diff --git a/.github/workflows/make.yml b/.github/workflows/make.yml
index 272c9a3..8e23c76 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/make.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/make.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Installing apt packages
       run: sudo apt install libgtest-dev gcovr libtbb-dev libsdl2-dev libsdl2-image-dev
     - name: Run meson configuration
-      run: meson setup build -DonlyOpenSource=true
+      run: meson setup build -DonlyOpenSource=true -DenableArkanoidInputs=true
     - name: Building project
       run: ninja -C build
     - name: Running tests
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index fe802da..a519dca 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -26,3 +26,9 @@ option('onlyOpenSource',
   yield: true
 )
 
+option('enableArkanoidInputs',
+  type : 'boolean',
+  value : false,
+  description : 'Build tests',
+  yield: true
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/source/quickerNES/core/core.hpp b/source/quickerNES/core/core.hpp
index 810b01f..dcf8426 100644
--- a/source/quickerNES/core/core.hpp
+++ b/source/quickerNES/core/core.hpp
@@ -719,6 +719,7 @@ class Core : private Cpu
 
   void setControllerType(controllerType_t type) { _controllerType = type; }
 
+#ifdef _QUICKERNES_SUPPORT_ARKANOID_INPUTS
   int read_io(nes_addr_t addr)
   {
     if ((addr & 0xFFFE) == 0x4016)
@@ -761,10 +762,10 @@ class Core : private Cpu
               // latch 0 encodes fire
               uint8_t result = (input_state.arkanoid_fire & 1) * 2;
 
-              // latch 0 also encodes joypad 1
+              // latch 0 also encodes input_state 1
               result += (input_state.joypad_latches[0] & 1) & 1;
 
-              // Advancing joypad latch
+              // Advancing input_state latch
               input_state.joypad_latches[0] >>= 1;
 
               return result;
@@ -792,6 +793,26 @@ class Core : private Cpu
 
     return addr >> 8; // simulate open bus
   }
+#else
+  int read_io(nes_addr_t addr)
+  {
+    if ((addr & 0xFFFE) == 0x4016)
+    {
+      // to do: to aid with recording, doesn't emulate transparent latch,
+      // so a game that held strobe at 1 and read $4016 or $4017 would not get
+      // the current A status as occurs on a NES
+      if (input_state.w4016 & 1) return 0;
+      const uint8_t result = input_state.joypad_latches[addr & 1] & 1;
+      input_state.joypad_latches[addr & 1] >>= 1;
+      return result;
+    }
+
+    if (addr == Apu::status_addr)
+      return impl->apu.read_status(clock());
+
+    return addr >> 8; // simulate open bus
+  }
+#endif
 
   void write_io(nes_addr_t addr, int data)
   {
diff --git a/source/quickerNES/meson.build b/source/quickerNES/meson.build
index 651718e..6136d30 100644
--- a/source/quickerNES/meson.build
+++ b/source/quickerNES/meson.build
@@ -28,10 +28,17 @@ quickerNESSrc = quickerNESAPUSrc + quickerNESPPUSrc + [
  'core/cpu.cpp'
 ]
 
+quickerNESCompileArgs = [ ]
+
+# Checking for arkanoid input support
+if get_option('enableArkanoidInputs') == true
+ quickerNESCompileArgs += '-D_QUICKERNES_SUPPORT_ARKANOID_INPUTS'
+endif
+
 # quickerNES Core Configuration
 
  quickerNESDependency = declare_dependency(
-  compile_args        : [ ],
+  compile_args        : quickerNESCompileArgs,
   include_directories : include_directories(['.', '..']),
   sources             : [ quickerNESSrc ],
   dependencies        : [ 
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index 5b22461..748ffe5 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ if get_option('onlyOpenSource') == false
        args : [ testFile, '--cycleType', 'Full'],
        suite : [ testSuite ])   
 
+  if get_option('enableArkanoidInputs') == true
+
   testFile = 'arkanoid.arkNESController.test'
   testSuite = testFile.split('.')[0]
   testName = testFile.split('.')[1]
@@ -111,4 +113,6 @@ if get_option('onlyOpenSource') == false
        timeout: testTimeout,
        args : [ testFile, '--cycleType', 'Full'],
        suite : [ testSuite ])              
+
+  endif
 endif
\ No newline at end of file