The Video Game Project
A Closer Look At The Prototypes That Became Your Favourite Games!
Blockout / Breakdown
Released on the Magnavox Odyssey 2 in 1980, the Blockout / Breakdown game cartridge includes two variations of Breakout!
In Blockout!, the object is to blast through the blocks in the shortest amount of time. There are four colored lines of blocks, and each line has an electronic demon. The electronic demons can replace removed blocks when charged. They'll be charged by touching either sides of the screen. After placing a block, they'll lose the charge, and if they try to cross a gap uncharged, they'll fall and reappear after a penalty time. In two player mode, the second player controls the electronic demons as they try to prevent the first player blasting through the barricade. The player has 90 seconds to achieve it.
In the Breakdown! variant, the object is to destroy the most amount of blocks possible within 60 seconds. Unlike in Blockout!, the ball (called Blockbusters) will not ricochet when hitting blocks, only when hitting the screen edges, destroying all the blocks it crosses on its way. Two player mode sees the second player again control the electronic demons, which now move twice as fast as in Blockout!. A counter at the top of the screen marks how many blocks are left.
Both variations, have an unlimited number of Blockbusters (balls).
