Q*Bert was originally able to shoot projectiles out of his nose, but this was scrapped in the final game. Co-creator Jeff Lee has said that, while he's unsure if this change enhanced the gameplay or not, he likes how the lack of offensive capabilities gives the character the personality of a "sympathetic plucky noser" who survives "by his wits and dexterity", particularly with the hindsight of how violent video games would become in the decades since.