Back in the day, before many of you were born or even thought about gaming, game controllers lacked the analog sticks that are common nowadays.
As a gaming enthusiast, I can tell you that despite the advent of 3D gaming, it took some additional time for the familiar dual-analog control scheme to emerge and become popular among us players.
One way for 3D games to circumvent this limitation was the implementation of tank controls.
In this straightforward approach, the character’s movement was regulated based on its location. Pressing digital buttons made it advance, retreat, or rotate left or right.
By today’s standards, tank controls are… clunky, to put it politely.
Regardless, several games incorporate these elements or offer them as options, and based on different opinions, they can significantly alter your gaming experience.
10. Resident Evil
The Game That Made Tank Controls Scary
In discussions about tank-style gameplay, it’s often the case that the 1996 version of Resident Evil is the one that gets mentioned most frequently.
The game debuted on the PlayStation approximately a year prior to the introduction of the original DualShock controller, which means that analog control options weren’t yet available at the time.
Tank controls were used to navigate the game’s 3D environments, rendered with fixed camera angles.
The method of playing this game was not very intuitive, but surprisingly, having less control made it more terrifying.
In newer versions and re-imaginings of the game Resident Evil, players are offered full control using an analog stick, while still allowing for a traditional ‘tank’ control setup for those desiring a more original gaming experience.
9. Grim Fandango
On Tim Schaffer’s Insistence
During the late 90s, although it was technically possible to play PC games using a controller, it wasn’t as user-friendly as it is now. Consequently, 3D games required simpler alternatives for easier navigation.
In the case of Grim Fandango, the chosen solution was tank controls.
3D environments require more advanced navigation methods than the traditional point-and-click interface that LucasArts was known for, since it’s not designed to handle such complexity.
Back in 2015, during an interview with Eurogamer, the game’s director, Tim Schafer, shared his thoughts on why tank controls were chosen. It seems they believed that these controls provided the best way to maintain the game’s cinematic camera experience without compromising the comfort of gameplay by making it awkward.
2014’s remastered version of Grim Fandango features analog control options, but you can switch to tank controls by adjusting the settings as well.
Not only is there a reward for completing the entire game using this method, but it seems that this requirement came directly from Schaffer himself.
8. Tomb Raider
The Game That Made Tank Controls Cool
Instead of Resident Evil, which can feel quite confined for those with claustrophobia, the original Tomb Raider offered a far more action-packed experience, blending elements of 3D exploration and rapid-fire combat.
Back then, as a gamer in 1996, I had to navigate through the digital world using what we called “tank controls.” Due to the technological constraints of that era, there weren’t many options for smooth and precise movement.
To pull out your weapon, you’ll have to push a manual button. After that, use the action button while adjusting your aim with the directional pad.
In the enhanced version of Tomb Raider for 2024, you’ll find both full analog stick control and graphical improvements. If you prefer the original gameplay style, though, you have the option to revert to the classic control scheme with tank movement.
7. Silent Hill
Makes It Even Scarier
1999 saw the release of the original Silent Hill on PlayStation, a time when the DualShock controller had already gained widespread popularity.
Despite this setup, it hadn’t been the standard layout, hence Silent Hill had to cater to players who didn’t possess it. Once more, the answer lay in tank controls.
Just like with Resident Evil, many diehard fans of the series feel that the tank control system offers the optimal experience when it comes to fully immersing oneself in the eerie, overbearing ambiance of the game.
It’s worth noting that Silent Hill 2 offered tank control options, which is unusual for a PS2 game. However, it seems that the game’s director, Masashi Tsuboyama, was not fond of this feature.
6. Croc: Legend Of The Gobbos
He’s Green Like A Tank
In a platformer game, the vague responsiveness of tank controls might seem counterintuitive, as these games typically demand a high level of precision to avoid accidentally falling into pits.
1997’s Croc game, similar to Tomb Raider, endeavored to venture into the realm of 3D gaming, despite our technology not being fully prepared for it at that time.
In simpler terms, the control scheme for the tank makes playing as Croc feel unique, demanding precise aiming and dedicated timing for jumps, which is quite different from the casual approach needed for games like Super Mario 64.
Thankfully, most of the platforming bits are constructed with this in mind.
In the forthcoming enhanced version of Croc, you’ll find an option for analog stick control, but if you prefer maintaining its classic feel, you can still use the D-pad.
5. Mega Man Legends
A Tank With Legs
The first Mega Man game to be in 3D was Mega Man Legends, which was part of a series that had always been confined to two dimensions before this.
Regrettably, it came out just a month following the DualShock, which meant it wasn’t designed with analog sticks in consideration.
In this game, Capcom went with tank-style controls, but added some additional features to enhance your overall maneuverability.
Besides the traditional moving forward, backward, and turning around methods, the game additionally employed the shoulder buttons for sidestepping and dodging left or right.
As a gamer, I’d put it this way: “I could fix my gaze on an enemy and keep blasting away from one spot with Mega Man, thanks to the lock-on feature.
4. God Hand
Tank Controls? In My Character-Action Game?
Right up until the 2000s, even when digital or analog control had become the standard, there were still a handful of games that dared to innovate using older control methods.
2006’s God Hand offers an unconventional blend of tank-style controls with the rapidly evolving character-action game genre.
Fun fact, this game was directed by Shinji Mikami, who also directed Resident Evil.
In contrast to games such as Devil May Cry, mastering the controls in God Hand requires a bit of time and getting used to.
If you can get into it, though, it’s the kind of game you’ll absolutely never forget.
3. Alisa
Tank Controls And Fixed Cameras
Control over tanks ceased functioning from around the mid-2000s, as their role within the industry had largely been fulfilled.
More recently, indie game developers have rekindled them, aiming to recreate the enchantment of those early, non-digital times.
One game to do this was 2021’s Alisa.
This game pays tribute to series such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill by incorporating the same style of control (tank-style movement) and camera perspective (fixed camera angles).
Remarkably, this particular game seems to exclusively feature tank-style controls, with no option for analog toggling. It appears that if you want to maneuver in this game, you’ll have to commit fully to the tank mode, as there doesn’t seem to be an alternative.
2. Signalis
Top-Down Tank
2022’s Signalis shows obvious homages to retro-horror styles, most notably through its puzzles and the arrangement of its levels.
This also extends to the user interface, including tank controls.
Instead, contrastingly to traditional horror games, Signalis employs a bird’s-eye view or somewhat top-down camera angle.
Managing a character now presents a unique sensation compared to the era of stationary cameras; it’s simpler in certain aspects yet more challenging in others.
It certainly maintains the slight, anxious sensation that arises when you need to meticulously align your shot by hand.
As a gamer, I find the simplicity of using simplified, analog controls in the game’s settings appealing and easy to navigate.
1. Crow Country
The Classic Experience
2024’s Crow Country offers a harmonious blend, striking a chord between the charming retro feel of classic gaming and the intuitive accessibility that modern games provide.
When you start a new game, you can choose between “Classic” and “Modern” control schemes.
In traditional gameplay, you navigate using a directional pad (D-pad), which is known as tank control; on the other hand, contemporary controls offer more fluid motion thanks to the use of an analog stick for movement.
Regardless of the movement strategy you choose, Crow Country retains many traditional horror control elements, including manually adjusting and aiming your weapon.
It still has that same unsettling vibe; it’s just a bit easier to actually play.
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2025-01-28 21:11