Battle City

Last updated

Battle City
Battle City NES cover.jpg
Famicom version cover art
Developer(s) Namco
Publisher(s) Namco
Producer(s) Takefumi Hyoudou
Programmer(s) Ryoichi Ohkubo
Composer(s) Junko Ozawa
Platform(s) Family Computer, Game Boy, Arcade, X1, FM-7, MZ-1500
Release
  • JP: September 9, 1985
Genre(s) Multi-directional shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade system Nintendo VS. System

Battle City [lower-alpha 1] is a 1985 multi-directional shooter video game developed and published by Namco for the Family Computer. It is a successor to Namco's 1980 Tank Battalion , and would be succeeded itself by the 1991 Tank Force . [1]

Contents

An arcade version for the Nintendo VS. System would follow, along with a Game Boy version in 1991, which was developed and published by Nova Games. The Famicom version was later included as an unlockable in the Japanese release of Star Fox: Assault , [2] and would eventually be digitally re-released via the Virtual Console for Wii and Wii U.

Although the Famicom version was never officially released outside Japan, a hack of Battle City named "Tank 1990" [3] was one of the most common inclusions in unofficial famiclone multicarts. [4]

Gameplay

The player controls a tank and shoot projectiles to destroy enemy tanks around the playfield. The enemy tanks enter from the top of the screen and attempt to destroy the player's base (represented on the screen as a phoenix symbol), as well as the player's tank itself. A level is completed when the player destroys 20 enemy tanks, but the game ends if the player's base is destroyed or the player loses all available lives. Note that the player can destroy the base as well, so the player can still lose even after all enemy tanks are destroyed.

Battle City contains 35 different stages that are 13 units wide by 13 units high. Each map contains different types of terrain and obstacles. Examples include brick walls that can be destroyed by having either the player's tank or an enemy tank shoot at them, steel walls that can be destroyed by the player if they have collected three stars, bushes that hide tanks under them, ice fields that make it difficult to control the tank and patches of water which cannot be crossed by tanks. The game becomes more challenging in later levels, as enemy tanks may act as decoys to lure players away from their base so that another tank can destroy it. In addition, flashing red tanks releases a random power-up when destroyed. There are several types of power-ups, such as a clock that stops all enemies, a protective shield, and a bomb that eliminates all on-screen enemies. The enemy tanks come in four different sizes, with the largest one requiring four shots to destroy.

Features

The original Famicom version of Battle City provides a co-op multiplayer mode and a built-in level editor, one of the earliest video games to do so. [4] Due to its simplicity, Battle City hosts an extensive ROM hacking scene. [4]

Reception

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: バトルシティー, Hepburn: Batoru Shitī

Related Research Articles

<i>Gradius</i> (video game) Sidescrolling shooter video game by Konami

Gradius is a side-scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Konami. The first game in the Gradius series, it was originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1985. The player maneuvers a spacecraft known as the Vic Viper that must defend itself from the various alien enemies. The game uses a power-up system called the "power meter", based upon collecting capsules to purchase additional weapons.

<i>Wrecking Crew</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Wrecking Crew is an action game developed and published by Nintendo. Designed by Yoshio Sakamoto, it was first released as an arcade video game for the Nintendo VS. System in 1984, titled Vs. Wrecking Crew with a simultaneous two-player mode. It was released as a single-player game for the Family Computer (Famicom) console in 1985, and as a launch game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) later that year. A sequel, Wrecking Crew '98, was released in Japan in 1998 for the Super Famicom.

<i>Mach Rider</i> 1985 video game

Mach Rider is a vehicular combat racing video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. It was first released for the Famicom console and Nintendo VS. System arcade board in Japan in 1985, then in North America for the VS. System in 1985 and Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, and then for the PAL region in 1987. It was released on the Virtual Console for the Wii (2007), Nintendo 3DS (2013), Wii U (2014), and on the Nintendo Switch Online service (2024).

