A local production studio is taking players back to gaming’s early days with a new title for the decades-old Atari 2600 console, featuring a familiar roadway for Lehigh Valley residents.
Allentown-based Lightly-Salted Productions has announced “Route 22 Rampage‚” an action-packed driving game challenging players to navigate the chaos of the region’s legendary Route 22. The company bills the game as being “built in the Lehigh Valley with just enough frustration to feel real.”
Set for release on Nov. 15, the game asks players to achieve the fastest possible time while racing past Tower 22 five times, dodging potholes and weaving through traffic across city and industrial landscapes.
“One of the reasons I created an Atari 2600 game is because I wanted to learn more about computers at a low level,” said Matthew Blum, creator and founder of Lightly-Salted Productions. “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.”
The game offers several optional play modes, including Pothole Mode, Damage On/Off settings for added realism, and a No Parked Cars option for a cleaner course. Players can even honk their horn to potentially convince traffic to move.
Designed and coded entirely in 6502 assembly, the 16 KB “retro-modern” title will be playable online at the company’s website.
For collectors, a limited run of physical cartridges with full-color artwork will be available through the Lightly-Salted Productions web store and select local retailers.
Lightly-Salted Productions was founded by Blum in 2003 in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. The studio describes itself as a creative laboratory working at the intersection of art, engineering and storytelling, focusing on projects that balance analog craft with digital innovation.
Generative AI was used to organize information for this story, based on data provided by Lightly-Salted Productions. It was reviewed and edited by lehighvalleylive.com staff.
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