Since I’m winding-down my research on Atari for Gamasutra, I thought I would share some of the better places on the web that have interviews with (or firsthand account from) retro-gaming stars from Atari’s past. Some of these “interviewees” might not have worked at Atari, but either made games for Atari systems or were in occupations that affected Atari in it’s heyday (i.e. journalists, 3rd party devs). If you are interested in Atari history, there is nothing better than reading words directly from the mouths of people who were there.
One thing to note is that while these links work now, some of these interviews have fallen-of the web in the past. A few are are linked here directly from the Internet Archive . As well, if some of these suddenly go off line , you can search for them in Internet Archive to try to retrieve the content from the dead link.
The Interviews/Firsthand Accounts
- Rich Adam, Mike Hally : (Coin-op, Gravitar), March 4, 2004 http://www.cooganphoto.com
- Al Alcorn : (Coin-op, Pong), VG-Network
- Al Alcorn: : (Coin-op, Pong), March 10, 2008 IGN
- Ralph Baer: (arch-rival), April 24, 2006, Gamasutra
- Ralph Baer: (arch-rival), March 23, 2007, Gamasutra
- Ralph Baer: (arch-rival), Good Deal Games
- Donna Baily :(Coin-op, Centipede) August 27, 2007, Gamasutra
- Donna Baily: (Coin-op, Centipede), August 3, 2007, Gamasutra
- DanilleBerry/Dan Bunten: (8-bit, M.U.L.E.): 1997, Halcyon Days
- DanilleBerry/Dan Bunten: (8-bit, M.U.L.E.): , http://www.worldofmule.net
- Bob Brodie : (Atari ST), August 2, 1991, Z*Net
- Bill Budge : (8-bit, Pinball Construction Set), 1998, http://www.pcpinball.com
- Chuck “Chuckles” Bueche : (8-bit, Ultima II) Armchair Arcade
- Nolan Bushnell : (Founder), Good Deal Games
- Nolan Bushnell : (Founder), San Jose Mercury News
- Nolan Bushnell: (Founder), October 26, 2007 Speigel
- Nolan Bushnell: (Founder), April 2007, Joystiq
- Nolan Bushnell: (Founder), Dec 12, 2007 Vintage Computer And Gaming
- Steve Baker: (VCS,5200, 8-bit, Defender, Stargate ): 2001, Digital Press
- Mayor Donald E. Carroll : (Mayor of Alamogordo,New Mexico), 2005 Atari Digital Madman
- Mark Cerny : (Coin-op, Atari Game, Marble Madness), June 2002, http://www.bodenstandig.de/marble/atariga.htm
- Ian Chadwick (Journalist, Antic magazine): May 9, 2003, Atari Times
- David Crane: (VCS, Activision, Pitfall) Dec 6, 2005, Gamasutra
- David Crane: (VCS, Activision, Pitfall), Good Deal Games
- David Crane : (VCS, Activision, Tennis) Jan, 1984 Hi-Res Magazine
- Chris Crawford: (8-bit, Eastern Front) June 5, 2003, Gamasutra
- Chris Crawford: (8-bit, Excalibur): 1997 Halcyon Days
- Chris Crawford: (8-bit, SCRAM) : 2005, Armchair Arcade
- Chris Crawford: (8-bit Energy Czar), Feb 2, 2005, The Guardian Unlimited
- Joe Decuir: (Coin-op, Stella), 2005, Digital Press
- Joe Decuir : (Coin-op, Stella), 1998, Atari Museum
- Steve Defrisco :(VCS, Motorodeo, Klax), 2007, Digital Press
- Steve Defrisco: (VCS,, Klax), 1997 Halcyon Days
- Steve Defrisco : (VCS, Magic), Numb Thumb Club
