If it's been awhile since you played Block Hole, then now here's your chance to play it the way it was meant to be played. Released in 1989 on the Arcade, this retro classic from Konami is ready the second you press start — no downloads, no setup.
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| Action | Keyboard | Controller |
|---|---|---|
| D-Pad Up | ↑ | D-Pad up |
| D-Pad Down | ↓ | D-Pad down |
| D-Pad Left | ← | D-Pad left |
| D-Pad Right | → | D-Pad right |
| B (bottom) | X | Bottom face |
| A (right) | Z | Right face |
| Y (left) | S | Left face |
| X (top) | A | Top face |
| L | Q | Left shoulder |
| R | E | Right shoulder |
| Start | Enter | Start |
| Insert Coin | V | Select |
⭐ Premium members can click any key below to remap this game's controls. Go Premium
| Action | Keyboard | Arcade input |
|---|---|---|
| Move | · · · · | Joystick (4-way) |
| Button 1 | · | Button 1 |
| Button 2 | · | Button 2 |
| Button 3 | · | Button 3 |
| Start | · | Start |
| Insert Coin | · | Select |
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It was released in Japan on October 9, 1989 and internationally the same year. It was ported to the MSX2, Famicom and Game Boy as Quarth, with the exception of the European Game Boy Color release of Konami GB Collection Vol.2, where the game was renamed to the generic title Block Game for unknown reasons.
The Story Behind Block Hole
In 2005, Konami included the game in the Nintendo DS title Ganbare Goemon: Tōkaidōchū Ōedo Tengurikaeshi no Maki. An emulated version of the game was released by Hamster Corporation in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 as part of the Oretachi Gēsen Zoku series. It was released in Japan on October 9, 1989 and internationally the same year.
The MSX version was released for the Virtual Console service for the Wii and Wii U while the Game Boy version was released on the Nintendo 3DS version of the service. Hamster also released the game as part of their Arcade Archives series for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in 2021. It was ported to the MSX2, Famicom and Game Boy as Quarth, with the exception of the European Game Boy Color release of Konami GB Collection Vol.2, where the game was renamed to the generic title Block Game for unknown reasons.
How Block Hole Plays
There are also various power-ups which could be located to increase ship's speed, among other bonuses. Rather than arranging the blocks together to make a row of disappearing blocks, a spaceship positioned at the bottom of the screen shoots blocks upwards to make the falling block pattern into squares or rectangles. It was released in Japan on October 9, 1989 and internationally the same year.
It was ported to the MSX2, Famicom and Game Boy as Quarth, with the exception of the European Game Boy Color release of Konami GB Collection Vol.2, where the game was renamed to the generic title Block Game for unknown reasons. As each level progresses, the blocks drop at greater speed and frequency. It was released internationally without the "DX" suffix in 2005.
Why Players Still Load It Up
Block Hole, released in Japan as , is a 1989 puzzle video game developed and published by Konami for arcades. It was released internationally without the "DX" suffix in 2005. Philip J Reed of Nintendo Life gave the Game Boy version a 6/10 score, praising its fun gameplay but criticizing its repetitive nature.
In Japan, Game Machine listed Quarth on their December 1, 1989 issue as being the third most-successful table arcade unit of the month. Block Hole was a hit overseas in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom and Italy. A sequel, Block Quarth, released on the Konami Net i-mode service, with an updated Block Quarth DX in 2001.
Block Hole — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a controller to play Block Hole?
No. Keyboard controls work out of the box (see the controls panel), and any USB or Bluetooth gamepad is detected automatically.
Who developed Block Hole?
Development was handled by Konami, with Konami publishing the release.
Where can I buy the original Block Hole?
See the "Other Places You Can Get This Game" section below the article for legitimate places to buy real-world versions.
What console was Block Hole released on?
Konami shipped Block Hole for the Arcade back in 1989, and this page runs that release.
This Game is Also Known As: “block hole game”, “block hole arcade”, “block hole online”, “play block hole free”, “block hole tournament”