ISSUE: 11Content
PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE
Intellivision
Odyssey2
ColecoVision
Commodore VIC-20
Commodore 64
Commodore Executive 64
Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer Model PC-3
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
Spectravideo SV-318
Timex Sinclair 2068
Atari VCS - 2600
Atari 400 - 800 - 1200
Apple computers
Epson QX-10 computer
PC
Atari 5200
arcade
---
(The following is loosely based on this issue's table of contents with select article taglines and/or excerpts (noted in quotes) included. (Notes) and bullet lists added for clarity.)
Nybbles
IBM's Peanut and Coleco's Adam are this month's industry preoccupations. (by Profunda; insider rumors and speculation)
Eye On
New games, new sticks, new mergers, plus an exclusive interview with Atari's Dave Ruckert - all in this, the most news-packed Eye On section ever! (news section; column headlines:)
-
Gold Rush (upcoming videogames, sorted by system:)
-
Atari 2600
-
ColecoVision
-
Intellivision
-
Atari 5200
-
Busy Signals (AT&T and Coleco team for online videogame service; online service stumbles)
-
Atari Reaches Out! (Atari status, upcoming plans; AtariSoft, coin-op, LucasFilm collaboration, computer add-ons delayed, Voice Controller cancelled; discussion commentary with Dave Ruckert)
-
Arcadia Junior (arcade game and arcade venue news)
-
Donkey Kong Sr. (William Higinbotham and the invention of the videogame)
-
Home Improvements (joystick improvement add-ons; 2600 adapter for 5200)
-
The King's English (Epson QX-10 computer)
-
Pacesetter Stumbles (Osborne Computer Corporation files bankruptcy)
-
Food For Thought (Eduware Services' edutainment software; discussion commentary with Steve Pederson)
-
Shoot The Stars (computer and videogame related TV shows; Educational Computing Profile, The New Tech Times, The Video Game Challenge, Starcade, Video Games Report)
-
Merger (Bally acquires Sega Enterprises coin-op)
-
How Very Novel! (text adventure games; Zork series, Deadline, Starcross, Suspended, The Witness, Planetfall)
-
You Control The Video (Atari 2600 game development kit for Atari 800 and VIC-20 computers (shown))
-
Surge Suppressant (Discwasher surge suppressor)
-
Let's Get Small (portable computers; Commodore Executive 64, Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer Model PC-3 (both shown))
-
Bearing Fruit (Apple Color Plotter, Monitor II)
-
Game Update (upcoming computer games, sorted by system:)
-
TI-99/4A
-
Atari computers
-
TRS-80
-
Apple
-
C64
Preview
E.C. Meade and Jim Clark review the latest videogames, a flood of titles from Atari, Coleco and Activision in this most crucial of Christmas offerings. (console videogame reviews, most with box art and/or screenshot)
-
Fathom (2600)
-
Crackpots (2600)
-
Decathlon (2600)
-
Mr. Do! (Col)
-
Pole Position (2600)
-
Sorcerer's Apprentice (2600)
-
Pigs In Space (2600)
-
Super Cobra (2600)
-
Dreadnaught Factor (Int)
-
Battlezone (2600)
-
Moon Patrol (2600)
-
Time Pilot (Col)
-
Crash Dive (2600)
-
Snoopy and the Red Baron (2600)
-
Mario Brothers (2600)
-
Astro Chase (5200)
-
War Room (Col)
-
Krull (2600)
-
Beamrider (Int)
-
Micro Takes (capsule reviews):
-
Donkey Kong Jr. (2600)
-
Zaxxon (Int)
-
Frogger (Int)
-
Q*bert (Int)
-
Q*bert (Col)
-
Berzerk (5200)
-
Boing! (2600)
-
Mr. Do! (2600)
Focus On: I/O Breakdown
Not a failure of Input or Output, but of Odyssey and Intellivision. After having been groundbreakers in the field for many years, these two units may be on their last legs, and there may be nothing anyone can do about it. ('I/O Breakdown! Not a breakdown of Input/Output, but of Intellivision/Odyssey. After years of prosperity, these systems may well be on their last legs.' by Vincent Papa; Odyssey3/Command Center shown; includes 'I/O-pinions' section reprinting excerpts from past game reviews:)
-
Utopia (Int)
-
Bomb Squad (Int)
-
Tron: Solar Sailer (Int)
-
Shark! Shark! (Int)
-
Sharp Shot (Int)
-
Mission X (Int)
-
Burgertime (Int)
-
Sid the Spellbinder (Ody2)
-
Acrobats (Ody2)
-
Killer Bees (Ody2)
-
Smithereens (Ody2)
Close Up: Laserdisc
The technology that brought Dragon's Lair into the arcades has application far beyond gaming: surrogate travel and dimensional instruction are on the horizon. ('Laserdisc! Dragon's Lair was the first, and it's only the beginning.' by Bernhardt J. Hurwood; laserdiscs (released and under-development) discussed:)
-
Dragon's Lair
-
Mystery Disc #1: Murder, Anyone?
