Do you remember Taito’s arcade game Qix? Well if you do, then you’re really old! Ha ha! Just joking! I remember it, too. Made by the same folks who brought us Space Invaders, Qix was a very abstract game where you made squares on a playfield while avoiding enemies. Your job was to fill up a certain percentage of the playfield with the squares you made. When you did, you’d move on to the next, more challenging level. Taito made some sequels and updates to Qix that not many people know about. But if you enjoyed that game and miss it, luckily another company has crafted a loving tribute to games like Qix. This one is called Line Knight, has a medieval theme, and is available for iOS devices (iPad version reviewed here).

In the game, you control a knight who can draw a line behind him. When you make a square on the field, it becomes your land. Sometimes you have to fill a certain percentage of the land to complete the level, other times you must encircle a target marker to win. But you have to watch out for enemies. Turrets will fire at you, and if their fire hits you or your line before you make a square, you’ll lose a life. Dragons also roam the countryside, and touching them or their fire breath will end your life, too. There are different types of dragons and other enemies, as well, such as bats that follow your line. Landforms like swamps and water slow you down, so plan your paths carefully, too.

Luckily, you’re not completely defenseless. If you encircle a catapult or a boat, they’ll be on your side and fire upon turrets to destroy them. And if you make a square around a dragon or other enemy, you’ll defeat it, too. To control your knight, simply swipe him in the direction you want him to go. While this method of control works fine most of the time, it’s not as accurate as I would’ve liked it to be, especially on the more difficult levels. Speaking of which, that’s the only real problem I have with this game is that it gets too hard, too fast. But then, I’ve never been very good at Qix. But if you enjoy classic arcade titles such as Qix, you’ll be sure to enjoy Line Knight as well.

Kid Factor:

Because the graphics are so small, violence is very minimal. Defeated characters just disappear in a puff of smoke, and dragons just make a roaring sound. Reading skill is helpful for the instructions, and younger gamers might get frustrated at the higher difficulty. However, one of my little brothers, Jeff, really liked Qix when I showed it to him as a kid, though, so some youngsters may enjoy this one anyway.

Tags: Game Reviews