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Quick Step
For the Atari 2600
General FAQ
Last Updated 2/28/05
Version 1.0
Written & Compiled by "TestaALT"
Email address TestaALT@aol.com
This file is Copyright (c) 2005 Andrew "TestaALT" Testa. All rights reserved.
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Table of Contents:
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1. Version History
2. Introduction
3. Dedication
4. Controls
5. Overview
6. Strategies
7. Frequently Asked Questions
8. Credits
9. Legal Disclaimer
10. Contact Information
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1. Version History
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Version 1.0 (02/28/05): Initial version of document - it's complete.
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2. Introduction
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If the two main characters in a game are a Squirrel and a Kangaroo, you know
it's going to be decent. Although Quick Step is a fun play that has many
quirks, it is still a tedious little game that makes certain people want to
cry. Quick Step is just too fast pace and too much work to be any real fun.
That is, unless you play against a non-superhuman opponent.
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3. Dedication
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I dedicate this guide to all Atari 2600 gamers out there. They really keep
this system alive, even though it seems "dead." Atari 2600, in a lot of
people's minds, was the first gaming console ever created. This really isn't
true, as there were other obscure systems before it. However, this was most
people's first video game system - this is the system that brought them into
gaming. And so, I dedicate this guide to the Atari 2600 gamers that still
play this old system and keep it alive.
This guide is also dedicated to Brian P. Sulpher and AboveAverage. Where did
you go, AboveAverage? You told me which system to write for! And of course,
Brian taught all of us that you can write billions and billions of guides for
old games.
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4. Controls
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Fire Button: Used to destroy a mat (you can only do this six times).
Joystick: Used to move your character.
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5. Overview
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The basic layout of the game:
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Lives -> ## #### <- Score
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Lives -> ## #### <- Score
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<http://www.vgmuseum.com/images/2600/45.html>
In Quick Step, you play as either the Kangaroo or the Squirrel. You have to
change the color of the mats to your color before it descends from the
screen to get the most points. This is the objective for your opponent, as
well, and you can change the mats back as many times as you like, making this
a very tedious game.
See, the computer is some type of super player that rarely dies and almost
always lights the bottom mats right before they reach the bottom of the
screen. He's still very beatable, though, but you have to stay in the bottom
row and fight him for the mats. There are other ways to get points, though.
For instance, if you land on a pink square first you get three points, while
landing on a gold mat nets you seven points. Also, you can freeze your
opponent if you land on a white mat and then the mat that the opponent
resides on. You get ten points for this and also a few seconds to change the
lower mat colors in your favor.
After the wave of four mats, only one row of mats will start to show, and
things will get a lot faster. This is where you *can* beat the computer
because he doesn't always get to the one row quick enough. If you get to the
row, it's mucho points for you.
Once the one row wave is done, we go back to the regular waves again, making
an endless cycle. If you die, you come back to life quick enough, unless the
one row waves are going, then you have to wait until they are over. You get
five lives so expect a long game.
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6. Strategies
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Some key strategies.
* Always try to light up the bottom squares last so you get points. This
is tough, considering if you are on a mat when it leaves the
screen one of your lives is depleted, but is it the best way to get
points.
* Follow your opponent. This is a great strategy because every mat the
opponent lights up will turn to your color. If you follow your opponent
correctly, you should get a lot of points. Don't be suicidal, though,
and try to light up the bottom squares again when you clearly don't have
enough time.
* When you see a white mat, immediately go to it. This is because it gives
you a "glow" (if you land on it first) that allows you to freeze your
enemy. When you have this glow, jump on the same mat that your opponent
resides on to freeze him temporarily. This should give you enough time
to light up the bottom mats.
* As always, ditch the bottom mats if you see a gold/pink mat, because
they give instant points. If you see your opponent going for a gold/pink
mat, stay on the bottom row and make up the points he obtains.
