{{Short description|1991 video game}} {{for|the 1958 film|Tank Force (film)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox video game | title = Tank Force | image = Tank Force flyer.png | caption = Arcade flyer | developer = Namco | publisher = Namco | genre = Multidirectional shooter | modes = Single-player, multiplayer | platforms = Arcade | released = {{vgrelease|JP|December 1991}} | designer = Yutaka Kounoe }} {{nihongo foot|'''''Tank Force'''''|タンクフォース|Tanku Fōsu|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 1991 multidirectional shooter video game developed and published by Namco for arcades. It was released only in Japan in December 1991.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Akagi |first=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) |date=October 13, 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |isbn=978-4990251215 |location=Japan |page=53 |language=ja |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)}}</ref> It was designed by Yutaka Kounoe, whose works include ''Dig Dug'', ''Lucky & Wild'', and ''Point Blank''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tilley |first1=Sorrel |title=The Making Of: Lucky & Wild |url=https://archive.org/details/RetroGamerIssue101-102/page/n35/mode/2up |accessdate=7 March 2020 |agency=Retro Gamer |issue=101 |publisher=Imagine Publishing |date=April 2012 |location=United Kingdom |pages=36–39}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Tilley |first1=Sorrel |title=The Making Of: Point Blank |url=https://archive.org/stream/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_109#page/n37/mode/2up |accessdate=23 December 2019 |agency=Retro Gamer |issue=109 |publisher=Imagine Publishing |date=8 November 2012 |location=United Kingdom |pages=38–39}}</ref> The game is a sequel to Namco's ''Battle City'' (1985), itself a successor to ''Tank Battalion'' (1980). In 2017, the two-player version was re-released for the Nintendo Switch as part of the ''Namco Museum'' compilation. Hamster Corporation also released the game as part of their ''Arcade Archives'' series for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in January 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hagues |first=Alana |date=2023-01-26 |title=Nintendo Download: 26th January (North America) |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/01/nintendo-download-26th-january-north-america |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Gameplay== The gameplay is much like that of ''Tank Battalion'', except that this time up to two (on an upright model) or four (on a cocktail) players can play simultaneously. There are seven new types of enemy tanks (Normal Tanks, Speed Tanks, Hard Tanks, Big Tanks, Rapid Tanks, Tomahawk Tanks and Jeeps) and fifteen types of powerups (Bonus 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000, Shot Powerup, 4-Way Shot, Hyper Shot, Ripple Laser, Twin Shot, Small, Shield, Bomb Attack, Timer Stop, Force Field and Extend) which appear for players to collect in order to increase their tanks' firepower and boost their score. The enemies also roll into view from the top of the screen instead of just appearing and can also enter from the left and right sides. Every fourth round is a "boss" round where the players must fight Train Cannons, AK Tanks and Boss Cannons at the top of the screen as well as the round's regular enemies. The players cannot destroy their own headquarters walls, when one player shoots another they will be pushed back. The game has an ending which will be seen after clearing all thirty-six rounds.
==Reception== ''Game Machine'' reported that ''Tank Force'' was the fourth most-popular arcade game of February 1992.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos) |magazine=Game Machine |issue=419 |publisher=Amusement Press |date=1 February 1992 |page=25 |lang=ja}}</ref>
In his review for ''Namco Museum'' on the Nintendo Switch, Damien McFerran of ''Nintendo Life'' said that ''Tank Force'' made for an odd inclusion due to its obscurity, describing it as "''Pac-Man'' with tanks and destructible environments".<ref>{{cite web |last1=McFerran |first1=Damien |title=Namco Museum Review (Switch eShop) |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/namco_museum |website=Nintendo Life |publisher=Gamer Network |accessdate=1 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901043304/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/namco_museum |archivedate=1 September 2019 |date=28 July 2017}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{KLOV game|id=10028}}
Category:1991 video games Category:Arcade Archives games Category:Arcade video games Category:Arcade-only video games Category:Hamster Corporation games Category:Multidirectional shooters Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Namco arcade games Category:Tank simulation video games Category:Sequel video games Category:Video games developed in Japan Category:Virtual Console games Category:Virtual Console games for Wii