How to Win Quasar in "Mass Effect"

Quasar is a mini-game in “Mass Effect” that is roughly equivalent to Blackjack. The only place it can be played is on the casino floor in the Flux nightclub, located in the Upper Wards section of the Citadel. The objective is to reach a score as close to 20 as possible without going over; however, Quasar differs from Blackjack in that it uses a random number generator rather than playing cards. In addition, there is no opponent score to compete against. The payout for each round is determined based on how close you are to the number 20 without going over.

Interact with any Quasar machine in the Flux. Each machine is marked as either “Low Stakes” or “High Stakes.” The cost per round and payout is ten times greater for the high stakes machines. The cost and payout for each number are displayed when you interact with the machine.

Press the “Play Quasar” button to start a new game. A randomly generated number appears in the range of one to five. You are charged 20 credits or 200 credits as soon as the game starts depending on the machine you chose. Unlike most gambling games, you lose your entry money whether you win or lose. Any payout less than your entry fee results in a net loss of credits.

Press the “Add 1-8” button as your first move. This adds a random number between one and eight to your current score. The “Add 4-7” button is less useful early on.

Press the “Add 1-8” button again if your current score is 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 16. The “Add 4-7” option is more likely to put you in a bad position or cause you to bust for these values.

Press the “Add 4-7” button if your current score is 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 or 15. The smaller random range of this option is more useful for these values.

Press the “Payout” button when you are at 17 or above. You can use this button once you have a score of 15 or 16, but the payout for these two values is less than the money lost at the start of the game. At 17, the payout is equal to your entry fee, so you end up breaking even. Anything above 17 gives more credits than were lost at the beginning of the game, resulting in a net gain.