Source: Electronic Games – Issue Number 5 – July 1982
Electronic Games was really the grandfather of all video gaming magazines. It’s life was cut somewhat short by the video game crash of 1982/83 but the influence of it and its creators carried on throughout the life of video gaming journalism. Of course, in print form at least, that seems to be pretty much over today.
The July 1982 issue of Electronic Games includes:
- Switch On! – Pondering the question of whether or not acade gaming is a fad or a hobby.
- Electronic Games Hotline – New this month includes: Atari VCS/2600 games coming later in the year include Raiders of the Lost Ark, Defender, Star Raiders, Berzerk, and Yar’s Revenge; the Atari 800 gets a price reduction to $900; Atari hosts “Pac-Nic”, a publicity event for Pac-Man held at the Tavern on the Green in New York with 3,000 media guests; $100,000 nationwide arcade tournament; Atari sues the Odyssey division of North American Phillip over K.C. Munchkin; Asteroids maintains top spot in home video game sales; possible new games coming for the Bally Astrocade include Munchie, The Wizard, Solar Conqueror, cosmic Raiders, Quest for the Orb, Pirate’s Chase and more; upcoming Intellivison games include Tron, Night Stalker, Star Strike and Frog Bog; and more!
- Inside Gaming – An interview with Alan Miller, Atari and Activision game designer who worked on Surround, Hangman, Concentration, Basketball, Checkers, Tennis, Starmaster, Ice Hockey and more.
- Q&A – Questions answered about voice and music in games, Boxing for the Intellivision, the Atari vCS vs. the Sears Tele-Arcade; selling your own games; score keeping on the Atari VCS, programming in BASIC, the inventor of Pac-Man, Atari Cosmos, and more.
- Readers Replay – Letters from readers about Laser Blast, the Astro Arcade, the Intellivision, the availability of the Game-Time Watch and Casio VL-Tone, the Odyssey2, and more.
- Test Lab – A look at various video switchboxes including the Zenith Rhoades SW-5X1 Video RF Switch, the Zenith S10W, and the Cable Works touch Sensor Four.
- Feature: The History of Arcades – A look at the coin machine industry going all the way back to the 1800s with an emphasis on early pinball machines.
- Strategy Session – A detailed strategy guide for K.C. Munchkin along with some hints for Match Racer for the Atari 400/800.
- Special Feature: The Coming of…Tron! – A sneak peak of both the movie and some of the various related games, including two Tron games for the Intellivision (just referred to as Tron I and Tron II here) and a handheld ‘Tomytronics Tron Game’.
- Insert Coin Here – A look at the latest arcade games including Kick (Midway), Space Duel (Atari), Mouse Trap (Exidy), Zaxxon (Sega-Gremlin), Barracuda (Coinex), and Alpine Ski (Taito).
- Special Section: The Players Guide to Electronic Summer Sports – A look at many of the (Summer) sports games currently available, including Odyssey’s Golf, Atari’s Golf, Mattel’s PGA Golf, Mattel’s Tennis, Video Olympics, Tornado Baseball, USAC Auto Racing, Indy 500, Speedway, Dragster, Activision’s Grand Prix, Night Driver, Turbo, Table Soccer, NASL Soccer, Pele’s Soccer, Atari’s Volleyball, Odyssey’s Volleyball, Home Run, Odyssey’s Baseball, Major League Baseball, and more.
- Game Library – Reviews of video gaming related books, including How To Master The Video Games, Mastering Pac-Man, The Complete Guide to Electronic Games, and How to Win at Video Games.
- Arcade America – A look at arcades across America, this month featuring Westworld in Westwood Village, California.
- Passport to Adventure – A detailed look at The Prisoner for the Apple II in which the goal is to escape an island on which you are held captive.
- New Products – New products examined this month include Videogame Furniture from Bush Industries and the Pac-Man board game.
- Mini-Arcade Gallery – A look at the latest in portable gaming including The Great Game Machine that uses cartridges and has games such as chess, checkers reversi and blackjack. The machine itself retails for $229.95 and each cartridge will set you back $100. Another example of a programmable system includes the Coleco Total Control 4 with various sports themed games that are much more affordable. Entex’s Select-A-Game and the Adventure-Vision are also covered among others.
- Videgames Go King-Size – The EG staff tries out what it is like to play video games on giant projection screens from 50-inch rear projection screens to 120-inch front projection screens and includes some tips on how to prevent burn-in.
- Programmable Parade – Reviews of the latest home video game cartridges, including Space Fortress (Astro Home Arcade), Trickshot (Atari VCS), Galactic Invasion (Astro Professional Arcade), Boxing (Intellivision), and Haunted House (Atari VCS).
- Coin-Op Classroom – The story behind Tempest and a primer on how to play it.
- Computer Playland – Reviews of the latest computer games, including Mouskattack (Atari 400/800), Crossfire (Apple II, Atari 400/800), Hockey (Atari 400/800), Sammy the Sea-Serpent (Atari 400/800), David’s Midnight Magic (Apple II), and Ceiling Zero (Apple II).
- Stand-Alone Scene – Reviews of the latest handhelds, including Reflex (Parker Brothers), Quiz Wiz Challenge (Coleco), and World Championship Baseball (Mattel).
…and more!
