August 2026
•August 2026 Edition•
Great to see everyone at the party last month! Along with all the partying we got some important business done, we voted to modernize the club bylaws a bit. The updated version is on the website! Last month I mentioned that I had an “Atari XL/XE 5-Pin DIN S-Video & Composite AV Cable” on order from 8-Bit Classics, hoping that would get my Atari back up and running on the big TV by way of the AVR, making use of the S-Video signal as before. You’ve been in suspense for a whole month! The answer is, it works perfectly! So indeed, as I had hoped, it was as simple as the old A8 A/V BOB having failed for some reason. So, I can absolutely recommend the 8-Bit Classics AV Cable! Another completely different new product that I recently came across is one that I found rather fascinating. Tattler Solutions has produced the “Atari SX212 WiFi Retromodem” upgrade for the Atari SX212 modem. https:// tattlersolutions.com/sx212/ . The gist is that the innards of the SX212 are replaced with a Hayes modem emulator (ZiModem) that connects to your WiFi while acting like a modem to your computer. The cool thing is they say you can use your upgraded SX212 with an 8bit Atari over the SIO connection, just like before. They don’t provide enough details, but I suppose you’d use a normal SX-212 R: modem handler on the Atari side? That would make sense to me. I was just thinking, as traditional copper analog phone lines are starting to disappear that leaves all voice modems utterly useless as they don’t work with fiber landlines, much less other high speed internet options. But, products like this are exactly what you would need to make an old modem relevant today. Is there any advantage to this idea of a modem upgrade over the FujiNet cartridge? Maybe not. Still, I’m find myself drawn to the possibility of using an old Atari modem to connect to today’s high speed networks!
Hard to believe that over half of 2026 is history. We just celebrated our 44th year birthday party with six members and one guest present. We welcomed our newest member, Bob Floyd, who happened to be a previous club president all the way back in the 1980s. I must say he fit in perfectly like he never left, and he seemed to have kept up with the current Atari news and changes. A great addition to our SPACE club. This was definitely the warmest day for one of our parties. I had to keep the food on ice and get it to the meeting pronto. It worked out okay, but Jackie decided not to make her chocolate chip cookies because of melting the chocolate, so she just made ginger snaps instead. Also, we had to forego our traditional root beer floats as the ice cream would never have made it! As far as our treasury is concerned we started the month of July with a bank balance of $770.06 and we added $60.00 for the month on one new membership and five DOMs sold. We had an expense in July for our SPACE 44th year Birthday Party, $131.32 which included the Jersey Mike’s subs, and two salads. We covered that expense in the last two months $75.00 in June and $60.00 in July. That’s the first time that we covered a party that quickly! So our treasury now stands at $698.74. Our next meeting isn’t until August 14th which is the latest second Friday it could be in any month, so mark it on your calendar so you don’t overlook it and I hope to see you all then.
Thanks, keep using that Atari, and come to your next SPACE meeting: Friday, August 14, 2026.
Pages Two Through Six: Atari 8-bit DOM Review
Welcome to the Secretary’s Report for July 2026. I will commence with the Meeting Minutes. So, let’s get started with the Report! MEETING COMMENCES: The July SPACE Meeting commenced on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 8:00 PM. We also had the SPACE Birthday Party beforehand, starting at 6:00 PM. Including myself on Discord, there were seven members present, with six members physically there at the Meeting. MEMBERSHIP COUNT: We have eleven members paid up. This month, there was a renewal and a new membership for a previous member who rejoined. DOM REPORT: We have another great DOM with a demo called Buddy Radio 65 XE. It looked spectacular at the party. More on this DOM will be presented in the Atari 8-bit DOM Review later in the Newsletter. WEBSITE REPORT: SPACE President Michael Current is having one of the SPACE members, Roger, help with the SPACE Website to make it run better. Aside from that, no problems have been reported with the Website at this time. OLD/NEW BUSINESS: We have a membership renewal and a new member, who was once SPACE President back in the day, Bob Floyd, who we welcome back. Also, Video 61 has recently released a new game, “Blade Jockey”, an arcade-style helicopter combat game. This new video game has been announced on the Atari I/O forums, at https://forums.atari.io/topic/11536-announcing-blade-jockeys-for-atari-7800-%E2%80%94available-now/#comment-120941. It costs $39.95, plus $8.50 for shipping and handling. NOTE: If the URL hyperlink on this PDF isn’t working, then copy-paste it on your browser bar. Sorry for any inconvenience. Furthermore, we voted to amend the Bylaws for the SPACE Club. This involves updating new information on the SPACE Discord channel as opposed to the BBS and the new location for the SPACE Meetings at the Wilder Center in Saint Paul. Thanks to everyone who was present to vote. MEETING ADJOURNS: The July SPACE Meeting ended at 8:13 PM, but the SPACE Birthday Party commenced for the duration of the Meeting. It was another successful Party with a lot of food and camaraderie. I am looking forward to the SPACE Christmas Party in December. It will be fun. This concludes the SPACE Secretary’s Report. Thanks for reading and have a good day! In the words of the late, great Stan Lee…
–TABLE OF CONTENTS– Page One: The President’s Corner & SPACE Officers’ Reports
HELLO WORLD!
