Quantum: Cool game or just collectable?

NotreCaine

Active member
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
1,964
Reaction score
14
Location
Lake Effect Snow,, New York
This is kind of a spin-off from Kerri's thread. My question is: Do folks want this game because it's cool or just collectable? Both? Discuss.


FYI: For those of you in the Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse area's

I went to the Rochester Museum of Play, a week ago. They still have about 25 cabs out to play! It's part of the "Video games through the ages" display. It was very cool to be able to go play some more games again, outside of the Videotopia display!

Games that were there: Quantum, Star Wars, Food Fight, Tron, EDOT, Dig Dug, Asteroids, Centipede, Moon Patrol, Bubbles, Joust, Pole Position II, DK, Popeye, Ms Pac, Gauntlet Legends, X-Men, Crystal Castles, Out Run, Galaga, and maybe 5 more.

Quantum being there, sparked my debate on this. I'm not looking to buy one, as I havent played it enough. I just wondered what others thought of the Atari classic.
 
Last edited:
I think there are a billion games out there better then quantum!

It's only cool because a select number of people have one or parts of one and the endless threads about it here make others want one. It's cool because it's rare. Did you see that board for sale for $1000? I don't know if it sold yet or not but somewhere someone is willing to pay for it to get their rare game working.


If you have a arcade that is more of a hands off for display only, then you should get one.

If you like to play your games and don't care about 1 of X amount made that are left, pass.
 
I think there are a billion games out there better then quantum!

It's only cool because a select number of people have one or parts of one and the endless threads about it here make others want one. It's cool because it's rare. Did you see that board for sale for $1000? I don't know if it sold yet or not but somewhere someone is willing to pay for it to get their rare game working.


If you have a arcade that is more of a hands off for display only, then you should get one.

If you like to play your games and don't care about 1 of X amount made that are left, pass.
An excellent analysis. Have you ever tried to draw a circle with a track ball before? It sucks...
 
I hope you guys are basing your opinions on actually playing a real quantum rather than just hating on it because it's rare. Quantum is easily one of the few rarer machines i've had over the years that i'd absolutely love to have back. It's a fun game if you can get past perceptions of value/rarity/trophy.
 
I hope you guys are basing your opinions on actually playing a real quantum rather than just hating on it because it's rare. Quantum is easily one of the few rarer machines i've had over the years that i'd absolutely love to have back. It's a fun game if you can get past perceptions of value/rarity/trophy.
I've played it every year I've been to CAX. I enjoy it, but it certainly does not have the ridiculously high "retail value" that regularly gets assigned to it to me personally.
 
I hope you guys are basing your opinions on actually playing a real quantum rather than just hating on it because it's rare. Quantum is easily one of the few rarer machines i've had over the years that i'd absolutely love to have back. It's a fun game if you can get past perceptions of value/rarity/trophy.
Don't you find trying to draw a circle with a track ball the least bit aggravating?
 
Not at all. Making loops is no different than going in 4 directions in pac man. It's just a control scheme, Quantum isn't about making circles, it's about capturing objects.
 
Collectible due to so few being out there, gameplay was ok, not enough for me to make it any kind of "grail"(hate that word).
 
Not at all. Making loops is no different than going in 4 directions in pac man. It's just a control scheme, Quantum isn't about making circles, it's about capturing objects.
I always try to do the little schwoop circle when I'm playing, but it always ends up more of a triangle. Maybe next time I'll drop the circle attempt altogether and see if I do better/enjoy a little more. Thanks for the tip!
 
I find that sometimes it takes seeing someone that's actually really good at a game that i'm terrible at to make me understand and appreciate it. Many times you play based upon what you think you should be doing based on the instructions, but a good player will teach you something completely different. Zookeeper and Reactor are games like this that come to mind. I was on the fence on Quantum until I saw Jeff from Videotopia play it and I realized just how little skill I had :)
 
I find that sometimes it takes seeing someone that's actually really good at a game that i'm terrible at to make me understand and appreciate it. Many times you play based upon what you think you should be doing based on the instructions, but a good player will teach you something completely different. Zookeeper and Reactor are games like this that come to mind. I was on the fence on Quantum until I saw Jeff from Videotopia play it and I realized just how little skill I had :)
An excellent point. I had no idea ZK was Donkey Kong for morons until mere months ago. I had always thought it was a game about trapping animals. ;)

And for the record, I do enjoy playing Quantum at CAX, just not enough to justify dropping anywhere near the type of coin they command.
 
I find that sometimes it takes seeing someone that's actually really good at a game that i'm terrible at to make me understand and appreciate it. Many times you play based upon what you think you should be doing based on the instructions, but a good player will teach you something completely different. Zookeeper and Reactor are games like this that come to mind. I was on the fence on Quantum until I saw Jeff from Videotopia play it and I realized just how little skill I had :)


Very good analysis.
 
Its very different. Thats what makes it cool. Now if you were to throw it up against the other atari color xy's, the only game I think its better than is empire strikes back..

But if you asked if I was forced to get rid of all but 25 games, would I keep it, the answer would be no..

I would not say I have it because its a collectible, rare, or valuable.. I have it because I feel it belongs with the other atari XY's... Buf if forced to choose why I have one cool or collectible, I would have to go with cool..
 
Its very different. Thats what makes it cool. Now if you were to throw it up against the other atari color xy's, the only game I think its better than is empire strikes back..

But if you asked if I was forced to get rid of all but 25 games, would I keep it, the answer would be no..

I would not say I have it because its a collectible, rare, or valuable.. I have it because I feel it belongs with the other atari XY's... Buf if forced to choose why I have one cool or collectible, I would have to go with cool..

Good input.
 
I definitely think there are games that are only desirable due to rarity and blow otherwise, yet this game seems very interesting gameplay-wise, and I've only played in it MAME. I'd like to own one someday, replica or otherwise.
 
I'd say both.

It's collectible mainly because it is a rare vector game. But I think the gameplay is actually very fun and original. It's a blast to pick up and play. Plus, anyone can figure it out. The only problem is that the average game (even with practice) only lasts about a minute!
 
I never played Quantum back in the day. When I bought my house, I thought it would be cool to have an arcade game, but then I thought it would be cooler to build my own custom (MAME) machine. But I really didn't know where to begin or if I really wanted to do it. I was scrolling through games in MAME one day trying to get a feel for what I'd like to be on the cabinet. I saw the word Quantum and thought "what could that possibly be?" I fired it up and instantly thought "I'm starting my build tomorrow and I'm basing the control panel around a trackball." To me it seemed like the perfect arcade game - simple, addictive gameplay. Then I got into the real machines. My first short list was Pac-Man, Quantum, and Q*bert. Then I found out how rare Quantum was and my heart sank. Now that I know how dedicated I am to this hobby, it is my goal to acquire a Quantum for my collection. It is literally the only thing left on my want list. Collectibility be damned, to me it is the epitome of arcade games and I won't be complete without one.
 
Back
Top Bottom