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for the Nintendo 64
Final
by glass_soul
(C) 2005
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) Introduction
2) Power-Ups and Weapons
3) Enemies and Obstacles
4) The Walk-Through
5) Multi-player
6) Level Codes
7) Secrets
8) In My Opinion...
9) Acknowledgements and Legal Stuff
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1)INTRODUCTION
Battletanx is the story of Griffin Spade and his lost wife, Madison. It is
the year 2000, and a super virus is sweeping the world. Not only is this
plague lethal to anyone it infects, it is also highly selective. It only
afflicts women. With the female population on the decline, the human race
starts worrying about its ability to survive.
All of this is very nice, but newly-weds Griffin and Madison Spade could
care less about global affairs. The happy couple lives in America's New
York City in a state of marital bliss usually found only on Hallmark cards.
But the real world is about to shatter their wonderful lives.
Governments begin to quarantine their females, not to mention squabble
amongst themselves. Madison is ordered to leave her husband and join the
remaining American women heading for the Quarantine Zone in San Francisco.
Griffin is warned not to interfere, on penalty of death. Griffin thinks
that's just fine by him, as long as he has Madison. Madison, on the other
hand, can't bear the thought of being the cause of Griffin's demise.
Knowing that staying in NYC is a death sentence for her beloved husband,
Madison writes Griffin a farewell letter and quietly slips away during the
night. Griffin wakes up alone that morning, and finds the letter left by
his wife.
Back on the international scene, Russia and China are at each other's
throats, vying for each other's supply of women. Things rapidly get out of
hand, and climax in the two countries launching their nuclear arsenals at
each other. The rest of the world cheerfully joins in and the apocalypse
begins...
..by amazing coincidence at the exact same time Griffin finishes Madison's
letter. Somehow spared from the mutating effects of the radiation (not to
mention miraculously avoiding being incinerated by the shockwave) Griffin
finds himself alone in the blackened ruins of what used to be one of the
largest cities on earth. He discovers an M1-A1 Abrams tank in the wreckage.
And he begins his trek westward, to be reunited with the one he loves...
2)POWER-UPS AND WEAPONS
All item pick-ups are worth 100 points, except Queen Lords (1000 points)
and Bonus Points (1000 points).
ITEMS
Ammo - replenishes your tank's primary weapon
Bonus Points - adds 1000 extra points to your overall score (CAMPAIGN ONLY)
Cloaking - renders your tank invisible for a brief period of time
Extra Tank - adds an extra tank to your reserve army (CAMPAIGN ONLY)
Health - restores your tank's energy bar, if grabbed when at maximum
energy they are stockpiled in your special weapons
Queen Lord - women that the various gangs have sequestered away in their
fortresses, think of them as the flag in a game of capture
the flag
Radar - allows you to see enemy tanks on your map
Shields - blocks incoming fire from damaging your tank, making the
shots bounce off, shields can only take so much damage
before they collapse
Star - dropped by enemy tanks after you've blown them to bits, they
give you a small ammo boost as well as heal some of the
damage you may have taken
WEAPONS
Most of these secondary weapons also have a "super" fire mode, which can
only be activated after you've collected a certain amount of an individual
weapon. To fire the super shot, you press the secondary fire button and the
weapon-cycle button (A+B in the default setting) at the same time.
Grenades - lobs a single explosive out of your tank that will bounce
a short distance and then detonate, no super shot
available
Guided Missiles - hold the firing button down when using one of these and
you'll go into a chase missile camera, then use the
joystick to control the flight of the missile, super shot
requires at least 15 Guided Missiles to use and fires out
a larger, slower moving missile that fires lasers from
its nose when you press the primary fire button, each
laser shot takes one remaining missile from your
inventory
Gun Buddies - automated turrets which lock onto and fire at any enemy
that comes within their field of vision, super shot
requires 6 Gun Buddies and sets up a small field of
turrets which fire tank-caliber cannon shots rather than
the typical machine guns
Lasers - fires a beam of energy for moderate damage, super shot
requires at least 15 Lasers to use and shoots out a
thicker beam that splits apart when it hits anything,
sending lasers bouncing all over the place, injuring
friend and foe alike
Mines - small explosive which blows up when anyone rolls over it,
super shot requires 15 mines to use and places all of the
mines at once in a large field (which you, unfortunately,
will be in the middle of)
Nuke - damages everything on the battlefield, buildings and all,
no super shot (do you really *need* one?)
Swarmers - fires a pack of three rockets at your intended target,
super shot requires at least 15 Swarmers and fires out
all of them one after another
3) ENEMIES AND OBSTACLES
Bunkers - rectangular structure with red lights on top of it,
produces an endless stream of enemy tanks, can be
destroyed by shooting them
Explosive Stuff - blue oil drums that blow up when shot or blundered into
damaging everything around them, less common but more
powerful are gas station pumps which will seriously
ruin your day if you're too close when they go off
Fortified Bunkers - looks and acts like a regular bunker, but without the
red lights on top, can't be destroyed
Goliath - slow but powerful, heaviest armor and most damaging
cannon in the game, horribly dangerous when
rail-mounted, as their firing rate doubles
(5000 points)
Gun Turrets - there are three kinds of these in Campaign (light,
medium and heavy) and each takes damage accordingly,
some heavy turrets fire lasers, (100, 500, and 1500
points)
M1-A1 Abrams - the medium tank in all aspects of speed, armor, and
firepower, this is what you will be using for most of
Campaign (1000 points)
Moto-Tank - speedy little tanks that have extremely light armor and
attack with machine guns (500 points)
4) THE WALK-THROUGH
This is the Campaign mode strategy guide. This guide is written as if you
are playing through the game on the default difficulty setting (Easy) and
with the default gang (Griffin's Army). Extra notes for particularly
troubling areas on the harder difficulty levels are added when necessary.
You begin Campaign with an army of one tank (i.e. life). In order to keep
your army going, you will encounter extra tank icons, bonus stages where
you can win extra tanks, as well as earn an extra tank for every 50000
points you earn.
Each level also has a par time to beat. If you complete an area in under
the par time, you are granted a fairly large point bonus.
MISSION 1 - GROUND ZERO
Objective - Destroy 5 Enemy Tanks
Par Time - 3:00
A very easy stage, no matter which difficulty level you're playing on. You
actually don't even need to move from the starting point; the enemy tanks
will all come to you, one at a time even. Blast them to pieces as they
approach. There is a nuke hidden in the northeastern area of the city, but
it's completely unnecessary to find or use.
MISSION 2 - THE TUNNEL
Objective - Cross the Tunnel
Par Time - 3:00
This is the first of the many "get-from-here-to-there-without-dying"
missions, a warm up for things to come. It will allow you to practice the
chief skill you'll need to master in order to get past this kind of level
later in the game - GOING SLOWLY. Rushing on the bridge-type missions
almost always results in your tank being destroyed. Take your time, grab
all the power-ups you can, and let the enemies come to you. There are 7
M1-A1s guarding the tunnel, as well as a host of machine gun turrets. Make
sure that when you reach the exit you're on the left hand side; there's an
extra tank.
MISSION 3 - TIMES SQUARE
Objective - Destroy 15 Enemy Tanks
Par Time - 5:00
This area is ringed by nasty things like mines, turrets, and explosive
barrels. Luckily, you don't have to move all that much. Just like in Ground
Zero if you stay put, the enemy tanks will come to you, though this time in
pairs rather than singularly. There are 4 tanks at the very northern end of
the battlefield that typically won't come out and play until you get much
closer to them (typically, but not always). If they do decide to stay put,
you can explore around, collecting power-ups and bonus points. There's
another extra tank in the northeastern area of the city, as well as another
nuke if you're feeling really destructive (TASTE MY WRATH!!). The big
boomer is in a small courtyard not far from the extra tank, though it is
usually guarded by two of the tanks that sometimes won't move.
MISSION 4 - STRANGLEHOLD BRIDGE
Objective - Cross the Bridge
Par Time - 8:00
The Tunnel was training wheels for this kind of stage. Gun turrets are
going to be a major nuisance from here on in, and this will also be your
first encounter with a Goliath. Fight your way slowly up the bridge,
wasting tanks and turrets as you go (grenades may stink as a weapon but
they're primo for removing mine fields). There are two regular bunkers on
this level, one very early on the left side, and one towards the end on the
right. Make getting rid of these priority number 1, so you can stop the
endless flow of M1-A1s. There are two extra tanks located in two separate
mine fields along the bridge as well.
And now it's Goliath time. Going toe to toe with a Goliath is ill-advisable
under normal circumstances, but complete suicide when one is railed (and
this one is). Riding a rail makes the Goliath fire about twice as fast as
normal and allows it to soak up roughly a third more damage before going
down. Fortunately you have a way to hit the big boy without him even seeing
you. I speak, of course, of Guided Missiles, and the several packs of which
you picked up along your battle up the bridge. Get close to the Goliath's
position (but not so close that he can shoot at you) and guide your
missiles into his face. Once the Goliath is out of the picture, the way to
the exit is clear.
(HARD NOTES: You really, REALLY need to be careful on this level when
playing the Hard difficulty. Pushing too fast can wind up getting you
shredded on Easy; on Hard it's a virtual death sentence. Railed Goliaths on
the Hard difficulty can take 5 Guided Missile hits before being destroyed,
and you will only find a maximum of 10 on the bridge, so you need to make
your shots count. If, by some chance you don't finish the Goliath with the
missiles, then make a kamikaze-charge at him with your main cannon and your
Swarmers and hope for the best.)
