How to Play Breakout

Objective

Break all the bricks on the screen by bouncing a ball with your paddle. Clear each level to advance to the next challenge with increasing difficulty and speed!

Basic Controls

Desktop Controls

• Move Mouse Left/Right: Control paddle position
• Click: Launch ball from paddle
• ESC: Pause game
• T: Toggle theme (classic/neon)

Mobile Controls

• Touch & Drag: Move paddle left/right
• Tap Screen: Launch ball from paddle
• Pause Button: Open pause menu

Game Mechanics

Lives System

• You start with 3 lives
• Lose a life when the ball falls off the bottom of the screen
• Game ends when all lives are lost
• Speed resets to level base speed after losing a life

Scoring

• Breaking bricks awards points
• Higher rows of bricks = more points
• Build combos by hitting bricks consecutively
• Complete levels for bonus points

Level Progression

• 10 unique levels with different brick patterns
• Each level increases ball speed (base speed: 300, +20 per level)
• Brick layouts become more challenging and creative
• Some bricks require multiple hits to break (indicated by color)

Dynamic Speed Mechanics

The ball speed changes dynamically based on your gameplay:

• Speed Increases: +1% each time you hit a brick (rewards skill)
• Speed Decreases: -5% after 2 consecutive misses (paddle hit without hitting bricks)
• Speed Cap: Maximum speed of 600 (prevents unplayable situations)
• Speed Floor: Never drops below the level's base speed
• Speed Reset: Returns to level base when ball is lost

This creates a skill-based difficulty curve where consecutive brick hits make the game more challenging, while missing encourages more careful play.

Power-Ups (Coming Soon)

Watch for falling power-ups when breaking bricks:

• Multi-Ball: Multiple balls in play
• Expand Paddle: Wider paddle for easier returns
• Slow Ball: Reduced ball speed temporarily
• Extra Life: Gain an additional life

Pause Menu

Press ESC or click Pause to access:

• Resume: Continue playing
• Restart Level: Start current level over
• Main Menu: Return to menu screen

Pro Tips

• Position matters: Hit the ball with the edges of the paddle to change its angle
• Watch the trajectory: Anticipate where the ball will bounce
• Speed management: Let the ball miss occasionally to reduce speed if it gets too fast
• Corner shots: Aim for corners to access hard-to-reach bricks
• Stay centered: Keep the paddle near the center for better reaction time
• Consecutive hits: Build speed by hitting bricks without returning to paddle

Level Patterns

Each level features a unique brick pattern:

1. Getting Started: Simple rows to learn the basics
2. Checkerboard: Alternating pattern for precision
3. Diamond: Diamond shape formation
4. Pyramid: Pyramid pattern with mixed brick strengths
5. Columns: Vertical columns challenge
6. Fortress: Enclosed fortress pattern
7. Rainbow: Striped horizontal layers
8. Labyrinth: Maze-like brick arrangement
9. Cross: Cross-shaped pattern
10. Master Challenge: Concentric squares finale

Good luck breaking out!