• Tag Archives Atari 800XL

  • ANALOG Computing (October 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: ANALOG Computing – Issue Number 25 – October 1984



    ANALOG Computing was perhaps the most popular Atari 8-bit magazine in North America. The October 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • A No-Frills Alternate Cursor
    • Climber
    • Minicomp
    • P/M Creator/Animator
    • Fire Bug
    • Another BASIC Bug
    • Graphics 8 Character Generator
    • Dark Horse

    Reviews

    • Casadapter (Sar-An)
    • Family Finances (Atari)
    • TOP-DOS (Eclipse Software)
    • Donkey Kong Junior (Atari)
    • ATR-8000 (Southwest Microcomputer)
    • Dr. Wacko’s Guide to Your Atari (Addison-Wesley)

    Columns

    • Editorial
    • Reader Comment
    • Griffin’s Lair
    • New Products
    • Ask Mr. Forth
    • C:CHECK/D:CHECK
    • Boot Camp
    • Control Characters
    • BASIC Training
    • Index to Advertisers

    …and more!


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  • Run For It (Apple II, Atari)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: enter – Issue Number 14 – January/February 1985 – – Run For It (Apple II, Atari)

    Run For It seems to be one of those rare games that was released for the Apple II and Atari 8-bit computers but not the Commodore 64. At least that seemed pretty rare by 1985 when this game was released. In this game you control a robot as he progresses upwards through a maze. This game is a fixed/flip screen game which was a popular genre before side-scrolling platformers took over the world. In this type of game, all game play takes place on a single screen at a time. You must overcome enemies and obstacles in order to reach the exit, wherever on the screen that may be. In the case of this game the exit would be near the top of each screen. Simply progressing through a maze isn’t challenging enough so you have a timer and enemies to destroy or avoid. Your robot has a gun to aid in that task. Time can be increased by collecting tokens or will be decreased when you contact enemies. Your goal is to reach the top of the building before time runs out.

    This is an okay game if you like this sort of thing but it’s nothing exceptional. Like the side-scrolling platformers that came later there were just so many games of this type that it is hard to stand-out. It won’t be terribly easy to find an original copy of this one either as this wasn’t exactly a game that took the world by storm. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to play via emulation.

    The ad above is from the January/February 1985 issue of Enter magazine. The screen shots are from the Atari 8-bit version of the game.


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  • Crossword Magic (1985)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment


    USA 1985

    https://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/184619637574/retrocgadsusa-1985

    Today you can find any number of online apps that will let you generate your own crossword puzzles so it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. However, if you wanted to do such a thing in the 1980s you would have had to do it by hand or use a piece of software like this which made it a whole lot easier.

    I remember using a crossword puzzle maker in English class when I was in 8th grade (1988 or 1989) but I can’t remember for sure if it was this one or not. It would have been on an Apple II.

    Anyway, it does all the basic things you would expect to be able to do to make a crossword puzzle. I suppose there is probably a limit in terms of size but unless you are trying to do something crazy it’s probably not a big deal.

    Crossword Magic was released by Mindscape and was available for the Commodore 64, Apple II, DOS and Atari 8-bit computers like the 600XL and 800XL. Other than nostalgia, there’s probably not much reason to seek this out today as there are more convenient ways to generate crossword puzzles. However, this was a neat tool to have back in the day if you wanted to do such a thing.

    The ad above is from circa 1985.



    📂This entry was posted in Apple ][ Atari 8-bit Commodore 64 Computer Arcana DOS Retro Games 📎and tagged