Q*bert

Q*bert

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Founded	1982 (1982)
Founder	Warren Davis, Jeff Lee
Products	Q*bert (arcade game)
Parent	Gottlieb (developed), Sony Pictures Entertainment (current IP owner)

Q*bert () is an action video game released in 1982 by Gottlieb for arcade machines. It combines 2D gameplay with puzzle mechanics, utilizing isometric visuals to simulate a pseudo-3D appearance. Players guide the character Q*bert as he jumps across cubes arranged in a pyramid, altering their colors while avoiding various hazards and foes, all controlled via a joystick.

The concept originated from Warren Davis and Jeff Lee, with Lee responsible for the character design and initial idea, which Davis then expanded upon. The working title for the game was Cubes.

Q*bert emerged as Gottlieb's most lucrative arcade release and became an iconic franchise from the arcade golden era. Its success spurred numerous conversions to different platforms, spawned sequels, and inspired a wide range of merchandise such as toys, lunch boxes, and an animated television series. The character is particularly recognized for its unique "Q*bertese" synthesized voice and humorous on-screen "swearing" displayed through speech bubbles.

Developed during the period when Columbia Pictures owned Gottlieb, the rights to Q*bert remained with Columbia following Gottlieb’s asset sale in 1984. Since Columbia's acquisition by Sony in 1989, Sony Pictures Entertainment has retained ownership of the intellectual property. Licensed by Sony, Q*bert has appeared in Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph series and the 2015 movie Pixels.

Gameplay

Q*bert blends action and puzzle genres, presented from an axonometric viewpoint that creates a three-dimensional illusion. The control scheme features a single four-directional joystick mounted diagonally. Players maneuver Q*bert starting at the apex of a pyramid composed of 28 cubes, hopping diagonally to alter each cube’s color. Completing the objective of changing all cubes to the designated color advances players to subsequent levels.

Early levels require landing on each cube once, but later stages increase difficulty by demanding multiple landings or several color changes per cube before progression is possible. Falling off the pyramid results in losing a life.

Opponents appear progressively throughout gameplay:

• Coily – Initially appearing as a purple egg that hatches into a snake; Coily relentlessly pursues Q*bert and serves as the primary adversary. Contact leads to immediate loss of life.
• Ugg and Wrongway – Purple creatures that traverse the cube sides following an Escher-inspired path; touching them is fatal.
• Slick and Sam – Green characters that revert cubes to previous colors without harming Q*bert, thereby complicating level completion.

Colliding with purple enemies or red balls costs a life; green enemies can be eliminated by touching them, while green balls temporarily freeze opponents. Multicolored discs located on the pyramid’s edges function as teleporters, instantly transporting Q*bert back to the pyramid’s summit. If Coily follows onto one of these discs, he falls off, granting bonus points and clearing enemies and balls temporarily.

Players accumulate points through various actions: changing cube colors (15 or 25 points), defeating Coily via flying discs (500 points), unused discs remaining at level end (50 or 100 points on higher stages), capturing green balls (100 points), and catching Slick or Sam (300 points each). Successfully completing screens yields escalating bonuses beginning at 1,000 points on Level 1 and increasing by 250 points per level up to 5,000 points by Level 4. Extra lives are awarded when reaching score thresholds configured by the operator.

Concept

Programmer Warren Davis attributed the game's inspiration to a hexagonal design created by fellow Gottlieb developer Kan Yabumoto.

Alternatively, the idea originated from artist Jeff Lee’s sketch of a pyramid composed of cubes, influenced by M. C. Escher's work. From this drawing, Lee imagined a game featuring an orange, limbless protagonist who would hop across cubes and launch projectiles called "mucus bombs". Initial adversaries included a blue character (which later turned purple and was named Wrong Way) and an orange character (later green, named Sam). Lee’s character designs drew inspiration from comics, cartoons, Mad, and artist Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. The famous speech bubble filled with nonsensical symbols "" was originally conceived as a humorous touch by Lee.

