Arkanoid
Breakout evolved
Taito's 1986 update to Breakout added power-ups, enemies, and boss battles, perfecting the paddle-and-ball formula.
Breakout was simple: paddle, ball, bricks. Taito looked at that formula and asked: what if there were power-ups? Enemies? A boss? Arkanoid transformed a simple concept into an arcade phenomenon, spawning conversions for every platform and establishing the modern block-breaker genre.
Fast facts
- Developer: Taito.
- Release: 1986 (arcade).
- Inspiration: Atari’s Breakout (1976).
- Innovation: power-ups, enemies, 33 levels, boss fight.
- Controller: rotary paddle in arcade, various solutions at home.
- Sequels: Revenge of Doh, numerous iterations.
- Influence: template for all subsequent block-breakers.
The power-ups
Falling capsules transformed gameplay:
- L (Laser): shoot bricks directly.
- E (Expand): wider paddle, easier catches.
- S (Slow): reduce ball speed.
- C (Catch): hold and aim the ball.
- D (Disrupt): split into three balls.
- B (Break): instant warp to next level.
- P (Player): extra life.
Capsules forced choices—catch this power-up or keep the ball in play?
The enemies
Arkanoid added threats beyond missing the ball:
- Descending enemies disrupted ball trajectory.
- Contact with enemies didn’t kill but interfered.
- Later levels mixed brick patterns with enemy spawns.
The boss
Doh awaited at the end:
- Giant head, final obstacle.
- Required multiple hits to defeat.
- Gave Arkanoid a narrative arc Breakout lacked.
Home conversions
The game appeared everywhere with varying success:
- NES: pack-in paddle controller available, excellent version.
- C64: Martin Galway soundtrack, quality conversion.
- Amiga: arcade-quality visuals.
- Spectrum: playable despite limitations.
Control schemes varied—mouse, paddle, joystick—each with trade-offs.
The Galway soundtrack
Martin Galway’s C64 conversion featured memorable music:
- Haunting theme suited the game’s space setting.
- Demonstrated SID chip capabilities.
- Became as remembered as the gameplay.
Legacy
Arkanoid perfected its genre. The power-up system created strategic depth. The enemies added tension. The boss gave purpose. Every block-breaker since—and there have been thousands—owes its template to Taito’s 1986 refinement of Breakout.