In the latest episode of Retro Magazines, Retronaut takes us on another nostalgic journey, this time cracking open the February 1982 issue of Computer & Video Games (C&VG). The holiday rush of 1981 may be over, but the UK’s microcomputing scene is still buzzing with excitement.
This issue marks the arrival of some arcade legends—Scramble and Galaga make their debut, setting the stage for what would become classics in the gaming world. Meanwhile, a particularly curious reader gets hands-on with an Atari BattleZone machine, offering an inside look at its cutting-edge hardware. It’s a glimpse into a time when arcade technology was advancing at breakneck speed.
And of course, no early ’80s computer magazine would be complete without pages filled with BASIC program listings. Readers would spend hours—sometimes days—painstakingly typing out lines of code in the hopes of bringing “the next blockbuster game” to life on their newly unboxed micros. It was a time of pure digital optimism, where the line between player and programmer was thinner than ever.
For those who love vintage computing, classic arcade games, and the history of interactive entertainment, this episode is a must-watch!