MISSION 5 - BONUS LEVEL 1
Objective - Destroy as Many Tanks as Possible
Par Time - NA
Bonus levels in Battletanx involve you in control of a railed Goliath
fighting off wave after wave of enemy tanks until you are overwhelmed.
Points and extra tanks for your army are the prizes you compete for here.
The first bonus level consists of three streets down which M1-A1s roll in
increasingly larger numbers. Swarmers, health, and radar power-ups are all
on the rail to help you stay alive for as long as possible. That's all
there is to it. (One side note: watch for enemies that cross your rail and
attack you from behind; the computer is particularly fond of that tactic.)
MISSION 6 - THE HEARTLAND
Objective - Rescue 1 Queen Lord
Par Time - 12:00
The Heartland can be tricky if you're not careful; there are lots of mines
about and plenty of turrets as well. Most of these gun emplacements are of
the lighter, machine gun-carrying variety, but there are so many of they
can chew you to pieces in a matter of moments. Like with Stranglehold
Bridge, go slowly. There are two bunkers on this level, and they should be
your primary targets. The first one is a bit up the street from your
starting point on the right side. The second is across from the first,
hidden in a small, fenced off area that is infested with turrets. Dart in
quickly and get rid of the bunker, then back out and heal your tank. Head
south from here to claim another extra tank, then make your way carefully
back into the area that had the second bunker, smashing the turrets one by
one until they're all gone. Use your grenades on the mine field there and
swipe those Guided Missiles, then head back to the main road.
Wipe out turrets and tanks until there's nothing left to oppose you in the
main area of the map. That just leaves the Goliath and the fortress he's
guarding. The narrow pathway to the big tank is partially blocked by some
cars and a couple of toll booths. From afar (so the Goliath won't be able
to shoot at you) use either your cannon or your other special weapons or
both to clear the obstacles out of the way. Once the opening is cleared,
fly your missiles in to demolish the Goliath. Then roll in and destroy the
fortress and claim the Queen Lord as your own (mindful, of course, of the
two medium turrets that are on either side of the fort).
MISSION 7 - LAKE SHORE DRIVE
Objective - Rescue 1 Queen Lord
Par Time - 12:00
This mission is the first where you'll actually have some support from the
rest of your army. Not that this means much, as your soldiers aren't any
more intelligent than the computer's (it is nice that the enemies have
something else to shoot at, however). Also, you get your own fortress and
your own shiny, new Goliath to play with if you so desire. Tempting as that
prospect may be, using the Goliath doesn't accomplish much. It can't be
de-railed, which means you will be stuck guarding your fort while the boys
go off to play. Furthermore, you can count on your CPU-controlled Goliath
to adequately defend your fortress on its own. You CANNOT count on your
M1-A1 buddies to do much other than die. So you're going to have to
complete this level's objectives yourself.
Also, now that you have a fortress and a queen of your own, it's important
to understand that the woman-snatching works both ways. That is, enemy
tanks are going to be trying to bust down YOUR fortress and steal YOUR
Queen Lord. If that happens and they manage to make it back to one of their
fortresses, it's game over.
As the carnage starts, grab the radar and Guided Missiles next to your
fort, and head down the right side of the battlefield until you come to the
beach. Smash up the turrets, tanks and the bunker here and grab all of the
goodies. Now, the beach area is separated by a wall and some dragon's
teeth, so you won't be able to actually get to the enemy fortress, which is
on the other side of the wall, this way. But you will be able to fire your
missiles through the gaps created by the dragon's teeth. Dispose of the
Goliath in this fashion, as well as the other bunker, then backtrack to
your fortress.
This time, head down the left side of the battlefield. There will be a
large open lot with some turrets and mines in it. Mop them up and grab all
of the power-ups. In the northeastern corner of this lot, there is a brown
building that looks to be just another part of the wall graphics. Blast it
open for an extra tank, then proceed to the beach's western side.
The minute you grab the Queen Lord from the fortress here, all those
inactive fortified bunkers you've been seeing will begin pouring out
Moto-Tanks. High-tail it back to your fortress and you've won this round.
(Normal/Hard Notes: I suppose this is as good a time as any to say that at
about this point, if you're playing the two harder difficulty levels,
things are going to start getting very, very rough. Part of the key to your
survival is going to be knowing when to pick-up certain items. You will
want to nab shields one at a time, and radars only one per life. Be
especially careful when grabbing Guided Missiles; if you let yourself die
before bringing these into play, you'll lose them permanently, and find
yourself smiling down a Goliath's gun barrel with no recourse.)
MISSION 8 - STATE ST.