Message from Captain Irata: “Get a life! No! Get two or three in your favorite video game! Live and win!” HOO-RAH!
EXCELSIOR! TRIVIA TIME! The Atari 7800 ProSystem has a palette of 256 on-screen colors in the NTSC (US) version of the game console.
The next file is a file called “2026 Fireworks”, programmed in Mad Pascal by Christian Duesterhoeft. It’s pretty cool. It shows an animated text ticker and sprites depicting the fireworks on the screen showing “2026”, explosions and the Atari Fuji logo on the screen.
Welcome back to the Atari 8-bit DOM Review. We will have a double-DOM A8 Review this time with lots of cool games, pics and demos. You’re going to love this Review! This month, we will review the July and February DOMs for 2026. Let’s get started!
There are also some cute sprites that jump around on the screen around the bouncing text ticker and there is also some cool music. It’s looks and sounds great. I wouldn’t mind learning to program this kind of stuff, but I also enjoy looking at the results of other programmers. Nice job!
The next file is another game called “Grime 6502,” by an anonymous programmer. I think this game has a PAL issue because some of the text looks garbled, however I could be wrong about that. It could be the way the game is presented, but I don’t know. You have to shoot at things coming at you from the sides of the screen and avoid things that grow in size on the screen and can entrap you. You can shoot at the growing obstacles as well. If you get caught or hit something, you lose a life. It’s Game Over if you lose your last life. Overall, it’s challenging. You never stop firing at your enemies, so you just have to aim while firing continuously. You have free reign of the screen and can go anywhere where the screen allows. Just don’t touch anything!
July 2026 DOM, Side A: The first file on this DOM is called “Happy 2026”, a 254-byte demo by Freddy Offenga. It shows lines of dates showing the year 2025 being converted to the year 2026 as they go across the screen. Simple, but effective.
Like I said, there may be a PAL issue, so there may be problem with our NTSC TVs and monitors. Still, it’s a cool game that can present a real fight. I will score this game now for everybody.
The animation is fluid and the music sounds great. I like the fireworks display depicted in this file and it looks pretty good. Let me score this file now. SCORE:
The isn’t a lot going on here, but it is a small file. The colors look nice and it welcome the new year of 2026 at the time. I like it, and it is to the point. I wish it could be a little more, but it is interesting with the fluid animation and colors. I will score it now. SCORE: Graphics: Animation:
8 10
TOTAL SCORE:
18/20 (90%)
The next file is another small file. It has 257 bytes of code and it’s called “MazeSy”. It’s also interactive. You have to go through and get out of the maze. If you do, it resets to another maze. Again, simple but effective. Plus, you can play it while watching it. Cool!
Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
9 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
29/30 (97%)
The next file is a game of concentration called “Blinky”, by Jan Spitzkowski. It reminds me of the old Simon game that I used to play. It is set up exactly the same way as that game. You control a right hand as a cursor with your joystick and use the hand’s index finger to select. It is basically Simon, like I previously stated it reminded me of. Follow the buttons in the correct pattern to play the game exactly as they are portrayed. If you miss, you lose. So, the game is quite straightforward. Easy to learn, hard to remember. You can select multiple players and different levels of difficulty. So, that is the gist of the game and how it plays. Anyway, the interface is OK but it takes a little practice to get used to it. But, it isn’t difficult. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze. It just depends on your good memory.
SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation:
8 9 7
TOTAL SCORE:
24/30 (80%)
The next file is called “Verder-Zine”, by Bialobrzewski, an interesting music track. It has a strange sound to it, but has a nice beat. It has some weird tones to it, but it is creative. I thought it was quite interesting. It fun to listen to. Let me score it now. TOTAL SCORE:
8/10 (80%)
The next file is by Mario Krix, another music track called “Pokey City NYD 2026”. It’s really good and has a nice sound to it. This is done with the POKEY chip and it shows nicely. It sounds like it has a nice beat and is pulsepounding with a lot of action. Nicely composed! Let me score it now. TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (100% perfect score)
The next file is a picture called “Koala Paint”. It shows a koala as a graffiti artist who has spray painted an anarchy sign on a brick wall. It looks like a very nice composition. It has nice detail and is pleasant to look at. I like the cartoon look of the koala. With that, here’s my score.
It has a lot of detail and it’s intricately designed. The interactivity programmed into this file makes it sort of fun. I like the file because of the interactivity. It helps with the WOW factor. You can enjoy how it looks and play it at the same time. Neat stuff! I will score this file now. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
8 9 10 9
TOTAL SCORE:
36/40 (90%)
Actually, the interface looks pretty good. I like that you can see through the nail on the index finger, which helps with the interactivity and for finding the right thing to select. It looks like a really cool game. I will score this game now for everybody. SCORE: Graphics: Gameplay: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
10 10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
40/40 (100% perfect score)
TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (100% perfect score)
The last file on Side A is another picture called “Critical Focus Point”, by Szewczyk. It shows a person thinking and he has four arms. This is a very detailed picture and I love the composition. It looks very well done on the A8. I like the shading and the color. It stands out.
Let me score this file now. SCORE: The anatomy looks nice, too. Obviously, the creator of this rendering knows something about life drawing. It really looks good. I will score this file now. TOTAL SCORE:
Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
9 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
29/30 (97%)
The next file is called “Chaos Engine”, a 127-byte file by Marek Cora. It shows lines forming cool patterns on the screen. The lines move quite fast and look quite appealing, at least to me anyway. It reminds me of a screensaver on a Windows PC. It looks very interesting.
10/10 (100% perfect score)
There is only one file on Side B of this DOM, and you’re in for a treat when you see it. So let’s review the file! Side B: The final file on this DOM is called “Buddy Radio 65 XE”, created by Buddy and PPs. It is a music and graphics file. It has quite a few music tracks and there are graphics depicting an audio cassette, a boom-box radio and a light-up text ticker among things. These programmers took a lot of time to create this, and it shows. There is a lot of thought that got put into this file. It’s got great music and it’s actually very entertaining. It’s also interactive. It truly is a cool demo.
The graphics are very eye-catching and they have a distinctive appeal. I like the animated multi-colored light display that spells out “Buddy Radio 65 XE” as it moves across the screen. Lots of work to create, I am sure, and it looks brilliant. Over the top! I will score this file now.
The lines form really cool patterns, like the line drawing I made as a kid where I drew lines on a paper that looked like they were curving when they were all straight lines and created the illusion of that. You can see that in this demo. Order from chaos. Nice job! I will score this now.
SCORE:
SCORE:
Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
30/30 (100% perfect score)
OK! That is the complete Review for the July 2026 DOM. Now, onto the February 2026 DOM, and I am sure you will love it. So, with that, here we go! February 2026 DOM, Side A: The first file on this DOM is called “Cutting Edge”, by Freddy Offenga. The file is only 75 bytes in size, 53 bytes less than the total RAM capacity in an Atari 2600 console. Amazing fact, but it’s true. It shows waves of dots going across the screen from the top-right to the lower-left corner. Although there is not much there, the composition looks and sounds cool. In short, it has fluid animation and the sound effects are actually quite good. I am impressed with the effort of using so little data. It stands out nicely. It’s very well done.
Graphics: Animation:
9 9
TOTAL SCORE:
18/20 (90%)
The next file is called “Computer Space”, by Kamil Trzaska. It is a 262-byte file that shows stars in circular patterns moving toward the front of the screen from the background of it in perspective. It’s like traveling through a star field in a space ship, at least it looks that way to me. The composition of the file is pretty good. I like the way it looks and sounds. It’s simple, and well-constructed. It’s a small file that is quite effective and eye-catching. It’s very good work that’s nicely implemented.
I will score this file now.
I will score this pic now.