<i>Galaxian</i> 1979 video game

Galaxian is a 1979 fixed shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. The player assumes control of the Galaxip starfighter in its mission to protect Earth from waves of aliens. Gameplay involves destroying each formation of aliens, who dive down towards the player in an attempt to hit them.

<i>Xevious</i> Vertical scrolling shooter arcade game released in 1983

Xevious is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco in 1982. It was released in Japan by Namco and in North America by Atari, Inc. Controlling the Solvalou starship, the player attacks Xevious forces before they destroy all of mankind. The Solvalou has two weapons at its disposal: a zapper to destroy flying craft, and a blaster to bomb ground installations and enemies. It runs on the Namco Galaga arcade system.

<i>Hogans Alley</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Hogan's Alley is a light gun shooter video game developed and published by Nintendo. It was released for the Family Computer in 1984 and then the arcade Nintendo VS. System and Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985. It was one of the first hit video games to use a light gun as an input device, along with Nintendo's Duck Hunt (1984). The game presents players with "cardboard cut-outs" of gangsters and innocent civilians. The player must shoot the gangs and spare the innocent people. It was a major arcade hit in the United States and Europe.

<i>Dig Dug II</i> 1985 video game

Dig Dug II is an action arcade video game developed and published in Japan by Namco in 1985. It is a sequel to 1982's Dig Dug. Pookas and fire-breathing Fygars return as the enemies, but the side view tunneling of the original is replaced with an overhead view of an island maze.

<i>Star Force</i> 1984 video game

Star Force, also released in arcades outside of Japan as Mega Force, is a vertical-scrolling shooter computer game released in 1984 by Tehkan.

<i>City Connection</i> 1985 video game

City Connection is a 1985 platform game developed and published as an arcade video game by Jaleco. It was released in North America by Kitkorp as Cruisin'. The player controls Clarice in her Honda City hatchback and must drive over elevated roads to paint them. Clarice is pursued by police cars, which she can stun by hitting them with oil cans. The design was inspired by maze chase games like Pac-Man (1980) and Make Trax (1981).

<i>Gaplus</i> 1984 video game

Gaplus is a 1984 fixed shooter arcade game developed and released by Namco. It is the third game in the Galaxian series, serving as a direct sequel to Galaga (1981). In North America, a modification kit was later released to change the name to Galaga 3, possibly to reflect its position in the series. It was the only game other than Phozon to run on the Namco Phozon hardware. A contemporary home port for the Commodore 64 was released in 1988. A demake version of the game was included in Namco Museum Archives Vol. 2 as a bonus title.

<i>Tank Battalion</i> 1980 video game

Tank Battalion is a multi-directional shooter arcade video game that was released by Namco in 1980. The only direct home conversion is for the MSX, although it was followed up by two sequels: Battle City for the Famicom in 1985 and Tank Force for arcades in 1991.

<i>Sky Kid</i> 1985 video game

Sky Kid is a horizontally scrolling shooter arcade video game released by Namco in 1985. It runs on Namco Pac-Land hardware but with a video system like that used in Dragon Buster. It is also the first game from Namco to allow two players to play simultaneously. The game was later released on the Famicom, and both this version for the Wii, Nintendo 3DS, and Wii U and the original arcade version for the Wii were later released on Nintendo's Virtual Console service, and for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as part of Hamster's Arcade Archives line of digital releases. The NES version was also ported to arcades for the Nintendo VS. System as VS. Super Sky Kid, but promotional materials and the cabinet for this version just use the name VS. Sky Kid.

<i>Libble Rabble</i> 1983 video game

Libble Rabble is a 1983 puzzle arcade video game developed and published in Japan by Namco. The player is tasked with using two colored arrows, Libble and Rabble, to wrap them around pegs and surround small creatures known as Mushlins to "harvest" them under a time limit. The player can also uncover treasure chests that will have the player searching the stage for items in order to access a special bonus stage. It ran on the Namco Libble Rabble hardware, one of the only games to do so.

