Arcade / Arcade - Q*bert · 1984

Rainbow Walker

Published by Ariolasoft (Germany) · Developed by [n/a]

atarimania.com — atari-400-800-xl-xe-games-rainbow-walker-17897

Information

Genre: Arcade - Q*bert
Language: Machine Language
Controls: Joystick
Players: 1, Demo
Programmer(s): Coleman, Steve
Graphic Artist(s): [n/a]
Sound: [n/a]
Cover Artist(s): Boxell, Tim
Year: 1984
Publisher: Ariolasoft (Germany)
Developer: [n/a]
Country: Germany
License: Commercial
Medium: Tape, Disk
Rarity: 9 (Tape), 9 (Disk)
Serial: -

Votes / Statistics

Rating: 7.9/10 · Votes: 858 · Downloads: 1,544 · Hits: 5,459

Additional Comments

Also released on the Rainbow Walker / Countdown combo.

Many thanks to Bernhard for scanning the instructions!

Missing original disk image!

Screenshots (3)

Instructions (5)

Ads (1)

Book / Magazine Reviews (1)

Electronic Games · September, 1984

Here's an unusual color-changing game, Rainbow Walker, a pretty action contest set high above a mythical kingdom. Evil forces have turned the rainbow gray and only the brave Cedric can restore it to its former brilliance. Equipped with rainbow-walking boots, he hops along the airborne pathway, which scrolls forward and back across the horizon. If Cedric moves even one toe off the rainbow, he falls off and loses a turn.
Of course, there are plenty of nasties out to stop his heroic exploits, and each has a unique way of foiling his progress. For example, there's a hovering bird that plucks him off the rainbow and carries him off to parts unknown, undoing all the work he's done so far. Another creature picks him up and drops him on another square. Still another bad guy simply chucks him over the side.
Cedric can temporarily freeze opponents in their tracks by hopping on to a patterned square (which always remains gray). As long as he doesn't move vertically, the enemies remain frozen. But he can't linger too long on the patterned area because it quickly disintegrates under his weight.
The game awards a bonus round each time a rainbow is completed. To earn bonus points, Cedric has to hop back and forth between constantly appearing — and disappearing — squares. If he stays in one spot too long, the ground literally falls out from under him. There are never more than four squares on-screen during a bonus round, and the longer Cedric keeps his footing, the higher the bonus tally.
Rainbow Walker is especially ear-pleasing, though detailed graphics and instructions aren't the game's strong points. Still, the sky changes color as the sun goes down, and the moon rises over the night firmament. It's pleasant touch, and a pleasant game that has a way of growing on the player.

Comments (9)

Allan — 4 Mar 2023
None Watermarked manual: https://archive.org/details/rainbow-walker-synapse/mode/2up
dackycat — 6 Mar 2018
Another Synapse masterpiece! Brilliant concept and usage of colors and sounds. Movement could be a bit quirky and frustrating but made up for in the wonderfully colorful and engaging atmosphere and game concepts. Normally these sort of games were my bane but for some reason I could really rack up some great scores on RW, especially due to success in the bonus rounds.
rave.N — 9 Dec 2015
You're not going to believe this, I think there is only one version, and it is meant to be played on PAL hardware. Certain sounds and character animations are better and smoother in PAL, and the music, controls, and gameplay all speed up 15 to 20 percent when switching from NTSC (never twice the same color) over to PAL. Most A8 software either doesn't change speed or else gets faster in NTSC so Rainbow Walker game engine is special in that it speeds up in PAL, maybe a convincing argument that it is PAL native. Rainbow Walker is candy cuteness overdrive, consistently named one of the best ever games for Atari. Wonderful music "sounds classical" I wonder what it is. Thoughtful touch in how your guy will quickly twitch and jump off the edge if you don't move for some seconds. Too easy to move diagonal when not meaning to, a joystick with tactile clock positioning would be helpful. Trick move is combined with the fire button, you can jump over a square, then move the same as 4 squares in 1 turn when jumping diagonally over a hole. I'm working with the file download 24322 bytes joined to the other game "Countdown" which makes this even stranger since Countdown runs better in NTSC over PAL. CHEAT MODE unlimited lives. 1st change the sequence "$CE $4E $06" to $EAEAEA, found at file offsets $2F6F $2F70 $2F71, this prevents you from losing lives. 2nd change the sequence "$EE $4E $06" to $EAEAEA, found at file offsets $52F7 $52F8 $52F9, this prevents you from gaining lives because a long game could roll this number over then crash. 3rd change the number $06 found at file offset $273F into $00 or else the number of extra men you want to see drawn across the top of screen always.
Punkydudester — 20 Dec 2014
Beautiful and well put together game. The only thing this has in common with Q-bert is coloring places you step, otherwise these 2 games are drastically different. I love Q-bert and rainbow walker equally and they don't seem really related. Fond memories of this.
John — 8 May 2010
I love this game primarily for its atmosphere, literally being "somewhere over the rainbow" and watching the night turn to day and back.
Lockett — 30 May 2008
This game is far beyond Q*Bert in every way. The 3D graphics are much more convincing, the sounds are great and suit their purposes, and the game itself is nicely challenging. Rainbow Walker also has changed mechanics from Q*Bert's - for example, the enemies now can de-color squares, but can also be killed by the player, if the player either freezes and steps on them or scrolls the screen, pushing them off. There are also bonus rounds at the ends of the levels that require the player to stay on a moving platform - this section is vaguely reminiscent of Dance Dance Revolution in its execution. If I had to play a game that involved stepping on squares, I'd take this over Q*Bert any day.
Yungstar 06 — 9 Jan 2008
a great Q*Bert style game that stands the test of time and is very playable on a handheld games system like the GP32.
Jim Kuchera — 13 Dec 2006
So many rainbows, so little time---to make a decision. If you want to play a real palm-sweater, this is it! With a wonderful play premise, great music and sound effects, and delightful cartoon graphics, this is one I would return to evening after evening following a challenging day at work. I found work to be easier than Rainbow Walker, but not as much fun. I like the fact that you start with more than the standard three 'lives'. Believe me, you'll need more than three. A very very playable piece of software, and the author deserves a place in the Software Hall of Fame (if there were one). Buy this one!
martin — 5 Feb 2006
This is Q*Bert in the sky with Z-axis scrolling, has the most exciting bonus round where you have to jump onto the appearing squares for money, a quality game.