Implementation

While working on Protector, Warren Davis incorporated Lee's concepts to experiment with programming elements like randomness and gravity, adding bouncing balls on the pyramid structure. To maintain simplicity in gameplay, Davis removed the shooting mechanic and shifted the goal toward survival. Ron Waxman, Gottlieb’s vice president, proposed that cubes change color when Q*bert landed on them—a feature Davis implemented. Davis created an innovative control system: a four-direction joystick rotated 45 degrees to align with Q*bert’s diagonal movements, despite team members recommending more conventional controls. Programming commenced in April 1982, although the project was officially slated several months afterward.

Audio

Sound effects were generated by a MOS Technology 6502 processor operating at 894 kHz, while Q*bert’s distinctive garbled speech was produced using a speech synthesizer developed by Votrax. The audio architecture utilized 128 bytes of RAM and 4 KB of EPROM to store sound data and programming code. Consistent with other Gottlieb titles, the sound system underwent extensive durability testing; however, audio engineer David Thiel noted this limited the time available for creative sound design.

Thiel initially aimed to synthesize intelligible English phrases but ultimately opted for randomized phoneme sequences that matched the game’s signature "@!#?@!" speech bubble. Technician Rick Tighe recommended incorporating a pinball-style 'knocker'—a solenoid mechanism striking the cabinet—to emit a loud noise when characters fell off the pyramid. Although foam padding was considered to dampen the noise, it was excluded due to budget constraints.

Title

The Gottlieb team faced challenges naming the game, initially calling it "Cubes". While they agreed the title should highlight the protagonist, there was considerable debate over the actual name. Early proposals such as Lee’s Snots And Boogers and other employee suggestions were dismissed. Marketing vice president Howie Rubin pushed for @!#?@!, despite reservations about its playful nature and pronunciation; some test units bore this title. Ultimately, "Hubert" was suggested and merged with "Cubes," forming "Cubert". Art director Richard Tracy finalized the title as "Q-bert," which was later altered to "Q*bert". Davis later expressed regret over including the asterisk, citing difficulties it caused in general usage and search engine optimization.

Testing

As the project approached its production phase, Q*bert was trialed in several local arcades under the working title @!#?@!. The earliest documented instance of the game being playable with this name was recorded by Jeff Lee on September 11, 1982, at a Brunswick bowling center. Gottlieb organized focus group sessions, monitoring participants through a one-way mirror. Reactions to the control system were divided; while some players adapted swiftly, others found it challenging. Initially, Davis expressed concern that players might have difficulty mastering the controls, as some repeatedly fell off the pyramid, resulting in rapid game overs. Nevertheless, players generally acclimated after multiple attempts. These mixed responses prompted Davis to lower the game's difficulty level—a choice he later viewed with regret.

Release

Q*bert represents Gottlieb's fourth venture into video gaming. A copyright application submitted on February 10, 1983, lists the publication date as October 18, 1982. The game was marketed directly to arcade operators during the AMOA exhibition held from November 18 to 20, 1982, with each arcade unit priced at $2600.

According to Cash Box magazine, the widespread US release occurred in December 1982. In Japan, distribution was managed by Konami and Sega starting in March 1983, which coincided with its launch across European markets.

Reception

Q*bert stands as Gottlieb's sole video game to achieve notable critical acclaim and commercial success, with around 25,000 arcade machines sold. Within the United States, it ranked among the top thirteen highest-grossing arcade titles of 1983. Subsequent versions included cabaret and cocktail cabinets; notably, cocktail models have become rare collectibles.

Upon its debut at the AMOA show in November 1982, Q*bert received immediate acclaim from the press. Video Games magazine declared it the event's leading attraction, describing it as "the most unusual and exciting game" and highlighting operators' enthusiasm for purchasing units. Similarly, The Coin Slot identified it as a standout feature and predicted robust sales performance.

