Guest review by Ryan Byers
Obscure Games and Consoles
Arkanoid is a game that was originally developed and published by Taito for arcades back in the late 80’a. Arkanoid Eternal Battle is a new take on this classic that was developed by Pasta Games and published by Microids. This new entry into the series is a breath of fresh air for the series but has a classic and familiar feel.
Gameplay:
The core gameplay has you controlling a paddle that is used to hit a ball in order to break bricks in the playfield while gathering power-ups with those power-ups either helping or hindering your ability to complete your objective. This game offered several different game modes which are Neo, Retro, Versus, and Eternal Battle.
Neo is a modern spin on the single-player classic game. The game gets a graphical upgrade with blocks, paddle, and ball being redesigned to be larger and more smooth looking both in the way they look and how they are animated. This mode also includes enemies to destroy with the ball to gain points and potentially power-ups in the same way that destroying blocks can potentially get you power-ups. Retro is the classing arcade game from the ’80s that has you standing in front of the classic arcade cab in a first-person perspective. This acts both as an overlay and a filter as it also features the CRT look to the game. This is essentially a direct port with no changes to the game at all.
Versus mode is a local battle mode where you can go up against up to three of your friends in a couch battle. Play against your friends and compete to be the first to clear the playfield. Eternal Battle is an online battle mode where you can compete with up to 25 opponents online which can be either fellow players or AI. Eternal Battle mode is essentially the same as versus but is more of a survival mode that has you fighting to clear the playfield which based on how high your score gets, the power-ups you get can help you by making it harder on your opponents. This game mode is the only game mode that offers cross-play that allows you to play between all platforms that the game has been released on which can be turned off through the options menu if you would prefer to only play against those that are on the same platform that you’re playing on.
Graphics and Performance:
The Neo Mode offers a great modern feel to the game with updated visuals and animation. Retro Mode brings the arcade classic to both a new generation of gamers and those that played the classic back when it was a new and shiny cab at the local arcade. Both modes perform extremely well with no slowdown and no performance issues at all. The only issue I have with the game is with the Retro Mode not allowing the CRT filter to be optional. I understand the desire to bring the classic to modern platforms and I appreciate this, but in today’s modern gaming landscape, this should be optional and not forced on those that want to experience the classic arcade game on a modern platform.
Sound:
Retro Mode captures the classic arcade feeling with all the music and sound effects you have come to love from this great arcade cab. Neo Mode offers a modern spin on the music being reimagined and feels very HD compared to the Retro Mode. Regardless of the mode you choose to play, the music is sure to stick with you both while playing and even after you walk away from it and go off to do something else.
Conclusion:
Arkanoid Eternal Battle is an arcade classic with a fresh coat of modern paint. You can play the classic arcade game in Retro Mode or you can play a brand-new take on the game in Neo Mode. Take on a couple of friends or take on the world with both Versus and Eternal Battle Mode. There have been a lot of releases as of late for classic arcade games with most just being re-release cash grabs. It feels like Pasta Games and Microids have worked hard to ensure that Arkanoid Eternal Battle is more than that. It’s not just a cash grab by re-releasing the arcade classic but offers a modern take on the game along with an online battle mode as the cherry on top.
If you are only going to pick up one classic arcade re-release, I would highly recommend this game be the one to pick up. It has so much going for it with a Developer and publisher that have put a lot of effort in changing the way arcade re-releases are being presented to today’s gamers.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided