Atarikid96 Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 I'm wondering which do you all prefer out of the two main FP tank shooters for the VCS. I know most people will probably say Battlezone, and I agree it's a great game. But, although I may be alone here, I actually prefer Activision's Robot Tank more son than Battlezone. I love the way the shots move with your tank after fired. It just seems more addicting to me than Battlezone. What's your view? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchoolRetroGamer Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 (edited) You might have searched the forums first............. http://atariage.com/forums/topic/216589-battlezone-vs-robot-tank/?hl=+battlezone%20+vs.%20+robot%20+tank Edited April 13, 2017 by OldSchoolRetroGamer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atarikid96 Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 You might have searched the forums first............. http://atariage.com/forums/topic/216589-battlezone-vs-robot-tank/?hl=+battlezone%20+vs.%20+robot%20+tank Too lazy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PitfallHarry77 Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 It is a good topic though and no one has responded for a long time so I will have a go. This one seems to polarise opinion but I like them both. I thought the graphics were good on Battlezone and didn't mind what was missing from the original. They were sacrifices that probably needed to be made. I like that you have to work out the best order in which to attack, what to leave alone etc. and you can really get 'in the zone' so to speak. There is also great tension when you take evasive action and the enemy fire wizzes past in front of you. Robot Tank has greater complexity with the weather and damage system. It is tense when tanks pop up suddenly at night and you really have to watch that radar (or not if it has been blown out). It is very suspenseful trying to get the score for a patch and you are on your last legs with no margin for error. It is a little unrealistic in that tanks don't fire on you unless they can be seen (which is a deal breaker for some) but I prefer to focus on the gameplay than realism. You faced with 3 choices when confronted with the enemy. You can duck out the way until you can get a better shot or play defensively and destroy any incoming enemy fire (which admittedly doesn't look great when it is a square). Finally, you can race to destroy the enemy tank which also eliminates any incoming fire. It is pretty compelling stuff when you are nearly at score for a patch, you are nursing a damaged tank and made the critical error to try to shoot down enemy fire rather than take evasive action. It is too late when you realise what you have done and your final tank is destroyed as the screen breaks to electrical interference - awesome!! It is a long way back to start again but you are already reaching for the reset button. I never had Robot Tank as a kid and it blows my mind the gameplay that games like this had compared to the Atari 2600 games I was playing back then. Both Battlezone and Robot Tank are great but Robot Tank edges it for me. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Battlezone, and I love what they did with the graphics on the 2600 version of that. Next up: Star Master vs Star Raiders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 I like the air-ride suspension of the Battlezone tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xybot67 Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 For me, its Robot Tank all the way. Never could get into Battlezone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Both! I reject false choice! Though VCS Battlezone is going to be missed in new commercial retro compilations since Atari sold off the game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchoolRetroGamer Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Too lazy... Well for future reference it is no more "work" than starting a thread and replying here. The search came up with that result instantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Robot Tank, thanks to the 24 hour Enduro clock, the changing weather, and the localized damage. Bought it as a kid and never regretted it - still a solid game to this day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Count me for Robot Tank. It was one of the very few Atari games that I bought new-in-box at a department store closing sale in about 1990. I love the weather effects, and how the tank can continue to function (albeit poorly) even with damaged systems -- I once managed to complete a round with no visual and no radar just by firing blindly! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewart_Pidd Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Robot Tank. It had more depth, more challenge, and took the Battlezone experience further. Battlezone was still a fun game though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Battlezone for me each and every time as I prefer its graphics, larger and cleaner look of the playfield and the gameplay itself. Up and down bobbing movement of Robot Tank is really annoying and don't care for several of its "features" either, such as the large square block of a projectile coming at you. Couldn't they have given it a little more detail? Or the fact you can steer your bullets. What's up with that... intended for younger players or what? Or the night scenes where you can't see the enemy. Changing of the scenes like that seem gimmicky to