- Jerome Domurat : (VCS, 5200, ST-graphics, E.T. ) 2002, Digital Press
- Landon Dyer : (8-bit, Centipede), 2008, http://www.dadhacker.com
- Peter Engelbright: (VCS, Epyx) Oct. 25, 2002, Atari times
- Hal Finney : (VCS-M-Network), 2006, Digital Press
- David Fox: (8-bit, 5200, Lucasfilm): 1997, Halcyon Days
- Jon Freeman & Anne Westfall : (8-bit, Electronic Arts, Archon); 1997, Halcyon Days
- FTL Team : (Atari ST, Dungeon Master,Oids,Sundog), Jan 1990, CPU NEWSWIRE ONLINE MAGAZINE
- Rob Fulop: (VCS, Night Driver), Nov. 23, 2006 , Gamasutra
- Rob Fulop: (VCS, Missile Command), 1993-2000, Digital Press
- Larry Gelberg (VCS, Parker Bros.), 2600 Connection
- Eric Ginner (Lynx, Ms. Pac-Man, Rampart), Oct 4, 1996, Atari times
- Tony Goacher : (Atari ST), Dec. 17, 2005 Atari Legend
- James Hague: (8-bit, Antic, Dadgum.com) Sep. 8, 1997 Atari Times
- Steve Hales : (VCS,8-bit, Synapse), 1997, Halcyon Days
- John Harris : (8-bit, Sierra, Jawbreaker): 1997, Halcyon Days
- Keithen Hayenga : (5200), 2004, Good Deal Games
- Bill Hogue : (8-bit, 5200, Miner 2049er), Feb 15, 2007, Armchair Empire
- Mathhew Hubbard :(VCS, Activision), 2001, Digital Press
- Jim Huether : (VCS, 5200. Flag Capture, Realsports Football), 2007, Digital Press
- Keithen Hayenga (Coin-op, 5200) : Good Deal Games
- Larry Kaplan : (VCS, Activision) 2006, Digital Press
- Kitchen Bros. (VCS, US Games, Activision): 1983, Electronic Fun Magazine
- David Lamkins : (VCS, Parker Bros., Frogger), 2004, Digital Press
- Stephen H. Landrum (8-bit, Epyx, Summer Games), http://www.fomalhaut.de
- Lance Lewis: (Jaguar) : Dec. 8, 2005 Atari Times
- Andre LamMothe : (8-bit, Quarks), http://www.gamershell.com
- Ed Logg : (Coin-op, Asteroids, Centipede) VG-Network
- Ed Logg (Coin-op, Tengen, Tetris), Atari HQ
- Ed Logg : (Coin-op, Atari Games), 1997, IGN
- David Lubar (8-bit, VCS,, Ultima IV) , 2003, Digital Press
- David Lubar: (8-bit, VCS, Fantastic Voyage, Ultima IV), 1997, Halcyon Days
- Denis Koble, Bill Grubb (Coin-op, VCS, Imagic), Jan 1983, Video Games Magazine
- Dan Kramer (VCS, Trak-Ball), August 15, 2005, Gamasutra
- Steve Kranish (8-bit, VCS), 2007, Digital Press
- Bill Kunkel: (Journalist:Electronic Games ) Dec. 12, 2005, Gamasutra
- Bill Kunkel : (Journalist, Electronic Games), Good Deal Games
- Bill Kunkel: (Journalist, Electronic Games), Jan. 2006, Gamerdad.com, 8bitrocket.com
- Harry Lafnear: (Atari ST, Time Bandit , Sep. 6, 2003, Atari Legend
- Daniel M. Lawrence (8-bit, Telengard), 6/22/2007 Armchair Arcade
- Barry Leitch :(Atari Games), 4/19/2001, remix64.com
- Brian McKee : (Coin-op) Atari Games, Area 51 http://www.tomheroes.com/
- Archer MacLean : (8-bit, Dropzone), Halcyon Days
- Daniel Macre : (Atari ST, Vroom), July 22, 2002, Atari Legend
- John Mathieson : (Jaguar, hardware), 2002
- Jed Margolin : (Coin-op), http://www.jmargolin.com/
- Alan Miller : (VCS, Activision), 2003, Digital Press
- Jay Miner : (VCS, 8-bit) September 1992, Mike Nelson
- James Morgan : (Atari CEO, 1983-1984), Antic Magazine, March 1984
- Jeff Minter : (ST, Jaguar, Tempest 2000), 1997, Halcyon Days