Reviews from that period lauded its distinctive gameplay and audiovisual design. Roger C. Sharpe of Electronic Games anticipated it could be coin-op game of the year due to its innovative mechanics and visuals. William Brohaugh from Creative Computing praised its sound effects, vibrant palette, and originality. Michael Blanchet of Electronic Fun suggested it had potential to surpass Pac-Man in popularity during 1983. Neil Tesser of Video Games favorably compared it to early 1980s Japanese hits such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, emphasizing its character-driven and non-violent nature. The publication Computer and Video Games also commended its colorful graphics.

In 1983, Electronic Games honored Q*bert with the "Most Innovative Coin-op Game" award, while Video Games Player named it "Funniest Game of the Year" among arcade titles.

The game continues to be regarded as an important milestone in video gaming history. Steven Kent and William Cassidy of GameSpy cited it as one of the most memorable games from that era. David Ellis referred to it as a "classic favorite." Both Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com and Kim Wild of Retro Gamer characterized it as challenging yet highly addictive. Author John Sellers highlighted its sound design and three-dimensional graphics; meanwhile, Cassidy noted the demanding nature of its control scheme. Although IGN’s Jeremy Dunham criticized its controls for being somewhat unresponsive, he acknowledged its compelling addictive quality.

According to Edge magazine, much of the game's appeal stemmed from its relatable protagonist who uses expletives; conversely, Computer and Video Games viewed this swearing negatively but still found Q*bert himself endearing. Cassidy emphasized Q*bert’s distinctive personality compared to other video game characters of the time. The writers of High Score! described Q*bert as an "ultra-endearing alien hopmeister" and recognized him as the cutest video game character introduced in 1982.

Ports

At the 1982 AMOA Show, Parker Brothers obtained the rights to develop home versions of the Q*bert arcade game. Their initial release was for the Atari 2600, and by the end of 1983, they promoted editions for systems including the Atari 5200, Intellivision, ColecoVision, Atari 8-bit computers, VIC-20, TI-99/4A, and Commodore 64. The Commodore 64 adaptation debuted in 1984. Additionally, Parker Brothers produced a dedicated tabletop electronic game featuring a VFD screen, which has since become a sought-after collector’s piece. In Europe, Q*bert was distributed for the Philips Videopac; in Japan, Tsukuda Original handled its release on the Othello Multivision; and in North America, Ultra Games published it for the NES.

The Atari 2600 version, aimed at the most popular console of that time, received a mixed reception. Reviewers pointed out absent music tracks, omitted characters, and issues with sprite rendering performance. Despite these shortcomings in graphics and controls, some appreciated its gameplay. Electronic Games praised its adherence to the arcade original, whereas IGN later ranked it among the worst arcade ports on the Atari 2600 due to subpar enemy animations. On the other hand, Entertainment Weekly included it in their top ten Atari 2600 titles for its compelling gameplay despite visual limitations.

Other home adaptations generally achieved more favorable feedback. The ColecoVision port was often cited as one of the most precise and well-received conversions, earning a 72% rating from Computer and Video Games. The Atari 5200 version was considered less successful because of controller design flaws but still garnered some appreciation. The Intellivision edition faced criticism primarily for its control scheme. The Atari 8-bit computer release was praised for its graphics and playability, though some execution aspects were questioned. For the Commodore 64, the version was commended for closely replicating the arcade experience except for missing synthesized speech elements. The standalone electronic tabletop game won awards for Stand-Alone Game of the Year. Reviews of the NES version were mixed, ranging from moderate to low scores.

In 2003, Sony Pictures Mobile launched a Java-based mobile phone adaptation. While reviewers acknowledged its faithful recreation of the arcade gameplay, they criticized the control scheme adapted to phone keypads as unintuitive or frustrating. Nevertheless, several outlets recognized it as a strong retro title within mobile gaming.

