Arkanoid is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It is a simplified clone of Segas earlier arcade game Gigas and Gigas Mark 2 which were in turn based upon Ataris Breakout games of the 1970s. The player controls a small pad known as the vaus space vessel which prevents a ball from falling from the playing field attempting to bounce it against a number of bricks. The ball striking a brick causes the brick to disappear. When all the bricks are gone the player goes to the next level where another pattern of bricks appear. There are a number of variations (bricks that have to be hit multiple times flying enemy ships etc.) and power-up capsules to enhance the vaus (expand your vaus multiply the number of balls equip a laser cannon break directly to the next level) but the main gameplay remains the same.