Abrams Battle Tank
{{Short description|1988 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Abrams Battle Tank
|image = Abrams Battle Tank box art.jpg
|caption =
|developer = Dynamix
Realtime Games Software (Genesis)
|publisher = Electronic Arts
Sega of America (Genesis)
|designer = Damon Slye
|programmer = David McClurg
|artist = Kobi Miller
Cyrus Kanga
|composer = Bryce Morcello
|engine =
|released = 1988
|genre = Vehicle simulation
|modes = Single-player
}}
Abrams Battle Tank is a video game developed by Dynamix and published by Electronic Arts in 1988 for MS-DOS. Designed by Damon Slye, the game is a 3D vehicle simulation of the M1 Abrams tank. The 1991 Sega Genesis port by Realtime Games Software was renamed to M-1 Abrams Battle Tank.
Gameplay
Although the simulation depicts the four crew positions, and is advertised as a simulation, gameplay is not actually very realistic; the missions are arcade game-like with a fixed sequence of actions to perform. The graphics were very good for their time, but reviews are mixed, with many players enjoying the "fun factor" introduced by the lack of realism, and others decrying it for the same reason.
Ports
Image:M-1 Abrams Battle Tank Genesis Screenshot.png
The port from MS-DOS to Genesis was performed by Realtime Games Software in the UK using their own 3D engine that was earlier used in Carrier Command with some tweaks to adapt it to the Genesis and the needs of the tank scenario.
Reception
In 1989, Dragon gave the MS-DOS version of the game 3 out of 5 stars.{{cite journal
|title=The Role of Computers
|last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser|first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk
|journal=Dragon
|issue=147
|date=July 1989
|pages=76–83}} Computer Gaming World gave the game two and a half stars out of five, stating that Abrams Battle Tank was a good game but a poor simulation. The magazine cited the commanding officer's briefings, at one point threatening failure with execution, as unprofessional and offensive to military personnel.{{citation | date = June 1989 | last = Brooks | first = M. Evans | magazine = Computer Gaming World | title = High Powered Pillbox | pages = 10–11 | issue=60}}{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=95 | title=The Modern Games: 1950–2000 | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=June 1992 | accessdate=24 November 2013 | author=Brooks, M. Evan | pages=120}} In a 1994 survey of wargames the magazine gave the title two out of five stars, stating that newer games had superseded it and criticizing the simulation of a single tank instead of a company or squad.{{Cite magazine | last=Brooks | first=M. Evan | date=January 1994 | title=War In Our Time / A Survey Of Wargames From 1950-2000 | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=114 | magazine=Computer Gaming World | pages=194–212}} Compute! agreed that the game was not very realistic, but advised players to "accept the game as a graphically excellent, tactically complex simulation".{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/1989-06-compute-magazine/Compute_Issue_109_1989_Jun#page/n69/mode/2up | title=Abrams Battle Tank | work=Compute! | date=June 1989 | accessdate=11 November 2013 | last=Scisco | first=Peter | page=68}}
In 1994, PC Gamer US named Abrams Battle Tank the 50th best computer game ever.{{cite journal | author=Staff | journal=PC Gamer US | title=PC Gamer Top 40: The Best Games of All Time; The Ten Best Games that Almost Made the Top 40 | date=August 1994 | issue=3 | page=42}}
Reviews
- Games-X (Jun 27, 1991){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/Games_X_Magazine_10/page/38/mode/2up | title=Games X Magazine 10}}
- Raze (Oct, 1991){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/RAZE_Issue_12_1991-10_Newsfield_Publishing_GB/page/n43/mode/2up | title=RAZE - Issue 12 (1991-10) (Newsfield Publishing) (GB) | date=October 1991}}
- Computer and Video Games (Aug, 1991){{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-117/CVG117_Aug_1991#page/n43/mode/2up|title=Computer Video Games Magazine. Issue 117|website=archive.org}} {{dead link|date=April 2023}}
- The One (Jul, 1989){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-10/page/n77/mode/2up | title=TheOne Magazine Issue 10 | date=July 1989}}
- ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (Jul, 1989){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-22/page/n60/mode/2up | title=ACE Magazine Issue 22 | date=July 1989}}
- ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (Jul, 1989){{cite web|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=4457|title=Kultboy.com - DIE Kult-Seite über die alten Spiele-Magazine und Retro-Games!|website=www.kultboy.com}}
- Video Games (Sep, 1991){{cite web | url=http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_videogames_1991-03_seite86 | title=Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Videogames 3/1991}}
- The Games Machine (Jun, 1989){{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/the-games-machine-19/page/n49/mode/2up | title=The Games Machine Issue 19}}
- Power Play (May, 1989){{cite web | url=http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_powerplay_1989-06_seite44 | title=Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Powerplay 6/1989}}
- Jeux & Stratégie #59{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/jeux-et-strategie-59/page/72/mode/2up | title=Jeux & stratégie 59 | date=June 1989}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/abrams-battle-tank|name=Abrams Battle Tank}}
{{Realtime Games Software}}
{{Dynamix}}
Category:Electronic Arts games
Category:Realtime Games Software games