Objective - Rescue 2 Queen Lords
Par Time - 20:00
Just like the last mission, but with two queens to save this time. Also,
like the last mission, the second you touch a queen, all the bunkers will
spring to life and start kicking out tanks.
Grab the Swarmers and the radar by your fort, then head down the right side
of the map. You'll pass a couple of fortified bunkers on your left, then a
regular one. Blast it to chunks, then turn to the buildings directly across
from it and destroy those too. This will reveal some Guided Missiles for
your viewing enjoyment. Swipe them and continue down the street. Coming up
on your left is a sizable courtyard filled with medium turrets. Destroy
those, and in the corner of the area are some more missiles for your
collection. Now turn left.
From here, you should be able to see one of the Goliath areas. Use your
missiles to destroy it, then head back to your own fort. You can demolish
the fortress that the Goliath was guarding if you feel like it, but I
certainly don't recommend taking the queen just yet.
Go down the street leading to the left from your base now. This level's
other regular bunker is just a bit down this street; renovate it with your
guns. Get into a good position for blasting the other Goliath, and give him
the same treatment you dealt out to the first one. Now is the time for
speed. You need to basically make a circuit as you scoop up the Queen
Lords. Head straight for the bunker in front of you, grab the queen there,
and skedaddle over to the next fortress as all hell breaks loose. Nab that
queen, and run back to your base, zigzagging to avoid enemy fire.
MISSION 9 - BONUS LEVEL 2
Objective - Destroy as Many Tanks as Possible
Par Time - NA
Same scenario as the first bonus level. Your enemies will still show up on
your radar screen, but without an actual radar power-up, you won't be able
to see the little HUD indicators (those red triangles) that show where the
bad guys are coming. You're still dealing exclusively with M1-A1s this
round, and they've still got three avenues to roll down to attack you.
Though this time, there are alleys between the streets, allowing the
enemies to cross from one street to the next. A single health and three
packs of Swarmers will aid in your survival.
MISSION 10 - ARMAGEDDON HIGHWAY
Objective - Cross the Highway
Par Time - 12:00
As the firefight begins, grab the Guided Missiles from behind the gas
station then return to the starting point. Position yourself so that you
can see between the two dividers blocking the rest of that side of the
highway from view. Fire your missiles, maneuvering them around obstacles,
and take out the three bunkers on that side of the battlefield (the one at
the very northern end of this stretch of road makes Goliaths, so you might
want to get rid of that one as quickly as possible).
Kick off your remaining missiles at the railed Goliaths; this place is too
dangerous to risk being killed and losing the ability to put those into
play (also, don't pick up any more for now). Now sweep left, blasting
turrets as you go, to the side of the highway where the bunkers once stood.
Fight your way up this stretch of road, eliminating any and all threats to
your tank. Once this area is cleared, double back and pick up the missiles
you left behind. From the side of the cleared highway then, fire your
missiles at the railed Goliaths taking them out, and use any leftovers to
destroy any remaining turrets. You're home free (there's an extra tank to
nab by the exit, so keep your eyes peeled).
MISSION 11 - AREA 51
Objective - Rescue 3 Queen Lords
Par Time - 20:00
As you may have guessed by the huge par time, there's a lot of resistance
on this stage. Plus this is the area where enemy tanks will randomly start
to be shielded, so you'll have to move quickly. Again, the first thing you
need to do is get rid of all the bunkers. Head due left from your starting
point, go through a couple of hangers and there's your first bunker. After
destroying it, continue east until you about reach the boarder of the map.
Then charge south. Roughly midway down the battlefield, you'll come upon a
courtyard filled with trucks, turrets and your second bunker. After wasting
it, check the hanger to the north of your current location. It contains
bunker number 3. Dispose of it, and then continue south. When you hit the
road at the bottom of the map, head west. The next bunker is snuggled near
the hanger with the UFO in it, and the final two are at the far end of this
road. One will be immediately visible to your right, the other is hidden
behind some buildings on your left.
I fear I've made all this sound too easy. It's not; you are going to be
under fire from just about every direction during this entire run. Be sure
to demolish as many turrets as possible along your way and don't be afraid
to use your special weapons.
There is a simpler way to deal with this level rather than all this frantic
running hither and yon: find the nuke. It's in the courtyard with the
second bunker. Take it to the middle of the map and use it there for
maximum effectiveness.
Once the bunkers are gone, Area 51 is merely a matter of mopping up the
Goliaths with missiles, as has become standard. There are two extra tanks
on this level, both of them in the area of the second and third bunkers.
One is in a guard tower, the other tucked into a corner by the hanger.
Also, as a final note of interest, blowing up the two flying saucers will
create a pair of weird colored vortexes. Driving into these will warp you
from one to the other.
