Break Out

Learn About the Game Break Out

A paddle travels at screen bottom. A ball bounces into rows of colorful bricks. Each broken brick vanishes. The ball speeds up. Missing the paddle ends the round. The fast ball forces quick reflex and sharp focus.

Engineers Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs built the first version. They used ideas from Pong. Arcade players loved the brick layout. Break Out hit arcades in 1976. It later jumped into living rooms everywhere.

Break Out still appears on many online sites and in game collections. Some versions speed the ball with each hit. Other editions widen the paddle for easier catches. A few let extra balls fly at once. Fast reactions and sharp timing earn high scores.