Neat variation on a classic arcade genre
After the massive success of Breakout and Pong, the original ball-and-bat games, it was no surprise that several companies came up with their own spin on the genre, and while the Arkanoid series might be the best known (and with Arkanoid 2 being probably the best example of the genre), there are some lesser known gems out there as well. These include the likes of Batty and Aquanoid, with Krypton Egg also fitting neatly into this category. In many ways, this game is nothing special and adds little to the established conventions, where players must simply knock a ball against a collection of bricks, with the aim of destroying them in order to move on to the next level. The usual upgrades and power-ups are available here, including multi-balls, thrusters and weapons as well as bricks of different kinds and which require cunning and quick reflexes in order to destroy them. One slight innovation is the inclusion of monsters which fly around the level, and while most of them are harmless and simply interfere with the ball, others can destroy your paddle if they come into contact with it. There are also the occasional levels where you must defend yourself from incoming enemies or must defeat a boss and it is additions like these that elevate the game from being a mere clone of interest only to hardened genre fans, to one that is definitely worth playing for anyone who likes a great game. The graphics are simple but effective, with good use of colour and bold sprites, and with everything moving around at a nicely hectic pace. The gameplay might not be deep or complex but for some straightforward arcade action in Breakout style but with added variation, this certainly delivers the goods.
