Indie Game Pick: Normal Tanks (Vasiliy Kostin)
Normal Tanks is a single-player overhead shooter with plenty of heavily armored combat vehicles, turrets and mechanical creatures to shoot at. There are only four playable levels included in this demo version, but no time limit to restrict you from replaying the game at higher difficulty settings.
Weapons can be upgraded by collecting red stars, and you can switch between the two weapons at any time by pressing the right mouse button. It wouldn't be surprising to hear that some players would even attempt to input the Konami code during the title screen, considering how much the overall theme, level designs, and boss encounters resemble the original Contra game. (direct download link)
Comments
The ressemblance with contra is funny, yet not very subtle or improving the game. It has good looking smooth graphics, but personnaly don't really like the slow-pace control and the game scale (tanks are so big there is nearly no room for dodging). It's not a bad game but it just made me want to play Contra.
Posted by: Max | May 1, 2009 10:13 PM
Am I the only one that keeps getting an error stating that the files are corrupted? I must've downloaded this like 3 or 4 times already.
I'm starting to think that the problem's not on my end.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 2, 2009 12:17 AM
I really enjoyed this game. Sure it's blocky and could do with some breathing space but it's a fun game and I think that the Contra look suits it well. Any more games from him?
Posted by: maxis | May 2, 2009 1:33 AM
I really enjoyed the demo. It looked great and played smoothly. Only problem I had was respawning without the power ups... Die once and you're screwed forever.
Posted by: Nero | May 2, 2009 2:14 AM
I liked the claustophobic feel, really makes you work to out-manuver the AI. I really liked the pace and the lighting, too. Top-down mouse-shooters can't be stupidly hectic if you've got enemies coming from all directions, so the pace of this one was just about right.
The Contra "influence" though goes a little beyond homage, however.
Posted by: WI | May 2, 2009 3:08 AM
I was thinking more of Metal Slug.
Posted by: Gio | May 2, 2009 4:09 AM
The music (at least on level 1) definitely sounds like a rearrangement of Metal Slug tunes.
Posted by: Ilya Chentsov | May 2, 2009 1:27 PM
It's totally unsubtle but so perfectly executed, for what it aims at, it's perfect.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 2, 2009 2:57 PM
title theme is definitely contra
Posted by: fuxter | May 2, 2009 3:34 PM
first level is also contra nes
Posted by: fuxter | May 2, 2009 3:37 PM
it also plays like Jackals
Posted by: fuxter | May 2, 2009 3:48 PM
Game play video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m2Jw-KdwOE
Posted by: byte | May 6, 2009 11:58 AM
Full version available for download : )
http://www.normal-tanks.com/nt_setup_full.exe
Posted by: Vasiliy | June 28, 2009 4:37 AM