Q*bert

Qbert was one of the most bizarre and oddly addictive games of my arcade-going youth. Released in 1982 by Gottlieb, Qbert placed players in control of a small orange creature who hops between floating cubes in a 3D space. The goal was simple: get Q*bert to the top of the screen by navigating the cubes while avoiding enemies and obstacles.

Yet its strange design, quirky sounds and visuals, and increasing difficulty made Qbert endlessly replayable. Through a combination of simplicity and sheer addictiveness, the Qbert formula remains as addictive as Tetris, even if it hasn't received as much modern love as its blocky cousin.

The Frantic Pace of Precise Platforming

Like most arcade games, Q*bert demands the undivided attention of the player. A single misstep can end your entire round – which doesn't really help that much considering just how fast-paced the entire game feels.

Seeing Q*bert ricochet across cubes at top speed creates a fast-paced light show of color and motion that keeps players transfixed. Each screen is a unique work of art, as dynamic as it is pretty. Sure, it might not have the frantic action of something like Arkanoid, but that doesn't mean that the game goes any easier on the player.

Standing the Test of Time

Q*Bert explodes with puzzle-solving and action, delivering a thrill ride of challenge and reward. Its levels are masterclasses in design, springing new obstacles, enemies, and mechanics on players at every turn to keep the adrenaline pumping. Even if the levels themselves don't change all that much, like in the classic Pac-Man, it's still refreshing to see the tiny changes introduced in each new stage.

QBert's bounce between cubes adds an ingenious twist, allowing for movement that feels instinctive yet acrobatic. Players can zip across the screen, arcing from cube to cube, gaining just enough height to soar over enemies or plunge into hidden secrets. There are no limits to the creative routes and stunts possible – well, mostly. For all intents and purposes, Qbert is still a product of a time when games weren't precisely loaded with secrets or bonus content.

Pure Entertainment

As far as arcade games go, Qbert is certainly not the most profound of experiences. Even some other games of its time were already dealing with far more complex themes and mechanics than what we see here. Still, one simply can't deny that the classics are such for a reason, and Qbert's formula has proved to be among the greats for a reason.

Sure, Q*bert might not be as competitive as something like Pac-Man, or as infinitely replayable as Tetris, but the charm of being one of the first mascot platformers has made this game not only a blast to play even today but also an invaluable piece of gaming history.

If you have even a passing interest in the history of gaming, you should give Q*bert a go.

Pros

• Amazingly addictive gameplay
• Challenging levels
• Great character design for the time

Cons

• The levels themselves lack variety
• It's over quite quickly
• Can feel a bit unfair at times

Look - it's Q'Bert. You don't need to read the review, do you? If you misspent your youth hanging around laundrettes and fish and chip shops, then you probably know everything you need to know about this cult arcade classic. If you're too young to remember the halcyon days of video gaming, then how about the hip-hop connection? DJ Q'Bert? One of the best DJs in the world? That's how cool this game is. If you've never heard of it, think Pac Man on acid. You have to guide Q'Bert (an orange bouncy thing) across different pyramid-shaped levels. Every time you bounce off a square it changes colour. When you've turned the whole level the right colour you can move off and take another one on. Easy, huh? Well, it would be if it wasn't for the bouncing balls and snakes, not to mention the other Q'Bert-type creatures bouncing around undoing all your hard work.

Thankfully, Atari hasn't changed the concept one iota, and for that reason this is an essential purchase for old-skoolers. It's got the same hypnotic quality that's the trademark of early videogames, and once you lock into the strange controls you'll be gone... literally. The sounds are superb, and the mock swear words are still present and correct. New additions include the excellent perspective changes and an adventure mode, but the lack of network or Internet options is a tad disappointing. You can go head-to-head on the same screen though, which goes some way towards compensation. Some might say that its appeal is still limited, but we'd counter that by saying it's one of the best early arcade conversions you can get. Having said that, a game like this is never going to snatch a classic rating, but as Q'Bert himself would say, it's still '?#?' brilliant.

Q*Bert has jumped straight from the arcades to the NES! This cube-hopping arcade legend lives on this faithful translation from Konami. In Q*Bert you must guide the two legged nose around a pyramid comprised of cubes. As he hops from cube to cube, the surface of the cubes will change. As the game becomes more difficult, it requires multiple hits before the cube is the right color. A cast of wierd and wacky characters stand in Q*Bert's way and mess up his blocks.

An arcade and platform game published by Gottlieb, designed by Jeff Lee and Warren Davis, and released in 1982.

With two legs and a huge nose the orange creature hops diagonally around on a pyramid-like structure and changes the color (from blue to yellow) of the blocks it goes down. The player, maneuvering the creature, must keep away from almost all moving things and characters while trying to lure spring-like snake called Coily to his fall by jumping off the pyramid’s edge onto one of the flying disks. Also there are such enemies as the pig-like creature Ugg, the sharp-toothed Wrong-Way who moves upside down, friendly green Slicks and Sam with the white bulging eyes. There are nine levels in the game; each of them has four rounds. The first levels are not that hard to play, the player’s only task is just to hop once on each square. Further on, levels become more challenging: cubes are to be touched two times and if they get hopped on again, change back to the wrong color.