Datamost was a Southern California based game and book publisher for American 8bit computers in the early 80’s. They produced roughly 40 different games across the Apple‚ Atari‚IBM PC and Commodore machines‚ 16 of which we will explore here for the Atari 8bit.They mostly released arcade and action adventure titles‚ some unique to the Atari machines and some ports from the Apple II. To paraphrase  a 2017 Kay Savitz interview with Gary Koffler‚ the VP of  A and R at Datamost. Gary said that unlike  A &; R in the 80’s music industry‚ which most likely included obtaining illegal substances and dates from the crowd for the band members‚  his job consisted of mostly taking the teen Datamost programmers out for snacks and giving them quarters to play arcade games.Datamost also published a huge line of books for the 80’s 8-bit American machines‚ Gary said that their book publishing business for such titles as Atari Roots and Kids and the Atari was the most profitable side of the business. Gary described all kinds of profits‚ parties and risque advertisement back in the early 80s when Apple‚ Atari and C64 games were flying off the selves of all manner of retailers. . The link to this very eye opening interview is below. Like many publishers‚ Datamost had its share of fun arcade shooters‚ as well as quite a number of well made platform games. They also have a couple arcade puzzlers and at least one well done classic board game. After replaying all of the Datamost titles‚ i have to admit that only a couple of them‚ Mr. Robot and His Robot Factory and the Tail of beta Laray really strike me a Atari 8bit classics that I played back in the 80s‚ although I will add that both Jet Boot Jack and Cosmic Tunnels and Round Abou have qualities that will keep me coming back for more. Datamost were very proud of the music they put into their Atari released with advertisement that touted “here at last‚ real music for your Atari”So‚ as we will see‚ DataMost was REALLY adamant in Christmas 1983  that Atari 8bit and C64 owners would go out of their minds‚ while classic reviews didn’t care much for many of their games. As always‚ the truth lies software in between Up next are all 16 Atari 8bit releases and some of my and classic reviewers thought on the gamesNotes:Antic Interviewhttps://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-290-gary-koffler-vp-at-datasoft-and-datamostAtarimaniahttp://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-400-800-xl-xe-datamost_publisher_1176_8_G.htmlAirstrike – 1983 – Originally Super Cobra style horizontal; scrolling shooterreleased in the UK‚ this is a very difficult   by Steven A.Riding who also coded the Atari 8bit classic Captain Sticky’s Gold.  Airstrike got generally good reviews in the USA‚ but Atari User in an oldies review only gave it 1.5/4 in issue 50‚ saying 8 years ago it was considered good‚ but today it’s a little primitive.I will add that like many Datamost games‚ the controls get in the way of the game play. Air Strike is extremely difficult and the control far too touchyAlternity – 1983 (OS-B) – This is a unique shooter A cross between Amidar and Tempest whose controls take a bit to get used to but is a blast to play. I could not find any contemporary reviews of Alternity. But it has a 7.4/10 from Atarimania users.Ankh – 1984 – A very interesting Arcade Puzzler that combines Berzerk‚ Thrust‚ and Breakout into a puzzle game of discovery. The only reviews I found were for the C64 version and it received an average of 80% and a rather low 5.6/10 from Atarimania users.Ardy the Aardvark – 1983 – This AntEater clone is quite well done and adds some unique elements not in the arcade game. Although players seem to generally like this game‚ the only review for any system I could find was in Page6 Atari User issue 50 which gave it a 2/4 saying it’s amusing at first‚ but its appeal dwindled after a few plays.Aztec – 1982 – This almost forgotten classic was a must-have on the Apple II and was ported quite well in mode 8 to the Atari computers with joystick control that leaves a little to be desired. Play slow and be careful. This is not the pure action title you are expecting. Although I remember this being a beloved classic on Apple‚ I could not find any contemporary reviews for it or the Atari version‚ but Atarimania users give it a solid 7.2/10 while i find it far too difficult to have any fun withCohen’s Towers – 1983 – Like all Frank Cohen games‚ this one looks good and includes the music Datamost is very proud of‚ but  is very challenging to play. Contemporary reviews were all over the map on this one. Early Page 6 issue 15 called it Excellent‚ but after the Atari User Merger‚ in a