Breakout brick breaker game guide
Also known as: Brick breaker, Atari Breakout
Learn Breakout, Atari's 1976 brick breaker arcade game: rules, scoring, how to aim the ball, tips for clearing walls and an original brick game to play free.
- Type
- Video game
- Players
- 1
- First released
- 1976
- Designed by
- Nolan Bushnell, Steve Bristow
- Developer
- Atari
- Publisher
- Atari
- Platforms
- Arcade
Breakout is an arcade game released by Atari in 1976. It was conceived by Nolan Bushnell and Steve Bristow as a single-player follow-up to Pong. Instead of playing against another person, you use a paddle to bounce a ball into a wall of bricks at the top of the screen, breaking them one by one. The idea was so simple and satisfying that it created a whole genre, often called brick breakers. Later games such as Arkanoid added power-ups and new level shapes, and the basic formula still appears on phones and computers today. Breakout is also remembered for the early role of Steve Wozniak, who helped build a prototype before co-founding Apple.
Our verdict
Breakout is pure, focused fun. Each rally asks you to watch the ball, aim carefully and react fast. Seeing a wall slowly disappear is very satisfying, and a good tunnel through the bricks feels like a small victory. It is ideal for short breaks and works well for children learning hand-eye coordination. Our own brick game on Playdonya is an original design inspired by the same genre.
What works
- Simple rules with instant satisfaction.
- Good practice for focus and hand-eye coordination.
- Founded the whole brick-breaker genre.
What does not
- Little variety in the original version.
- Clearing the last few bricks can take a long time.
How to play Breakout
You move a paddle left and right along the bottom of the screen. A ball bounces around the playing area. When it hits the wall of bricks, the brick disappears and you score points; bricks in higher rows are worth more. Your job is to keep the ball in play by hitting it back up with the paddle. Where the ball hits the paddle changes its angle, so hitting near the edge sends it sharply sideways. If the ball falls past the paddle, you lose a ball, and when all balls are gone the game ends. The ball speeds up after a number of hits and when it reaches higher rows, and the paddle becomes smaller after the ball touches the top wall. The best moment comes when you open a gap and the ball gets behind the bricks, bouncing between the wall and the top edge and clearing many bricks at once.
Tips for new players
- Aim to break through one side and send the ball behind the wall.
- Use the edges of the paddle to change the angle when the ball is stuck in a pattern.
- Keep your eyes on the ball, not on the paddle.
- Stay near the centre after each hit so you can reach both sides.
Good for
Breakout: common questions
Who made Breakout?
Atari released Breakout in 1976. It was conceived by Nolan Bushnell and Steve Bristow, with Steve Wozniak helping build an early version.
What is a brick breaker game?
It is a game where you bounce a ball with a paddle to destroy rows of bricks. Breakout is the original example.
How do you aim in Breakout?
The angle depends on where the ball hits the paddle. Hits near the edges send the ball off at sharper angles.
Breakout belongs to its owners. Playdonya is not connected to them and does not sell this game; the cover is our own illustration.