On February 22, 2007, Sony Online Entertainment released Q*bert on the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3. This edition featured enhanced graphics, online leaderboards, and Sixaxis motion controls. Critical reception was varied: some found motion controls awkward and gameplay simplistic by contemporary standards, appealing mainly to nostalgic audiences; others highlighted its addictive qualities.

Legacy

Jeremy Parish described Q*bert as "one of the higher-profile titles of the classic era." Meanwhile, Jeff Gerstmann from GameSpot referred to it as a "rare arcade success." In 2008, Guinness World Records placed it behind sixteen other arcade games regarding technical innovation, creativity, and cultural influence. Despite its popularity, the game's creators did not receive any royalties since Gottlieb did not have such a program at that time. Nevertheless, both Davis and Lee expressed pride in the enduring recognition their creation has achieved.

Market influence

Q*bert ranked as one of the most extensively merchandised arcade titles after Pac-Man, though it did not reach the commercial heights of either that series or Donkey Kong. The character was featured on a wide array of merchandise such as coloring books, sleeping bags, frisbees, board games, wind-up toys, and stuffed animals. A 1983 promotional flyer from Gottlieb boasted over 125 officially licensed items. Nevertheless, the video game crash of 1983 severely impacted the industry, causing Q*bert’s popularity to wane by 1984.

After its debut, Q*bert spurred the creation of numerous imitators. In 1984, magazines like Video Games and Computer Games highlighted several titles inspired by Q*bert, including Mr. Cool (Sierra On-Line), Frostbite (Activision), Q-Bopper (Accelerated Software), Juice (Tronix), Quick Step (Imagic), Flip & Flop and Boing (First Star Software), Pharaoh's Pyramid (Master Control Software), Pogo Joe (Screenplay), and Rabbit Transit (Starpath). Additional clones identified were Cubit (Micromax), J-bird (Orion Software), along with UK releases such as Bouncer (Acornsoft), Hubert (Blaby Computer Games), Pogo (Ocean Software), Spellbound (Beyond), Vector Hopper (Kristof Tuts), and Hoppy Hop (Josyan).

Adaptations in other media

In 1983, an animated segment based on Q*bert was produced by Ruby-Spears Productions for CBS’s Saturday Supercade. The series placed Q*bert in a 1950s-inspired town named "Q-Burg," portraying him as a high schooler equipped with arms and sneakers who used "Slippy Dew" projectiles to fend off adversaries, frequently incorporating puns centered around the letter "Q."

That same year, Gottlieb launched the pinball machine titled Q*bert's Quest, notable for its distinct "X"-shaped flippers and authentic arcade sound effects. Although fewer than 900 units were manufactured, it became Japan’s second highest-grossing pinball machine in 1983.

The game has appeared across various media platforms: it is seen being played in the 1984 movie Moscow on the Hudson, referenced in the 1993 PC RPG Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds, and featured as an arcade cabinet within the 2009 title Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Characters from Q*bert also appear in Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph and Sony-produced 2015 film Pixels, which is owned by the game's copyright holder.

In 2014, Q*bert made a brief appearance in RadioShack’s Super Bowl XLVIII advertisement titled "The '80s Called". The game has been referenced multiple times in animated television shows aimed at general audiences, including titles such as Family Guy, Futurama, The Simpsons, Robot Chicken, Mad, and South Park.

Record high scores

On November 28, 1983, Rob Gerhardt set a marathon record for playing Q*bert, achieving nearly 33 million points and holding this record for close to three decades. This achievement was later eclipsed by George Leutz of Brooklyn, New York, who played continuously for eighty-four hours and forty-eight minutes in February 2013 at Richie Knucklez' Arcade in Flemington, New Jersey, amassing roughly 37 million points.

Doris Self earned recognition from the Guinness World Records as the "oldest competitive female gamer" after setting a tournament record of about 1.1 million points in 1984 at age 58. Drew Goins later surpassed her score with approximately 2.2 million points in 1987. Self remained active in competitive gaming until her passing in 2006.

