Pocket Tanks

"Pushing little tanks with their fully automatics"

The Worms series is a popular one. Several sequels of the original Worms game have been made for a variety of systems (everything from the Dreamcast to the PC). Of course, popular games spawn dozens of cheap imitators. One of Worms' many second-rate imitators is a shareware PC game known as Pocket Tanks. Pocket Tanks is very similar to Worms, with the biggest difference being that PT uses small tanks as the characters instead of worms. Even though their game isn't the most original one around, Blitwise Productions couldn't have picked a better strategy game to imitate.

Pocket Tanks is a turn-based strategy game, where the players take turns shooting weapons at each other while trying to get the most points possible. Points are earned by hitting your opponent with the weapons. The weapons range from simple artillery such as sniper rifles, jackhammers, and piledrivers to more complex weaponry like dirtballs and magic walls. Each weapon has its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, the dirtball is extremely effective at trapping your opponent. Unless they have a dirt or mountain mover in their arsenal, they will have to fire an offensive weapon (such as the sniper rifle or big shot) to get themselves out of the dirt. If these offensive weapons are fired while trapped in a dirtball, you will not only destroy the dirtball but you will damage yourself as well. Points will be taken out of your score if you hurt yourself. And you don't want to lose points since the whole concept of the game is to have more points than your opponent after ten ''volleys'' (a volley consists of a turn from both you and your opponent).

Don't think that Pocket Tanks is all about mindless violence, because it's not. This is a strategy game, remember? During each turn, you have the option to adjust many attributes of your tank and weapons. You can move your tank, fire a weapon, change the angle of the tank's cannon, change your weapon, and adjust the weapon's power. The higher the angle you give the cannon, the more power will be needed. Of course, if you give the shot too much power then it will go too far and just leave a big mark in the landscape instead of hitting your adversary.

Speaking of landscapes, there isn't a whole lot of variety to them. Every one of them consists of the same green terrain on a black background. You have the option to make the landscapes have hills, mountains, valleys, or just make them flat, but that doesn't prevent each one from looking dull and boring. Some changes of scenery would have been nice.

Pocket Tanks doesn't really have a whole lot to offer in terms of depth. There is a one player mode where you choose what level of difficulty you want the computer to be (1 through 10) and then choose your weapons before heading off to fight. There is a two player mode that is almost the same as one player mode, with the only difference being a human opponent instead of the CPU. Two player mode is easily the best mode available, thanks to the sheer fun of knocking your friend's tank all over the screen. Finally, there is an option to have target practice. In target practice, you just take turns shooting whatever weapon you feel like, with no scores or other nuisances in your way. Sadly, there is no immediately viewable high score list for any of the game's modes. A high score list would have added some replay value to the game, as well as some more fun in trying to top the high scores. A bad call by Blitwise.

''Thirty brand new weapons for only $15.99!'' says the game, upon opening and exiting of the program. It becomes quite annoying to have to click the ''Maybe Later'' button every time you want to play the game, but I guess that's the price you pay for playing a shareware game. Hey, it could be worse - it could make you wait 30 seconds before you click the ''Maybe Later'' button like some other programs do.

Pocket Tanks is a not a bad looking game graphically. Everything is tiny on the screen, except for the explosions if you set them to the highest they can go, but the small tanks fit the game (obviously). For the most part, the weapons look neat when they are shot, although there are a few drab ones (single shot, etc.). Each weapon/explosion also has an accompanying sound effect, which adds to the experience in a positive way. The game's music, however, does not add to the experience in a positive way. The music absolutely does not fit the game - the tunes belong in an elevator or as something you're forced to listen to while you are on hold on the telephone, not in a strategy game. Pocket Tanks is best played with the music turned off. Trust me, you'll agree as soon as you hear the opening jingle as the game boots up.

As a whole, Pocket Tanks is actually a fun, but unoriginal, strategy game. With its simple concept and easy to learn controls, almost anyone can pick it up and play with no problem. And if you can look past its flaws (lack of originality, little depth, no high score list, dull landscapes), you will enjoy the game. If you like turn-based strategy games like Worms, then you owe it to yourself to go to www.download.com and download Pocket Tanks today. It's a small download (about 2.8 MB).

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/11/02, Updated 06/11/02