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Taito's
Arkanoid has outlasted Atari's Breakout
(1976) as the definitive incarnation of the 'Block Breaking'
genre. Playing Breakout today is about as much
fun as watching paint dry, while 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 every brick in a level
is made even tougher by the presence of Doh's minions
- little floating aliens that can be destroyed, but
whose erratic movements make the game ruthlessly unpredictable.
Various power-up pills (laser, multi-ball, etc.) crown
the overall experience nicely. The 'S' slow-down pill
is essential - the game speeds up at a phenomenal rate,
and if you're not careful the game 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 gameplay can only be experienced with a dedicated
'Volume Controller' - a small round dial that spins
left or right. The arcade is equipped with one, and
with it the Vaus can be darted 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.
To this day still, nothing compares to Arkanoid
on a volume controller. On a pad, stick, or even with
a mouse, it's just not quite the same - Taito realised
this quick and released their Famicom version with one.
Admittedly, buying a 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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