SCORE:
TOTAL SCORE:
Graphics: Animation: Music/ Sound FX:
9 9 9
TOTAL SCORE:
27/30 (90%)
9/10 (90%)
The last file on Side A is called “Run to the Last Party”. It is by an anonymous artist, but it looks great. It shows a person in a special jet-pack suit sprinting on some specialized track. The colors and detail are amazing. The graphics really stand out. This is great stuff!
The next file is a demo called “In Memory of Benjy”. It is dedicated to a person named Benjy who passed away in 2025. I don’t know who Benjy personally is, but I am assuming he was a talented programmer in the Atari 8-bit who must have been well known. I am not going to score this demo out of respect for this recently passed on person. Also, sorry if I scored other files dedicated to people who passed away, as I think it’s unfair and disrespectful. My apologies for that. From now on, out of respect for the departed, I will not score memorial pieces because of the sensitive issue of the person’s death. Thanks for understanding.
It seems quite challenging. The first levels are easier, but it gets progressively harder as you go along in the game. It truly can be a brain-teaser, so it makes you think. Also, the bomb has a timer on it to add to the challenge. So, you have to be on your toes to play this. So, I think it’s a pretty cool puzzle game. It is well-coded and I like the game. Some of the levels take practice to complete, but it’s worth it. Great game. I will score this game now. SCORE:
Again, it has amazing detail and really stands out. Nice job! Let me score it now.
Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Music/Sound FX:
9 9 10 9
TOTAL SCORE:
TOTAL SCORE:
37/40 (93%)
The first file on Side B is “Lost Lines”, by Antonin Holik. It shows a bunch of animated lines moving on the screen, again like a screens aver on a Windows PC. The file size is 245 bytes of code. It looks interesting and active. I like it because it’s relaxing to look at. Plus, it looks cool.
The next three files are music tracks with the first track being “Crappetto”, by Tomasz Kusicz. It is an interesting and peppy tune with lots of beat and a nice fast tempo. It sounds pretty cool. I liked listening to it and it has a lot of action to it. I will score it now. TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (100% perfect score)
Now onto Side B, where we have more files to review! Side B:
8/10 (80%)
The next tune is called “Draconus (flamethrower remix)”, by Marek Pesout. It sounds epic and pulse-pounding. It gives you the feeling that something big is about to happen, like an epic battle. I think this is from a video game I might have heard of. It’s a cool tune. Let me score this. TOTAL SCORE:
Rest in Eternal Peace, Benjy… Now, getting back to the rest of the Review, we have yet another file. The next file is a game called “WitShift”, by Martin Simecek. It’s a puzzle game where you have to send a bomb to a portal in the least amount of moves before it explodes so you can safely disarm it. There can be obstacles in the way of the bomb and the safety portal you can send it to. However, moving the obstacles can take away from the amount of moves you have left. So, you have to think about how to use your remaining moves wisely and correctly to finish the levels.
9/10 (90%)
The third track is called “Jocky Wilson’s Darts Challenge (sharp pin remix)”, again by Marek Pesout. It sounds somewhat chaotic and active, but it’s really cool. I really like listening to this tune. It shows a challenge is on its way. Very nice! Let me score this tune now. TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (100% perfect score)
Sure, the sound effects could be better. But, for 245 bytes, I think it does the job. Pretty cool stuff. Let me score.
The next two files are pictures. The first pic is called “Radosc o poranku (or Joy in the Morning in Polish)”, by Piotr Radecki. It shows a dog pulling his owner across a field of flowers, much to the owner’s chagrin as he pulls the excited dog back because no dogs are allowed.
SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
9 9 9
I like this pic. It looks really good with a lot of detail. I like the cartoon look of the pic. It looks humorous.
TOTAL SCORE:
27/30 (90%)
The next file is called “Axel Engine”, by Kamil Trzaska. It shows a fly-by of shapes on the screen. It is a 517-byte file. I think it is supposed to be a small-code form of ray-tracing because the shapes look almost 3D. To me, anyway. Other than that, I don’t know what it is exactly. But, it looks sort of cool. It’s like you are flying over things from an aerial perspective. I am somewhat impressed by this file. It isn’t easy making something with only 517 bytes of code. But, this was accomplished that way, and I give the programmer credit for doing it. Fascinating stuff.
I also like the way the sun is depicted. It’s really good.
You know the rules. Get as many matches, Full Houses and points as possible. Try to get those elusive Yahtzees as well. This really is a cool translation of the original dice game. It doesn’t need much, but it’s excellent. I enjoy playing this game. It’s a lot of fun.
