AGH Atari 2600 Review: BOING! by First Star Software First Star Software's initial (and only) offering for the Atari VCS, Boing! has the player maneuvering a bubble across a six-by-six grid of squares arranged to look like raked steps. As in Q*bert, the object is for the bubble to fill in each of the thirty-six squares by hopping on them. There really is no point in arguing whether Boing! is a knock-off of Q*bert or not, because it definitely is. But although it may not reek of innovation, the game also happens to be a better version of a cube hopping game than Parker Brothers' licensed version for the 2600. The raked steps have a more 3-D feel to them, and the character animations and movements, including the jellowish bubble and its enemies, are more lifelike. Similarly, the bouncing music track is much more elaborate than in Q*bert. The only drawback which prevents Boing! from receiving a higher score is in its challenge level, or lack thereof. You cannot fall off the edge of the grid and there are never more than two enemies on the screen at any time. This makes Boing! more suited for children, although given the mediocrity of 2600 Q*bert, it's nice to have a cube-hopping game that provides a reasonable amount of entertainment. Title Boing! Publisher First Star Software System Atari 2600 (VCS) Graphics 6 Sound 7 Gameplay 7 Overall 6 Reviewer Keita Iida