Battle City
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- Year
- 1985
- Developer
- Namco
- Publisher
- Namco
- Platform
- Famicom (FC)
- Hardware
- Family Computer (8-bit)
- Genre
- Top-down Tank Shooter
- Players
- 1-2 players (simultaneous co-op)
- Controls
- D-pad + A (fire) / B (rapid fire) / Start (pause)
- Series
- Battle City / Tank Battalion
Gameplay Screenshots
About This Game
Battle City is Namco's Famicom tank shooter and one of the most-played two-player games of the 8-bit era. As a lone tank defending an eagle-shaped base, you hold off waves of enemy armour inside destructible brick mazes â and in two-player mode, your partner is both your strongest ally and the biggest threat to your own base.
Enemy tanks come in four types with different speed and armour, and the flashing red carriers drop power-ups when destroyed: stars upgrade your cannon, grenades destroy every enemy on screen, helmets give temporary shielding, shovels turn the base walls into steel and clocks freeze the enemies for a few seconds. The 35 stages never repeat layouts, making stage knowledge an actual skill.
- 35 hand-designed stages with destructible brick environments
- Power-up drops from flashing enemy tanks: stars, grenades, helmets, shovels, clocks
- Two-player simultaneous co-op with friendly fire on your own base
- Four enemy tank types with escalating armour and speed
Version History
- Arcade original (Tank Battalion)1980
Namco's black-and-white arcade ancestor with maze and base mechanics.
- Famicom (Japan)1985-09-09
Battle City as it is known today; the version on this page.
Tips & Strategy
Never leave the base open on the right
Most stages place the eagle where one flank is easier to reach than the other. Park your tank on that side between waves â enemies spawn in patterns, so covering the approach lane beats chasing kills around the map.
Shoot enemy bullets, not just tanks
Your own shell cancels incoming shots. When a fast tank lines up a shot at your base, firing straight into the projectile is faster and safer than driving into the tank's path.
Only upgrade after the base is secure
Stars are tempting, but a fully upgraded cannon draws you away from defence. Clear the current wave first, then pick up the star while the next spawn cycle is still loading.
Two players: divide the field
Agree on lanes â one player holds the left approach, one the right, and both fall back to the base as soon as the wave counter drops under three. Friendly fire cannot destroy your partner's tank, but a stray shell can breach the brick walls protecting the eagle.
Download Resources
Resource packs for this game are provided through the button below.
âŦ Coming soon