(Normal/Hard Notes: Don't screw around with trying to take out the bunkers
one by one; go straight for the nuke. Otherwise, your buddies will be
overwhelmed and you'll have to spend half of your time scurrying back to
your base to protect your Goliath from damage. The nuke will wipe out all
of the hangers, but it will only damage the Goliaths.)
MISSION 12 - FREMONT ST.
Objective - Rescue 3 Queen Lords
Par Time - 18:00
Fremont is just like the previous level, except much, much harder. You'll
need to take down the bunkers first like in the last level, but things are
complicated here by a pair of fortified bunkers near the southern fortress.
These will be active the moment you set foot in Fremont Street, and they
spit out a continual stream of M1-A1s, many of whom are shielded. You need
to get right to the point in this level: go for the nuke. Head out of your
hanger and go right. Pass by the first blue fence on your left, but smash
through the second one; this alley way will take you directly to a
courtyard guarded by several laser turrets. The nuke is in this area. Grab
it, haul it back to the center of the battlefield, and set it off. Now
double back to your fortress, grab the Gun Buddies, and set them up for a
little extra protection for your Goliath. That done, it's time to get to
work.
There are Guided Missiles in the parking lot near the southern-most
fortress, as well as two more in the hanger that houses that fortress
itself. Rid yourself of the Goliaths, liberated the queens, and run back to
your own base. There is also an extra tank next to the fort on the west end
of the battlefield.
MISSION 13 - BONUS LEVEL 3
Objective - Destroy as Many Tanks as Possible
Par Time - NA
Health and three packs of lasers will help you out here. This bonus round
is complicated by placing a bunch of buildings directly in your way. Plus
there are hangers on either side of your rail that the sneaky little jerks
like to pop through for some cheap shots.
MISSION 14 - THE CRIMSON GATE
Objective - Cross the Bridge
Par Time - 25:00
This is the last of the bridge levels, and it is easily the most difficult
of the lot. The end of the bridge is guarded by 3 railed Goliaths and a
veritable gauntlet of heavy gun turrets. Let me say it again, GO SLOW. I
would avoid picking up the Guided Missiles immediately; clear a path so you
won't be killed while carrying these all-important weapons. There's a
fortified bunker close to the beginning of this level that produces an
endless supply of Moto-Tanks. Use this as a healing station if you get too
beat up as you progress up the bridge. Moto-Tanks aren't that big of a
threat and none of them will be shielded, so you can easily just sit there
and blast the little guys, swiping the stars they drop, until you're back
to full power (it's also a good idea to ring this bunker with your gun
buddies; this will prevent a Moto-Tank from sneaking up behind you while
you're busy taking down the Goliaths).
Once the bridge is cleared of all tanks and obstacles, head back, grab all
of the missiles you passed by, and then set about removing the Goliaths
from the universe.
Now the fun part. The exit gate is guarded by seven heavy turrets. Do the
math; 7 turrets times 6 hits apiece equals 42 direct hits to clear these
guys out. Instead of brute force, opt for stealth. Cloak and sneak by,
avoiding the numerous mine fields in the process. Make a side trip for that
extra tank if you're feeling adventurous.
MISSION 15 - THE WHARF
Objective - Rescue 3 Queen Lords
Par Time - 15:00
Start by grabbing the Gun Buddies and setting them up on either side of the
hanger. This will allow them to concentrate fire on any enemy that
approaches as well as remove them from your Goliath's line of fire so they
won't get accidentally destroyed. If you're still feeling insecure about
leaving your fortress, snag the mines and lay out a mine field for some
extra security.
As with Fremont Street, the first thing to do here is head for the nuke. Go
down the avenue to the right of your starting point, blast some kiosks to
bits and run along the fenced wharf. Along the left side of this area there
will be two fenced places that you can either drive through or blow apart.
The first one holds the nuke, which happens to be nestled in a mine field.
You can either try to maneuver around the mines or you can simply sacrifice
your current tank by rolling over them and sending the whole field up in an
explosion. Whatever you decide, set off the nuke as soon as you grab it.
Now it's just a matter of cleaning up the Goliaths and collecting the
queens. There's an extra tank sort of in the area that you found the nuke;
check the right side of the map.
(Normal/Hard Notes: The Wharf is notable for its lack of power-ups and
while it does have one pack of Guided Missiles, at best you're only going
to be able to take out one of the Goliaths with those. You may need to make
a few suicidal charges at the big tanks in order to wear them down, but by
now you should have enough tanks in reserve to afford a few sacrifices.)
MISSION 16 - BONUS LEVEL 4
Objective - Destroy as Many Tanks as Possible
Par Time - NA
The final bonus level is, obviously, the toughest one to survive in. You've
got a laser and three sets of Gun Buddies to help you out, as well as some
health. But the bad guys come from both sides in this one, which can lead
to some serious confusion as well as a speedy death.
