Arkanoid II: Revenge of DOH
Introduction
Arkanoid II: Revenge of DOH was developed and published by Taito, released for the NES in 1988 as a direct sequel to the original Arkanoid, continuing the Vaus spacecraft’s brick-breaking mission against the resurgent alien force DOH. It expands on the original’s formula with new stage layouts, additional power-up capsules, and boss encounters against DOH itself at the end of the game, giving the sequel a proper climax the first game’s escape-focused narrative had lacked. Its core paddle-and-ball mechanics remained essentially unchanged from the original, but denser, more creatively arranged brick formations and new hazards kept the sequel feeling meaningfully distinct rather than a simple reskin. Well received as a satisfying continuation of a genre-defining original, Arkanoid II remains a well-regarded entry in the brick-breaker genre’s early console history, expanding on a formula that had already proven itself commercially and critically.
