Tanks for the Memories
Once again, retro-lovin’ publisher Hamster is reaching into the past oflegendary studio Namcofor another addition to its massive Arcade Archive range — This week sees the arrival of one of the developer’s lesser-known ’90s hits,Tank Force,now available to download on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
Released to the arcade market in 1991,Tank Forceis the third release in Namco’s unofficial “Tank Battalion”trilogy — preceded byTank Battalion(1980) andBattle City(1985). This multi-directional shooter sees up to four players battle it out in top-down, caterpillar-rolling action. A total of seven different tanks are available, all featuring their own respective traits and weapons, and a massive arsenal of 15 weapons and power-ups can be picked up to turn the tide of battle in your favor.
Check out the warfaring action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuberVideoGaming4U.
Featuring maze-like maps, destructible environments, land hazards, and winner-takes-all gameplay,Tank Forcecan be seen as something of an alternate to multiplayer hits such as Irem’s cutesy hitBomberman, though it obviously lacks the charm and charisma of the Hudson Soft series.Tank Forcewould not be ported to the home market of the 1990s, though it would make a reappearance as part of a number of Namco classic compendiums. Today,Tank Force‘s dynamic, score-attack-based gameplay has helped attract a niche but devoted community, still chasing those ’90s high-score dreams.
Tank Forceis available to download now on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, priced at around $8.