MISSION 17 - Q-ZONE
Objective - Find Madison
Par Time - 30:00
Don't be too alarmed by the ridiculously high par time for this level, it's
actually much easier than some of the ones you've already passed. Start by
grabbing the three Gun Buddies and setting them up via super shot at the
end of the road. This will form a rather nasty wall of cannon fire for any
enemies that try to come at your fortress (and they all do). Travel down
the street, wasting turrets and tanks as you go. About halfway down the
road, there's a section of wall that can be destroyed. This is an alternate
route to the final fortress, and taking it has several advantages. First,
there is a fortified bunker deeper in enemy territory that produces
Goliaths non-stop. Those Goliaths won't take the back way, just the main
road, so you'll avoid some nasty fights. Two, there are a pair of extra
tanks hidden in this side street that will help to buffer your losses if
you suffer any. And, of course, there's the nuke.
Use the nuke to wipe out and damage as many turrets as you can, then keep
going. From this point, it's just a rehash of what you've been doing for
the last five levels. Take out the Goliath and as many turrets as you can
with Guided Missiles, bust open the fortress and grab Madison, then scurry
back to your base. Just to let you know, there are two more extra tanks
along the main road, if you feel like making a side trip to get them or
something.
5)MULTI-PLAYER
Multi-player games in Battletanx can be between 2 to 4 teams, human or CPU
controlled.
MODES OF PLAY
Annihilation - all five of each teams' tanks are active from the start and
it's a brawl with no re-spawning of tanks on any side, the
winner is the last one with part of their team alive
Battlelord - it's basically capture the flag with Queen Lords for flags
Deathmatch - an every-man-for-himself free-for-all with one tank from
each team randomly chosen to do battle, the game ends with
the first person to make 7 kills
Family Mode - a variation of Deathmatch, under this setting, there are no
gangs to choose from and secondary weapons fire in place of
your main cannon until they are used up, players start with
Swarmers and the first to 7 kills wins
GANG ANALYSIS
After Shocks
Tanks - 1 M1-A1, 1 Goliath, 3 Moto-Tanks
Starting Weapon - Grenades, Mines
The Shocks have a bit of an edge, being one of only two teams that start
with two secondary weapons. But that's about all you can say in the
positive department for these guys. Their two weapons are grenades, which
are about worthless in heavy combat, and mines, which though powerful are
not direct fire weapons. To add injury to insult, the Shocks also have
mostly Moto-Tanks, meaning their staying power in a prolonged fight isn't
that good.
Charlie Company
Tanks - 2 M1-A1s, 2 Goliaths, 1 Moto-Tank
Starting Weapon - Lasers
Charlie Company has a well-balanced group of tanks at its disposal. The
lone Moto-Tank adds a slight edge of speed to the gang without disrupting
its overall heavy-hitting and punishment-taking composition. And lasers are
a good, solid weapon to start with.
Dark Angels
Tanks - 2 M1-A1s, 1 Goliath, 2 Moto-Tanks
Starting Weapon - Cloaking
These religious zealots are sort of a distorted mirror image of Charlie
Company, with more emphasis on speed than raw power. The Angels are an
ideal team to take advantage of the Moto-Tank's unsurpassed speed and
maneuverability, since they start with Cloaking. A fairly good team, all
and all.
Griffin's Army
Tanks - 4 M1-A1s, 1 Goliath
Starting weapon - Random
Griffin's got a good, solid team (and no wonder since he's the hero of the
game). There's nothing really bad that you can say about the M1-A1, and
throwing in a Goliath just adds to your power. The largest drawback here is
that the random selection of a starting secondary weapon can sometimes
screw you with grenades or something else that you may not want. All and
all, however, this is an excellent choice for beginners.
Mech Maniax
Tanks - 2 M1-A1s, 1 Goliath, 2 Moto-Tanks
Starting Weapon - Gun Buddies
Gun Buddies are a great secondary weapon, but apart from that, this team is
identical to the Dark Angels.
Nuclear Knights
Tanks - 5 Goliaths
Starting Weapon - Nuke
The Knights are as close as you can get to cheating without actually
putting in a cheat code. They only use the heaviest tanks and they get the
most powerful secondary weapon to boot. In Deathmatches and Battlelord once
you use your nuke, that's it; you don't get another one for the duration of
the game. But the Nuclear Knights are hands down the most powerful team in
the game.
Psycho Brigade
Tanks - 2 M1-A1s, 1 Goliath, 2 Moto-Tanks
Starting Weapon - Shields
Another Angels clone, the Brigade gets to start with shields. In
Deathmatches and Battlelord you get a new set of shields every time one of
your tanks gets whacked, although the shields do get progressively weaker.