<i>Cosmo Gang the Video</i> 1992 video game

Cosmo Gang the Video is a 1992 fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco. A home conversion for the Super Famicom was released the same year. Controlling the Hyper Beat starship, the player is tasked with ridding the galaxy of the Cosmo Gang, a race of aliens that cause mischief across Earth. Gameplay involves shooting enemies and avoiding projectiles. Power-up items can be collected to grant the player additional abilities. It ran on the Namco System 2 arcade board.

<i>Tank Force</i> 1991 arcade game

Tank Force is a 1991 multi-directional shooter arcade game developed and published in Japan by Namco. It was designed by Yutaka Kounoe, whose works include Dig Dug, Lucky & Wild, and Point Blank. The game is a successor installment to Namco's Battle City (1985), itself a successor to Tank Battalion (1980). In 2017, the two-player version was re-released for the Nintendo Switch as part of the Namco Museum compilation.

<i>Tokyo Wars</i> 1996 video game

Tokyo Wars is a 1996 first-person shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco.

<i>Tank! Tank! Tank!</i> 2009 video game

Tank! Tank! Tank! is a 2009 third-person shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco Bandai Games. It was ported to the Wii U in 2012, where it was a system launch title in North America. Players control their respective tanks and must destroy opponents and giant mechanical monsters with a variety of weapons, such as machine guns and rocket launchers. Its gameplay has been compared to titles such as the Earth Defense Force series, through its usage of B-movie tropes and parodying.

<i>Rolling Thunder</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Rolling Thunder is a run and gun video game developed by Namco in Japan and Europe and released in 1986 as a coin-operated arcade video game using the Namco System 86 hardware. It was distributed in North America by Atari Games. The player takes control of a secret agent who must rescue his female partner from a terrorist organization. Rolling Thunder was a commercial success in arcades, and it was released for various home computer platforms in 1987 and the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989. The original arcade game has been included in various classic game compilations as well. It influenced later arcade action franchises such as Shinobi and Time Crisis, which borrowed mechanics such as taking cover behind crates.

<i>Super Contra</i> 1988 video game

Super Contra, known as Super Contra: The Alien Strikes Back in Japan, is a run and gun video game by Konami, originally released as a coin-operated arcade video game in January 1988. It is the sequel to the original Contra and part of the Contra series. The game stars Bill Rizer and Lance Bean as they are sent to thwart another alien invasion from the vicious Red Falcon.

<i>Cosmo Gang the Puzzle</i> 1992 video game

Cosmo Gang the Puzzle is a 1992 falling block puzzle arcade video game developed and published by Namco worldwide. The third game in its Cosmo Gang series, succeeding that year's Cosmo Gang the Video, players stack groups of blocks and aliens known as Jammers in a vertical-oriented well. The objective is to clear as many objects on the screen before they reach the top of the screen. Blocks are cleared by aligning them into complete horizontal rows, while Jammers are cleared by defeating them with blue-colored spheres.

References

  1. ↑ "Tank Force, Arcade Video game by NAMCO, Ltd. (1991)". Gaming History. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  2. ↑ GameSpot Staff (January 15, 2005). "New details, dates emerge on upcoming Nintendo titles for Japan". GameSpot . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Tank 1990". Kotaku . October 31, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 Murphy, Ed (September 2, 2021). "Tank Battalion / Battle City". Hardcore Gaming 101 . Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  5. ↑ "バトルシティー (GB)". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  6. ↑ "超絶 大技林 '98年春版: ゲームボーイ - バトルシティー". PlayStation Magazine (Special) (in Japanese). Vol. 42. Tokuma Shoten Intermedia. April 15, 1998. p. 516. ASIN   B00J16900U.
Listen to this article (3 minutes)
Sound-icon.svg
This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 6 April 2024 (2024-04-06), and does not reflect subsequent edits.
(Audio help  · More spoken articles)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.