Which Version of Q*Bert Should I Play?

[Blanka789]

I've been wanting to give Q*Bert a proper try on a home console, but there are quite a few different versions (surprise, surprise). I've been leaning towards picking up the NES version, Q*Bert 3 for SNES, and the PS1 remake. Am I missing one of the better ports out there?

[tom]

Atari 8 bit version is the best (XEGS plays carts :-).
Atari 5200 is second best.
Atari 2600 is third best

[Ro-J]

I can't speak too much to the Atari versions, but if you're looking for a traditional true to the arcade style port, the NES version is the way to go. It may take a little while to get use to the controls, but once you do the game plays very fluidly. Personally the NES version is my favorite.

The SNES version is also well made, but they played around too much with the puzzle layouts for my taste. I have fun playing it from time to time, but I prefer to pyramid style boards of the original much more.

[Jorpho]

I thought the TI-99 version looked pretty nice.

The nose of NES Q-bert is just disconcerting.

[Leo_A]

If you want as close to the coinop as possible, the PSN download for the PS3 is the way to go.

[Blanka789]

Glad to see that it got a PSN release, I'll definitely need to check that out.

Is there that much of a difference between the Atari 8-bit and NES versions? I'll probably pick up the NES cart, but I've been thinking about buying an XEGS recently. If I end up doing so, I'll make sure to pick up Q*Bert.

[Trebuken]

I prefer the Colecovision version.

It's the one I played as a kid, so perhaps it's my bias, but I stand by it.

[Jorpho]

I grew up with the ColecoVision version too. It's definitely very playable, but Q-Bert's hollow eyes just ain't right, and Slick (no Sam at all!) just looks incomprehensible.

[Kim Possible]

Be forewarned, the NES version is a cast-iron bitch. Hard as balls. Great version though.

I'm still partial to the VCS version, but for nostalgia reasons not because it is terribly faithful.

[Gameguy]

The original Gameboy version is pretty fun, but it's not arcade authentic. Pretty neat cut scenes between levels though.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

The Dreamcast and the PS1 have a remade version that isn't that bad, and I believe they both include the original arcade game.

[Leo_A]

The Dreamcast and the PS1 have a remade version that isn't that bad, and I believe they both include the original arcade game.

The original mode in those is basically a partial remake of the arcade game. Lots of significant differences compared to the arcade original.

The only arcade accurate version at home is the PSN download for the PS3.

[8bitgamer]

I like the PS1 version and Q3 for the SNES. I like how they change up the formula.

[j_factor]

I like the PS1 version

I already knew that from Wikipedia.

[Superman]

Are you looking for the just the best port, atm?

Although I do enjoy the nes version of Q*Bert, and have spent a good deal of time playing it, for me there is nothing like playing Q*Bert on an Atari system and using a joystick.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

The original mode in those is basically a partial remake of the arcade game. Lots of significant differences compared to the arcade original.

The only arcade accurate version at home is the PSN download for the PS3.

My bad. At the time I played it, it seemed to have everything I thought was in a Qbert game.

[Blanka789]

Are you looking for the just the best port, atm?

Although I do enjoy the nes version of Q*Bert, and have spent a good deal of time playing it, for me there is nothing like playing Q*Bert on an Atari system and using a joystick.

I'm looking for the best port, or anything with a twist-the PS1/DC game and Q*Bert 3, for instance.

I think at this point I'll probably be picking up Q*Bert NES, PS3, PS1 or DC, and Q*Bert 3. I'll probably pick up the 2600 version as well.

[Koa Zo]

the 5200 version has always been one of my favorites

And the Playstation remake is by far my favorite overall - true to the original but much larger playfields, and added "quests"

[8bitgamer]

I already knew that from Wikipedia.

How funny...:)

[Leo_A]

My bad. At the time I played it, it seemed to have everything I thought was in a Qbert game.

Gameplay seems intact and the layouts and such seem unchanged. So you're not remembering that incorrectly.

But the attract mode is gone, the graphics are redone (It's all done in polygons instead of sprites for example), the audio is different, different animations are there, etc. It's to Q-Bert what those Sega remakes on Sega Classics Collection for the PS2 are for games like Outrun.

If you want the original arcade game as close as possible at home, the PS3 release is the only way to go.

Edit - Apparantly it is running under emulation during gameplay. But they made the idiotic decision to have the screen graphics be re-interpreted by using the update's 3D engine without an option of selecting the original. So that's why you notice the gameplay and layouts being so intact, but at the same time, the original attract mode is gone, the audio is redone, and the graphics are redone as I noted.

"This was accomplished by having the emulator read the contents of the emulated game's screen, but rather than displaying them on your computer's or console's screen, the context of the data was interpreted to see what was going on the screen, and corresponding changes were made in the environment rendered by the 3D engine."

http://www.vavasour.ca/jeff/games.html#qbert

[Jorpho]

I'm looking for the best port, or anything with a twistA twist, you say? Well, fire up MAME and try Faster Harder More Challenging Q-Bert, then! It's made by the original arcade developer, and it's kinda sorta free. (I guess mame.net can't put up the download officially because someone still owns the trademark rights, or something.)

[Clownzilla]

I have never been able to grasp the movment on the view angle of ths game. I always find myself jumping off the edge or right into a monster. I have never had any porblems with moving at different viewing angles in any other game and don't understand why my brain sees Q-Bert differently? So my answer is..........no version of Qbert.

[Stringfellow]

there is also Q*Bert's Qubes. I have it on colecovision but I think it also available on the 2600. Bit of a twist to the gameplay.

[Leo_A]

Bumping this to correct myself. Q*Bert for the Playstation indeed has a 2D classic mode for the arcade original. Somehow, I only had ever played the 3D polygonal mode.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOqT9evmkiI

Also, the PS3 release is sadly now delisted.

[Jorpho]

The game got the HG101 treatment recently.
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/qbert/qbert.htm

Apparently the version on Steam is appalling. (That's bad.)

[davidbrit2]

The game got the HG101 treatment recently.
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/qbert/qbert.htm

Apparently the version on Steam is appalling. (That's bad.)

Q*Bert Rebooted? There was supposed to be an iOS/Android version too, but I've heard nothing about it since the intial announcement earlier this summer. Which is kind of a shame, as I probably would have bought it if the emulation of the original arcade game were halfway decent (i.e. proper emulation of the speech chip and randomization, and not just one prerecorded voice clip for each character).

[Arkanoid_Katamari]

I only have the Colecovision version, which is pretty good. I prefer to use an Atari joystick for Colecovision games, it's better than the CV controller, imo, and maintains that classic early 80s gaming experience.

Idk tho, for classic arcade ports I tend to prefer the NES, cuz the graphics are usually solid enough at this point, more or less, and they're generally faithful to the originals, I think.

Frogger on PS1 was ok, but it seems like they just wanted to take everything and "make it 3D" at that point. And as for 6th gen, I have the Atari Anthology on Xbox, which has tons of good ports, but it doesn't exactly feel quite right to play Pong with an Xbox controller. Just doesn't quite work...

[wizardofwor1975]

I prefer the Colecovision version.

It's the one I played as a kid, so perhaps it's my bias, but I stand by it.

Seconded, I still love playing Q-Bert on my Colecovision. The CV version has a great review on CGR:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkrkajBof4Q

However I've always felt the C64 version is a very close runner up to the CV version IMHO, of course this could be my nostalgia swaying my vote though. Recently I picked up the C64 Q-Bert cart on Ebay, very stoked.

Kinda sad that the ColecoVision Flashback doesn't have Q-Bert. But all in all, the CV Flashback could be a great backup for my original CV.

http://www.armchairarcade.com/neo/node/5720

[Rickstilwell1]

I would just play the arcade version on Mame4Droid with Ouya and a PS3 controller.

[Steve W]

I would just play the arcade version on Mame4Droid with Ouya and a PS3 controller.

It's too bad I can barely get any arcade games working on Mame4Droid on the Ouya. What ROMset does it use, because I'd love to get more than 10% of the games I try to work.

[Leo_A]

Happily, Q*Bert Rebooted is releasing for the PS3/PS4/Vita on February 17th.

Sounds/looks like the update itself stinks, but this thankfully restores the arcade original to PSN after being delisted a year or more ago (Q*Bert was one of PSN's earliest releases for the PS3).

It's also not just the same version being bundled in as an extra if one compares the trailer below with footage of the original PS3 release (Note how this one includes a more faithful border than the original PS3 release). So hopefully some sound issues there won't be present.


http://youtu.be/6mAPYIFumWU

Too bad it doesn't also include Q*Bert Qubes, its rare sequel from 1983.

http://www.arcade-museum.com/images/118/1181242155.png

Another nice inclusion would've been "Faster Harder More Challenging Q*bert", created by the original programmer when gamers mastered the original release but never publicly released by the publisher back in the day (The programmer considers it the definitive version of Q*Bert and released it several years ago to the internet).

But hopefully it's at least emulated well and properly handles the audio (Including the sound that's physically generated by by the coil hitting the cabinet when Q*Bert falls to his doom).

[rxd]

I also was a big fan of the Atari 5200 version. I also liked the Dreamcast remake.

[Pete Rittwage]

Tons of opinions- all valid! :)

To me:
1) Arcade - No reason not to play the original on MAME.
2) C64 - Plays very well - I spent the most time on this one, so I'm partial.
3) 2600 - This version is a surprisingly good port! Minimalist at it's best.

I didn't like the NES version - Q*Bert is very "heavy" or "sticky" (play it you'll see what I mean).

The remixes are fun in a completely different way. Recommended Dreamcast at least... (PS1 doesn't hold up graphically)

[Tanooki]

I did not like Q*Bert at all on the NES. I tried to like it a lot, but as you said, it doesn't move or feel right, sticky or whatever.

The only versions of it I've ever had any fun or respect for are the original arcade game, and then the parker brothers mini tabletop arcade unit, and that thing I have on my shelf ready to go at any time. What's funny about that one though, I think it's less minimalist than the 2600 probably. Sure it's an VFD or LED, whatever, but since Q-Bert was always on that pyramid, it just works. You have your warps to the side, all the cubes, and all the enemies with the same rigid diagonals for every move you make.