Crackout (NES review)

Developer: Konami
Publisher: Palcom
Released: 1991

Crackout is a brick-breaking game that was first released on the Nintendo Famicom in 1986.

+ A total of 44 stages are included to keep you playing for a while, and there's a password system to pick up your progress.

+ Difficulty is much more forgiving that Arkanoid (1987, NES), so most players will be able to see deeper into the game.

+ Has a few solid ideas to differentiate itself, especially in its power-ups as the missile attack is immensely satisfying.

+ Controls are perfect with smooth movement and your paddle allows for extreme accuracy when angling a ball bounce.

- Doesn't really add anything new or substantial past the second world, so the last half of the game is repetitious.

- Some of the later levels can infuriate due to layouts that require super specific ricochets through narrow corridors.

- Boss fights initially sound appealing, but they're rather boring in practice and lack imagination.