Category Archives: Apple II

Unearthed: Kirschen’s independent Apple II projects

Screenshot of a title screen for the Apple II game "You ... and Doc Possum" running in the Microm8 emulator.

Screenshot of a title screen for the Apple II game “You … and Doc Possum” running in the Microm8 emulator.

Is “Doc Possum” a lost Learning Company game?

After the end of Yaakov Kirschen’s partnership with the Gesher organization, he had an idea for a secular educational game for the Apple II, which he pitched to The Learning Company. Around the same time he also made a few independent demos and experimental software.

Keep reading for more background on Kirschen and The Learning Company, as well as details about each of these programs.

Continue reading

Unearthed: Kirschen’s Apple II games for Gesher

Screenshot of a title screen for the Apple II game "Nosh Kosh".

One of several title screens for the Apple II game “Nosh Kosh”.

Ever wonder what the Jewish version of Pac-Man might look like?

In the early 1980s, video games were exploding in popularity with kids and microcomputers were becoming available Israel. The Gesher organization saw potential in developing educational software specifically for Jewish students. From 1982 to 1984, Yaakov Kirschen worked with them on four games:

Keep reading for more background on Gesher and Kirschen, as well as details about each of the games.

Continue reading