- Chuck Needle, R.J. Mical : (Lynx, Epyx): Sept. 1989, EGM
- Doug Neubauer (8-bit, Star Raiders), 1997, Halcyon Days
- Doug Neubauer : (8-bit, Star Raiders), 1986, Atari HQ
- Robert Craig Neve : (Atari ST), April 5, 2003, Atari Legend
- Greg Omi (Lynx, Electrocop), July 8, 2003, Atari Times
- Jeanne Parson, Judy Munsen (Coin-op, Atari Games, Primal Rage) April 13,1997 Stay Free Magazine
- Bob Polaro : (VCS, 8-bit, Realsports Volleyball, Desert Falcon), 1999, Digital Press
- Bob Polaro : (VCS, 8-bit) Atari Age
- Warren Robinett : (VCS, Adventure): March 29, 2007, Gamasutra
- Warren Robinett : (VCS, Adventure), Good Deal Games
- Warren Robinett : (VCS, Adventure), Halcyon Days
- Warren Robinett 1,2,3,4 :(VCS, Adventure), Toadstool’s Game Shrines
- Warren Robinett :(VCS, Adventure), May, 2003 The Jaded Gamer
- David Rolfe : (VCS, M-Network), 2004, Digital Press
- David Rolfe: (VCS, M-Network), Good Deal Games
- Ed Rotberg : (Coin-op), Halcyon Days
- Owen Rubin : (Coin-op): VG-Network
- Owen Rubin :(game stories):(Coin-op), orubin.com
- Michel Rubin: (Writer/Journalist Book Droidmaker): Dec 21,2005 Gamasutra
- Lx Rudis : (Lynx, musician), Sep. 9, 2002 Atari Times
- Ed Salvo :(VCS, Games By Apollo, Lost Luggage) 2006, Digital Press
- Tom Sloperman : (Atari Corp., 7800), 2002, http://www.sloperama.com
- Rob Smith (VCS, Imagic, Dragonfire), 1983, Numb Thumb
- Brad Stewart : (VCS, Breakout, Asteroids), 2001, Digital Press
- Donald A. Thomas Jr. : (Atari Corp. spokesman) Good Deal Games
- Donald A Thomas Jr. : (Atari corp. spokesman), 8/20/96 STReport (page search on ‘Last Days’)
- Fred Thorlin : (8-bit, APX), Atari Archives
- Jack Tramiel : (Atari Corp. CEO, 1984-1996), Feb., 1985 Antic Magazine
- Jack Tramiel: (Atari Corp CEO, 1984-1996), March 1986, Data Well
- Jack Tramiel: (Atari corp. CEO, 1984-1996) , 1989
- Leonard Tramiel : (Atari Corp. Engineer) : July 31, 2001, Classicgaming.com
- Sam Tramiel : (Atari Corp. President) Sept, 1989 Start Magazine
- Sam Tramiel :(Atari Corp. President), 1995, Next Generation
- Kurt Vendel : (Atari historian, Atari Flashback consoles), June 5, 2007 The Escapist
- Howard Scott Warshaw: (VCS, E.T.), 1997 Digital Press
- Howard Scott Warshaw: (VCS, Raiders Of The Lost Ark), 1997 Atari Times
- Howard Scott Warshaw: (VCS, Yar’s Revenge) Feb 2,2005, Onion AV Club
- Bob Whitehead : (VCS, Activision, Home Run, Skiing), 2005, Digital Press
- Brian Watson : (Atari ST, Psygnosis, Menace), Sep. 28, 2004 Atari Legends
- Jonathan Wheatman : (Atari ST), Feb 1, 2003 Atari Legends
- Steve Woita : (VCS, Quadrun), 2001, Digital Press
- Steve Woita : (VCS, Quadrun), Good Deal Games
- Ihor Wolosenko : (8-bit, Synapse): March, 1983, Antic Magazine
- Steve Wozniak: (Coin-op, Breakout) May 4, 2007, Gamasutra
Other
Some interviews are simply not available on the internet. You can see/hear some great interviews with otherwise unavailable Atari vets like Carla Meninsky, Tod Frye, Rob Zdybel, etc. by purchasing Once Upon Atari DVD here : http://www.onceuponatari.com/