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Arkanoid has to all extents managed
to outlast Atari’s Breakout as the ultimate incarnation
of the 'bat & ball' game. Playing Breakout today is about
as much fun as watching paint dry, whereas Arkanoid
manages to avoid the repetitive nature of its predecessor
by presenting a colorful set of 33 futuristic rounds, introduced
by a bizarre and perplexing sci-fi plot: something to do with
a small spaceship (the 'Vaus') having to take on the evil
forces of 'Doh' (a 'dimension controlling fort') by bouncing
balls against multicoloured walls. Hmm. Sounds like a serious
job.
And it is: the job of erasing all of a level’s bricks
is made even tougher by the presence of Doh’s minions
- little floating aliens that can be destroyed, but whose
presence makes the game ruthlessly unpredictable: they seriously
get in the way.
Various power-up pills (laser, multi-ball, etc.) crown the
experience nicely. The 'S' slow-down pill is seriously worth
bagging from time to time: the game speeds up at a phenomenal
rate, and quickly becomes one of the most intense, fast-paced
reflex-fests ever devised. Only true masters can see their
way safely through to the final round without using a 'continue'.
So, it's hats off to Arkanoid and
its sequels for flying the flag of the bat & ball 'block
kuzushi' genre. But, it is important to note that the true
heart of their playability can only be experienced with a
'Volume Controller' - a small round dial that spins left or
right. With one of those controllers, the Vaus can dart around
the screen at lightning speeds, and be perfectly accurate
if need be. Some downright crazy gameplay tends to follow
during the later, faster rounds.
Nothing compares to Arkanoid on
a volume controller. On a pad, stick, or even with a mouse,
it’s just not quite the same... Admittedly, buying a
new controller just for one game might sound a bit excessive,
but in the case of Arkanoid, it’s
well worth it. |
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