Source: ANALOG Computing – Issue Number 70 – March 1989
ANALOG was probably the most popular Atari 8-bit magazine in the U.S. and had the longest life among Atari 8-bit magazines. Of course, it only had one serious competitor. The March 1989 issue includes:
Features
- Cartridge Games for Your XEGS – An overview of the cartridge based games available for the Atari XEGS. Basing a game system on Atari XE computers wasn’t necessarily a bad idea but most games that Atari released were really just re-releases of old games.
- Pebbles – A type-in puzzle game from ancient Egypt featuring stones and holes.
- Master Memory Map, Part VIII – Part 8 of a massive series on the entire Atari 8-bit memory map.
- Un-Sprites – A type-in program for creating software based sprites along with a couple of demo programs.
- Atari Videodisc System – Using an Atari 8-bit computer as a laserdisc controller.
- DUPing BASIC – A way to automatically enable and disable BASIC when entering and leaving DOS.
- Disk Games for Your XEGS – Though the XEGS was a cartridge based game system, you could still connect a standard Atari floppy disk drive externally and play disk based games that work with Atari 8-bit computers.
- Electra-Ball – A type-in futuristic sports games in which you manipulate deflectors to get the ball to go where you want.
Table of Contents from the March 1989 issue of ANALOG Computing
Reviews
- Turboword – The first full-featured 80-column word processor for the Atari 8-bit. It required an 80-column expansion board and monitor which were non-standard for the Atari.
- Quintopus – Basically a port expander for Atari 8-bit computers that allows for more peripherals to be attached.
Columns
- Database DELPHI – Help using the Delphi online service from an Atari user’s perspective.
- The End User – A look back at the last four years of the column which included various interviews, new products, etc.
- Game Design Workshop – A continuation of a tutorial on Player/Missile graphics as well as continued work on BASIC Invaders, a Space Invaders clone.
Table of Contents from the March 1989 issue of ANALOG Computing (continued)
Departments
- Editorial – Some newspaper column gives a half-baked criticism of video games in general. Meanwhile, this issue of ANALOG is dedicated to gaming.
- Reader Comment – One reader writes in about his perception of the lack of support for Atari 8-bit machines.
- 8-Bit News – Covox announces text adventure game Escape From Planet X featuring speech synthesis; Super Database 1-2-3 database and report generator available for Atari 8-bit; Cheat!, a program that allows modifications of 120 games to add unlimited lives, released; SpartaDOS X released; and more.
- M/L Editor – A type-in program designed to assist with entering machine language programs published in ANALOG.
- Basic Editor II – A type-in program designed to assist with entering BASIC programs that are published in ANALOG.
Back cover of the March 1989 issue of ANALOG Computing
…and more!