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Gimme A Break
Gimme A Break is a 1985 action arcade game developed by Bally/Sente. Players control a character navigating through a series of fast-paced stages, breaking objects and clearing obstacles to progress. The game follows a straightforward single-player format, challenging players to react quickly and rack up points across multiple levels. Controls are handled through the arcade cabinet's joystick and action buttons, allowing players to maneuver and execute attacks or break moves. The difficulty increases as players advance through the stages, with enemies and hazards becoming more numerous and aggressive. Bally/Sente designed the game for the classic coin-operated arcade environment, targeting players looking for a quick, score-driven challenge during the mid-1980s arcade boom.
- Developer
- Bally/Sente
- Released
- 1985
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 1P
- Rating
- 4.6 / 5 (2.6K)
- Last updated
Gimme A Break Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Gimme A Break on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
Gimme A Break Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Gimme A Break on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"Gimme A Break" Arcade longplay 1985
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Gimme A Break released?
Gimme A Break was released in 1985 for the Arcade.
Who developed Gimme A Break?
Gimme A Break was developed by Bally/Sente, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does Gimme A Break support?
Gimme A Break is a single-player Action game for the Arcade.
What type of game is Gimme A Break?
Gimme A Break is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Gimme A Break for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Gimme A Break runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Gimme A Break in the browser?
No. Gimme A Break streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Gimme A Break?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does Gimme A Break work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play Gimme A Break this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Gimme A Break. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
