Battle City

Battle City is the tank game that kept a whole generation glued to the screen. You drive a small yellow tank through a maze of brick and steel walls, shoot the 20 enemy tanks that roll in from the top of every stage and protect the eagle at the bottom. If an enemy shell hits the eagle, the game is over. This is the 1985 version by Namco for the Nintendo Famicom, and it plays right here in your browser with no download.

How to play

1. Press Play under the title picture. When the title screen appears, press Start (Enter on a keyboard) to begin with 1 Player.
2. Drive with the arrow keys and fire with Z or X.
3. Shoot through brick walls to open a path. Steel walls only break once your tank is strong enough.
4. Destroy all 20 enemy tanks of the stage. The small tank icons on the right show how many are left.
5. Keep the enemies away from the eagle at the bottom of the screen.

Controls

Computer: arrow keys drive the tank, Z or X fires, Enter is Start and pauses the game. On the title screen V (Select) moves the cursor to 2 Players or Construction. Move the mouse over the game to show the bar with pause, restart, sound, save state, load state and full screen buttons.

Phone and tablet: an on-screen pad appears under the game. The cross on the left drives the tank, B and A both fire and Start starts or pauses the game.

A USB or Bluetooth gamepad also works.

Cheats

Press the magic wand button next to the full screen button above the game and switch on Unlimited lives. Your tank then always comes back, but the eagle still has to be protected: if it is destroyed, the game ends. Reloading the page turns the cheat off again.

Power-ups

• Star: makes your tank stronger. With enough stars it fires faster and breaks steel walls.
• Helmet: a shield that protects your tank for a short time.
• Clock: freezes all enemy tanks for a few seconds.
• Shovel: puts a steel wall around the eagle for a while.
• Grenade: destroys every enemy tank on the screen.
• Tank: an extra life.

Power-ups appear when you destroy a flashing enemy tank.

About Battle City

Namco released Battle City for the Famicom in Japan in 1985. It has 35 stages and a Construction mode where you can build your own map with bricks, steel, water, trees and ice, and two players can play together. Many players know it from the famous Famicom clone consoles of the nineties, often under the name Tank 1990.

Frequently asked questions

Is Battle City free to play?

Yes. You can play it free in your browser on Yes This Game, with no download and no sign-up.

Can I play Battle City on my phone?

Yes. On a phone or tablet an on-screen pad with a cross, B, A and Start buttons appears under the game.

How many stages are there?

There are 35 stages, each with its own map and a stronger mix of enemy tanks.

Can I save my progress?

Yes. The bar under the game has a save state button that stores the game exactly where you are, in your browser on this device. The load state button brings it back.