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Arkanoid Live! is a sequel of sorts of the 1980's arcade classic Arkanoid, developed and published by Taito, and now available as a download on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Taito is one of the oldest video game companies in the world, making pinball machines in the 1960s and video games as early as 1973. Their track record as one of the only 40-year companies in this young industry speaks for itself, and Arkanoid Live! continues that long tradition of great games.
For those old enough to remember the old arcade cabinet of Arkanoid, with its spinner controller and single button, the Xbox Live version will bring back a lot of memories. Even those who aren't old enough to remember the eighties have probably come in contact with other brick-breaking games that were inspired by Arkanoid.
In this particular game, you play as a Vauss ship that has been dispatched to explore the planet Arkanoid. However, once on Arkanoid you find yourself in a world of blocks and you have to break those blocks with your ship's energy ball to escape.
The control scheme for the game is simpler than most - except maybe Pac-Man. You use the left stick to move left and right, and the "A" button to release your ball or use certain power-ups. The ease-to-learn controls makes this the ultimate pick up and play game.
There are four episodes to play through, each with increasing difficulty. There is also the option for two players to play at the same time, where they will assist each other in keeping the energy ball alive. By far the best update to this classic game is the versus mode. In addition to the co-operative multiplayer, players can also compete against each other to see who has the most skill. The versus mode also incorporates Xbox Live play so that you can play globally and compete to be the best player, or just play for fun with friends online.
Whether you grew up playing Arkanoid in arcades, on a PC, or a mobile phone, Arkanoid Live! keeps the tradition going strong. Whether it's nostalgia, ease of play, or the extra multiplayer modes, this game is well deserving of your 800 Microsoft Points.
