1. EachPod

Half A Century Of Type-Ins - This Week In Retro 220

Author
Chris from 005 AGIMA, Jason from The Retro Adventurers, Dave and Duncan Styles
Published
Sat 24 May 2025
Episode Link
https://TWIR.podbean.com/e/half-a-century-of-type-ins-this-week-in-retro-220/

We are joined by James (WhatHoSnorkers) to discuss a new video that shows how DMA Design reinvented the puzzle game, to remember the computerised Raleigh Vektar, and how it seems that 50 years have now passed since the very first type in game was released.


Whether you remember the Amiga, BBC Micro, Apple II, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, 16-bit consoles or DOS gaming; Pixel Addict shares your love of pioneering digital technology of the past. Visit https://www.addict.media/


You can see James having fun with type in programs at https://www.youtube.com/@WhatHoSnorkers


00:00 - Show Opening


03:10 - The Type-In Turns 50!

Story Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/thisweekinretro/comments/1kmabnb/perhaps_the_first_type_in_game_is_50/

Additional Link: https://altairclone.com/downloads/killbits.pdf

Learn About Checksums: https://atariprojects.org/2020/07/25/learn-about-checksum-programs-for-checking-type-in-programs-15-30-mins/

Thanks to Tom Halfhill: https://www.halfhill.com/


16:28 - It’s Not Street Hawk

Story Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/thisweekinretro/comments/1knk7vy/raleigh_vektar_mid_80s/#lightbox_cuts 

Additional Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/cassettefuturism/comments/rpyk7l/vektar_bike_raleigh_1985/

Another Link: https://radicallyretro.tumblr.com/post/675581185126219776/the-raleigh-vektar-1985-the-first-computerized


30:55 - Dave's Housekeeping - News links found below


36:56 - Oh No, More Lemmings!

Story Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FTOySSAPo8


47:03 - Community Question of the Week


🏆Your monthly support helps us keep the retro news flowing!

https://www.patreon.com/thisweekinretro


🕸 TWiR Sub Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/thisweekinretro/


Follow your hosts!

Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/davevelociraptor.bsky.social

https://bsky.app/profile/jasoncompton.bsky.social


Youtube:

Chris - https://www.youtube.com/@005AGIMA

Jason - https://www.youtube.com/@jpcompton


Audio Podcast:

https://retroadventurers.podbean.com/


Subscribe to the audio version of the show!

📻 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-retro/id1526487568?uo=4

📻 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2OPQ3cADaB92E9SpRdTe5y

📻 Podbean: https://twir.podbean.com

📻 Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/5734337

📻 RSS: https://feed.podbean.com/TWIR/feed.xml

📻 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinRetro




This Week in Retro is a weekly roundup of the hottest stories from the world of retro gaming and computing, voted on by you, the listener! Hosted by Chris from 005 AGIMA, Jason from The Retro Adventurers and Dave. Edited by Duncan Styles.


Dave's Housekeeping Links:


Japan’s Game Preservation Society: https://www.timeextension.com/features/japans-game-preservation-society-is-safe-for-now-and-its-all-thanks-to-you


How Much To Beat Golden Axe?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9Ou41OyHe8&list=PLViYSUcz2ufOKWfX3CEl_9SnoeKW6D7y2


Gail Wellington Passes Away: https://old.reddit.com/r/amiga/comments/1kp4b73/gail_wellington_commodore_software_products/


Mega Drive Metal Gear: https://h0ffman.itch.io/metal-gear-md


Desktop Korg Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wznr5qR-FcY


How An Ancient OS Still Lives: https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250516-the-people-stuck-using-ancient-windows-computers


Dragon 32 Is A Prize: https://youtu.be/bG3bAkyr63A

Share to: