The Legend of SwordQuest
The Legend of SwordQuest
Playlist by The Legend of SwordQuestWhat started as a promotion for a new Atari game would become one of the most controversial moments in ‘80s pop culture, with a central mystery that’s consumed fans for decades: what happened to the m…Follow the podcast:
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The Olympic Prison [from Very Special Episodes]
In the winter of 1980, the world turned its eyes to Lake Placid, New York, host of the Winter Olympics. But behind the pageantry, another structure loomed in the Adirondack woods. Built to house 1,800 athletes, the Olympic Village looked less like a dormitory than a detention center — because that’…
50:32
How to Make the Olympics (Without Supernatural Athletic Ability) [from Very Special Episodes]
Elizabeth Swaney fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an Olympian, defying all odds. But it wasn’t supernatural athletic ability that got her there. And by the time she made it to the 2018 Winter Olympics, a lot of people were rooting against her. Here's the incredible story of a woman who mad…
24:12
Very Special Episodes: Live From New York, It's Your Grandmother
During its first 50 seasons, Saturday Night Live has welcomed legendary actors, superstar athletes, and notable politicians. But for one memorable night in 1977, Lorne Michaels turned the show over to an 80-year-old amateur. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story ea…
51:20
Bonus Episode: The Landfill
A waste management specialist unearths thousands of Atari games buried in a New Mexico landfill. As gaming historians rejoice, he plots to turn Atari’s unwanted trash into cash.
26:05
8: Endgame
After decades of speculation, a mysterious source emerges that may solve the mystery of the missing SwordQuest treasures once and for all.
42:41
7: The Swordsman
The trail to find the missing SwordQuest treasures leads back to one of the most controversial figures in Atari history.
35:35
6: Plunder
An unreleased SwordQuest game suddenly surfaces online; the fate of the missing prizes undergoes fresh scrutiny by gaming historians.
37:03
5: Stay Gold
Years after SwordQuest came to an abrupt and disappointing end, a gamer makes a surprising discovery in a Brooklyn thrift shop.
41:13
4: Descent Into Darkness
Atari’s financial problems force the company to issue an ultimatum to SwordQuest players—one that may involve a top-secret gaming tournament closed to the public.
39:48
3: The Chalice
SwordQuest players discover that being video game rock stars comes at a price. Meanwhile, delays in the contest raise suspicions among contestants that Atari may not intend to see it through to the end—and that the prizes may not even exist at all.
35:31