Off the AppStore: Breaking Out of Argon Dream!

• Breakout returns in its descendant, Argon Dream
• Classic Game Boy controls with old-school difficulty levels
• New bricks, new formations, and new powers to encounter

Welcome to Off The AppStore, a weekly feature with a twist. Namely, that while these - as with all the games we cover here - are games that you can play on your phone, they're ones that operate outside of the realms of the big two ways to play: The Google Play Store and the Apple AppStore.

That means that there might be a bit of work required in downloading alternative AppStores or APKs, or that the games can simply be played in your phone browser. We'll make sure to detail that for each game though. Anyway, read on to find a new game or experience to play Off The AppStore.

Nostalgia is a powerful force that prompts us to wonder if things will ever be as easy as they were in the past. The whole point of advancement is to make our lives easier and more convenient, but so many other things end up getting more complex. However, if designers have shown us one thing, it's that you don't need a lot of high-tech machines and the latest upgrades to make something amazing. That's why we still derive a lot of enjoyment from old films and such, and why JohnnyBot was able to mix up something new yet familiar with the release of Argon Dream.

We're going back to the days when controllers had fewer buttons than you had fingers and everything flowed like syrup through pancake canyon. Argon Dream calls back to Atari's glory days with fun, yet challenging and straightforward games like Breakout. The title was all you needed to know to play the game: Break out. You have a ball, a paddle, and a bunch of blocks in your way. Press the buttons and do what comes naturally as the ball bounces and breaks, while you do everything in your power to keep it in play.

However, Argon Dream aims to be different while drawing on those hard-wired skills that we all have when given a ball and breakable objects. It features a classic, almost Tetris-like setup with different-colored blocks arranged in lines, shapes, and other patterns, which will make breaking them apart an ordeal. It's always been challenging to keep the ball in play as it speeds up and comes at you in weird angles, but now you've got other issues to worry about. There are different kinds of blocks with varying properties that can make things easier or more complicated as they affect the ball in various ways. You also have the chance to get some power-ups for helping hands, or power-downs for feisty fists.

With Argon Dream, you may find yourself dreaming of the older games, which are still very present and available to play, but we also want a twist of something new. This is a Breakout-style game with a nostalgic look, Game Boy controls (with an optional analogue stick), and some extra gimmicks to add challenge for veterans and a pleasant experience for newcomers. Sometimes it's about making the old feel new.

You can try out Argon Dream on its itch.io page!