Neon Retro Arcade

Qix

1981

Taito

Growing up pre-internet, we had lo-fi toys like the Etch-a-Sketch to keep us busy. But almost no-one really drew well with the continuous line, so the Etch-a-Sketch eventually ended up cast aside. Qix is like an Etch-a-Sketch made into an action game for the videogame generation. Maybe I couldn't draw a face, but I sure can draw lines that trap the evil Qix while keeping aggressive Sparx at bay. What a fantastic way to reimagine a beloved off-screen toy into an on-screen game.

Story

You play as a marker who draws little shapes on screen and eventually boxes in the Qix, a spinning helix enemy. You try to claim 75% of the screen to move to the next stage, while avoiding the Qix touching your lines. As you battle to box in the Qix, you also have to avoid the Sparx, small enemies who run along completed pathways. Don't get caught by Sparx while you're watching for the Qix.

Tips & Strategies

Build a tower made up of lots of small rectangles. Then when the time is right, swoop across to one edge and claim a ton of screen space.

Draw fast for safety, draw slow for points.

The title Qix is pronounced like 'kicks', not 'quicks'.