Activision and Atari

TCW Podcast Episode 126 - Activision and Atari

 

We look at the video games that Activision made for the Atari VCS/2600 when the founders of Activision split from Atari.  Activision focused on graphics and presentation as a key factor in the game creation process.  They were able to push the limits of the Atari VCS to do things that were thought impossible by the base system.  The sunset employed in the game with Stampede is used again in later games and became a kind of hallmark of some Activision games.  With the release of Pitfall 2,  the inclusion of a special chip providing enhanced graphics, and music hints at where the VCS could have gone had the crash not occurred!

 

TCW 009 - The History of Mediagenic Part 1: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/history-of-mediagenic-part-i/

TCW 010 - The History of Mediagenic Part 2: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/history-of-mediagenic-part-ii/

How CRT Televisions Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4UgZBs7ZGo

Dragster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz79pdqiyk0

Checkers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhtePX2BApk

Fishing Derby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_25-gc-sno0

Boxing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JAf0RDD_qg

Bridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sckeVsRrsc

Skiing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVBcKKCEkB0

Laser Blast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvnq96SVQh0

Tennis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TueiMj2l3k

Ice Hockey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aev4tsHuPc

Stampede: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-e2ZE5YDeU

Stampede Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB6fbtr9pb4

Freeway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5pdJz3DcNk

Freeway Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqHxuTPcSAs

Kaboom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-SBEh2p9KA

Kaboom Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkNztWEVxD4

Avalanche Arcade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDvRlNuaX4

Barnstorming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzekJZZ9QW0

Barnstorming Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOIxiVjjZgU

River Raid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnFjVybfxj4

River Raid Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Baep8YZO-l4

Starmaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmJcXXvK2Bo

Starmaster Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClO_Gvr7G2U

Sky Jinks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ3ppEtCs0w

Chopper Command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EecA8TdChxo

Pitfall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAJzamWAFOE

Pitfall Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA4V-n8Ft3g

Grand Prix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWkPqNl0nw8

Seaquest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErknoYi8Ja0

Decathlon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfaOTKClseM

Robot Tank: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U9_AzXddBU

Robot Tank Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdJF5jhajb4

Pitfall 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZIMaJnzPzw

Pitfall 2 Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3AWTX3V2yY

 

New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!

 

TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com 

Twitter: @tcwpodcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

Alex's book is available for preorder and should be released through CRC Press in December 2019: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

 

Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode 

Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love 

 

Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/