On November 18, 2012, George Leutz broke the world tournament record for Q*bert live at Kong Off 2 held in Denver, Colorado. He scored nearly 3.9 million points within less than eight hours, including an impressive first-life total of about 1.5 million points—outperforming Self’s single-life record. Twin Galaxies officially verified his score.

Faster Harder More Challenging Q*bert

In 1983, Davis initiated development on Faster Harder More Challenging Q*bert aiming to elevate the game's difficulty, introduce the character Q*bertha, and incorporate a bonus stage. Although the project was ultimately discontinued, Davis made the ROM file publicly available online in December 1996.

Q*bert's Qubes

Later sequels failed to replicate the original's popularity. Q*bert's Qubes, produced by Mylstar Electronics and copyrighted in 1983/1984, ran on the same hardware platform as the original arcade game. This installment added new adversaries such as Meltniks, Shoobops, and Rat-A-Tat-Tat, with gameplay centered around rotating cubes to achieve specific patterns. Despite the franchise’s established reputation, the release attracted minimal attention. Parker Brothers demonstrated home console versions at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in January 1985. Ports were developed for ColecoVision and Atari 2600; versions for Atari 8-bit computers and Commodore 64 were mentioned but are either scarce or unreleased.

MSX Q*bert (1986)

Konami, who originally handled distribution of Q*bert in Japanese arcades in 1983, created a distinct title named Q*bert for MSX systems released in Japan and Europe in 1986. This version features a small dragon protagonist and draws inspiration from Q*bert's Qubes. It includes 50 stages, each with a unique cube arrangement. The two-player competitive mode assigns separate patterns to each participant, who score points by completing their pattern first or by pushing their opponent off the playing field.

Q*bert for Game Boy

Developed by Realtime Associates and published by Jaleco in 1992, this edition offers 64 boards featuring diverse shapes.

Q*bert 3

Launched for the Super NES in 1992, Q*bert 3 was created by Realtime Associates with publishing by NTVIC and graphics designed by Jeff Lee. The gameplay preserves core elements of the original but extends to larger levels with variable shapes. New characters such as Frogg, Top Hat, and Derby join the original foes.

Q*bert (1999)

A three-dimensional remake of the classic 1982 arcade game was developed by Artech Studios and released by Hasbro Interactive for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows in 1999; it later appeared on Game Boy Color and Dreamcast in 2000.

Q*bert 2004

Sony Pictures launched Q*bert 2004, an Adobe Flash sequel that faithfully recreates the original arcade experience while adding 50 new stages with different board designs and six visual themes. The iOS app Q*Bert Deluxe initially replicated the arcade game but was subsequently updated to include themes and levels from Q*bert 2004.

Q*bert 2005

In 2005, Sony Pictures released Q*bert 2005, available as a downloadable Windows title and a Flash browser game featuring 50 distinct levels.

Q*bert Rebooted

On July 2, 2014, Gonzo Games alongside Sideline Amusement announced Q*bert Rebooted, targeting Steam, iOS, and Android platforms. Versions for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita followed in February 2015 across North America and Europe, with an Xbox One edition arriving in February 2016. Mark Caplan, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s VP of Consumer Products, attributed renewed interest partly to Wreck-It Ralph, which featured a cameo of Q*bert.

The collection includes a port of the original arcade game plus a new mode featuring hexagonal tiles that expand movement options to six directions. The 'Rebooted' mode brings fresh adversaries like a boxing glove that can knock Q*bert off platforms and an elusive treasure chest. It offers five distinct stage layouts across forty levels composed of three rounds plus a bonus round each level, played with five lives. Players gather gems to unlock different Q*bert appearances and earn stars by achieving time and score objectives to access further stages.

Q*bert (2019)

An enhanced edition of Q*bert was launched on October 11, 2019, by Lucky-Kat Games in collaboration with Sony Pictures, available for both iOS and Android devices.