-
Mystery Disc #2: Many Roads to Murder
-
Vincent Van Gogh: A Portrait in Two Parts
-
The Joy of Relaxation
-
History Disquiz
-
Maze Mania
-
The World of Martial Arts
-
Star Trek - The Motion Picture
-
The Aspen Map
-
The Movie Manual
Supergaming: Videogame Role-Playing
Role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons have been popular for years. If the principles of role playing are applied to videogaming, those old cartridges you haven't played in months or years will take on new life. ('Videogame Role-Playing! Bring new life to your videogame system with a role-playing tournament.' by Rober J. Sodaro with Georgene Muller)
Conquering: Moonsweeper
Strategy tips which will enable you to save moon-marooned miners. (by Mike Sittnick; 2600; game overview and strategy)
Input
For the very final time, the Atari vs. Coleco issue is hashed over. (letters column)
Arcadia
Sound effects are a much-overlooked, but essential, aspect of arcade games. Now the mask of anonymity is removed from two behind-the-scenes creators. ('The Hills Are Alive With Arcade Sound Effects' by Richard Meyers)
Conquering: Arcade Games
Strategy tips on arcade games such as Juno First and Congo Bongo will hone the player's skills, and a bonus section on etiquette will refine sensibilities. ('Conquering: The Arcades' by Randy Palmer; game strategies; includes 'Arcade Etiquette' section by Randy Palmer)
-
Krull
-
Congo Bongo
-
Juno First
Computereyes
The Spectravideo SV-318 and the Timex Sinclair 2068 computers are reviewed. ('Mid-Price Challengers: Timex 2000 and Spectravideo SV-318' by Mike Sittnick)
RAMblings
Reviews of new strategy and arcade-style computergames.
-
Wavy Navy (800,1200)
-
Night Strike (400,800,1200 cart)
-
Cannonball Blitz (VIC20)
-
Spyder (PC)
-
Hide and Sink (PC)
Championship Videogaming
Our readers provide strategy tips on games for the home and arcades. (reader submitted game strategies and trivia; usually addendums to game guides published in prior issues; this issue:)
-
Adventure
-
Star Raiders
-
Enduro
-
Xevious
-
Robotron 2084
-
Q*bert
-
Star Wars
-
Amidar
-
Mr. Do
-
Juno First
-
Gyruss
Print Out
E.C. Meade reviews books on the computer and home videogame fields. (book recommendations and warnings)
-
Basic Beginnings by Susan Drak Lipscomb and Margaret Zuanich
-
Basic Fun by Lipscomb and Zuanich
-
Ken Uston's Guide to Home Computers
-
Create Word Puzzles With Your Microcomputer by Ernest Mau
Video Victor (comic strip)
You Read It Here First ('giddy and sober' laserdisc ideas publicly proposed by the Videogaming Illustrated staff)
-
Audio/Visual Collages
-
Physical Fitness/Arcade Play
-
Education
PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE
Intellivision
Odyssey2
ColecoVision
Commodore VIC-20
Commodore 64
Commodore Executive 64
Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer Model PC-3
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
Spectravideo SV-318
Timex Sinclair 2068
Atari VCS - 2600
Atari 400 - 800 - 1200
Apple computers
Epson QX-10 computer
PC
Atari 5200
arcade
---
(The following is loosely based on this issue's table of contents with select article taglines and/or excerpts (noted in quotes) included. (Notes) and bullet lists added for clarity.)