classic review gave it 2/4‚ calling it reasonably addictive in its issue 50. On the other hand in Analog magazine Issue 20‚ notorious reviewer Steve Panak did not like it at all‚ calling it a crazy climber clone which is certainty is not. Crazy climber is a specific arcade game that is nothing like this. I guess to some people any game where a building is involved is crazy climber. I’ll give Steve Panak credit here though‚ while it’s not crazy climber and while it looks and sounds pretty good‚ it’s no fun at all. The difficult it far too high.Cosmic Tunnels – 1983 – A very cool shooter and action combo that is a close early cousin and possible inspiration for Oids on the Atari ST combined with Cosmic Ark on the VCS. Electronic games magazine called Cosmic Tunnel excellent‚ but Analog issue 25‚ the same Steve Panak  called it insulting while  Atari User  issue 50 gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars.  So it fared pretty well compared to other games we have seen them review so far in their issue 50 classic game round up.Jet Boot Jack – 1984 – Originally released by English Software‚ this is the Official release of the John Williams classic in the USA. It’s tough as nails‚ but John knew (and still knows)  the Atari 8bit graphics and sound inside and out. Page 6 magazine loved it in early issue 8‚ and also gave it 3 out  of 4 in later issue 52 as Atari User Magazine saying it was deserving of it’s minor classic status.Monster Smash! – 1983. Is a combination of Whack a mole‚ Mouse Trap and Zookeeper  where the player must stop monsters from escaping the screen‚ It includes  Music that some say rivals the  Mule opening Pokey Tune. Page 6‚ issue 15 called Monster Smash simple but addictive‚ which we wholeheartedly agree withMr. Robot and His Robot Factory – 1983 – Along with its screen designer‚ we were always partial to this over Miner 2049er‚ but the level design was not quite as good as Bill Hogue’s classic. Luckily‚ you can make your own!. Electronic fun‚ Page 6‚ Atari User‚ the Combined Atari User / Page 6 all gave Mr. Robot high marks. Again Analog magazine gave the arcade game reviews to Steve Panak‚ who really didn’t like arcade games on home computers much and he said “Try before you buy”‚ which possibly is accurate if you were a hard core Steve Panak review reader and agreed with him. If not‚ It was one of the better A8 games to have ever been released.Mychess II – 1984 – Developed as a rival to Sargon‚ this very well crafted chess game also has a set of classic games included for the player to study. I could not find any contemporary reviews of MyChess 2 across any platform‚ but I have to say that it looks great. I would like to have been able to use the joystick to move‚ but the coordinate entry system is probably more accurate for hard core chess players for which it is targeted‚ and Atari Manaia users give it a nice 7/10/ Nightraiders – 1983  This combo of Zaxxon and Blue Max‚ was  coded by a teenager Peter  Filiberti‚   is quite fun to play with many various vertical scrolling challenging stages.Electronic Games magazine liked Night Raiders in it’s July 1984 issue and Atari Mania users seemed to appreciate its variety of game play  giving it 6.9/10Polar Pierre – 1984 A fun arcade style non-scrolling platform game across multiple unique screens. I could not find any contemporary reviews of Polar Pierre‚ but it has a 7.8/10 rating on AtariManiaRound About – 1983 A fun and colorful sliding arcade shooter  by Kent Simon who also coded  Ankh. This game is more appreciated by Atarimania voters then Anka  with a very good (for Atarimania voters)  7/10 rating.Super Bunny – 1984 A mode 8 color game with artifacting that plays a little like Frogger. What we are showing here is a Homesoft modded version that doesn’t lock up the screen on the 800XL or in emulation. Although there are no Atari 8bit reviews from contemporary magazines‚ at least in my review database‚ I did find one Apple II review from Moby games giving it 38% in Electronic Fun magazine‚ while Atarimania users liked it a little more at 6.7/10Tail of Beta Lyrae “LARAY” (The) – 1983 A very fun scramble clone that Electric Fun called TIRED even in 1984. Giving it 2/4. But Laray was universally lauded multiple times in both Page 6 and Atari User when they called it Brilliant with Excellent graphics and sound while bestowing it 8/10 and 3.5/4 ratings. We wholeheartedly agree.Well‚ that’s it for this time. Datalost was not as prolific as Synapse for the Atari 8 bit and their games were a little more hit and miss‚ but I was generally pleased to play the ones I had not played and had fun revisiting my classic favorites.in \The Vertical Blank