BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A Lehigh Valley game studio is bringing a blast from the past to all retro game enthusiasts with the release of a brand-new racing game set on Route 22.
Lightly-Salted Productions has announced its new game, Route 22 Rampage, designed for the classic Atari 2600, will come out in a limited cartridge release Nov. 15, priced at $30.
And, if you happen to become a superfan, you also can pick up a Route 22 Rampage T-shirt.
But if you’re in a rush, you can take the title for a test drive online right now.
“Watch out: This isn’t a joy ride — it’s Route 22.”Lightly-Salted Productions site for Route 22 Rampage
Designed and coded entirely in the 6502 assembly — a staple microprocessor found throughout home video game systems and home computers from the 1970s through the early 1990s — the 16 KB retro-modern racing adventure aims to challenge players to “survive the chaos of Pennsylvania’s Route 22.”
“Watch out: This isn’t a joy ride — it’s Route 22,” the Lightly-Salted Productions site for the game reads.
“Race past Tower 22 five times and set the fastest time. Survive traffic, dodge hazards and prove you’ve got what it takes to handle the Valley’s roughest ride.”
Those who grew up on the 2600 — or developed a fascination with retro gaming years after — will feel right at home with the simple, authentic flair of the old-school graphics and controls.
Care for a challenge? Players can fine-tune the game with optional modes, including Pothole Mode, Damage On/Off for added realism, and No Parked Cars for a cleaner course.
And yes, of course, you can honk your horn. And it might even persuade some cars to get out of your way.
The concept is easy enough to get you off to the races in an instant, but tricky enough to provide a challenge as you aim for the quickest run you can muster.
‘Just enough frustration to feel real’
According to Lightly-Salted Productions creator and founder Matthew Blum, exploring the limited power of early gaming systems actually was a driving force for creative exploration.
Founded in 2003, Lightly-Salted Productions says it is a creative laboratory “working at the intersection of art, engineering and storytelling.”
“One of the reasons I created an Atari 2600 game is because I wanted to learn more about computers at a low level."Lightly-Salted Productions creator and founder Matthew Blum
The studio says it focuses on projects that balance analog craft with digital innovation, from photography and custom installations to retro-tech restorations and original video games.
The principle behind its operation is simple: “Innovate, solve, create, but never over-season the work.”
“One of the reasons I created an Atari 2600 game is because I wanted to learn more about computers at a low level,” Blum said.
“I thought, what better way than by exploring one of the earliest gaming systems ever made? The limitations of the hardware force you to think creatively. Every single byte counts.”
Blum said his interest in retro gaming really took off around five or so years ago.
"I definitely was drawn to the Atari just because it's very low level and very basic and just kind of pushing what you can do with really basic hardware," Blum said.
Blum started the project with binary coding on a modern computer before moving to an EPROM — a device that writes data to an Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM) chip — to produce the actual physical media.
And working within those confines produced some intriguing challenges.
"For animations, probably the biggest [issue] would be the amount of RAM, the working memory. There were times where I actually looking for just a single byte. I needed extra just for certain things," Blum said,
"I mean, a byte is like nothing. But back then, it only had 128 bytes. It was the framework that used. It only had around like 30 bytes available for different variables, which gets used very fast, because of every truck, everything like the speed of the vehicles, where you are in the play field."
As for the inspiration? Blum said it was just an interesting thought he had one day, and he felt it worked well with his interest in developing games with a local touch. A few years back, he developed a joke game titled "Send Martin Tower to Mars."
Looking to the future — or the future-past? — Blum said he has a few ideas in the pipeline, including a potential Super Nintendo Entertainment System entry
A limited run of Route 22 Rampage cartridges, complete with a case and full-color artwork, are available for purchase directly through the Lightly-Salted Productions web store, and at local retailers, including Game Gallery in Easton.
So if you think you can navigate the insanity of Route 22, give it a test drive. Just be warned: the studio has stated it features “just enough frustration to feel real.”
And while it has been guaranteed pothole proof for one year, that offer is void if taking a left turn on Tilghman Street during rush hour.
