Sometimes it feels as though I wear my rose-tinted spectacles a little too much. All too often it can be tempting to look back on times gone by and become nostalgic about the past. Recently, advertisers have been using everything from He-Man to the Ghostbusters to get us interested in insurance, loans and much more. Looking at what intellectual properties are used really gives us a glimpse of what has stood the test of time and what hasn’t. The same is true in video games.
Some video games are just as fun to play as they were back in the eighties. Pac Man, Space Invaders and Donkey Kong are all great examples of games that are just as playable in their original forms as they are in any sort of modern remake. Then there are the games that were fun originally, but need a little push into the modern era to make them playable today. This is where Battlezone fits into the equation.
For those who aren’t aware, Battlezone was a game way ahead of its time. Released in arcades in 1980, it felt groundbreaking. Games back in those days were often 2D based affairs, but Battlezone used wire-frame vector graphics, much like Elite, to give the world a 3D feel. The game featured ‘three dimensional’ tanks and objects, plus a wire-frame background that some gamers were convinced you could eventually reach (spoiler: you couldn’t).
There have been a few different versions of Battlezone throughout the years, including Battlezone VR. Battlezone Gold Edition is basically the same game but, you know, without the VR element. Surely a game built to be a virtual reality experience can’t also work as a regular title, I hear you cry. That’s where you’re wrong.
There are a few of us, and I include myself in that list, that feels the need to vomit after only a few minutes after using a VR headset. Many successful VR games have limited themselves to small playtimes, missions or levels, to help deal with motion sickness, and it’s these small play periods that really work on the Switch.
Battlezone feels at its very best when it is being played in handheld mode: each level is relatively short and can often be beaten in a matter of minutes. This gives the game a pick up and play feel, meaning that you have a quick blast on a couple of missions while you’re on break, or on the train. It’s easy to put down again, and always ready to be picked back up again whenever you want.
The single-player campaign is simple, but effective. You are faced with a map screen, filled with hexagonal tiles. You start on one side and need to make your way to another tile, usually located as far away as possible; think of it as Blockbusters with tanks. Moving into a tile triggers a mission, which can take around 5-15 minutes to complete. There are various mission types, such as defending the base, or hacking your opponent alongside others.
Battlezone is a futuristic tank simulator. It’s a slow moving game, but it works well, and makes a great change from many of the fast-paced FPS games on the market today. You have various weapons that can be upgraded as you go by spending ‘data’ that is collected from defeated enemies. As it’s a tank based title, there’s lots of cannon based combat. Your shells dip if fired over a distance, and it feels so very satisfying when you hit an enemy square in the face at a huge distance.
Anyone who saw Tron back in the day will feel right at home here. Artist and designer Syd Mead worked on the cult classic, and gave life to the movie’s vehicles and landscape. The tanks were especially satisfying, and despite Battlezone pre-dating Tron by two years, it feels very much like you’re in the world of Tron battling with those classic futuristic tanks.
Much like the movie Tron, the graphics follow a classic, simple, video game-y aesthetic. Textures are simple and designs are basic. Vehicles really carry that bright Tron feel though, with brightly coloured enemies sticking out on the battlefield. The music is especially enjoyable; electro-style soundtracks help to invigorate the already exciting battles; even if they are slow. Sound design and electric style voice work help to give Battlezone a retro/modern hybrid feel.
It’s not an overly complex game at all. It’s rather simple in fact, and this is part of what makes the game greatL you can pick it up and be in a game in minutes. One feature that I’ve not yet spoken about is the online aspect of Battlezone Gold. I’ve not spent as much time playing online as I would like, however the online modes are fun and exciting and there’s plenty to get your teeth into here.
You do also get the complete old school style Battlezone included with Gold Edition. I decided to play a quick game for that old school gaming experience. Well, those rose-tinted spectacles fell off super quick. It’s a pain in the arse to play, complete with no strafing and one hit kills. I’m not going to bang on about it too much as it’s a tiny part of the total package, but this version of the game needs to stay in 1980.
It’s Battlezone’s simplicity that makes it fun. It’s easy to play, and is engrossing enough to keep going, but it has that pick up and play appeal that allows you to, I guess, pick up and play whenever you feel. Battlezone is great game to play on the go, and is a good game to play in the comfort of your own home. If you want some tight and slick futuristic tank-based battles then Battlezone should be right up your street, if you’re looking for a deep, plot driven experience, then maybe avoid this game.
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