I was finally able to pick up Arkanoid DS a couple weeks ago while I could.  (I tried to buy it twice when it came out in Japan, but both places sold out and had to cancel my order)  The game is so much fun!  Let me make it clear though, that all the fun comes from the amazing knob controller which is available for the game.  MSRP is about $30 for the game by itself, $50 for the bundle with the paddle.  The game for now is import only, but said to be released in USA on June 17, 2008.  Made by Taito.

So let's see how it looks out of the package. 

 (Note: Excuse the big "Brian Moy" watermarking on all the pics...  force of habit...)

The knob controller is by Taito.  It comes in different colors to match your DS - I wish I would have gotten the silver one, but I'm guessing white is probably the standard color that comes in the bundle.

I should say also that I tried to get some pictures of the game playing on my DS, but unfortunately the screen didn't show up at all due to my having HORI filters on the screen which reduce glare.

Anyways, I really can't show you how cool this game by description.  It seriously is one you have to see and touch.  The knob controller feels and sounds just like the one from the original arcade Arkanoid.  It has a friction ball bearing in it so it makes a cool puck-like sound when you spin it - and is very responsive.  If you thinking just like the old Atari paddles that turn, but really have no "feel" to them or anything, this is way better than that.

Arkanoid DS plays very true to the arcade original, but with some expanded features and an outer space theme.  The familiar "ping" sound effects are there and there is the Clear mode which plays similar to the original, where the object of the game is to clear all the blocks in each stage.  The familar capsules are there that drop down and give power ups, such as the ability for your paddle to shoot lasers, or to slow down the ball, or to expand the paddle.  A space robot voice speaks (in English!) when you catch one of the capsules.  "Expanded!" 

The game takes advantage of using both screens in a vertical format by having playfields use both screens.  The dead space in the middle where the DS hinges are is even part of the game.  The dead space acts like part of the playfield too, so when the ball exits the first screen, it doesn't continuously show up at the second screen at the point where it left the first.  No, instead there is a time gap where the ball would be in that dead space, and then it travels realisticly where it would show up if it was all one big screen.  Neat effect, but when the ball is going fast, it can be tricky to see where the ball will be dropping with each screen transition.

Arkanoid DS is basically a very easy game to play.  If a player doesn't have the paddle (or even if they do), they can also select to use the stylus or the D-pad to control the paddle instead of the knob controller.  I tried playing with the D-pad for a bit, but once I'd used the knob, every else seems less precise.  To get the real "arcade" experience, I recommend playing on Hard setting.  Easy goes just way too slow as does Normal.  In Hard setting, the games plays most true to the arcade original with the ball speeding up after time, and also speeding up when you hit the very top side of the play field.  Its when the ball gets really fast that it gets interesting!

In Arkanoid DS, the game is set in planets where each planet has five stages.  After completing the fifth stage, the path forks and you can choose between two planets.  After five more stages, the path forks again and you choose between two more planets, until you get to the end. 

In addition to Clear, there are two other cool new modes of play.  Quest and Vs.  In Quest, the gameplay is puzzle-like, where you are only allowed to select stages that you've completed in Clear, and then you have a set time limit to complete some kind of task, like clearing all the green color blocks for example.  Vs. is like battle mode, player vs. player (or computer).  You can play two up to four players, (the game is Wi-Fi compatible) or against the computer.  You can select to play the Clear or Quest rules, and each player plays the same stage trying to complete their stage first, without running out of lives before the other players.  Certain special capsules will only drop in Vs. mode (the regular ones do too) which will have various effects on your opponents, such as shortening their paddle, or adding extra blocks to their playfield.  The game is played in a best of three, or etc. 

Another added feature is that you can customize the game elements, the background, sound effect sets, paddles, song selection, block sets, and frame.  When you first start the game, you only have the default choices available.  But as you play the game more, you get Game Points based on your score.  You also get set amounts of Game Points in Quest which you can see for each stage.  Also, you get Game Points for beating opponents in Vs.  With the Game Points, you can go to the shop and select different choices to customize the stages.  Then, when some choices are available, you can go into Decoration and edit the settings per planet.  Myself, I selected a cool space background with falling stars, a space reverby sound effects set, and for the blocks, I selected a set that looks like the classic Space Invader characters.  (The Space Invaders block set was one of the screenpics I took on my DS that didn't show up!!  I may try again later.)  Some of the decorations are based on various classic and current games Taito has done - such as Bubble Bobble as well.  Very neat touch.

There are some modern differences, so although its close, it doesn't play exactly like the original Arkanoid.  One thing is your lives aren't counted by balls or paddles - you only get one of each.  Instead, there is a wall just below your paddle so when you miss the space voice will say, "Meltdown" and wall will turn color and drop by a number.  When you've hit the wall at 1, then there is no more wall and the next time the ball drops, the paddle explodes and its game over.  It is nice that the gameplay just keeps going, so no break in the action.  But sometimes, you want the new ball so you can aim it at a pesky block that keeps missing.  Also, instead of having your lives carry over from stage to stage, you always start with the same amount of lives as set in the beginning when you get to a new stage.  If you are able to complete a stage without losing a life, then you get bonus points.

Probably the only thing about Arkanoid DS that I completely dislike is the background music.  I actually like the primitive bleeps of early arcades.  With the advanced technology of the DS, Arkanoid DS has actual recorded J-pop and techno tunes - ultra pepped up and sugary.  Of all the songs I've heard, I don't actually like any of them (mindless house music puts me to sleep now) so luckily there is an option under Decoration to select the song per planet, and (yes!) an option to have no song at all.  I think its really better that way anyways, because I can hear the sound effects better.  Ah... bleep ping happiness!

With all that said, the game is very much a classic game and in my opinion well worth the price I paid.  I know its a bit rich when compared to other DS games typically at the budget level.  The way I see it is that I've saved enough money from other game deals (I, like most other game collector types, am a notorious bargain hunter) to get a game I really wanted.  And also, this is the kind of game you won't easily find used.  The kind of person looking to get this typically will be keeping it.  And also I personally know the game is not in huge supply everywhere - as the first two places I tried to get it from had to cancel my order from being out of stock, as mentioned earlier.

If you're one of the people that never liked Arkanoid style ball and paddle games, you're not going to like this as this is a whole lotta that!  If you are like me and cherish the arcade experience and base gameplay of Arkanoid, I have to say this package is very impressive.  That is, with the knob controller.  Yes, I'll admit that without the knob controller, I likely would not even thought about writing about this game.  I have heard even that the knob controller is also compatible with Space Invaders Extreme for the DS, also put out by Taito in Japan.  So there is at least TWO games that support the knob controller so far.  I'm sure you could guess that Space Invaders Extreme for the DS is currently at the top of my want list!!

Links:

Official Arkanoid DS Homepage

Online Trial of Arkanoid DS (Note that it doesn't give you a true experience as control is with the keyboard, and the knob doesn't make the cool rolling noice - but you can see what the game looks like at least)

ArkanoidDS.com, unofficial fansite (The game is so neat, someone made a fansite for it!  Website opened exactly one month of this date, so content for now is a bit sparse.)