Platform: Arcade
Region: Region Not Set
Developer(s): Taito Corporation
Publishers(s): Romstar Incorporated | Taito Corporation
ReleaseDate: 1986-01-01
Players: 2
Co-op: No
Arkanoid
Arkanoid (アルカノイド Arukanoido) is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It expanded upon Atari's Breakout games of the 1970s by adding power-ups, different types of bricks, a variety of level layouts, and visual layering and depth. The title refers to a doomed "mothership" from which the player's ship, the Vaus, escapes. Arkanoid revived the Breakout concept, resulting in many clones and similar games for home computers, even over a decade later. The player controls the "Vaus", a space vessel that acts as the game's "paddle" which prevents a ball from falling from the playing field, attempting to bounce it against a number of bricks. The ball striking a brick causes the brick to disappear. When all the bricks are gone, the player goes to the next level, where another pattern of bricks appears. There are a number of variations (bricks that have to be hit multiple times, flying enemy ships, etc.) and power-up capsules to enhance the Vaus (expand the Vaus, multiply the number of balls, equip a laser cannon, break directly to the next level, etc.), but the gameplay remains the same.
Trailer: YouTube
Genre(s): Action
