DxBall

DxBall is a breakout arcade game developed by Michael P. Welch and released in 1996. It follows on the footsteps of arcade game Megaball and ball-and-paddle game Breakout. DxBall is released as a single player game only.

DxBall gameplay features the typical ball-and-paddle game. The player controls a paddle at the bottom of the screen. Several colored blocks are arranged at the top of the screen. The objective of the game is to bounce a ball on the paddle and make it hit the colored blocks. Colored blocks are removed from the screen when hit by the ball. To complete the level, the players need to hit all the colored blocks in the screen. Only then do they move to the next level. DxBall features 50 playable levels. However, DxBall differs from Breakout in that it includes extra balls that function as powerups. Some blocks turn into powerups when hit by the ball. These powerups float down and the player should catch them with the paddle. However, there are bad powerups which makes the game harder for the player. Thus, the objective is to catch good powerups and stay away from bad powerups when they float down.  Some powerups include Extra Life which gives the player another chance, or the Zap brick which transforms unbreakable bricks into breakable ones. The game ends when the paddle misses the ball.