Alleyway Summary
It is not quite like Arkanoid, or Breakout. One might even say it’s a bit more like…Jump man.
Alleyway is a Breakout-style Gameboy game, first released in 1989. Developed by Nintendo, and if it can be believed, this game is part of the Mario series. On the Gameboy box art, he is the one piloting the ship. The name, Alleyway, comes from the “gate” the player’s platform has to pass through.
The gameplay itself is like what you would expect. The goal is to break each of the blocks by using a ricocheting ball that can be knocked around using a platform. The platform in question moves back and forth along a set path. The ball itself moves at 15°, 30°, or 45° angles. The bricks in question give off different scores and have different “health” values depending upon their color.
Upon release, the game saw moderate sales. However, it was met with negative to mixed reviews. As it didn’t have enough unique content to differentiate it from Breakout, several reviewers cited the repetitive nature of the game as boring. Which, to be fair, is accurate.
Alleyway Premise
There’s no central plotline here, just you, the gird, and the ball. Get to breaking! At least, according to the original one. In the updated version, however, it is a bit different. As Mario, you are in control of a spaceship in the gate of the Alleyway. You will need to use your vessel to deflect and reflect an energy ball towards oncoming space grids. Doing so will weaken or destroy them, and you need to keep doing this until the entire field is clear. Complete each level, and face new stages, bonus rounds, alternating stages, and more. Your greatest assets are your speed and agility as you race to reach the top score.
Alleyway Main Characters
While normally, there aren’t any characters in this style of game, it is part of the Mario franchise. As such, we will be listing those who appear.
- Mario. The most famous plumber in the world. He makes an appearance as a brick outline! And while it would be nice to check the plumber once more, in this instance, you have to break his outline apart.
- Koopa Troopa. A troopa that is a Koopa, and thankfully, cannot hide in its shell this time around.
- Bloober. A squid-like creature! Much more dangerous in Mario Kart.
- Piranha Plant. A plant that likes to hide out in pipes and take a bit out of anyone who gets too close.
- Bullet Bill. A large, black bullet that, thankfully, isn’t going to be blowing anything up here.
- Goomba. This time, you can’t beat them just by jumping on their heads. But you can defeat them by breaking their blocks apart, one by one. It might take a while, but at least it looks nice!
- Cheep-Cheep. A red and white fish, no relation to Magikarp from Pokémon. Most often found at underwater levels.
- Bowser. The Dragon…turtle…boss of the Koopa army! He’s big, mean, and very, very green! Thankfully, you don’t have to fight him in some game of pong. Only destroy his image.
Alleyway Titles of Video Games in the Series
While normally, due to being unrelated to the Mario series, this list would be a lot shorter. But due to the number of cameos, and the fact that the updated verison says that you play as Mario….so…
- Super Mario Bros. (1985)
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels/Super Mario Bros. 2 (1986)
- Super Mario Bros. 2/Super Mario USA (1988)
- Super Mario Land (1989)
- Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, 1990)
- Super Mario World (1990, 1991)
- Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992)
- Super Mario 64 (1996)
- Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
- New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
- Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009)
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010)
- Super Mario 3D Land (2011)
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012)
- New Super Mario Bros. U (2012)
- Super Mario 3D World (2013)
- Super Mario Maker (2015)
- Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
- Super Mario Run (2016)
- Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Alleyway Cheat Codes
Let’s cover some cheats! There isn’t a lot in this game, which makes sense. Remember, cheat codes are put in by the developers themselves.
Faster Bat
Hold A while in the game.
Slower Bat
Hold B while in the game.
And that’s it. Sorry about that!
Alleyway Cheat Code FAQ
How many levels are in Alleyway for the Game Boy? 32 in total! 24 regular stages, then after every third stage, you get a bonus one! Totaling up to 32.
How do you play Alleyway? The gameplay is fairly simple. You have to destroy each image on the screen, using the small platform to bounce a ball back. If you miss the ball on the rebound, then you lose a life.
How long is Alleyway? To complete the main game, with no detours, then about two hours and a half hours. If you aim to do everything, then about three and a half hours.
When did the Gameboy come out? April 21, 1989.
And that’s all for now folks! Remember to check out the rest of CheatCC for even more gaming news, cheat codes, and reviews!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Nintendo.