Again, it looks cool and interesting. I will score this file now for everybody. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
7 8 8
TOTAL SCORE:
25/30 (83%)
The next file is 1,030 bytes in size. It’s called “Dino Story”. It was created by Anjrej Bakes. It shows two dinosaurs in the forest that get crushed by a falling Atari Fuji logo, showing the emergence of the Atari Age. It takes place 165 million years ago in the Jurassic Age. Fortunately, there is an Easy mode if you feel too challenged. Cool game and lots of difficulty in it. I will score this game for you now.
It reminds me of “Bambi Meets Godzilla”, a short animated film where Bambi is grazing and Godzilla’s foot crushes him in the forest with no warning. Same premise here. Weird, but funny.
SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Gameplay: Music/ Sound FX:
8 9 10 9
TOTAL SCORE:
36/40 (90%)
The next three files on this DOM are music files. The first music file is “Willy Returns”, by Vit Hotarek. It is a tune with fast tempo and beat. It has a lot of action and tone. It sound peppy and quick. It really is a cool fun tune to listen to. Let me score it now. TOTAL SCORE: It’s a challenging game, and I will always have a heart for this type of game. I will score it now. SCORE:
I like the humor in it. The graphics look cool. It has more detail in this file than the last two files. But it’s bigger, just a bit over a kilobyte in size. So, there is more code in it. Nice and humorous. I will score this file now. SCORE: Graphics: Animation: Music/Sound FX:
9 9 9
TOTAL SCORE:
27/30 (90%)
The next file is a game called “Yachtze Classic”. It was programmed by Paul Fisher and was an entry in the ABBUC Software Contest for 2025. Basically, it’s Yahtzee. It’s a cool game of chance with the dice, as you know.
Graphics: Gameplay: Music/Sound FX:
10 10 10
TOTAL SCORE:
30/30 (100% perfect score)
The next file is another game called “Center”, by Peter Hinz. You have to exactly fill the screen with different types of polygonal shapes correctly. It is an interesting game with Tetris-like polygons, but it isn’t like Tetris. In this game, the shapes don’t fall from the sky. Instead, you have to align them correctly so they all fit in the right places. It looks quite difficult. It may have a learning curve. But, it is an interesting puzzle. Have fun with it, because it is a real brain-teaser and a challenge.
9/10 (90%)
The next two music files are by Marek Pesout, with the first of those files being named “Mountain Bike Simulator (broken brakes remix)”. It’s gritty, grungy and pulsepounding. It sounds like a grueling ride on the bike. It is really good and I like this time. Let me score it now. TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (100% perfect score)
The last music file is called “Ninja Commando (dark shuriken remix)”. It even sounds Japanese. It’s really cool. It has a sinister sound to it, as if something evil will happen. It’s really good. I will score it now. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10 (90%)
The last two files on this disk are pics. The first picture is called “Quantum Cat”, by Maciej Hauke. It shows a skeleton of a cat seeing its furry feline double in a mirror. It’s really nicely rendered. Nicely done. Applause!
By the way, the cat in the mirror reminds me of a Himalayan cat I used to own and take care of, and she was a very nice cat to have. I love the detail in this picture. It looks like it took a lot of time to create on the screen. I will score this file now. TOTAL SCORE:
9/10 (90%)
The last file on here is called “Orca,” by Nickolas Arachovitis. It’s really colorful. It also has a lot of detail. The colors compliment each other very well. I like the graphics and detail in this pic. Very nicely done.
Let me score this pic now. TOTAL SCORE:
10/10 (100% perfect score)
That concludes the Atari 8-bit DOM Review for August. I will be back with another double-DOM Review next month. Until then Carpe Diem, fellow Atarians, and thanks for reading. See you soon!
NOTICE! Due to the length of the A8 DOM Review and the time it took to create it, there will be no SPACE Comics Section in this Newsletter. Sorry for the Inconvenience. Thanks for reading!
FALL IS COMING SOON! SUMMER WILL SOON DEPART! HAVE A HAPPY AUTUMN!
SPACE 44th Birthday Party! Friday, August 14, 2026, From 6:00 - 8:30 PM. DOM Demonstration SPACE Meeting Thanks for coming!
You will need to check in with security if you come to the building after 5:30 PM, We will meet in the Midway Room 2310.The Meeting time is allocated from 6:00-8:30 PM, every second Friday of every month.