me, even more so than the cheesy name of the game: 'Robot Tank'. Sounds like something you'd see on a Taiwanese rip-off cart. Bottom line: Robot Tank irritates me. Battlezone does not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atarikid96 Posted April 14, 2017 Author Share Posted April 14, 2017 Battlezone, and I love what they did with the graphics on the 2600 version of that. Next up: Star Master vs Star Raiders Star Master for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atarikid96 Posted April 14, 2017 Author Share Posted April 14, 2017 Well for future reference it is no more "work" than starting a thread and replying here. The search came up with that result instantly. Either way, I would want updated replies. That post was from a while back, and I'm sure there are new people on here who never had a chance to reply. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jeremiahjt Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Robot Tank. It had more depth, more challenge, and took the Battlezone experience further. Battlezone was still a fun game though. Off topic, but I swear I have seen every one of your posts. Thanks to your avatar it is easy to notice you and every time I do your post count has went up by exactly one! It's not like I check every thread, but if you post in one I am apparently drawn to the thread like a moth to a flame. Oh yeah, Battlezone. In all fairness to Robot Tank I have not played it very much though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Either way, I would want updated replies. That post was from a while back, and I'm sure there are new people on here who never had a chance to reply. People pointlessly complain about reanimating topics years dead. Necroposting.. People pointlessly complain about making new topics on material previously covered.. Your reasons are excellent - and common. New crowd, new opinions. New perspectives.. All just as valid as a 10-year old thread. And just as fun. Perhaps more. --- I found an old post I made. Woot! http://atariage.com/forums/topic/216589-battlezone-vs-robot-tank/?p=2830044 "It's a tough call, Sometimes I like Battlezone and other times I like Robot Tank." And you know what? That is still very true today. Right this instant it's a 55/45 mix in favor of Battlezone. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atarikid96 Posted April 14, 2017 Author Share Posted April 14, 2017 (edited) Thanks! I just love this forum because it gives me an opportunity to meet and talk with fellow people who truly appreciate and respect retro gaming. The more I come here, it seems like the more I want to post and talk about. Also Keatah, there are so many posts on the forum that posts are bound to come up here and there, but they always have different results. If you couldn't ask a question or talk about something, there would be nothing to talk about! Lol Thanks again y'all! Edited April 14, 2017 by Atarikid96 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 I'd have to say that I slightly prefer Robot Tank, but Battlezone is pretty solid as well. There are things I love and hate about both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 (edited) People pointlessly complain about reanimating topics years dead. Necroposting.. People pointlessly complain about making new topics on material previously covered.. Your reasons are excellent - and common. New crowd, new opinions. New perspectives.. All just as valid as a 10-year old thread. And just as fun. Perhaps more. --- I found an old post I made. Woot! http://atariage.com/forums/topic/216589-battlezone-vs-robot-tank/?p=2830044 "It's a tough call, Sometimes I like Battlezone and other times I like Robot Tank." And you know what? That is still very true today. Right this instant it's a 55/45 mix in favor of Battlezone. Personally, I hate resurrected threads. Whenever I see a thread with like 10+, 20+ pages of replies, I just skip it altogether because I don't feel like reading through all that, so if it's only a page or two of new content, I'll never see it. I'd rather see a new topic started if a thread is a year old or more. Chances are there's a bunch of new people on the board who haven't discussed it before. it always feels like I'm in the minority of this on any board though. Everyone else seems to have the "Thou shalt not discuss any topic outside the thread we started 7 years ago on it" Edited April 14, 2017 by zzip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Battlezone. The fact that on RT if you cant see the bullets you cant be hit is a deal breaker. Turns all that fancy weather, damage, and whatnot into a baby game. In Battlezone any shot fired at you can kill you. Also battlezone has to be the largest and best 2600 sprite ever. I prefer this to vector graphics... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 A baby game, I like that perspective! I thought the weather effects were just a warmed over version of a similar idea in Enduro. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodrigo Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Couldn't someone hack RT to make the enemy shots round? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Or add shock absorbers to the suspension? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Couldn't someone hack RT to make the enemy shots round? Some real life hypersonic rail gun rounds were square, if you looked at them head-on. IIRC. So would the X-37. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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