For just $4.99, you can now download a new Q-Bert game onto your PS3, but don't expect too much. Besides a few slight updates to the graphics and sound, there isn't much new to this remake.
Do you remember the game Q-Bert on the Atari 2600? It was one of the staples of the early days of video gaming, and the name alone usually conjures up memories of other titles like Space Invaders, Missile Command, Defender, and more. You can now get a slightly updated version of the original Q-Bert game for your PlayStation 3, and it only costs $4.99 from the PlayStation Store. Like many of these classic games, much of the appeal is lost over the years, unless you were a die-hard fan of the original.
The premise of the game is that you play this phallic little guy named Q-Bert, and you are to navigate a pyramid of blocks until you jump on every block at least once. While you are doing this, various obstacles get in the way, such as stuff rolling down from the top, or even a snake that comes bouncing after you. It takes quick reflexes and a tad bit of strategy to get through the boards, plus it helps to memorize the mechanics of the game.
Playing this game with a controller just isn’t the same as using the old Atari joystick. I’ve found this to be the case with a lot of these Atari remakes. There was something unique about the clunky joystick and its big red button that just doesn’t transfer well to modern day controllers. This game still responds pretty well to the controls, unlike the truly awful Rampart game that you can also get on the PS3 for $4.99.
You probably shouldn’t expect too much from this remake, because there was very little added to the already simple gameplay. The graphics have been updated just a little, but still look big and blocky on the PS3. The only difference I noticed was the sound, and even then it still has that retro beep and buzz scheme to it. The old school graphics and sound do help lend to the nostalgic part of playing the game, but they also make it less appealing after a while. A few little extras couldn’t have hurt, you know?
Fans of the original Q-Bert will probably get a kick out of playing this game, but I don’t think it will attract any news fans with its low-fi look and feel. After playing this game and thinking you did pretty well, take a moment to look at the online high scores and see some of the insanely high numbers that a handful of gamers have scored.