Qix Strategy Guide

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Learn how to beat the game
by Ed Castle

July 7, 1996

The early Qix levels are easy, and require only one simple strategy. Take your time. If you take your time, and only draw when you are sure you won't get hit, the first levels are easy. Later you'll have to face 2 Qixes, which has it's ups and it's downs. The ups are that you get the chance to 'Split Qix', which is when you draw a line between the two Qixes, splitting them apart. This is enough to complete the level, and doubles the point value of everything. the downs are that you have two Qix to avoid, and that you have a much more limited area to draw in.

Tricky Levels
Later levels get trickier. The Qix speed up, and the timer that releases the Sparx speeds up. My basic strategy still remains the same for these levels, but there are a few things you should remember on these later levels.

1) When you start a life, wait for the Qix to appear, and check where it goes. When you loose a life it tends to start on the next line right next to you, so it is worth hanging back a few seconds to see where it goes.

2) If you can, draw a line down the middle of the screen. If you are playing on a level with one Qix you'll have captured 50% straight away, a good head start. If you are playing a level with two Qix then you might be able to 'Split Qix', and if not, at least you'll gain 50%.

3) I find that playing a two player game on my own helps me. It gives you two chances at the level without having to enter the password twice, and every time you start a new life the Qix starts in the middle of screen, not right next to you. This means that trigger happy players are less likely to get killed instantly.

Code Entering
Entering the code is a pain in the ass. You have to do it every game if you don't want to start on level one, and you have to enter it from scratch. To get to the code screen press Option 1 on the game select screen. Here are some code entering hints:

1) If the letter you are going to enter is either A, B, C, D, E, F, G, or H, then press up. If it is I, then it doesn't matter 'cause I is in the middle. If it is J, K, L, M, N, O, or P, then press down.

2) Most codes start with IF, so they are easy to remember, and it means you can train yourself enter that automatically.

Don't Give Up!
There may be times when you've been hit by too many invisible Qix, or you've been stuck on a level for *far* too long. You may feel like throwing in the towel, but don't. If you work at it you'll develop a technique of your own. I've found that I use a mixture of three techniques. They are:

1) The Small Blocker: This is when I draw small blocks, one at a time, that only capture around 3 or 4 percent. This technique is the least risky, but you always have to worry about the fuse getting you.

2) Big and Adventurous: This is when I go for big blocks, normally capturing between 15 and 25 percent. This is more dangerous, but you have to worry less about the fuse and the Sparx.

3) Round and Round We Go: I sometimes find myself going round the screen, drawing thin, long boxes. I find that this is the safest way of drawing boxes, because if a Qix comes near you you can complete the box quickly.

Well, that's all from the Beginners Strategy guide. When I become one I'll write the Intermediate Strategy Guide, and then the Experts. But, until then you'll have to do with this.