Arkanoid DS
Taito is coming out with the games of my youth.
Back from the days where there was no story, no quests, no knights with oversized
swords - just shooting at things.
Arkanoid's basic play is hit blocks with ball using bat and don’t let ball
fall to the ground.
Of course there are embellishments: falling power-up items that look like vitamin pills;
a barrier at the bottom that acts like a trampoline - sending your ball back
and essentially giving you an extra life, since you get only one ball;
there are different types of blocks to contend with;
sometimes you get a sticky bat, and there are two modes of play.
You can play with the stylus or the D-pad.
I found it easier with the stylus - but nice to have a choice.
The action takes place on both screens and in a narrow area between the frames.
I don't know why - but maybe it makes the game faster.
You get a time lag between top and bottom frame that you can use to your advantage.
The music is jingly and occasionally you get a voice over, "You are
in an unauthorized location remain where you are",
which I thought was bleed from another game - but it was just
Taito trying to make it feel like more of a battle.
The intro screens go along with this concept, saying something about protecting planet Arkanoid.
A nice touch.
The game supports multiplayer - up to four on one cartridge,
where more strategy is involved, but the game works well as single player.
It's quite fun to get back to a mindless game where all you have to do
is figure how to put "English" on your ball.
Reviewed by: Editor - 06/08
Ages: Everyone
For either mode, finishing a game requires playing through 7 zones each with 5 rounds.
There are 28 worlds in all.
Fun Factor: Pleasantly addictive
Player Friendly: There are saves so you can continue your scoring.