Brick Breaker Tips: Controlling the Ball Angle
By the CrazyArcade team ·
Brick breaker games look like pure reflex, but the best players are aiming almost every shot. The key is that the ball does not simply bounce off the paddle like a mirror. Where it lands on the paddle decides which way it goes next.
Our own Brick Breaker works this way. You have three lives, several hand-made levels, and some bricks that need two hits.
Where the ball hits the paddle matters
A ball that lands near the centre of the paddle goes back up almost straight. A ball that lands near either end leaves at a sharp angle toward that side. Once you know this, you can choose where the next shot goes instead of just keeping the ball alive.
To send the ball left, catch it on the left part of the paddle. To send it right, catch it on the right part. Moving the paddle slightly early is usually all it takes.
Open a gap, then go above the wall
The fastest way to clear a level is to break a narrow path through the bricks to the top. Once the ball gets above the wall, it bounces between the ceiling and the top row and clears bricks without you doing anything. Aim repeatedly at the same column until it opens.
Deal with the tough bricks first
Bricks that take two hits slow you down when they are the last ones left, because a single stray brick can take a long time to reach. Hitting them early, while there are many other targets nearby, saves time later.
Stay calm when the ball gets fast
Watch the ball, not the paddle, and keep the paddle near the middle when you are not sure where the ball will come down. From the middle, you can reach either side in time. Chasing the ball to the edge too early is how most lives are lost.
If you like this, try pinball
Pinball uses the same idea of controlling angles with timing. Never Fall Pinball has oversized flippers, which makes it a forgiving place to practise timing your hits, and it ends the game if you hit a black star, so aiming matters as much as reflexes.
