14 DAY TRIAL // The DS is getting yet another title this week, not that it needed any more titles to ensure its position in this console war (the handhelds "section"): Tank Beat, from O3 Entertainment. The game has just shipped to retail outlets across North America, featuring a touch based mechanized battle game that takes players through each fight in a variety of tanks and armored vehicles.
Playable in single or multi player modes, gamers will engage in armored, airborne battle, facing opponents in forest, winter, sea and urban terrains. Tank Beat is entirely stylus-based, as gamers draw tracks and fire on the DS's bottom screen game map, while their tank appears and responds on the top screen.
"Tank Beat is an armored enthusiast's dream," said Mike Pepe, Product Manager O3 Entertainment. "With a full arsenal of tanks to choose from it is critical to pick the right tank for each battle. Tank Beat? is very balanced in that each tank has a weakness that can and does get exploited by other vehicles in the game."
Different from other games of this genre, Tank Beat has a Single Player Story mode that revolves around tank commander, Vill Katjue. Freshly minted from the academy, Katjue is thrown into battle after his country is invaded and occupied by an aggressive neighbor. Players will have to link up with resistance tank platoons and take the battle back to the invaders. From then on it's capturing assets, destroying military units or fortifications, protecting civilian allies and more. Players are also given command and control of allied vehicles throughout the campaign to aid in the country's reclamation. Missions ended with success will unlock tanks and armored vehicles that players can use in future missions or in multiplayer Battle Mode.
O3 Entertainment's Tank Beat Features:
- Single player - More than 20 unlockable tanks to choose from - 27 level single player story campaign - 30 levels of skirmish - Command allied tanks throughout your missions - 2-4 person Multi Player Action - Head to head wireless and Nintendo Wi-Fi play - Single Cart Play on wireless
Every time I hear of a new game for the DS, I think of the PSP and its poor title lineup. No offense to owners, but the DS is kicking its ass big time and it's mainly because of the quantity of titles that Nintendo and third party developers and publishers make available for the dual-screened handheld. Sony should hurry up with that video-calls feature they have in the scope for the PSP with BT, if they want to keep it in the game.