Arkanoid is a block-breaking game that Taito released in Japanese arcades in July 1986, with Romstar publishing it in North America the following month. It was designed by Akira Fujita and Hiroshi Tsujino, with music by Hisayoshi Ogura. The idea builds on Atari's Breakout: the player steers the Vaus craft with a control knob, bounces a ball into bricks and catches capsules that lengthen the Vaus, slow the ball or add cannons. Tsujino's love of the film Tron shaped its neon look, and the final round pits the player against the boss DOH.
The Famicom version came out on 26 December 1986 with a dial-type controller in the box, and the NES and MSX releases also shipped with their own paddles. In Japan the game started a second block-breaking boom, with many imitations from other companies. Unofficial versions were also made for Soviet home computers such as the BK-0010 and Vector-06C.123
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Arkanoid | Arcade | August 1986 | Romstar | 1 |
| NA | ArkanoidPackaged with a paddle controller | NES | August 1987 | Taito | 1 |
| NA | Arkanoid | MS-DOS | November 1988 | Taito | 1 |
| JP | アルカノイドArukanoido | Arcade | July 1986 | Taito | 2 |
| JP | アルカノイドArukanoidoFamicom; packaged with a dial-type paddle controller | NES | Dec 26, 1986 | Taito | 2 |
| JP | アルカノイドArukanoidoPC-8801mkII SR | Other | December 1986 | Taito | 2 |
| JP | アルカノイドArukanoidoPublished with Nidecom; packaged with a paddle controller | MSX | January 1987 | Taito | 2 |
| EU | ArkanoidEarly 1987; North American release July 1988 | Commodore 64 | 1987 | Imagine | 1 |
| WW | Arcade Archives ARKANOIDArcade version | Switch | May 7, 2026 | Hamster | 4 |
| WW | Arcade Archives 2 ARKANOIDAlso on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S | Switch 2 | May 2026 | Hamster | 1 |
Also known as: アルカノイド JP2Arukanoido JP2Arcade Archives ARKANOID WW4Арканоид RU3
Box art by region
NA Arkanoid 
JP アルカノイド
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Version differences
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ContentFamicom (JP)NES (NA)
The Japanese Famicom cartridge has 32 regular rounds with DOH on round 33; the North American NES version adds three more, so DOH waits on round 36.5
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DifficultyNES (NA)
In round 3 the US version replaced the bottom row of eight unbreakable gold bricks and three blue bricks with red bricks, apparently to make it easier.5
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GraphicsHome versions
The arcade game uses a vertical screen, while the home versions rearranged the playfield for a horizontal one.2
Where to play legally today
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Arcade Archives Purchase
Reception
Game Machine listed Arkanoid as Japan's most popular arcade game of August 1986, and it was Japan's highest-grossing table arcade game of 1987 as well as the highest-grossing arcade conversion kit in the US that year. Computer Gaming World named the NES version the Best Arcade Translation of 1988, and Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked it 41st among the best console games of all time in 1997.1
In lists
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
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