Previous Next

Where, in heaven's name, do they get their names from? It seems that the sillier the name, the more likely the game is to become a cult hit in the arcades (and hopefully for the manufacturers, in the home). I mean, would you do and ask for a pint of "Zaxxon" in a crowded bar? In that case, mine's a Cherry B, mate.

Name aside, the game isn't at all bad, if you can stand the rather cutesy-pie 'Play School' mentality that seems to have been the basis of the idea. You start with four Q-Berts at the top of a pyramid of cubes (hold the phone - 3D graphics!) and the aim of the game is to pilot him down the pyramid, changing the colour of each of the cubes as he touches them.

When you've completed the pyramid in the new colour scheme, you move on to the next level, where things move a little faster. Obstacles include a load of balls - honest! Green balls are OK, red balls are to be avoided at all costs, and purple ones could leave you in a lot of trouble! Snakes hatch out of some of them (I forget which colour!) and they too can eat or be eaten.

Confused? Wait till you play the game. The main difficulty is conquering the 3D graphics, and many Q-Berts were plunged to their untimely deaths before I managed to work out what was going on. Sometimes it takes more than one jump to change the colour of the cubes, so read the instructions carefully. A test of your memory as much as manual dexterity, but providing it isn't taken seriously (now, Johnny, don't do that to little Samantha, she mightn't like it!) the effects won't be permanently damaging!

Made by Parker Games, this is one of the firm's latest batch.