Arkanoid DS is a faithful version of the famous 1986 arcade classic based on (or you might say ripped off from) Atari’s earlier Break Out. While not as spectacularly re-imagined as Space Invaders Extreme, Arkanoid DS is a fun update of a game that fundamentally works well on the tactile DS.

If you’ve never played Arkanoid or Break Out, you’re certainly in the minority. The game has appeared in some form or other on just about every system from mid- ‘80s coin-ops to the Apple II, the NES and Super NES (remember Arkanoid: Doh it Again?) to the original PlayStation and back again. Basically, the game is a deceptively simple ball-and-paddle exercise. You control the Vaus (paddle) that slides horizontally across the bottom of the screen and use the paddle to control the velocity and direction of a tiny force ball, which careens around the screen, breaking blocks. You’re tasked with keeping the ball in play (without letting it fall off the bottom of the screen) and breaking everything up top.

In the DS version, blocks of different colors are worth different point values, and there are unbreakable gold and tough-to-break silver bricks. Power-up capsules drop from random blocks and give the Vaus special features like extra length, the ability to catch and release, or clone balls that enhance the brick-breaking power. Unfortunately, power-ups can’t be combined, so picking up a second negates the first, making effective use of the little capsules an important part of the game’s strategy.

It’s still a simple concept, but like most modern retro-revivals, the game includes a wide variety of modes to keep things interesting. Single player modes include Quest game, where players meet certain goals and requirements; Clear game, wherein players plough through successive levels in 28 “zones”; and vs. COM, where the player matches wits against the computer. The challenge ramps up appropriately in each game style, and just about every accomplishment unlocks a funky new background or song. Multiplayer is available for 2-4 players on one game card, or through Nintendo’s Wi-Fi connection. Multiplayer matches generally come in two flavors – bust all (break every brick) or bust color (break the blocks of only a specific color), and things get very hectic with power-ups that effectively add garbage blocks to your opponent’s screen.

As far as Arkanoid games go, The DS version is remarkably faithful to the original, and even without the Japan-only paddle apparatus (that emulates the arcade wheel perfectly), the stylus controls are spot-on and allow skilled players to apply a little “English” to the ball. In other words, don’t even think about using the flimsy D-pad to control the Vaus. The overall presentation is funky, clean and retro, with tons of excellent (and unlockable) skins and songs. The game has always been colorful and fun, and the inclusion of updated techno tracks and a metric ton of unlockables are welcome additions to the title.

The closest comparison on Nintendo’s handheld would be last summer’s criminally underrated Nervous Brickdown, a title that took the Break Out formula and twisted it into twelve or so wildly creative modes, including shooter stages, platforming levels, boss battles, and puzzle-based stages, all built around Break Out’s ball and paddle mechanic. Arkanoid DS is a conservative, back-to basics re-imagining of the classic game, with fewer frills and twists on the gameplay, but it does offer a solid, arcade-perfect experience. In other words, it may not be as creative as Brickdown, but it’s about the most faithful realization you can find on current handhelds.

This is still the game’s biggest downfall—its tendency to play it “safe” and not introduce many new elements to the time-tested gameplay. As such, it does get a bit boring after long sessions; after all, how many bricks can you break without craving a little more spice? Another issue is the tiresome “gap between the DS screens” that plagues so many DS titles, which is sure to mess you up for a few rounds before you automatically compensate for it.

Criticisms aside, it makes for a fantastic handheld game. It’s tailor-made for quick bursts of play (like that morning subway ride, or ahem, bathroom breaks) or longer sessions (especially multiplayer matches). It’s the kind of experience hardcore gamers love because of the solid mechanics and twitch gameplay, and casual players can get into since it’s so ridiculously accessible. I even tested the title with a non-gamer who has never so much as set eyes on a DS before, and she was busting blocks and clearing levels within moments of first picking up a stylus. The bottom line: it’s well worth checking out for gamers all over the spectrum, just don’t expect much innovation to the tried and true formula.

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