Vaus
The player-controlled spacecraft that acts as the paddle and catches the energy ball.
How it plays
The game uses a single-screen, side-on perspective. The ball rebounds from the Vaus and the walls, while the player moves the paddle to control returns and destroys all breakable blocks. Some blocks require multiple hits, cannot be destroyed, or alter the ball’s movement.
Clearing a screen advances the player through a sequence of stages. Capsules can grant effects such as widening the Vaus, adding balls, catching the ball, or giving a temporary laser weapon. The player loses a life when the ball passes the paddle; the game ends after the available lives are exhausted.
Plan your run
Keep the ball under control rather than chasing every capsule. Aim for openings near the upper corners, where repeated rebounds can clear large sections of a formation.
Prioritize capsules that improve control or create extra balls, but avoid risky positioning when the ball is moving quickly. Against hard blocks, use safe angles and let the ball work through the formation instead of making hurried paddle movements.
Meet the cast
The player-controlled spacecraft that acts as the paddle and catches the energy ball.
The alien entity associated with Arkanoid and the game’s stage-ending confrontation.
Before you begin
Watch the ball’s angle after every paddle contact; small changes can determine whether it returns safely.
Use the sides of the screen to create long rebound patterns, but stay ready for a sudden vertical return.
Arkanoid is a brick-breaking arcade game developed by Taito and adapted for DOS. The player controls the Vaus spacecraft, moving it horizontally to keep an energy ball in play and clear formations of blocks. Its science-fiction setting, colorful power-ups, and varied stage layouts give the traditional Breakout formula more structure and personality. The game is primarily a single-player reflex challenge, with progress measured by completing increasingly demanding screens. Arkanoid was well received for its precise arcade design and became one of the best-known modern descendants of Breakout. The DOS version preserves the core concept, though its presentation and input feel depend on the particular release and hardware.
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