In so many of the most iconic and beloved war games of past console generations, like Medal of Honor, Conflict: Desert Storm, and Call of Duty, the tank missions stand out. Not only do you feel invincible in these machines, but the way in which you have to control the tank often poses an additional challenge. Naturally, it led to many craving strictly tank-game experiences, so it’s not a surprise that so many popped up online.
While it’s resigned to the history of the internet now, Flash was a huge reason why online tank games could not only exist, but thrive. From a foundation of mostly simple and player-versus-player gameplay, one Flash game, in particular, became wildly popular, giving rise to bigger and better tank games that are still enjoyed by millions right now.
Spawning and spreading the joys of tank gaming
It’s impossible to discuss the history of tank games without Tanks. The 2D Flash game from 2004 could be played on any browser with arrows for controls and a space bar to fire mortar-like attacks at opponents. There was just enough depth to make for more skilful contests and can still be found today at some browser gaming sites.
Now, there are a whole bunch of Flash-like browser games that are free to play, but even premium games in the tanks theme can pick up substantial audiences. When you click here to learn more about new casinos, you’ll spot a five-star new site with 1,000 free spins for new players. It’s here that Lucky Tanks, Cash Tank, and Battle Tanks are all very popular games, sitting alongside global-hit slots like Book of Dead, Gate of Olympus, and Sweet Bonanza.
In this sense, tanks make for fun accessible games. You know what you’re going to get in tanks, which is helped by their slightly restricted kinds of gameplay due to how they move and fire. It’s why a more advanced form of the classic Tanks made its way onto the Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics collection – twice! Team Tanks and Battle Tanks are certainly worldwide classics, befitting their inclusion. Still, many wanted even more tank action.
The ultimate tank gaming experience
Now, there have been many triple-A or major projects attempting to draw in the tank gaming audience. There was Panzer Corps 2 in 2020, War Thunder from 2013, and the award-winner Armored Warfare from Obsidian Entertainment in 2018, but none can stand to the goliath of tank gaming.
World of Tanks has been nothing short of a revelation in gaming – let alone in tank gaming, specifically! Released by Wargaming in 2010 as a free-to-start online tank game set between pre-World War II and the Cold War era, as of late 2021, it was still clocking in over 160 million players. This is greatly credited to the constant updates being applied and what is now a library of some 600 tanks to play as in the military MMO.
A huge part of the appeal is the depth of the gameplay. The learning curve is quite stark, but there’s enough variety to the game that anyone can find their perfect style of play and the tank to suit that preference. The original game remains such a hit that the studio has been able to create a whole host of spin-offs into other realms of gaming, including board gaming, mobile gaming, and collectable card gaming.
Tank gaming is certainly a niche, but the best, most in-depth experience offered by World of Tanks can help the sub-genre rank among the top military games.
