Overview
Death Tank is a Xbox Live Arcade exclusive multiplayer action-strategy title which was developed by Flat Games for Snowblind Studios. It is the third game in the Death Tank series and the first to be released as a stand alone game. Ezra Dreisbach, the developer of the previous two Death Tank games,worked on the game's development.
Gameplay is reminiscent to the game Scorched Earth, where the players control a single piece of artillery and attack other players with a variety of weapons by adjusting the trajectory and power of each shot, but instead of being a turn based game, all of the action takes place in real time. Eight player simultaneous support will be implemented for online matches and four player simultaneous support will be available for local gameplay across the eight available landscapes. As shots are fired, they deform and warp the landscape to create new tactical challenges for players.
Features
- Free online multiplayer in XBLA demo.
- Play on Xbox Live against your friends.
- Up to 4 player local and 8 player online multiplayer.
- Customizable tanks with powerful upgrades.
- Secret power-ups that let you obliterate your enemies.
- Learn new strategies to hone your skills.
- Claim YOUR spot in the leaderboards.
Items, Weapons, and Money
Items and Weapons in Death Tank can be placed in to two different categories, Purchasable and Un-purchasable. More common, purchasable items and weapons can be bought every round. Spending cash is available from 4 sources: Kills, In-game Challenges, Air-Drops, and an automatic 20$ per round.
Money can be obtained very quickly, or very slowly. A simple 50$ per each kill, or 100$ for killing the current leader. A randomly spawned Airplane will appear at the beginning of some rounds and fly across the screen dropping glowing money pellets worth $100 each. This plane can be shot down by players and will drop multiple pellets in one spot for very quick cash.
The final way to obtain money is through the mini in-game challenges, which also give achievement points the first time they are acquired. Most of these challenges can only be obtained by one person per game.
- Missile Master - Hit an enemy with 3 missiles in a row. Each missile must spend at least 2 seconds in the air.
- The Dex - One shot an enemy using a straight up Mirv.
- The Vice - Kill an enemy while flying upside down.
- Revenge - Kill your killer after he has already killed you.
- Hard Shot - Shoot an enemy using full power.
- Jump - Fly half the width of the screen and stick the landing. In under 5 seconds.
- Clean Up - Kill 2 enemy tanks with one nuke.
- Dead Eye - Hit and enemy with 3 shells in a row, killing it with your final shot. Each shell must spend at least 1 second in the air.
- Total Domination - Get the survival bonus 3 rounds in a row.
- Survival Bonus - Survive the round.
All challenges are worth $50 except the survival which is only $25.
Purchasable items.
Air Strike ($200) - A marker is shot from the tank cannon. A few seconds later 3 planes appear and fly across the screen dropping bombs over the marker and a small surrounding area. (Note: These planes can be shot down).
Auto Turret ($250) - The turret is shot straight from the tank cannon. After landing the turret begins to float about the height of a tank. Once the height is reached the turret begins to spin and shoot machine gun fire directly at enemy tanks. Only one tank is shot at a time. (Note: Turrets will attack enemy turrets and can be destroyed).
Crazy Rockets ($80) - A mix between a Mirv and Rockets. Multiple rockets are shot from the tank cannon but fly in random directions. The rockets can be controlled but due to the random initial direction are hard to control at long distances. Very deadly at close range.
Death's Hand ($275) - A single ball is shot from the tank cannon. At the apex of the shot arc, the ball explodes into what looks like electric rain. Doing massive damage to whoever is caught within the rain of electricity.
Delay Misslie ($150) - A mix between a Delay Bomb and Rockets. A single rocket is shot into the air and directed by the player. After landing the missile does not instantly explode, but proceeds to emit red sparks from where its thrusters used to be. The sparks are random in direction but due mass amounts of damage and the missile explodes after a certain amount of time. The missile can be stuck to an enemy for an instant kill when the rocket explodes.
Exomite ($25) - More of a last resort, Exomite is an automatic weapon initiated after death. Causing your tank to explode and deal moderate damage to nearby enemy tanks. With more Exomite purchased, damage and area of the blast radius is increased. A tank with Exomite will have glowing green spots.
Hover Coil ($125) - Exactly like the name says, this item gives your tank the ability to hover around the map. Moving quickly in any direction with a height limited only by the limits of your t.v. screen. A great option for maneuvering around the screen to surprise opponents.
Jump Jet ($50) - Possibly one of the most crucial items in the game. Jump Jets allow the player to make their tank airborne and fly short or long distances. Allowing the player to dodge enemy attacks or gain a better angle for attacking, Jump Jets are a must have in any good player's inventory.
Laser ($125) - A quick and effective way to destroy any nearby enemy tank. Though limited by line of sight, the laser will bring down an enemy tank very quickly even if protected by a blessing or shield.
Machine Gun ($20) - Being the cheapest weapon in the game, the Machine Gun is highly underrated. With no load time and moderate damage, the MG can save your life in the last seconds of battle with an enemy tank. The enemy will be loading and aim his shot while you chip down his remaining hp with constant Machine Gun fire.
Mirv ($60) - A single shell is shot from the tank cannon but expands into 5 different shells at the apex of flight. A single Mirv can destroy an enemy tank if all 5 shots hit. (Note: If shot straight up, the Mirv will expand and all shots will fall straight down.)
