Online games are great options to play using a computer or laptop without the need of installing or downloading anything, since these can be enjoyed directly from the browser of choice. Now, web games are the preferred way of entertainment respecting videogames because they give the possibility to play classic and retro games from years before, such as Arkanoid.
Arkanoid is an arcade game that was released back in 1986 by the game developer Taito, being inspired in the Atari’s Breakout titles from the 1970s, but taking advantage of more advanced and faster hardware in direct comparison.
In fact, the game turned out to be so popular that up to four versions of Arkanoid were released for arcade machines: Arkanoid Tournament, Arkanoid Revenge of Doh, Arkanoid Returns and Arkanoid, being available compatible versions for 8 bits computers and home consoles like Commodore 64, Atari 8 Bits, Apple II and also for 16 bits computers such as apple IIGS and even SNES.
Because of this influence, this game cannot be missed from any online game platform that really wants to stand out, since Arkanoid is considered an absolute classic searched by many users, even being available plenty of clones of the game that replicate the experience.
General description of Arkanoid games
In details, Arkanoid is an arcade and platform game where the player controls a little spacecraft called Vaus. Unlike other similar games such as Asteriods and Space Invaders the enemy to beat in Arkanoid are not aliens or extraterrestrial beings, but arranged blocks that look for to crash the spacecraft at every second that passes.
With every version released in arcade machines, such as Arkanoid, Arkanoid Returns, Arkanoid Tournament and Arkanoid Revenge of Doh, as well as Arkanoid Live and Arkanoid DS that took advantage of 3-D graphics and other advanced technologies respecting newer machines, such versions always included differentiating elements, although the theme and goal of the games remained the same.
While the player is progressing on the game by clearing the different levels distinctive shapes and colors are shown in the screen, respecting the blocks and how these are arranged to increase the level of difficulty, as well as such colored blocks have different characteristics. Bosses are also included to beat at the end of every level.
Purposes and goals of Arkanoid and Arkanoid NES
The end goal of Arkanoid and Arkanoid NES is to control a spacecraft called Vaus that allow every player to take down block patterns placed at the top of the screen, by bouncing and redirecting a ball that destroys every black at touch. When all blacks all destroyed with the ball the level is completed another will follow with a more difficulty approach in terms of speed and block pattern.
In the same way, at the beginning of the game the player owns three spacecrafts or lives to use, losing every one of them if the spaceship misses the moving ball and get to the bottom of the screen, or if the block pattern manages to get to the bottom of the screen and touch the spaceship. If the players losses the three spaceships or lives they must start the level over again.
Arkanoid in the traditional version for arcade machines and Arkanoid NES offer up to 33 different levels, every one of them showing different block patterns and other characteristics, such as colored blocks that are harder to make disappear and different spaceship capsules that improve the spacecraft, such as increasing size with the blue capsule, or slowing the ball down with orange capsule.
Doh is the final boss at level 33 and must be killed with remaining lives out of all the previous levels, giving it an extra difficulty for the player since the general performance in previous levels affect the last one, respecting available lives.
How to play and different controls in Arkanoid
Respecting how to play and the available controls in Arkanoid, when you start the game it is going to be requested for you to choose a difficulty level out of three available: Normal, Hard (with a x3 score multiplier) and Impossible (with x5 score multiplier), having these two last levels insane ball speed that require attention and advanced skills in the game.
After you select the level of difficulty, you just have to click and the game will start and the ball will get to move. Arkanoid is a very simple game in terms of controls, since the only thing you need to do is to move around the spacecraft to hit the ball and destroy all the blocks, while at the same time you have to avoid the ball to get to the bottom of the screen.
In online game platforms usually you control the spaceship with the mouse, just moving it from left to right to hit the ball. In some cases left and right arrow keys in the keyboard are compatible, as well as proper joysticks and analog controls that improve gaming experience.