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the review system. 1 = Terrible, 5 = Awesome!
Two-player tank battle fun! More simulation-oriented than Atari's Combat. Check out the tanks game in Triple Action for that kind of tank action.
 | Graphics: 4
Sound: 3
Replay Value: 4
Notes: 2-player game; steering variation exists (ROM variation); Easter Egg
Screen Shots |
The only knock I have on Armor Battle is that it plays slow. It's one of the oldest Intellivision games (part of the very first market test), and it's surprising that a suggestion
such as "allow players to select number of tanks to play" was not adopted. The terrain maps are fun, and the graphics are nice and clean. It was the game that ushered in the Intellivision's infamous
explosion sound effects and animations - which we all grew weary of over the years. The ability to damage your own tanks, and the piles of debris left by dead tanks were wonderful touches - as were
the mines. One fun game.
 |
| ROM |
"Slow" and "fast" steering ROM variants exist. |
| Box |
So far, nine variations have been found. |
| Manual |
Twelve variants have been identified. |
| Overlays |
Mattel 'font variation' exists, but is questionable. Three different overlay variations are known to exist. |
| Label |
To date, five labels have been recorded. |
| Easter Eggs |
Two different title screen Easter eggs exist, depending on which ROM version you have. |
A total of nine Armor Battle box variants have been documented.
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0910 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Plastic tray; part number on top in black characters on red background; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover |
| Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0910 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Plastic tray; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0910-G1 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom |
| Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0710-G1 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Trayless pocket; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0510 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
French-Canadian; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada on back |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0410 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
International Edition; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne CA on bottom of box; slots in back for extra manual(s); slots inside for overlays |
| Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0840 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. on sticker on bottom of box from Lifestyle Electronics; Australian release? |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
1121 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Standard Intellivision, Inc. box |
|
Sears |
3861-0910 |
1978 |
Hong Kong |
Plastic tray; blue game title on top and back |
 |
Two different versions of this game exist - the original "slow-steering"
version, as well as a faster version released later. In my collection, my Sears
copy is the fast version. You can identify which version you have both by the
gameplay speed (specifically, the rotation speed of the tanks) or by checking
which Easter egg works.
A total of twelve Armor Battle manual variants have been documented.
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0920(A) |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Full color |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0920(B) |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Green artwork; note the somewhat confusing U.S.A. also printed on the cover |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0920(B) |
1979 |
Taiwan |
Green artwork |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0920-G1 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Blue artwork; this version seems to be quite uncommon; submitted by Hankster |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0920-G1 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Green artwork |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0720 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
French-Canadian; green artwork; longer than standard manual size |
|
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0720 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
French-Canadian; blue artwork; longer than standard manual size |
| Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0820-G1 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Green artwork; Australian release? |
| Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
1121-0131 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Italian; blue artwork; sadly, the cover is torn off my copy, and it's tattered |
|
Mattel Electronics |
PC-1121-0920 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Green artwork; part number on back; submitted by Hankster |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
1121-0920-G1 |
None |
U.S.A. |
Stapled along top edge |
|
Sears |
3861-0920 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
|
It seems the older, full-color manual had an error, showing the title screen
of the game to be simply TANK.
|

The rev. A manual referred to the game by the title: TANK
|

Rev. B and later copies of the manual showed the correct title
|
There were also some variations of the 'Running Man' and Mattel logo on the back cover.

Back cover of rev. A (U.S.A.)—note ® next to Mattel Electronics logo in
the center of the 'running man' rectangle |

Back cover of rev. B (Hong Kong, Taiwan)—note ™ next to Mattel Electronics logo in the center of the 'running man' rectangle |

Back cover of rev. G1 (Hong Kong)—note ™ next to Mattel Electronics logo in the center of the 'running man' rectangle and missing ® in the 'available from Mattel Electronics' text |
A total of three Armor Battle overlay variants have been documented.
|
mattel |
1121-4289 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
|
|
mattel |
1121-4289 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Larger font used in portions of the overlay's text |
|
intellivisioninc |
1121-4289 |
None |
|
Mattel copyright removed |
A total of five Armor Battle label variants have been documented.
|
Mattel Electronics |
N/A |
None |
|
Blue tank with black outline; ™ upper right |
| Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
N/A |
None |
|
Blue tank; no origin, ™ upper right |
|
Mattel Electronics |
N/A |
None |
Hong Kong |
Blue tank; origin lower left, ™ upper right |
|
Mattel Electronics |
N/A |
None |
Hong Kong |
Black tank; origin lower left, ™ upper right |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
N/A |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Origin lower right; © I.I. 1979 to left of origin; ™ small, centered vertically on right edge; smaller label, rounded corners |
 |
Title screen for Armor Battle. |
 |
The terrain can vary substantially from one round to the next. Like Space Battle, this game was sped up to be more fast-paced—the slower ROM version is soooo pokey when you get stuck in the water. |
Slow-Steering ROM Easter Egg
Credit: Joe Zbiciak's post to the intvprog group on Yahoo on 23. March, 2001. The Digital Press' Intellivision Easter Eggs page gives credit for this one to Chris
Hawley's "Copyright Kludge" file, which is contained in the aforementioned post by JZ.
Left Controller: Press and hold: [3]
Right Controller: Press and hold: [9]
Press Reset
Easter Egg: The title screen has the infamous Mattel Crowd Cheer and shows the following - the copyright date is kind of Orwellian:
Fast-Steering ROM Easter Egg
Credit: Carl Mueller
Left Controller: Press and hold: [0], either upper action button, and WNW (position 7) on the disc
Press Reset
Easter Egg: The title screen has the infamous Mattel Crowd Cheer and shows the following:
If you find new, contradictory, or other information you wish to share, please
let me know!
|