Skull Riderz
Tanks - 1 Goliath, 4 Moto-Tanks
Starting Weapon - Guided Missiles
Though they get a fairly good weapon, the Riderz are obviously
over-dependant on speed. This can definitely be a hindrance in a firefight.
The missiles, while very effective during Campaign, lose a little of their
edge in PVP, tending to move a tad too fast for accurate guidance.
Storm Ravens (SECRET GANG)
Tanks - 2 M1-A1s, 1 Goliath, 2 Moto Tanks
Starting Weapon - Lasers, Cloaking
The Ravens don't have a unique team make-up (if fact, theirs seems to be
the most popular scheme), but what makes them stick out is the fact that,
like the After Shocks, they have two weapons to start with. Unlike the
Shocks, the Ravens' armaments are both very good items. The laser of course
does major damage to anything, as you know if you've played through
Campaign. Couple that with the maneuverability granted by Cloaking, and you
have a team with some serious advantages in their corner.
Urban Decay
Tanks - 4 M1-A1s, 1 Goliath
Starting Weapon - Swarmers
The Decay is just as solid a choice for beginners as Griffin's Army, but
without the guessing game where your secondary weapon is concerned. The
Decay gets the Swarmers, not the strongest weapon in the book, but by no
means a bad thing to start with.
6)LEVEL CODES
EASY NORMAL HARD
Mission 2 FRHBMCTNTK MLVGBGRTHP BJBCWRRGSH
Mission 3 LHTSPMFRGS WPJKFFMJNF LMRHJPMRTS
Mission 4 NGLFGFTTFP CTWRFBGGHH NWCNGMGTSP
Mission 5 VKMFKRFJWF HPFLJCHCCY SMSJHCHWTB
Mission 6 MRGLNPCTPK MNCWNFNGKH FNTJKFJLLM
Mission 7 JBHNSMHWTB WSVNFPFRGS JSFGRFPWWB
Mission 8 GLVPGFRNLK RNKBSBCLGM GRMTVMCNCK
Mission 9 KMLGNRHRNS VVRPRNKJGF KSJWKCKRLS
Mission 10 FLVVVFWNRK FTMLJFRLCM PWKBKFRNLK
Mission 11 WSMWRNVRWS LFBJNRHJJF WBWPHRHRNS
Mission 12 GCHSJBCLGM NTVWSPGGHH GJLTSNLLTM
Mission 13 HSWKNCFWLB VBJJKGBRJS HMTGMMHWBT
Mission 14 BGKRVMNTVP BCHGVMJGFH PCMLHGTLWM
Mission 15 WPBVSCVWGB JKNRFCKCWV THLGJPKWRB
Mission 16 VBCGJPLCPV KKTVVNJWMB SVKKGNWCFV
Mission 17 CCBJMCKNBK CGFNBNPLKM NNRNJBSGWH
7)SECRETS
All Weapons - At the input code screen, enter the code PLVRZM. You will
now have a generous helping of every special weapon in
the game (except for shields and cloaking). Sorry, you
still only get 1 nuke!
Campaign Gangs - Enter LSTLSTGNGS at the input code screen to activate
this feature. This code allows you to use any of the
multi-player gangs in Campaign mode. This is cool not
only because your gang begins with the weapons it would
normally get when playing a multi-player game, but on the
levels where you have help from the rest of your army,
you actually get to use your gang's entire team (i.e. the
Knights will have nothing but Goliaths on the field, the
Ravens will have a blend of all three tanks, etc).
Cinema Play - Enter the code CDPLT to view all of the cut scenes and
story elements in the game in their proper order. Once
the story reaches its end, it loops back to the beginning
in an endless cycle.
Frogs - Enter the code FRGZ at the input code screen. Large frogs
will now be hopping around the battlefield (oh goody).
Hurl Mode - Activate by entering HVRL at the input code screen.
Accurately named, this code causes the screen to spin
counter-clockwise in a very disorienting way (try beating
Campaign with this code activated if you have the guts...
or the Dramamine).
Invisibility - Enter the code CSTSLCLR at the input code screen to
activate this cheat. Basically think of it as permanent
cloaking.
Invulnerable - At the input code screen, enter the code MSTSRVV. This
Will render your tank immune to all weapons fire on any
mode of play. A slight word of caution about this one: if
you're playing Campaign with this code activated, you
won't be able to get past the bonus levels. You can't
die, you see.
Storm Ravens - Enter the code WMNRSMRTR at the code entry screen to open
the Storm Ravens gang for use in multi-player.
Suicide - During game play, press all four of the C buttons, and
your tank will explode. Why you'd want to do this is
beyond me, but there you go.
Toads - The code TDZ at the input code screen activates this one.
It replaces all of the Queen Lords with large, spinning
toads.
