more fun I hope than the standard show. I certainly attempted to keep away from just loading the episode up with information as I typically do – focusing on what made Activision games and their designers stand out. There are more than a few vintage television commercials for your listening entertainment in this podcast – perhaps even some that you may not have heard before? I can tell you though at least one of the titles on the top 5 Activision games list has a connection to this very year… which I was rather surprised by when I first heard it. With nearly 50 games produced by Activision this list was hard to whittle down, thankfully I had the Vault computer to help me make some of the hard decisions. I do mention it on the show but I would absolutely love to hear which games you feel would be on your own top 5 Activision games list – make sure to let us know in the comments section. No matter what I feel it cannot be argued that while Activision was borne out of a desire for recognition from it’s designers and programmers – and a much deserved piece of the profit – it too helped to make the Atari 2600 a worthy home console. Video Provided by Jack Taylor‘s YouTube Channel. Friends, plop down on that comfy couch in the basement and pick up your favorite joystick and join us as we count down the Top 5 Activision Games – here on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast! If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Diary of An Arcade Employe Podcast. Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3) Episode Mirror #2 (OGG)

Friends, the latest 1UP episode of the Diary of an Arcade Employee podcast is done and ready for your listening pleasure – this show is all about Nintendo’s Ice Climber which was originally released in 1985. Although as I have pointed out on the podcast it actually didn’t get it’s start in the arcades but as home console offerings for both the Nintendo Entertainment System as well as the Famicom. Fair warning though, even if this is a 1UP episode which is meant to be a shorter digest-sized offering – this show clocked in at a little over 25 minutes. As always with the Diary podcasts, I have done my best to give you some interesting facts about those creators who helped to create Ice Climbers. I also share my memories of how I first encountered the game and go into a little detail on it’s port to the arcades and the differences between the original release and arcade variety. I even managed to bring along a few vintage audio treats for your listening pleasure. So grab your blue and pink parkas and bundle up as I discuss Ice Climbers on this 1UP episode of the Diary of an Arcade Employee Podcast. Thanks for taking the time to listen and I hope you will enjoy the show! If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page! Download the Diary of An Arcade Employee Podcast: Episode Mirror #1 (MP3) Episode Mirror #2 (OGG)