Editing Quarth

{{Short description|1989 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title     = Quarth
|image     = Quarth Poster.png
|caption   = Arcade flyer 
|developer = [[Konami]]
|publisher = Konami 
|composer  = Norio Hanzawa
|released  = '''Arcade''' {{vgrelease|JP|October 9, 1989<ref>{{cite web |title=Quarth |url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M731798 |website=Media Arts Database |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] |access-date=20 September 2021}}</ref>|WW|Late 1989}} '''MSX2'''<br>{{Video game release|JP|March 9, 1990}}'''Game Boy'''<br>{{Video game release|JP|March 16, 1990|NA|December 1990}}'''Famicom'''<br>{{Video game release|JP|April 13, 1990}}'''[[i-mode]] phones'''<br>{{Video game release|EU|2005}}'''i-Revo'''<br>{{vgrelease|JP|June 19, 2006}}'''Virtual Console'''<br><u>Wii (MSX)</u><br>{{Video game release|JP|February 2, 2010}}<u>Nintendo 3DS (Game Boy)</u><br>{{Video game release|JP|February 22, 2012}} {{Video game release|NA|September 27, 2012}}<u>Wii U (MSX)</u><br>{{Video game release|JP|April 23, 2014}}<u>PS4 & Nintendo Switch (Arcade)</u><br>{{Video game release|WW|January 21, 2021}}
|genre     = [[Puzzle video game|Puzzle game]], [[shoot 'em up]]
|platforms = [[Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[MSX|MSX2]], [[NEC PC-9801]], [[X68000]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]], [[Game Boy]], [[Mobile phone]]
}}

{{nihongo|'''''Quarth'''''|クォース|Kwōsu}}, known as '''''Block Hole''''' outside Japan, is a hybrid [[Puzzle video game|puzzle]]/[[shoot 'em up]] game developed by [[Konami]] which was released in 1989 as an [[arcade game]]. Besides the arcade version, there were also ports of the game to the [[MSX|MSX2]] (with a built-in SCC chip), [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]], and [[Game Boy]]—home releases used the ''Quarth'' name worldwide (with the exception of the Game Boy Color release in Europe of ''[[Konami GB Collection]] Vol. 2'', where the game was renamed to the generic title ''Block Game'' for unknown reasons).

''Quarth'' was released on the Konami Net [[i-mode]] service as ''Block Quarth'', with an updated ''Block Quarth DX'' in 2001. It was released without the "DX" suffix in 2005 and was made globally available through Konami Net licensing on many i-mode services offered by mobile operators. In Europe, for example, it was available from [[O2 (UK)|O2 UK]], [[O2 (Ireland)|O2 Ireland]], and [[Telefónica|Telefónica Spain]].

In 2005, [[Konami]] also included the game in the [[Nintendo DS]] title ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Tōkai Dōchū Ōedo Tengu ri Kaeshi no Maki|Ganbare Goemon: Tōkaidōchū Ōedo Tengurikaeshi no Maki]]''. An [[Video game console emulator|emulated version]] of the game was released in 2006 for [[PlayStation 2]] in [[Japan]] as part of the ''[[Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono]]'' series.

== Gameplay ==
[[Image:Quarth screenshot 01.png|200px|thumb|left|''Quarth'' on the [[MSX]]]]
''Quarth'' is a combination of ''[[Tetris]]''-style gameplay and a fixed shooter in the ''[[Space Invaders]]'' tradition. The player's focus is on falling blocks, and the action is geometrical. Rather than arranging the blocks together to make a row of disappearing blocks, a spaceship positioned at the bottom of the screen shoots blocks upwards to make the falling block pattern into squares or rectangles. Once the blocks have been arranged properly, the shape is destroyed and the player is awarded points based on the shape's size. The blocks continue to drop from the top of the screen in various incomplete shapes. As each level progresses, the blocks drop at greater speed and frequency. There are also various power-ups which could be located to increase ship's speed, among other bonuses.

The game continues until the blocks reach the dotted line at the bottom of the screen, whereupon the player's ship is "player's ship is "quarthed", crushed flat.

=== Multiplayer ===
The Arcade, [[MSX|MSX2]], and [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]] versions had two different 2-player modes: a split-screen mode with Player 1 on the left and Player 2 on the right, and a cooperative mode where both players shared the same screen.

For the Game Boy, multiplayer requires the Game Boy Link Cable with each player able to view only their fields on their own Game Boys.

== Merchandise ==
=== Soundtrack ===
* In addition, disc 14 of ''[[Konami Music Masterpiece Collection]]'', which was released on October 1, 2004, is mostly devoted to ''Quarth''.
* The game [[soundtrack]] of {{nihongo|'''''Quarth Soundtracks'''''|クォース}} was released on May 30, 2014, by EGG MUSIC and Konami Kukeiha Club and composed by Norio Hanzawa, exclusively in Japan.

=== Manga ===
* ''Quarth'' is one of the video games featured in the manga titled ''Rock'n Game Boy'', by Shigeto Ikehara and published by Comic BomBom from October 1989 to December 1991.

==Reception==
In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Quarth'' on their December 1, 1989 issue as being the third most-successful table arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=369|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 December 1989|page=29|lang=ja}}</ref> ''Block Hole'' was a hit overseas in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom and Italy.<ref name="RePlay140">{{cite magazine |title=International News: London Preview |magazine=RePlay |date=January 1990 |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=140, 142 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-14-issue-no.-4-january-1990-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2014%2C%20Issue%20No.%204%20-%20January%201990/page/140}}</ref>

It has been generally acclaimed by many online reviewers, though ''[[Nintendo Life]]'' gave the Game Boy port on the [[3DS]] [[Virtual Console]] a 6/10.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{moby game|id=/quarth}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1989 video games]]
[[Category:Arcade Archives games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:Falling block puzzle games]]
[[Category:Game Boy games]]
[[Category:Hamster Corporation games]]
[[Category:I-mode games]]
[[Category:Konami arcade games]]
[[Category:Konami games]]
[[Category:MSX2 games]]
[[Category:NEC PC-9801 games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Switch games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 4 games]]
[[Category:Shoot 'em ups]]
[[Category:Split-screen multiplayer games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games for Wii U]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games]]
[[Category:X68000 games]]