Do we need another Arkanoid clone?
Ever since its beginnings with the likes of Pong and Breakout, the bat-and-ball genre has actually evolved very little. Sure, games like Arkanoid, Batty and Krypton Egg have added in a few new elements to keep things fresh but the essence of the style has remained remarkably true to its origins and with games released recently offering pretty much exactly the same kind of thing as their predecessors. Aquanoid is very much another simple enough addition to the already extensive line-up and presents exactly the same gameplay as every other release, with players required to pilot their little paddle across a series of single-screen levels which are populated by various designs of blocks. These must all be destroyed before players can move on to the next level and which is achieved by bouncing a little ball into them. Some blocks require more hits than other to get rid of, while others dispense powers up like multi-balls, stick-balls and the like to help you out. Aquanoid really doesn't add anything new to the genre but it remains strangely addictive and even a little exciting every now and then. Bashing away at those bricks is hypnotic and challenging, especially when you've only got one left to get and there is a certain sense of satisfaction when it finally disappears. Visually, Aquanoid is also virtually identical to other such games, even down to the design of the bricks and the backgrounds but if you are a fan of this kind of thing, you probably don't really care that much that it offers nothing new. It's undemanding fun, simple as that, so throw away your worries and prepare to break out!
