Super Breakout

Gameplay

• • The game is paddle based.

  • The game's objective is to destroy as many blocks as possible.

  • The player loses the game by running out of lives (the ball leaving the screen via the bottom).

  • The game builds points as each of the blocks is destroyed.

    • • • • Different color blocks are worth different amounts of points, which varies depending on the version.

• • • • • The ball is used to destroy blocks, and can be bounced off any surface, but the bottom and other balls.

Modes:

Double: - This mode grants 2 paddles (stacked one above the other with a gap in between). Additionally, both paddles can be used to bounce the ball.

Cavity: - This mode has two extra balls which are kept in cavities within the formation of blocks. Once freed, any of the 3 balls can be used to destroy blocks. Extra points can be earned in this mode, especially if all balls are kept alive. A ball "dies" by leaving the bottom of the screen.

Progressive: - The ball will speed up as it is continually bounced against surfaces. When the ball and paddle collide, the line of bricks descend downwards, being replaced by new colored lines of bricks at the top.

Destroying all blocks on screen results in moving to the next level in most modes. New levels in most modes have different formations, colors, and point values.

Controls

Left and Right to move the paddle.

A button to launch the ball.

Pause (possibly just on home consoles/emulators) to stall the game.

Plot

One version of the game had a story: The game is set in outer space. The NASA astronaut aboard, Cpt. John Stewart Chang is transporting ore from Io to New California. The Player is Cpt. Chang and his ship. The ball represents one of the few ammunition light spheres/lasers that Cpt. Chang has in his arsenal (and he can bounce these off his ship and the blocks. The rainbow of blocks represent some sort of natural occurrence in space that block Cpt. Chang from returning home. His time is limited because his life support is failing. In order to survive, Cpt. Chang must destroy the shield/blocks to survive.

Characters

Captain John Stewart Chang

The player plays Captain John Stewart Chang, a NASA astronaut on a mission from Io to New California. Little other information is given about him.The cover art for the Super Breakout game package is to the left, the actual graphics in the game look more like this:

(Usually in Green, Yellow, or Grey.)

Art

Visual

The majority of the graphics are functional. Each one serves a purpose. All graphics were simple and pixel based, being 8 bit. The most innovative effects for the 2D graphics, was there ability to disintegrate when the ball made contact with a block. The ball, and paddle were animated based off player movements. In the progressive mode of Super Breakout, the blocks could also scroll downwards at a set rate.

A graphics issue (perhaps glitch) occurs when the ball goes through the border edge of 2 blocks, hits a block above them, and causes no destruction to the blocks below (returning back to the player's reach).

Graphics on the Atari 2600:

Score, lives, and number of balls left.

Information. (text)

Rainbow blocks of many colors. (Some blocks removed.)

The objective/enemy.

The ball in action.

The player's "ammo."

The paddle (also in action.)

The player.

The background (either space or a black void, depending upon interpretation).

So all graphics stand out.