A lower price point and good controls distinguish this title from its XBLA sibling.
Like "Live!," "Plus!" is a slightly enhanced version of the arcade original, with 30 levels between you and the enigmatic Doh. What makes "Plus!" different from the original arcade version is the addition of "left" and "right" levels. After you complete the first level, a door opens on each side of the screen. Choosing the left door takes you to the "left" level, and the right door takes you to the "right" level. Players can alternate between the two as they advance, or stay to one side throughout the game. This gives the game a bit of freshness by allowing players to see different levels each time they play.
Most bricks break on contact, while silver bricks require two hits and gold bricks can't be destroyed at all. As you smash your way through the bricks, power-up capsules appear that will enhance your abilities. Some capsules increase the size of the VAUS paddle, slow down the ball or grant you a laser beam to destroy the bricks like a garden-variety vertical shooter.
Most behave like their original versions, with the notable exception of the Disrupt capsule; instead of creating two clones of the ball, it now creates SIX of them. While the block-smashing benefits are awesome to watch, longtime fans will recall that no new capsules will drop until only one ball remains, thus reducing the chances to get other power-ups, especially the desirable Player and Break capsules, which grant a 1UP or allow you to exit the level early with a 10,000-point bonus, respectively.
While all the original capsules are here, some new ones have been added, including what could be considered the game's first "booby prize." The new Mega capsule may be the best of the lot, giving the ball a comet-like corona and tail and smashing all bricks (except, still, the gold ones) like a hot knife through butter.
The graphics and audio aren't significantly different from the XBLA version, with the only key difference being in the maximum display resolution. Controls feel better here, although functionally they are the same as the XBLA edition. WiiWare players can use either the Wii Remote or the Classic Controller. A motion-sensor control scheme would have been kinda fun to play, though. All of the modes from the "Live!" version are found here, although online play through Nintendo WFC is absent.
What makes the biggest difference is the price point. The WW version comes in much cheaper than the XBLA version. Also, additional levels may be purchased in-game if desired. Even when bought, the final price is still below that for the XBLA version. If you've already bought "ARKANOID Live!," there's no need to get a second copy of the same game. However, if you were turned off by "Live!'s" price point, "Plus!" makes much more sense.