The Legend of SwordQuest

When a sleepy volcano in Indonesia began smoking in 1883, a steamship company started selling tickets. Tourists hiked up Krakatoa until the soles of their shoes melted, sure they were watching a harmless spectacle. Three months later, it let loose one of the loudest sounds in recorded history, giving the world one of its first breaking news stories. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Adrien BehnStory Editor is Carmen Borca-CarrilloSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsAdditional Editing by Mary DooeOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English Today’s episode was produced in partnership with Acast Creative Studios. Very Special Episodes is a production of iHeartPodcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 each week. Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Search 'Very Special Episodes' wherever you listen to podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After decades of speculation, a mysterious source emerges that may solve the mystery of the missing SwordQuest treasures once and for all.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trail to find the missing SwordQuest treasures leads back to one of the most controversial figures in Atari history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unreleased SwordQuest game suddenly surfaces online; the fate of the missing prizes undergoes fresh scrutiny by gaming historians.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Years after SwordQuest came to an abrupt and disappointing end, a gamer makes a surprising discovery in a Brooklyn thrift shop.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Expert gamers are invited to an all-expenses paid trip to California for the first round of Atari’s SwordQuest contest and a chance at the first treasure: a $25,000 medallion. The problem? Solving the game’s central puzzle will prove nearly impossible.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.