Game is controlled by the same keys that are used to playing under MS DOS. For fullscreen press 'Right Alt' + 'Enter'.
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Unfortunately, this game is currently available only in this version. Be patient :-)
QBasic Nibbles is a simple version of the classic “snake” video-game concept, originally written in QBasic by Rick Raddatz and first distributed in 1991 as part of MS-DOS 5.0. The game is also known by its source-file name NIBBLES.BAS.
QBasic Nibbles (MS-DOS)
In Nibbles, the player controls a “snake” that moves through a closed, walled space, consuming numbers from 1 through 9 placed in sequence. Each time the snake eats a number its length increases, which gradually makes navigation more difficult, as the snake must avoid collisions with walls, obstacles, or its own body. Once the last number on a level is eaten, the player proceeds to the next level — where the layout becomes more complex, and movement speed increases. In addition to the standard single-player mode, Nibbles features a multiplayer option: a second player can control another snake using a different set of keys on the same keyboard, allowing two players to compete simultaneously. All game visuals — snakes, walls and numbers — are rendered in text mode (ASCII) using the standard 80×25 character screen, with QBasic emulating a grid-like playfield through clever use of foreground/background colors and block characters. Nibbles was included among the sample programs bundled with MS-DOS 5.0 and later versions, along with other demonstration titles such as Gorillas. Because MS-DOS was widely installed on IBM-PC compatible personal computers in the early 1990s, Nibbles became accessible to a large audience and served as an introduction both to casual gaming and to programming with QBasic. Though simplistic by modern standards, Nibbles has retained a nostalgic appeal: its minimal graphics, straightforward gameplay and support for two-player mode make it a memorable example of early PC gaming culture. Due to its simplicity and the fact that it accompanied MS-DOS by default, Nibbles has often been cited as a classic among early PC games. It introduced many users — especially younger or novice programmers — to interactive programming by providing a fully playable game written in QBasic. While the graphics and audio are minimal (ASCII text and simple PC-speaker cues), reviewers and retro-gaming enthusiasts point out that this has little effect on enjoyment: the gameplay remains engaging, and the increasing challenge through longer snake length and more obstacles keeps players invested. Because of its role as a demonstration of QBasic and as a widely distributed DOS game, QBasic Nibbles occupies an important place in the heritage of early PC gaming — bridging the world of simple programming and interactive entertainment.
More details about this game can be found on Wikipedia.org.
Find digital download of this game on GOG or Steam.
Game controls:
All DOS games were controlled directly from the PC keyboard. Some newer DOS games also used a mouse or other more advanced game peripherals for control. However, each game was controlled by different keys. You can find a detailed description of how to control this version of QBasic Nibbles in the attached game manual. An overview of basic keyboard commands and keyboard shortcuts to control this game is summarized in the following table:
Keys
Action
↑↓←→
Player #1's movements
WSAD
Player #2's movements
P
Pause
F5
Start the game
Platform:
This version of QBasic Nibbles was designed for personal computers with operating system MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System), which was operating system developed by Microsoft in 1981. It was the most widely-used operating system in the first half of the 1990s. MS-DOS was supplied with most of the IBM computers that purchased a license from Microsoft. After 1995, it was pushed out by a graphically more advanced system - Windows and its development was ceased in 2000. At the time of its greatest fame, several thousand games designed specifically for computers with this system were created. Today, its development is no longer continue and for emulation the free DOSBox emulator is most often used. More information about MS-DOS operating system can be found here.
Available online emulators:
5 different online emulators are available for QBasic Nibbles. These emulators differ not only in the technology they use to emulate old games, but also in support of various game controllers, multiplayer mode, mobile phone touchscreen, emulation speed, absence or presence of embedded ads and in many other parameters. For maximum gaming enjoyment, it's important to choose the right emulator, because on each PC and in different Internet browsers, the individual emulators behave differently. The basic features of each emulator available for this game QBasic Nibbles are summarized in the following table:
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