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Mr. Cool

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Overview

Mr. Cool is a Qbert-inspired action game developed by Sierra On-Line and released in 1983 for multiple platforms including Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, and IBM PC1. The game was designed by Peter Oliphant, who wanted to create “a game like Qbert, but better” to address what he saw as the repetitiveness of the original arcade hit2. Players control Mr. Cool, an ice cube character, who must hop around a pyramid of color-changing platforms to change them all to the same color while avoiding flying comets and other obstacles3.

The game was part of Sierra On-Line’s early catalog during the company’s formative years in the 1980s4. Published under the Sierravision label for some platforms, Mr. Cool represented Sierra’s attempt to capitalize on the popularity of arcade-style games during the home computer boom5. Despite being a clone of the popular Q*bert arcade game, Mr. Cool received generally positive reviews for its faithful adaptation and addictive gameplay, though some critics noted its lack of visual flair compared to the original2.

Story Summary

Mr. Cool features a simple premise where players take on the role of an ice cube character who has ventured into a fiery realm. According to the game’s colorful description, “Mr. Cool, icecubeman, has gone to hell (or something like that, I guess)!“6. The character is described as being “so cool, he can make fireballs frosty”7. The game’s antagonists are the Hot Springs, described as entities that “resent this uppity ice cube, Mr. Cool, invading their private pyro-playground”7.

While the narrative elements are minimal, the game’s thematic concept revolves around the contrast between the cool ice cube protagonist and the hot, fiery environment he must navigate. This simple but effective theme reinforces the core gameplay mechanic of “cooling off” the hot plates by changing their colors8.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Players control Mr. Cool using a joystick connected to port 2 on systems that support it6. The character moves diagonally around a pyramid-shaped playing field, though some players reported difficulty using joystick diagonals to control the character effectively2. The game supports single-player gameplay only6.

Structure and Progression

Mr. Cool features 15 rounds per level, with the game repeating at increased speed after completing the first level2. Players earn bonus lives every 20,000 points8. The game includes a special power-up called “Supercool Time” that lasts for 15 seconds, during which Mr. Cool becomes invincible and can safely collect enemy objects2.

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core gameplay mechanic involves jumping on a pyramid made of color-changing platforms to make all platforms the same color3. Flying comets enter the screen to hinder the player’s progress, but they eventually turn into balls that can be collected safely3. As one review noted, “It does require some strategy, for like Pac-Man you must take the offensive for brief periods of time”2. The game also features levels with invisible platforms, adding an additional layer of challenge6.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Mr. Cool received generally positive reviews from the gaming press of the early 1980s, though critics consistently noted its derivative nature.

PublicationScoreNotes
SoftlinePositive”Although Mr. Cool lacks Q*Bert’s Escheresque assault on the eyes, it’s a no less addicting game”2
Creative ComputingMixedNoted it resembled Q*bert “but without the beautifully colored screen”2
Addison-Wesley Book of Atari Software 1984CCalled it “a well-made clone” requiring strategy2

Softline magazine was particularly enthusiastic, declaring that “Mr. Cool deserves to be a sizzling hit for Sierra On-Line”2. Creative Computing’s Arthur Leyenberger offered a more measured assessment, stating “This game resembles the popular arcade game Q-Bert, but without the beautifully colored screen. That is not to say the game is not fun or challenging enough”2.

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospective reviews have been mixed. User reviews on Lemon64 varied significantly, ranging from 4/10 to 10/106. One particularly harsh modern assessment called it “A weak Qbert clone that’s good for about a minute or two of your time”6. However, other players have been more generous, with MobyGames user Katakis noting, “As Sierra’s take on QBert, the game is excellent and it mimics the Gottlieb game very well”3. The game currently holds a critics’ score of 56% on MobyGames3 and a user rating of 4.0/5 on Giant Bomb9.

Development

Origins

Mr. Cool was conceived by Peter Oliphant after he finished working on Wall War2. Oliphant was motivated by his belief that Q*bert, while popular, suffered from repetitiveness and could be improved upon2. The Atari 8-bit version was completed remarkably quickly, being finished just three weeks after conception2.

Production

John Redekopp handled the programming duties for the IBM PC and Apple II ports of the game2. The game was developed using machine language programming10 and was published under Sierra’s Sierravision label for some platforms5. The development represented part of Sierra On-Line’s broader strategy during the early 1980s to establish itself as a major publisher of home computer games4.

Technical Achievements

Mr. Cool utilized Sierra’s Formaster Copylock protection scheme, which was also used for other early Sierra titles including King’s Quest booter versions and Troll’s Tale11. However, this protection system had notable limitations - it didn’t work properly with DMA-less PCs like the PCjr and many early Tandy 1000 models, and was speed-sensitive, breaking on faster 286 machines11. The game was distributed on both 160KiB and 360KiB disk formats11.

File sizes varied significantly across platforms, with the Commodore 64 version being only 6 KB, the Apple II version 19 KB, and the Atari 8-bit version 34 KB12. The IBM PC version was distributed as a self-booting disk2.

Legacy

Mr. Cool represents an important early entry in Sierra On-Line’s catalog, demonstrating the company’s willingness to experiment with arcade-style games during its formative years4. While the company would later become famous for adventure games and would acquire developers like Dynamix13 (which was founded in 1984 and eventually became known for simulation games13), Mr. Cool shows Sierra’s early diversification attempts.

The game’s preservation has been ensured through multiple archive sources, with versions available on the Internet Archive110141516 and various abandonware sites1217. Its inclusion in comprehensive game databases like MobyGames18 and Lemon646 has helped maintain awareness of this early Sierra title among retro gaming enthusiasts.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

  • Currently not available on modern digital distribution platforms
  • GOG Dreamlist - Community wishlist

Download / Preservation

References

Footnotes

  1. Internet Archive - Mr. Cool Atari 8-bit – - Official listing with comprehensive metadata and original game details ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. [Wikipedia - Mr. Cool Video Game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Cool_(video_game) – ) - Comprehensive article with contemporary reviews and developer interviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19

  3. MobyGames - Mr. Cool – - Database entry with basic metadata and detailed player review ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  4. Sierra Gamers - Sierra Games List – - Historical list of Sierra games with contextual release information ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. Internet Archive - Sierravision Manual – - Original manual and technical documentation for vintage Atari game ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  6. Lemon64 - Mr. Cool – - Community-driven game database for Commodore 64 games with user reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  7. SierraChest - Mr. Cool – - Comprehensive overview of vintage arcade game from Sierra On-Line ↩ ↩2

  8. Pixelated Arcade - Mr. Cool – - Game database entry with technical specifications and gameplay mechanics ↩ ↩2

  9. Giant Bomb - Mr. Cool – - Database entry with basic game information and user ratings ↩

  10. Internet Archive - Woz A Day Mr Cool – - Original source documentation for vintage Apple II game ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  11. Nerdly Pleasures Blog – - Technical blog post about Sierra’s copy protection methods ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  12. MyAbandonware - Mr. Cool – - Historical metadata about early 1980s arcade action game ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  13. Wikipedia - Dynamix – - Full history and game catalog of Dynamix development studio ↩ ↩2

  14. Internet Archive - Sierra Disk Images – - Comprehensive historical archive of Sierra On-Line game disk images ↩

  15. Internet Archive - Apple II Cracked Version – - Archival record of vintage Apple II game ↩

  16. Internet Archive - Atari 8-bit US Version – - Archival game preservation with historical metadata ↩

  17. MyAbandonware Search – - Historic game archive documenting early 1980s computer games ↩

  18. MobyGames Search – - Comprehensive database of video game information ↩

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