Krakout
1987
- arcade
- action
- single player
The story
Arkanoid-style Breakout clone, which unlike most other similar games has the bat on the side of the screen (there is a left/right option) instead of at the bottom. There are a number of types of special bricks, but unlike e.g. Arkanoid, they do not fall towards the bat. Instead, when you hit a special brick, it flips to show a letter. E.g. E (Extend bat), C (Catch ball), M (Missile), B (Bomb, explodes when hit by ball, clearing a number of bricks) and X (Extra life). The enemies/obstacles are more varied than in Arkanoid. Some make the bat freeze, some actually chew and eat your ball and spit out the core back at you!
What it’s like
Bright, flat colour blocks stacked against a dark playfield, with a paddle that runs up and down the left or right edge rather than along the bottom, so every rally feels slightly sideways. Its look is pure 8-bit home-computer arcade: chunky sprites, simple palettes, and a bouncing ball that leaves a clean, metronomic rhythm. Sound is sparse chiptune blips and clicks that fill the gaps between hits. The vibe is brisk, cheerful and a little mischievous, the sort of game to pick up for ten minutes on a slow evening or to play in short bursts with a cup of tea close by. Rounds build steadily; letter bricks flip to reveal power-ups like an extended bat, a catch-and-release ball, a missile or a bomb that clears a cluster, while odd creatures freeze your paddle or nibble the ball away before spitting it back. Stakes stay low, with no gore or real violence, only playful cartoon mischief and mounting tension as the screen fills. It suits players who love tight, skill-based arcade loops, retro-computing nostalgia, and the satisfying crack of a well-placed shot.
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