Q*bert (Parker Brothers)

Q*BERT

For the Atari 2600 Video Computer System
Under license from D. Gottlieb & Co.
Rules (c) 1983 Parker Brothers, Beverly, MA 01915
Q-bert (c) 1983 D. Gottlieb & Co.

OBJECT

To score as many points as possible by changing the colour of
the cubes on the pyramid from a starting colour to a
destination colour. You'll do this by hopping Q*bert from cube
to cube while avoiding the "nasty" characters who will try to
stop him. Each time you complete a pyramid, you'll proceed to
a new pyramid - or round. Try to complete as many rounds as
you can. There are five games levels in all: four rounds per
level.

SETTING THE CONTROLS

1. Since this is a one player game, plug the Joystick
controller firmly into the LEFT controller jack.
2. Set the Left Difficulty switch:
Position B(Novice): This is an easy game; there are no Red
Balls rolling after Q*bert
Position A(Expert): This is the regular game. All the
characters described in the following rules will appear.
3. Press down the game RESET switch and you're ready to start
the action.

THE JOYSTICK

Hold the Joystick in your hand so that the four corners make a
diamond with the Fire Button at the top. The Joystick moves in
the four diagonal directions shown. These are the directions in
which Q*bert moves around the pyramid.

PLAYING

Q*bert
You'll start the game with four Q*berts. The first Q*bert will
appear on the topmost cube as soon as you hit RESET. The
remaining Q*berts are shown at the top of the screen throughout
the game.
Try to hop q*bert onto each and every cube, so that eventually,
the entire pyramid becomes the destination colour. The
destination colour is the same as the colour of the remaining
Q*berts and score as seen at the top of the screen.
Be careful not to hop Q*bert off the sides of the pyramid or off
the bottom row of cubes. If you do, he falls and you lose that
Q*bert. When this happens, the next Q*bert will appear on the
topmost cube ready to try again to complete the pyramid.

Red Ball
When Red Ball starts rolling, get Q*bert out of its path or it
will squash him! If this happens, the next Q*bert appears on the
cube where the last one was squashed.

Purple Ball
Poses the same kind of danger as Red Ball, except that when
Purple Ball reaches the bottom of the pyramid, it hatches Coily
the snake!

Coily
He's the snake with the perilous pounce! The only way to get rid
of Coily is to lure him off the pyramid by hopping a flying disc.
The best way to do this is to hop Q*bert onto the exit cube.
(There is only one correct exit cube for each flying disc). Then
as soon as Coily approaches the exit cube, hop Q*bert aboard the
flying disc. Q*bert flies off to safety while Coily falls into
space.

Flying Discs
When Q*bert is in trouble, he can board a flying disc that will
whisk him off to safety at the top of the pyramid. The number of
discs and their placement to the sides of the pyramid will
differ, depending on the game level and round.
Just make sure Q*bert boards the flying discs from the correct
exit cube, or else he'll fall off the pyramid.

Sam
Even though Sam can't catch Q*bert, he's still a very crafty
fellow. He changes the cubes' colours back again so Q*bert has
got to retrace his tracks. If Q*bert stops him, however (by
running into him), you'll earn extra bonus points.

Green Ball
Green Ball is the other green character that can't catch Q*bert,
either. But if Q*bert catches Green Ball, all the characters
except Q*bert freeze for a second, Q*bert can continue to hop,
and you'll earn bonus points.

END OF ROUND
The round ends when you complete the pyramid. As long as you have
a remaining Q*bert, a new pyramid will appear with a new
destination colour.

ROUND PROGRESSION
As you progress from round to round, Q*bert's speed, the speed
of the other characters, and the frequency of the other
characters' appearances will increase.

END OF GAME    
The game ends when you run out of Q*berts.
To play again, press RESET. The game will begin at Level 1,
Round 1.

SCORING
Q*bert changes cubes
to destination colour                25 points
Q*bert catches Sam                  300 points
Q*bert catches Green Ball           100 points
Q*bert lures Coily off pyramid      500 points
Bonus points                       3100 points
                    for every round you complete
Bonus Q*berts       one after the first five rounds;
          then one for every four rounds thereafter.

REACHING THE DESTINATION COLOUR
The following describes Q*bert's colouring pattern in each of the
five game levels.
S=Starting colour   I=Intermediate colour    D=Destination colour
Level 1(Rounds 1-4)      When Q*bert jumps on S, it changes to
                         D. When he jumps on D, it stays at D.

Level 2(Rounds 1-4)      When Q*bert jumps on S, it changes to
                         I. When he jumps on I, it changes to D.
                         When he jumps on D it stays at D.
Level 3(Rounds 1-4)      When Q*bert jumps on S, it changes to
                         D. When he jumps on D, it changes back
                         to S. Q*bert has got to start again.
Level 4(Rounds 1-4)      When Q*bert jumps on S, it changes to
                         I. When he jumps on I, it changes to D.
                         When he jumps on D it changes back to
                         I. Q*bert has got to start again.
Level 5(Rounds 1-4)      When Q*bert jumps on S, it changes to
                         I. When he jumps on I, it changes to D.
                         When he jumps on D it changes back to
                         S. Q*bert has got to start again.
                         Once you complete Level 5, Level 5 is
                         repeated, starting with Round 1.

IMPORTANT NOTE
The colours seen on you T.V. Set may not be identical to those
shown in this booklet. This is due to the type of T.V. Receiver
used and does not mean your cartridge is faulty.

-------------------Atari 2600 Instructions Archive-------------------
This document obtained from the History of Home Video Games Homepage, Š1997-1998 by Greg Chance
