Proto:Q*bert (Game Boy Color)

This page details one or more prototype versions of Q*bert (Game Boy Color).

To do: The below site lists more differences, but it'd probably be best to compare the two ROMs directly rather than going off of a list that was written in 2001.

The Game Boy Color Q*bert is actually built off of a homebrew port made by Paul Chinn. This original version can still be downloaded from his website (via Internet Archive).

As Paul explained,
"In the spring of 2000 I released a freeware Gameboy Color ROM, that was an identical clone of the old Q*bert arcade game. [...] Shortly after I put the ROM on my website something amazing happened...someone in the Gameboy developer community came across my version of the game and passed it on to Majesco Sales. Majesco had the rights to do the Gameboy Color version of Q*bert, and they contacted me to see if I'd be interested in enhancing what I'd done and making it a commercial product."

General Differences

• The homebrew version has no sound.

Graphical Differences

Homebrew	Retail

The title screen was completely overhauled. Despite this, a few bits of the homebrew version are still present in the retail ROM.

The main menu in the homebrew version doubles as a credits screen.

Homebrew	Retail

• The camera's starting position was moved down a bit.
• Q*bert's snout and eyes were altered a bit.
• The cubes had their dark and light sides swapped.
• The HUD was redone a bit: "CHANGE TO:" became purple, the score display was given a new color and font, the extra life icons had their snouts curved a bit, the Round designation was removed, and the Level indicator got the same changes as the score display.