Arkanoid: Revenge of Doh

Arkanoid: Revenge of Doh, also known as Arkanoid 2, is Taito’s 1987 arcade sequel to Arkanoid. Directed by Yasumasa Sasabe, it was ported to the Famicom, Amiga, Atari ST, C64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MSX2, DOS, Apple IIGS and X68000.

The mysterious enemy Doh has returned to take revenge on the Vaus spacecraft, and you must once again guide the Vaus paddle through a series of brick-filled rounds to destroy it.

Gameplay

The basic gameplay is the same as before: bounce the ball off the Vaus to destroy the bricks, catching falling capsules for power-ups along the way. But Revenge of Doh adds several new ideas.

• Warp gates: After each round, choose between two gates, each leading to a different version of the next level.
• 34 of 64: You play 34 rounds in any single game, drawn from 64 in total.
• New bricks: Notched bricks regenerate, and some bricks slide sideways.
• New power-ups: Extra abilities for the Vaus, such as twin paddles and powerful balls.
• New enemies: More enemy types drift across the field.
• Level editor: Home versions include an editor.

The graphics and sound are polished and close to the original, and most home ports are faithful. The difficulty is high, especially in later rounds, and some regenerating bricks can be infuriating.

Verdict

Arkanoid: Revenge of Doh is a strong sequel that adds variety and replay value through its branching paths. It’s tough, but very playable, and Your Sinclair gave the Spectrum version a Megagame award.