Nybbles
IBM's Peanut and Coleco's Adam are this month's industry preoccupations. (by Profunda; insider rumors and speculation)
Eye On
New games, new sticks, new mergers, plus an exclusive interview with Atari's Dave Ruckert - all in this, the most news-packed Eye On section ever! (news section; column headlines:)
-
Gold Rush (upcoming videogames, sorted by system:)
- Atari 2600
- ColecoVision
- Intellivision
- Atari 5200
- Busy Signals (AT&T and Coleco team for online videogame service; online service stumbles)
- Atari Reaches Out! (Atari status, upcoming plans; AtariSoft, coin-op, LucasFilm collaboration, computer add-ons delayed, Voice Controller cancelled; discussion commentary with Dave Ruckert)
- Arcadia Junior (arcade game and arcade venue news)
- Donkey Kong Sr. (William Higinbotham and the invention of the videogame)
- Home Improvements (joystick improvement add-ons; 2600 adapter for 5200)
- The King's English (Epson QX-10 computer)
- Pacesetter Stumbles (Osborne Computer Corporation files bankruptcy)
- Food For Thought (Eduware Services' edutainment software; discussion commentary with Steve Pederson)
- Shoot The Stars (computer and videogame related TV shows; Educational Computing Profile, The New Tech Times, The Video Game Challenge, Starcade, Video Games Report)
- Merger (Bally acquires Sega Enterprises coin-op)
- How Very Novel! (text adventure games; Zork series, Deadline, Starcross, Suspended, The Witness, Planetfall)
- You Control The Video (Atari 2600 game development kit for Atari 800 and VIC-20 computers (shown))
- Surge Suppressant (Discwasher surge suppressor)
- Let's Get Small (portable computers; Commodore Executive 64, Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer Model PC-3 (both shown))
- Bearing Fruit (Apple Color Plotter, Monitor II)
-
Game Update (upcoming computer games, sorted by system:)
- TI-99/4A
- Atari computers
- TRS-80
- Apple
- C64
Preview
E.C. Meade and Jim Clark review the latest videogames, a flood of titles from Atari, Coleco and Activision in this most crucial of Christmas offerings. (console videogame reviews, most with box art and/or screenshot)
- Fathom (2600)
- Crackpots (2600)
- Decathlon (2600)
- Mr. Do! (Col)
- Pole Position (2600)
- Sorcerer's Apprentice (2600)
- Pigs In Space (2600)
- Super Cobra (2600)
- Dreadnaught Factor (Int)
- Battlezone (2600)
- Moon Patrol (2600)
- Time Pilot (Col)
- Crash Dive (2600)
- Snoopy and the Red Baron (2600)
- Mario Brothers (2600)
- Astro Chase (5200)
- War Room (Col)
- Krull (2600)
- Beamrider (Int)
- Micro Takes (capsule reviews):
- Donkey Kong Jr. (2600)
- Zaxxon (Int)
- Frogger (Int)
- Q*bert (Int)
- Q*bert (Col)
- Berzerk (5200)
- Boing! (2600)
- Mr. Do! (2600)
Focus On: I/O Breakdown
Not a failure of Input or Output, but of Odyssey and Intellivision. After having been groundbreakers in the field for many years, these two units may be on their last legs, and there may be nothing anyone can do about it. ('I/O Breakdown! Not a breakdown of Input/Output, but of Intellivision/Odyssey. After years of prosperity, these systems may well be on their last legs.' by Vincent Papa; Odyssey3/Command Center shown; includes 'I/O-pinions' section reprinting excerpts from past game reviews:)
- Utopia (Int)
- Bomb Squad (Int)
- Tron: Solar Sailer (Int)
- Shark! Shark! (Int)
- Sharp Shot (Int)
- Mission X (Int)
- Burgertime (Int)
- Sid the Spellbinder (Ody2)
- Acrobats (Ody2)
- Killer Bees (Ody2)
- Smithereens (Ody2)
Close Up: Laserdisc
The technology that brought Dragon's Lair into the arcades has application far beyond gaming: surrogate travel and dimensional instruction are on the horizon. ('Laserdisc! Dragon's Lair was the first, and it's only the beginning.' by Bernhardt J. Hurwood; laserdiscs (released and under-development) discussed:)
- Dragon's Lair
- Mystery Disc #1: Murder, Anyone?
