Overview and Gameplay
Trapped inside a space labyrinth, the small craft Vaus must rebound an energy ball through walls of colored blocks. This NES conversion of Taito’s influential 1986 arcade game contains 32 brick-clearing rounds followed by a fortress battle.
Each stage combines carefully arranged blocks with geometric enemies that can disrupt the ball’s path. Silver blocks require more hits as the game progresses, gold blocks cannot be destroyed, and every lost ball costs a Vaus. Scoring rewards block destruction, enemy hits, capsule collection, and survival through increasingly demanding layouts.
Controls And Mechanics
- Move the Vaus left or right with the directional pad.
- Press A to launch the ball, release a caught ball, or fire equipped lasers.
- Capsules can slow the ball, widen the Vaus, add lasers, catch the ball, create three balls, open a stage exit, or award an extra Vaus.
- Only one capsule effect remains active at a time.
- The two-player mode uses alternating turns rather than simultaneous play.
Version Notes
The North American cartridge supports both the standard NES controller and Taito’s optional rotary Arkanoid Controller. The special controller provides finer paddle movement, but it is not required.
Release And Credits
- NES release: 1987
- Developer: Taito Corporation
- Porting work: Atlus Co., Ltd.
- Publisher: Taito Corporation
- Original platform: Arcade