Trippy Mode - Enter the code CNCTHRTM at the input code screen to
activate this mode. This causes the fog on the levels to
shift colors slowly.
Unlimited Ammo - Enter LTSFBLLTS at the input code screen. This is the
stupidest cheat in the game; all it does is give you an
unlimited amount of your primary weapon, and there's an
option to do that built right into the game already.
Unlimited Lives - Enter LVFRVR at the input code screen for this option.
With this code in place, you can die as many times as
you'd like. Well, I guess under normal circumstances you
can die as many times as you'd like too, but with this
cheat activated, it won't deplete your back-up army.
8) IN MY OPINION...
I first ran into Battletanx in 1998. At the time, my friend Diego and I
were enamored with an arcade game called Tokyo Wars wherein two players
could battle it out with a battalion of tanks on a couple of different
stages. Strolling through Toys R' Us one night, I spied Battletanx, and
thought to myself, "Here's a way to get the thrill of Tokyo Wars right in
my own home without spending 75 cents a pop on the damn game at the
arcade." So I picked it up. And Tokyo Wars it wasn't, which was both a good
and a bad thing.
Your storyline is your basic hero saves the damsel-in-distress, though I
believe this is the first time it's been done with modern armor. Romeo and
Juliet with tanks, I believe I've called it. Anyway, as a catalyst for a
video game, it's probably the most-used plot device in the universe so no
complaints there. I mean, it worked for Mario and it's worked for just
about everyone else in the video game world too. As you progress through
the levels, the cinematics actually hint at developments in the game's
sequel, which is always a plus. And finally, the game has a concise ending,
not leaving off with a cliff-hanger. I absolutely H*A*T*E it when games
(movies/books/cartoons) end with a hint that there will be another chapter
added to the saga, simply because it too frequently never happens (like
Primal Rage, the Super Mario Bros. Movie, or, since we're talking about
Battletanx, the sequel, Battletanx: Global Assault). Battletanx tells a
full story; there's a beginning, middle and end, and the franchise could
have ceased with just the first installment. I'll always give extra points
for closure.
However, once you've been through the initial Campaign Mode, there's really
no reason to go back through it again. Battletanx isn't a tough pill to
swallow; even when played on Hard it shouldn't take you more than a day to
muscle through the whole thing. The cheat codes do add a little extra
flavor to the game, but not much. The "Campaign Gangs" code seems like the
biggest wasted opportunity to me. I think 3DO could have added quite a bit
of replay value by incorporating gang-specific storylines or even
gang-specific levels. Finally, the multiplayer aspects of the game lose
their appeal pretty quickly. Though there are quite a few arenas to wage
war upon, the small variety of tanks you get to pilot quickly cripple the
P-V-P modes, making them boring and repetitive.
The aesthetics of the game are a mixed bag. Graphically, I'd call
Battletanx about average for the time. I believe that it came out before
the N64's infamous upgrade cartridge, so it's visually more low-tech than
later titles. Still, it's nice to look at; the arenas are pretty large and
detailed, explosions are big and beautiful, and as was common for the 64,
smoke effects are superb. Sound effects are somewhat limited, since all
there really is are the noise of weapons fire, explosions, and tanks
driving around. The female voice that says "Power-up" every time you pick
up a damn power-up tends to get on your nerves at first, but you'll get so
used to it you'll simply tune it out eventually. I'd have to say he best
aspect of this game's audio/visual package is the music. Battletanx has a
really, really good soundtrack for such a relatively unknown game. Area 51,
Fremont St., The Heartland, and Q-Zone are just a few of the levels that
might sick their tune in your brain.
All and all, Battletanx isn't that bad of a game. It's no too long, and it
has its flaws, but it's a fun, little romp through a post apocalyptic
future and you get to drive tanks through the sides of buildings and shoot
people. Who wouldn't like to do that for an hour or two?
6 out of 10.
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9) Acknowledgements and Legal Stuff
For starters, let's thank 3DO for creating this game in the first place.
The game play info of the walk through and the level codes was all acquired
by me, through copious note taking and more than one wasted hour in front
of my TV.
Codes found in the secrets area were gleaned off of the Cheat Codes and
Secrets page for this game on GameFAQS.com, and therefore I must commend
KasketDarkfrye, matt91486, flowerpot, ElementalKnight, and ATadeo for their
work in making these cheats available.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.
This document is Copyright 2005 glass_soul (that's me). Only GameFaqs,
Neoseeker, and 1-up have permission to post this walk-through on their site
(if they feel like it). Nobody else, person, entity, or otherwise, may post
this document in part or whole on their website without my express
permission to do so.
Comments, questions, corrections and other forms of feedback in general are
all welcome.
I may be reached at
[email protected].
Next time peeps!
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