Aquanoid

Aquanoid is an arcade video game developed by Karsten Finger and Stefan Heineke, which was published as shareware in for the MS-DOS PC platform.

Overview

The game is an enhanced clone of Arkanoid by Taito with various improvements on the original:

• 150 levels
• Four player mode
• Additional power-up capsules
• Capsules are differentiated by colours as well as letters, with different colours affecting behaviour in different ways
• Hint mode to warn new players if a capsule is useful or harmful
• "Tilt" button to randomly scatter the ball in an emergency
• Advanced levels can be unlocked via codes

Gameplay

As with Arkanoid, the game features power-up capsules identified by letters

• C - Reverse controls
• D - Shrink paddle
• H - Catch
• I - Alter ball
• J - Double score
• K - Penetrator ball
• L - Extend paddle
• O - Slow ball
• T - Gun
• U - Floor
• V - Extra life
• X - Change level

However, capsule behaviour is modified by colour. For example,

• White "X" advances the player to the next level; red "X" sends him back to the previous level
• Yellow "I" makes the ball semi-invisible; blue "I" scatters it in a random direction (this is the same effect as "Tilt")
• Light-green "V" makes the player lose a life; and dark green "V" provides three extra lives

There is a hint mode which advises the player of the usefulness of a descending capsule. This is enabled by default but May Be disabled for a higher score.