EPISODE 14: QiX

#LX102, Published by Telegames, Inc.
In this episode I cover one of my favorite arcade games of the 1980s, QiX (pronounced “kicks”), released for the Lynx in 1991 by Telegames, Inc. I’ve got vital statistics about the game, along with gameplay, reviews and ratings, some fun facts and trivia, and some listener feedback about the game.

**The *QiX* upright arcade cabinet was released by Taito America in 1981.**

QiX VITAL STATISTICS
Release Date: October of 1991 by Telegames.
Initial Retail Price: Unknown.
Cartridge Information: Stereo curved lip-style cartridge of unknown ROM size.
Game Genre: Top-down action/strategy puzzle game for 1 player, or for 2 players taking turns on the console. The ComLynx is not used in multi-player games.
Screen Playfield Orientation: Landscape (horizontal).
Based On: Arcade game by Randy and Sandy Pfeiffer and released by Taito America Corporation in 1981.
Ports to Other Systems: QiX was also released on the Apple II (1989), the Apple IIgs (1990), the Atari 5200 (1983), the Atari 8-Bit line (1983), the Commodore Amiga (1989), the Commodore 64 (1989), the Commodore 128 (1989), the FM-7 (1983), the J2ME (2003), MicroSoft DOS (1989), the Nintendo Entertainment System (1991), the Nintendo Game Boy (1990), and the Nintendo 3DS (2011).
Sequels: QIX++ for the PSP (2010) and the XBox 360 (2009); QIX Neo for the Nintendo Playstation (2001); QIX Adventure for the Nintendo Game Boy Color (1999); Super QIX for the arcade (1987); Volfied (a.k.a. Ultimate QIX) for the arcade (1991), the Atari ST (1991), the Commodore Amiga (1991), the Commodore 64 (1991), the FM Towns (1991) the J2ME (2005), MicroSoft DOS (1991), the Nintendo Wii (2008), the Sega Genesis (1991), and the TurboGrafX-16 (1989).
Game Levels: There are 256 levels, each accessible with a 6-digit code. The complete list of level jump codes can be found here.
Number of Players: 1-2 (no ComLynx support).
Packaging: Full-color standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″).
Instruction Manual: A 32-page (including front and back covers) stapled regular-sized booklet manual in monochrome in English, measuring the usual 4 7/8” high by 3 ¾” wide.

QIX CREDITS
Developer: Knight Technologies.
Licensee: Taito America Corporation.
There are no other known credits for QiX.

Be sure to check out our partner AtariGamer.com to stay “Lynxed In” to all of the latest news about our favorite handheld gaming console!

LYNX LYNKS
Kieren Hawken’s 2019 book “The A-Z of Atari Lynx Games Volume 1”.

LYNX LYNKS
Information About QIX:
Atari Age title info/rarity guide for QiX
Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for QiX
Digital Press title info/rarity guide for QiX
Wikipedia article about QiX
Moby Games article about QiX
QiX Level Jump Codes from Atari Age
“Atari Lynx Hint Book”, published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers; all 255 level jump codes for QiX can be found on pages 48 and 49.

Reviews and Ratings for QiX:
Review by Ed Castle at The Atari Times (1996)
Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999; updated 2018)
Review by Dan Loosen at The Atari Times (2003)
Review by Cyril Lachel at DefunctGames (2004)
Review by The Video Game Critic at The Video Game Critic (2005)
Review by Jon Mc at Atari Gamer (2018)
Review by Jeff at JVGS Video Game Reviews
Review by Keita Iita at Atari Gaming Headquarters

YouTube Videos About QiX:
Playthrough (World-of-Longplays)
Playthrough (Hence Longplays)
Playthrough and Commentary (Steve Benway)
Playthrough and Review (No Swear Gamer)
Playthrough and Review (Brian Thomas Barnhart/Lynx Lounge)

Retailers Selling QiX:
B & C ComputerVisions: The price lists systems at B &C crashed on August 3, 2018 and they have still not been restored, as of this recording date. Bruce at B & C is selling most of his stock through eBay under the user name MyAtari.
Best Electronics (last updated January 7, 2021; check website for availability): US$19.95 (CIB); US$14.95 (loose cart).
The Gamesmen (Australia): QiX is not available.
The Goat Store: US$19.94 (NIB).
Telegames (UK): £19.98 (including tax; listing does not include whether it’s a loose cart, cart/manual combo, or CIB).
Video 61 & Atari Sales: US$99.95 (NIB).

