Battlezone

Gameplay

Battlezone presented a first-person view from inside a tank on a flat battlefield. The player used two joysticks — one for each tank tread — to drive forward, backward, and rotate. Enemy tanks and supertanks appeared on the horizon and had to be destroyed with the player's cannon. A radar scope at the top of the screen showed enemy positions. Geometric obstacles — cubes and pyramids — dotted the landscape and could provide cover. A volcano smoked on the distant horizon line.

Historical Significance

Battlezone was the first commercially successful first-person combat game, predating Wolfenstein 3D by twelve years. Its wireframe 3D rendering — all in monochrome green — created a convincing sense of depth and space that was genuinely revolutionary. The U.S. Army commissioned Atari to build a modified version called "The Bradley Trainer" for training Infantry Fighting Vehicle gunners. Ed Rotberg was reportedly reluctant about the military application. Only two units of the military version were produced.

Fun Facts & Legacy

The volcano on the horizon was a nod to Mount Fuji. The game's periscope-style cabinet, which forced players to press their face against a viewfinder, enhanced the immersion enormously. Battlezone was one of the first games to be referenced in popular culture as an example of realistic video game simulation. Atari produced approximately 15,000 units.