* Don't save your traps because you can only hold six. The best way to use
the traps is simple - blow up four squares from left to right so your
opponent can't ascend with you.
* When it starts to turn into a one row wave, ditch the mats and get in
that row. Sometimes, your computer opponent won't make it, giving you
easy points.
* If both players are in the one row wave, try to be the most southern so
you get the points.
* If you descend off the screen with a mat, obviously, you exhaust one of
your lives. Try to avoid this at all costs because getting a few points
is *not* worth a life.
* Another core strategy is to stay on the bottom row and cycle back and
forth, changing the color in your favor, and leaving the row before it
descends. This is pretty risky but nets tons of points. The difference
between this and other strategies is that you have to be staying on the
bottom row exclusively.
* If the other player has the glow ascend to the most northern mat. Simply
put, this is so you don't descend to your death.
* If you want to try the upper route, try to stay on the top and suck up
all the pink mats. It's instant points! The grey squares, however, don't
yield any points, so you might want to stay away from them.
* Again, try not to get too risky, because each life is worth 200 points
after one player's lives are depleted.
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7. Frequently Asked Questions
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Question: How many lives can you have?
Answer: Six lives.
Question: Why am I always getting frozen?
Answer: Your opponent keeps landing on the white mats.
Question: How do white mats work?
Answer: A white map will come up occasionally and the first person who
lands on it gets a "glow." With this glow, if they land on the same
mat that their opponent is on, the opponent will become temporarily
frozen. You will also gain ten points for freezing a person and
some valuable time to jump on the lower mats.
Question: Can you get any more lives?
Answer: Yes, you get one more life if your score reaches over 2,000. It's
hard to get there, though, to say the least.
Question: How many players can play?
Answer: Two players.
Question: When did this game come out?
Answer: 1983.
Question: Who created this game?
Answer: Imagic.
Question: My game doesn't work, how do I get it to work!?
Answer: You might have a corrupted version of the game, or perhaps the old
2 K version, which doesn't work very well.
Question: Where can I get this game?
Answer: The Atari 2600 hasn't had any new games made for years, so you
can't buy it from them. You can get the game at a garage sale or
ebay, if you like. ROMs also work, if you have the game and it is
broken, that is. I'm sure Activision made one of their "five hun-
dred games-in-one," too, and you get one from them.
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8. Credits
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* CJayC for creating GameFAQs.
* Brian Sulpher for referring me to a good ROM site.
* Atariage.com for a copy of the manual.
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9. Legal Disclaimer
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This document is Copyright (c) 2005 Andrew "TestaALT" Testa. All Rights
Reserved. This document may not be reproduced or retransmitted in any form
and under any circumstances without the complete consent of the author. It
may not be sold, altered, or published in any way without the advanced
permission of the author. All sources, which have contributed to this
document, are cited and/or credited in some form. The only sites I allow this
document to be viewed at are:
GameFAQs <http://www.gamefaqs.com>
IGN <http://www.ign.com>
If you see this document at any other site please email me as I do not allow
this document to be published at any other sources. Please do not ask me if
you want this document on your website, as the answer will most likely be no.
These terms have become binding once the recipient (or reader) opened this
document. Violation of these terms are strictly prohibited and will result in
a lawsuit. Please do not take these terms as threats and/or not read them as
they are all very much true. I can sue you for an act of plagiarism and will
not hesitate to do so. Thank you for reading this legal disclaimer and have a
nice day! =)
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10. Contact Information
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Contact me via email (TestaALT@aol.com) or AIM (TestaALT) if you have any
questions, comments, or suggestions about this guide. Just make sure that you
put the game name in the subject line. If you don't, I'll probably delete
you're email thinking it's spam. Also, make sure that the question isn't
answered in the latest version of the document, which can be found at
GameFAQs. Try to ask me legibly, as I can't decipher chickenscratch. For AIM,
just beep me whenever you like. Thanks for reading, and check some of my
other work at:
-> http://gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/23249.html <-
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