Q*bert is a unique and highly memorable arcade game developed by Gottlieb and released in 1982. It stood out from other arcade titles of its era with its colorful isometric graphics, unusual gameplay mechanics, and quirky sense of humor. The game’s iconic main character, Q*bert, quickly became a recognizable mascot of early 1980s arcade culture.
In Q*bert, players control a small, orange, long-nosed creature who must hop around a pyramid of cubes. The goal is to change the color of each cube by landing on it. When all cubes on a level have been changed to the target color, the player advances to the next stage. As the game progresses, levels introduce additional challenges, such as requiring multiple jumps on the same cube to reach the final color.
The pyramid is patrolled by a variety of enemies, including Coily the snake, Ugg and Wrong-Way who move along the sides of the cubes, and bouncing balls that drop from the top. Players must avoid these hazards while completing the color-changing puzzle. To help Q*bert survive, floating discs on the edges of the pyramid can be used as temporary escape routes, often leading enemies to their doom.
The game’s controls are simple but slightly tricky because of the isometric perspective—players move diagonally across the pyramid using a four-way joystick. Mastering this movement is key to avoiding enemies and quickly covering the pyramid. The gameplay combines reflexes, strategy, and pattern recognition, making it both challenging and addictive.
Q*bert is also known for its funny cartoon speech bubbles filled with random characters like “@!#?@!” whenever Q*bert is caught by an enemy, symbolizing his frustrated swearing. This little detail, along with the game’s distinctive sounds and bright visuals, gave it a lot of charm. It became a big hit in arcades and was later ported to many home consoles and computers.
Technical Details
- Developer: Gottlieb
- Publisher: Gottlieb
- Release Date: October 1982
- Genre: Action, puzzle arcade
- Mode: Single-player
- Platform: Arcade (later ported to Atari, ColecoVision, NES, and more)
- Graphics: Colorful isometric 2D visuals
- Sound: Unique synthesized sound effects and comic-style “swearing” bubbles
- Key Features: Pyramid color-changing puzzle, isometric movement, quirky enemies, escape discs