Pocket Tanks game debuts for Mac

Cornerstone TSP Games has once again teamed up with BlitWise Productions LLC to bring a game to the Macintosh — last September it was the Breakout-style arcade game DXBall, and now it’s the artillery-firing strategy game Pocket Tanks.

“Scorched Earth”-style strategy games in which you determine velocity and angle of artillery have long been a popular computer diversions. You and an opponent square off on either sides of a hill and take turns blasting each other to bits. Your ability to accurately determine angle and velocity ultimately distinguishes you as a marksman, and the more precise you are, the higher your points. Pocket Tanks lets you play solo against the computer or against another player.

BlitWise developed Pocket Tanks for the PC, but Cornerstone TSP’s Michael S. Austin ported the Macintosh version. The game requires Mac OS 8.6 or higher and works natively on Mac OS X 10.1 or higher too. Pocket Tanks also requires a G3/233MHz or faster and a minimum resolution of 800 x 600.

The Shareware Edition of Pocket Tanks includes the basic gameplay, options and weapons you’ll find in Pocket Tanks Deluxe, but it’s something of a misnomer — it’s actually free. The Deluxe Version, however, gains 30 new weapons, the ability to use expansion packs, and the ability to download and use “freebie” weapons. It costs US$15.99 to register, so give the shareware version a try and see if you like it.