After-Market and Home Brew Lynx Titles Now Available:

As of the recording date, here are the after-market and home brew Atari Lynx titles available from Luchs Soft in Germany (prices include VAT but not shipping costs):
Alpine Games (€55,92)
Ejagfest Slideshow (€49,97)
Quadromania (€55,92)
Retro X-MASsacre (€44,02)
Space Battle (Single: €55,92)
Space Battle (Double: €74,96)
Unseen (€49,97)
Yastuna-The Alchemy of Cubes (€49,97)
Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Luchs Soft.

As of the recording date, here are the after-market and home brew Atari Lynx titles available from Songbird Productions in the US (prices do not include tax or shipping costs):
Alpine Games ($59.95)
Alpine Games Bonus Card ($49.95)
Biniax 2 ($49.95/$79.95)
Bubble Trouble ($69.95)
A Bug’s Trip Redux ($49.95)
Centipede ($49.95)
CGE 5th Redux ($39.95)
Championship Rally ($59.95/$89.95)
Crystal Mines II: Buried Treasure (Regular: $59.95)
Crystal Mines II: Buried Treasure (Black PCB: $59.95)
CyberVirus ($59.95)
CyberVirus: Lost Missions ($49.95)
Hyperdrome ($69.95)
Krazy Ace Miniature Golf ($69.95)
Lexis ($49.95)
Loopz ($59.95/$89.95)
MegaPak 1 ($59.95)
Othello ($49.95/$79.95)
Ponx (Regular: $39.95)
Ponx (Black PCB: $59.95)
Raiden ($69.95)
Remnant: Planar Wars ($59.95)
SFX (Regular: $39.95)
SFX (Black PCB: $59.95)
SIMIS ($59.95/$89.95)
T-Tris ($49.95/$79.95)
unnamed ($49.95)
Xump: The Final Run ($49.95)
Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Songbird Productions.

As of the recording date, here are the after-market and home brew Atari Lynx titles available from Telegames in the UK (all prices include VAT):
Alpine Games (£55.00)
Breakout 2000 (£75.00)
Bubble Trouble (£49.98)
Championship Rally (£49.99)
Crystal Mines II: Buried Treasure (£49.99)
CyberVirus (£49.99)
Fat Bobby (£49.99)
Hyperdrome (£52.98)
Krazy Ace Miniature Golf (£49.99)
Lexis (£49.99)
Lynx Reloaded (with Othello and MultoPong; £44.99)
Ponx (£39.98)
Raiden (£52.98)
Remnant: Planar Wars (£49.98)
SFX (£39.86)
SIMIS 5 w/Space Invaders (£49.98)
Sokomania (£52.98)
T-Tris (£49.98)
Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Telegames.

Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools:
Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom.
Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon.
Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from BuzzandBingosMoonCircus (eBay).
Resource: Atari Lynx custom game carton sleeves from RetroProtection.
Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer.
Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand in a choice of 3 colors from Etsy.
Resource: BennVenn’s drop-in LCD replacement kit (solder-type; includes screen plus AtariGamer.com’s 3D-printed screen bracket frame for the Atari Lynx II).
Resource : BennVenn’s drop-in LCD replacement kit (solderless-type; includes screen plus AtariGamer.com’s 3D-printed screen bracket frame for the Atari Lynx II).
Resource: BennVenn’s ElCheapoSD storage cartridge for Atari Lynx.

“Thank You’s” and Other Lynks:
Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!)
AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!)
The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!)
The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episodes 22 and 26!)
Curtis Herod (Cujo)‘s The Bl^ck Book v2 (Check HERE to see the now-expired Indiegogo campaign, where you can find out more about the book. And please consider purchasing Curtis Herod’s The Black Book v2 by emailing him at cujo86@gmail.com.)
Into the Vertical Blank Podcast (Thanks to hosts Jeff and Steve Fulton for “singing” about The HandyCast in Season 1, Episode 10!)
Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!)
The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 167!)
The Retro MacCast Podcast (Thanks to Retro MacCast hosts James Savage and John Leake for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 475!)
Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to Eugenio/TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about QiX for this episode: AtariGamer (Igor), Brazbit@brazbit, Bucky749, cujo@86cujo (Curtis), Dan Ramos, hlo@scribehlo (Howard), Jerome Bourot, Luis Pabón, Peter Inserra, Ralph Tribl, Rocky3163, Shinto, and Susan G. McBride. I really appreciate your feedback!

Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), along with “Acid Road,” “Barge,” “Dancing by Twilight,” “Face It,” “New One,” “Poppin-Off,” “Psychic,” and “Soundwaves,” all by Ketsa.

I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you’ve never owned a Jaguar. You can find it here.

Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By.

Finally, my thanks to the Podfather himself, Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here.

I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. And please don’t forget to visit the official Atari Lynx HandyCast website by clicking here!

-Mark

Next Episode: “EPISODE 15: Basketbrawl”