Arkanoid: Doh it Again
Graphics
Well, this game probably won't impress you with it's graphics, since they are very basic. They are a slight improvement over the original Arkanoid, though. Basically, the different levels consist of your paddle on the bottom of the screen, and the various blocks and obstacles are on the upper area. There are some effects, such as small explosions when your ball destroys some enemy or obstacle. There are also some varying effects you'll see when you get a powerup. There are some bosses in this game, which actually look pretty good. Those are probably the most graphically impressive feature in the game. The only problem is that there aren't enough different kinds of bosses to be found. There are some decent looking backgrounds too, which makes the levels nicer to look at than the ones in the original. Anyway, despite the fact that these graphics are pretty simple, I really liked them. In order to really be able to play a game like this, you can't have anything incredible elaborate or 3D. That would probably just be too distracting and make the game too difficult to play or enjoy.
Gameplay
If you've played the original Arkanoid on the NES, you really know what to expect here already, for the most part. The game basically consists of trying to break blocks by hitting a ball with your paddle. The paddle being at the bottom of the screen, and the ball bouncing up and down. When you miss the ball, you lose one life. In order to pass to the next level, you need to destroy all of the blocks in the area that actually can be destroyed. There are some blocks that just serve as obstacles, and are impossible to remove. Depending on which kind of block you hit, you may receive one of many different powerups. One powerup gives you the ability to fire a block-destroying weapon, one splits the ball into many balls allowing you to do more damage, and one makes your paddle larger. There are other powerups too, which are generally useful. Every 10 or so levels, you may face a boss. These are one of the most interesting aspects of the game, since you need to avoid attacks, as well as try to injure the boss by hitting it with the ball wherever it's weak spot is. As I said though, there aren't enough bosses to really make this interesting. You basically see the same bosses again and again, only they have some different attacks or are faster. The game has many levels, almost 100. This is a big upgrade over the original, although these levels are much easier. You can even continue from the level you lost at and continue where you left off by utilizing a password save feature. With a little time, most everyone will be able to reach the end of this one. It's also possible to adjust the settings of your paddle and change other options to make the game easier or harder. Also, I haven't played with the feature, but I believe you can also design your own levels.
Sound
I probably won't have too much to say about the game's sound, since there really isn't that much of it. Except for some intro music before each level, all you really here are the game's sound effects. No music during the actual levels that I can recall hearing. These sound effects are very simple, like the graphics, and not much different from those in the original. I didn't really find them to be annoying though, like others have. You basically hear a sound every time you destroy a block, or other obstacle. Some other simple sound effects when you get a powerup or do other things. Nothing really that impressive at all. The intro music is probably the nicest piece of music you hear during the game, and it only lasts for a few seconds.
Conclusion
This is a simple enough game, but it can be really fun to play. It isn't as difficult or exciting as the original Arkanoid, but at least most people will actually be able to beat this game. If you only play games for the graphics, then this is something you should probably stay away from. But if you enjoyed the first Arkanoid, or think this sounds interesting, I suggest you try it out. You might just find that it becomes one of your favorite SNES games.
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