Q*bert Rebooted: The Xbox One @!#?@! Edition is a port of the game available on almost all other platforms. To understand how the Xbox One version of the title is different from the rest, we have to go back and discuss the issues present since it was first developed. Let’s talk about the mobile version first. The mobile version is a free-to-play title that has significant performance issues, aliased graphics and clunky navigation. I don’t know if this is related to the fact that it isn’t optimized for the hardware or the fragmentation of the mobile phone market which leads to different configurations depending on the device. Either ways, it’s absolutely terrible despite the fact that the navigation is the easiest by far—you just have to touch where you want Q*bert to go. If I were reviewing it I would probably give it a very low score due to the numerous issues I encountered. Just trying it made me want to fling my phone against a wall.
Let’s move onto the PlayStation versions shall we? When I first played the game on PlayStation 4 a few months ago I was very excited but found the controls to be clunky and imprecise. It was evident that the game wasn’t optimized for a controller. It was difficult to control Q*bert and I kept on falling off the edge even if I didn’t mean for that to happen. I gave up on the game a few minutes after starting it and until now hadn’t thought about it until I saw that an Xbox One version was being developed.
Now that you know the recent history of Q*bert, let me tell you that the Xbox One version makes up for months of disappointment. The PlayStation versions didn’t highlight the block you were supposed to jump on but the Xbox One version marks it clearly. This improves gameplay dramatically and movement is precise. Errors don’t happen unless you try and play really quickly. While time trials are a part of the game, it’s more about knowing which enemies to avoid and which enemies to jump on and kill. It’s a game about strategy as it is about being fast. Additionally, it feels like the controls have been tweaked to minimize the chance of them not registering in the right direction. The controls were my biggest complaint about Q*bert in the past and I’m glad they were addressed. I could go on and on about this. This is a huge deal.
For those unfamiliar with Q*bert, the game is about controlling an odd little creature through each level. You have to turn the blocks to a particular color while avoiding some enemies and killing others by jumping on them. While the initial levels are easy, they get progressively harder. There are dozens of levels in the game and each one can be replayed multiple times to get the three objectives or beat your time. The leaderboards make it into a proper competition.
The best part is that the title is only $10 and offers so much. Q*bert Rebooted: The Xbox One @!#?@! Edition even comes with the original arcade version of the game that is still a lot of fun. The controls for this version have also been tweaked to minimize errors.
You can also unlock different types of Q*berts like a wizard or zombie. Mastering each level enables you to collect gems which can be used to unlock different characters. Q*bert Rebooted is a simple but incredibly fun game with lots to do.
Summary
Overall, Q*bert Rebooted: The Xbox One @!#?@! Edition is great. It offers a lot for its very low price. It enables a new generation of gamers to experience a true classic in modern form. However, there are issues. Even now with the massive improvements, you inadvertently lead Q*bert off the edge. Maybe having an option to lock borders for the console version would’ve been a nice touch. It’s quite difficult to control Q*bert with a controller so that would’ve worked out well. Other than that, I have no complaints. I remember playing Q*bert as a child and am glad I got the opportunity to experience it again as an adult. The modern take does the classic justice in my opinion.
Asher is a games journalist, former News Writer (Gaming) at Windows Central. They contributed 1110 articles to ICXM between 2015–2017, focused on opinion pieces, game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news: wrote over 1,100 ICXM pieces on Xbox news, hardware reviews, and platform commentary before joining Future plc’s Windows Central in 2017.