Yes. Each level starts faster than the last, the ball gains speed as bricks break up to a cap, and the paddle gets narrower with every wall.
Yes, in two ways, and the paddle shrinks too.
Speed
- Every level starts with a faster ball than the one before.
- Within a level, each brick you break makes the ball a little faster, up to a limit set for that wall.
Paddle width
The paddle is widest on the first wall and gets narrower on each following wall. Combined with a faster ball, safe returns matter more as you go: a narrow paddle leaves less room to catch a ball at an angle.
What stays the same
There are no power-ups, and the score and your remaining lives carry between levels. A new run starts again at the first wall.
Because the ball gets faster as the wall thins out, leave yourself time to move back for the return. The strategy guide explains how.