- Mystery Disc #2: Many Roads to Murder
- Vincent Van Gogh: A Portrait in Two Parts
- The Joy of Relaxation
- History Disquiz
- Maze Mania
- The World of Martial Arts
- Star Trek - The Motion Picture
- The Aspen Map
- The Movie Manual
Supergaming: Videogame Role-Playing
Role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons have been popular for years. If the principles of role playing are applied to videogaming, those old cartridges you haven't played in months or years will take on new life. ('Videogame Role-Playing! Bring new life to your videogame system with a role-playing tournament.' by Rober J. Sodaro with Georgene Muller)
Conquering: Moonsweeper
Strategy tips which will enable you to save moon-marooned miners. (by Mike Sittnick; 2600; game overview and strategy)
Input
For the very final time, the Atari vs. Coleco issue is hashed over. (letters column)
Arcadia
Sound effects are a much-overlooked, but essential, aspect of arcade games. Now the mask of anonymity is removed from two behind-the-scenes creators. ('The Hills Are Alive With Arcade Sound Effects' by Richard Meyers)
Conquering: Arcade Games
Strategy tips on arcade games such as Juno First and Congo Bongo will hone the player's skills, and a bonus section on etiquette will refine sensibilities. ('Conquering: The Arcades' by Randy Palmer; game strategies; includes 'Arcade Etiquette' section by Randy Palmer)
- Krull
- Congo Bongo
- Juno First
Computereyes
The Spectravideo SV-318 and the Timex Sinclair 2068 computers are reviewed. ('Mid-Price Challengers: Timex 2000 and Spectravideo SV-318' by Mike Sittnick)
RAMblings
Reviews of new strategy and arcade-style computergames.
- Wavy Navy (800,1200)
- Night Strike (400,800,1200 cart)
- Cannonball Blitz (VIC20)
- Spyder (PC)
- Hide and Sink (PC)
Championship Videogaming
Our readers provide strategy tips on games for the home and arcades. (reader submitted game strategies and trivia; usually addendums to game guides published in prior issues; this issue:)
- Adventure
- Star Raiders
- Enduro
- Xevious
- Robotron 2084
- Q*bert
- Star Wars
- Amidar
- Mr. Do
- Juno First
- Gyruss
Print Out
E.C. Meade reviews books on the computer and home videogame fields. (book recommendations and warnings)
- Basic Beginnings by Susan Drak Lipscomb and Margaret Zuanich
- Basic Fun by Lipscomb and Zuanich
- Ken Uston's Guide to Home Computers
- Create Word Puzzles With Your Microcomputer by Ernest Mau
Video Victor (comic strip)
You Read It Here First ('giddy and sober' laserdisc ideas publicly proposed by the Videogaming Illustrated staff)
- Audio/Visual Collages
- Physical Fitness/Arcade Play
- Education
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