The original BBC Micro version was released in 1989 as part of Superior Software's Play It Again Sam 10 compilation. A definitive remake for the Amiga, which added simultaneous 2-player and greatly expanded the variety of stage designs, potions and other bonus items, was released by Team 17 in 1993. This version was ported by the author to the Game Boy Advance in 2006 as an unlicensed limited release. A HD remake for PC, Macintosh and iOS is currently available from the game's website
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Not to be confused with either of the two similarly-named Arcade Games produced by Atari in 1974 or 1982.
This game contains examples of:
- Defeat Equals Explosion: Getting killed by anything results in your duck exploding into colourful confetti.
- Edible Collectible: The game has six different types of fruit. Under some conditions, they rain down continuously from the top of the screen (with some Spikeballs Of Doom mixed in). Not only does collecting them score points, they can be redeemed for eggs as an end-of-round bonus.
- Friendly Fireproof: Enemies like penguins can run into helicopter blades that instantly kill your duck with no problem.
- No Plot? No Problem!: The game is fast-paced and simple enough that most players probably won't notice the absence of a plot. "Games this good rarely need a story" is how the manual of the Amiga version put it.
- One Hitpoint Wonder: Your duck falls from one hit from anything.
- Pacifist Run: The "Peacefully done" bonus for killing no enemies on a level.
- Respawning Enemies: In the original BBC Micro version, enemies would respawn faster and tougher a few seconds after they were killed. This was averted entirely in later versions.
- Set Bonus: A big point bonus for collecting all six colors of gems.
- Spikeballs Of Doom: Black spiked balls are fixed hazards in some stages, but they also may fall randomly from the ceiling in some circumstances.
- Stalked by the Bell: Take too long on any level (whether or not there is a visible timer), and the music will become ominous as a constant rain of Spikeballs Of Doom begins (replacing the constant rain of fruits in Bonus Stages).
- Temporary Platform: The game has blocks that dissolve from the bottom up when players stand on them.
- Xtreme Kool Letterz: The title is Qwak because "Quack" wasn't cool enough.