Missile ($50) - Very powerful and very cheap the missile is a destructive force. But being balanced out by the complexity and difficulty in control this weapon can be deadly if used by someone with skill.
Nuke ($50) - Just like the name says, a Nuke. A massive explosion that does about the damage of 2.5 shells with a direct hit. Great for obtaining Clean Up and The Vice.
Orbital Laser ($80) - A marker is shot from the tank cannon. Seconds later a large pink/purple laser is shot from the sky straight down upon the marker about the width of 3 tanks. The center, being the most powerful, pushes tanks outwards as it progresses. With a fairly accurate shot about the same damage of a Nuke can be done. Sometimes a tank will not be pushed out of the laser radius and full damage can be done.
Plasma Ball ($175) - With damage ranging from full to minor, the plasma ball is a very versatile weapon. If a quick shot is released the plasma ball will make contact and do minor damage. But with the ability to charge the plasma ball simply by waiting to fire your shot. It can be charge up to do full amounts of damage. If the the shot does not make contact the ball will bounce around on the terrain multiplying after every bounce but lowering damage. Ball will continue to bounce until no damage is reached or untill the ball makes contact.
Plasma Stream ($100) - Best way to describe a plasma stream is to relate it to a water gun. A stream is shot from the tank cannon with range depending on the velocity arrow of the tank. If accurate the plasma stream can be extremely deadly but can be hard to aim.
Repel Shield ($100) - A good defensive item to equip to your tank. The shield can deflect a variety of weapons ranging from shell's to missile's. Always a surprise when an enemy has you in his sights with only a little health left and you protect your self with a shield and destroy him for the win.
Rolling Mine ($50) - A simple and cheap weapon great for many scenarios. The rolling mine is shot just like a normal shell but will only explode on contact with an enemy tank. Will roll down hills and even sit in valleys with other mines if no contact is made. Doing the same amount of damage as a shell, Rolling Mines can be a very effective weapon.
Rolling Nuke ($100) - Similar to the rolling mine, the rolling nuke is a devastating weapon when used in the right situations. Doing the same damage as a regular nuke but having the properties of a rolling mine. Although rolling nukes will not last forever when sitting around, they will start to beep and eventually explode on their own.
Shell - The standard weapon in Death Tank, every tank is equipped with them and there is unlimited ammo for them. 3 direct shots to kill an enemy tank, though splash damage will occur if the shot misses but still lands close.
Shockwave ($60) - A weapon that can be used very effectively or not very effectively at all. When activated, the Shockwave will send a nearby enemy tank flying and spiraling in any direction.
Spark Ball ($300) - Being high priced but very effective, the Spark Ball can take out a cluster of enemies in a matter of seconds. Being shot from the tank cannon like any weapon, the Spark Ball will then land and slowly begin to move in the direction fired. As it moves a pulsing shock will hit any enemy tanks in line of sight withing quite a wide range. The Spark Ball disappears after 12 seconds from being fired.
Spark Shield ($225) - Similar to the Shockwave in functionality, but may be used as a shield and a weapon. Instead of being placed into a weapon slot, the Spark Shield is placed in the Shield slot. If timed right the Spark Shield will nullify any incoming projectiles such as Nukes and Shells. Also can be used as a weapon but unlike the Shockwave this item will not push an enemy away.
Super Fuel ($50) - Super Fuel does one thing when used. Adds speed to your tank movement. Great for quick attack dodges, gaining high ground, or picking up items.
Target Comp ($) - A rarely used item. The targeting computer shows your whole projectile path and puts a target on the landing spot. Not used very much due to giving the person being attacked the ability to dodge incoming attacks much easier.
Teleport ($80) - Coming in sets of 3, the teleporter is a great purchase. Shooting a marker out of the tank cannon, the user is given the ability to teleport to the marker at anytime with the press of a button.
Un-purchasable Items.
These Items may only be obtained during rounds. The game will spawn little glowing white item pellets inside the terrain that must be dug out via explosive projectiles.
Blessing - Similar to a shield, the Blessing will automatically deflect projectiles and is constantly on. Blessings are exactly what they claim to be. (Dropped upon death.)
Curse - The exact opposite of a blessing, the curse will suck any projectiles towards you for usually a quick death.(Dropped upon death.)
Delay Bomb - Similar to plasma grenades in the game Halo. The delay bomb is an instant kill if stuck to an enemy, but will still do area damage if landed near a tank.
Fiesta Mirv - Fiesta Mirv's are surpise every time. With a random Mirv shot being released every time. Possible things being released are: Rocks, Money, Machine Gun Fire, Rolling Mines, Actual Mirv, Delay Bombs.
Healer - A small contraption that releases little green pellets. When picked up, pellets give health back to the tank. Pellets are sucked in by curses.
Interdictor - When shot, the Interdictor will float to the top of the screen and stay there to the end of the round. The Interdictor will shoot at any enemy tank that leaves the ground via Jump Jets or Hover Coil.
Silencer - Like the Interdictor, when shot the Silencer will float to the top of the screen, but will not shoot. The Silencer will only shoot at an enemy tank when the user speaks on their microphone via Xbox Live.
Critical Reception
Death Tank had a mixed reception with it's Metacritic rating at 66, with the lowest score being 30 and the highest 89.
External Links
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