Arkanoid
| Industry | Video game development and publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1953 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Key people | Akira Fujita (game designer), Hiroshi Tsujino (game designer) |
| Products | Arkanoid (1986 arcade game) and others |
Arkanoid is a 1986 arcade block-breaking game developed and released by Taito, with North American distribution handled by Romstar. Players maneuver the paddle-shaped vessel called Vaus to bounce a ball against vibrant brick formations, aiming to clear them without allowing the ball to drop below the screen. Certain bricks house power-ups that can enlarge the Vaus, multiply balls, or equip cannons, while others are either impervious or require several hits to break.
Created by Akira Fujita and Hiroshi Tsujino, Arkanoid serves as an enhanced iteration of Atari's Breakout, which had inspired many similar titles. The project emerged from an internal Taito contest between two teams, featuring a futuristic neon visual style influenced by the movie Tron. Levels were meticulously planned on paper prior to coding to ensure compelling gameplay experiences. Enemy characters and power-up designs originated from three-dimensional models that were converted into sprite graphics.
Initial location testing surpassed expectations, contributing to its significant commercial triumph. It became Japan’s top-grossing table arcade cabinet in 1987 and led U.S. conversion kit revenues during the same year. Critics lauded its engaging mechanics, straightforwardness, addictive qualities, and enhancements over Breakout. The game revitalized the block-breaking genre and inspired numerous successors. Arkanoid was extensively ported to home systems such as the Commodore 64, NES, ZX Spectrum, and eventually mobile devices, spawning a long-lasting series of sequels and updates spanning over twenty years.
Gameplay
In Arkanoid, players control the paddle-like craft named Vaus to strike a ball that destroys arrangements of bricks. Progressing through levels requires clearing all bricks on screen. While most bricks shatter with a single hit, some demand multiple strikes, and others cannot be destroyed. Certain blocks release capsules that provide power-ups including paddle lengthening, ball deceleration, or additional lives. Occasionally, floating enemies appear and can be struck for bonus points.
The concluding level (commonly level 33, or level 36 on NES versions) introduces the boss character "DOH." At this stage, players have no continues after losing all their lives, raising the challenge significantly. Overcoming "DOH" triggers an ending sequence where time rewinds and Vaus returns to the Arkanoid ship; however, the game hints that the battle with "DOH" remains unresolved.
Development and release
Akira Fujita and Hiroshi "ONIJUST" Tsujino from Taito's Yokohama Research Institute spearheaded Arkanoid’s design. Responding to renewed interest in block-breaking games following a decline in the early 1980s, Taito’s sales division sought a fresh arcade title in this genre. The final concept resulted from a company-wide design competition won jointly by Fujita and Tsujino, who combined their ideas into one project building upon Atari's influential Breakout, which had inspired many clones.
Fujita managed overall planning while Tsujino focused on level design and artwork; two additional programmers adapted the game for modified Taito Classic hardware. The neon-futuristic visual style was influenced by the 1982 film Tron. Initially developed in monochrome, color was later added to the blocks despite Tsujino’s initial concerns. Enemy characters and power-ups were initially sketched from 3D models before being transformed into sprites. The soundtrack was composed by Hisayoshi Ogura, leader of Taito’s in-house band Zuntata.
Development proceeded swiftly under tight timelines; location testing commenced merely one month after project initiation. The game surpassed Taito’s expectations regarding popularity and earnings. Arkanoid debuted in Japan in July 1986 and reached North American arcades later that year through Romstar distribution.
Ports
Arkanoid was adapted for a wide range of systems such as the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, BBC Micro, MSX, Atari 8-bit computers, Apple II, NES, Amiga, Atari ST, Apple IIGS, and IBM PC compatible machines. A version for the Mac debuted in 1987, followed by a port for the Tandy Color Computer 3 released in 1989. These computer adaptations were distributed by Imagine Software. Notably, the NES and MSX editions supported specialized controllers.
Commercial
Arkanoid emerged as one of Taito's highest-earning arcade titles. In Japan, Game Machine listed it as the leading arcade game from August 1986 through February 1987, holding the number one spot among table arcade games for six straight months. It was the top-grossing table arcade game in Japan during the latter half of 1986 and maintained that status throughout 1987.
In the United States, it was recognized as the best-selling arcade conversion kit of 1987. Within the United Kingdom, it secured fourth place on London's Electrocoin charts for highest-grossing arcade games in 1986. Furthermore, Euromax ranked it as Europe's third most popular arcade game in 1987.
Critical
The arcade version received commendations in Computer and Video Games (November 1986), where Clare Edgeley described it as "fast, colourful, simple and addictive," highlighting its engaging yet straightforward gameplay.
Home system adaptations were also met with positive reviews. In 1988, Computer Gaming World praised the Amiga conversion as an "ideal rendition of the arcade original ... incredible!" and awarded the NES edition with Best Arcade Translation for its visual and gameplay fidelity. The November 1989 issue of Dragon (#144) bestowed a flawless 5-star rating. Additionally, Compute! featured Arkanoid among "nine great games for 1989," emphasizing its compelling addictive qualities and inventive power-up features.
Accolades
The game garnered several prestigious honors including the "Silver Award" from the Gamest Awards, recognition as "Games of the Year" by Compute!, "Best Arcade Game" at the Entertainment Software Trade Awards, and "Best Arcade Translation" from Computer Gaming World. The NES version earned "Best Video/Computer Arcade Translation" from VideoGames & Computer Entertainment. Moreover, it was inducted as the inaugural entry into the Popular Computing Weekly Hall of Fame in 1987.
In 1997, Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked the NES adaptation as the 41st greatest console video game ever released, noting its effective balance between accessible play and skillful challenge despite its laser-based mechanics.
Legacy
The success of Arkanoid led to numerous sequels and derivative titles. Tournament Arkanoid (1987), developed by Taito America and exclusively published in the US by Romstar, preserved core gameplay while adding new levels. The direct sequel, Revenge of Doh (1987), introduced fresh gameplay elements. Subsequent installments include Arkanoid: Doh It Again, Arkanoid Returns (1997), and Arkanoid DS (2007).
In 2009, Arkanoid Live! was launched on Xbox Live Arcade, alongside Arkanoid Plus!, which became available on WiiWare across Japan, PAL territories, and North America. That same year saw an iOS release. The franchise extended with the 2017 crossover title Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders, available on iOS and Android platforms.
The series made an appearance in the 2021 title Life Is Strange: True Colors. A contemporary iteration titled Arkanoid: Eternal Battle, developed by Pastagames and published by Microids, was released in October 2022 across various platforms including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. This edition also features the original arcade version from 1986.