Contents

From stockbroker to blackjack whiz to video game maven, the celebrated author knows no bounds. An exclusive interview by Roger Dionne.

Game designers are turning ideas into megabucks. Who are they, how do they do it and could you become one of them? Dale Archibald is on the case.

The maker of Barbie has come a long way, baby. An inside look at Mattel and its prime-time duel with Atari . Also, a rare interview with George Plimpton. Susan Prince and Steve Hanks do the job.

Space Invaders, Galazian, Pac-Man, Gorf, Ms. Pac-Man, Tron! Midway Manufacturing has done them all. On the eve of the company’s 25th anniversary, Andrea Stone paid a visit to this coin-op Goliath.

On Atari’s 10th birthday, VIDEO GAMES brings you the company that started it all. An incredible report by Steve Bloom.

A few words of hype from the editor.

Some words of advice from our readers.

Pac-Man gets a TV show, gamer clubs, Siggraph ‘82, drugs in arcades, the latest and greatest high scores, why Wall Street is saying all those terrible things about video games.

Perry Greenberg pulls no punches as he guides you through the ever-expanding software maze. Reviews of 16 brand new cartridges, including Atlantis, Pitfall and The Empire Strikes Back.

The mad, mad, mad, mad world of a video game book author. Between hands of poker and the change of cartridges, Roger Dionne found the time to tell us how it’s done.

Eugene Jarvis returns with more expert opinions on the latest batch of quarter-eaters. He also has a few things to say about Tron.

The TV-game system that nobody knows. Introducing Emerson’s Arcadia-2001. Critique by Sue Adamo.

Our resident funny men a re back on the loose. John Holmstrom’s “Bernie,” Gene Williams’ “Joyshticks,” and Peter Bagge “Video Kid.”