Arkanoid is a seminal block-breaking action game released for the NES by Taito in 1986. You control the Vaus, a paddle-like spacecraft, defending yourself against a mysterious enemy after the destruction of your mothership. Instead of just clearing screens of bricks, this version introduced falling power-ups that dramatically change the gameplay, alongside enemy ships that drift down to deflect your shots.
How to play
The objective is to clear all colored bricks from the screen without letting the energy ball fall past your paddle at the bottom. The controls are simple: use the Left and Right directional keys to move the Vaus. The A button (mapped to X on your keyboard) fires lasers if you have collected the Laser power-up, or releases the ball if you have the Catch power-up. Press Enter for Start and Shift for Select.
Tips
- Prioritize catching the orange “S” (Slow) and light blue “E” (Expand) capsules, as they make keeping the ball in play significantly easier during chaotic levels.
- If you collect the red “L” (Laser) capsule, you can shoot blocks directly. Focus your fire on the lowest bricks first to open a path for the ball to bounce around the top of the level.
- Watch out for silver blocks that require multiple hits to break, and remember that gold blocks are completely indestructible.
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