World of Tanks Blitz: Mobile Iteration Is Awesome

BreakingModern — Load that turret now! How did I die? Where did that shot even come from? Welcome to World of Tanks Blitz, another game ported from PC to mobile. It’s absolutely awesome. Wargaming did downgrade some aspects from the famous World of Tanks PC MMO, but, in comparison to other mobile games, the graphics, engine and system mechanics are top-notch.

World of Tanks Blitz Cover

The mobile version of World of Tanks Blitz isn’t a complete port of the famous PC game. For example, instead of six nations, there are only three nations involved now. Britain and China are gone. And that’s disappointing, since both countries had epic tanks (such as the Matilda II). I can’t complain about the tanks that are included, however. There are many historical favorites including the T-34, the Tiger II (or King Tiger as some people call it) and the M42 Patton.

Upgrades

In WoT, the player advances his tank through an upgrade system. While doing so, they’re able to use new tech to research new tanks. Personally, I love this aspect of the game because it adds an element of realism. And, because of this system, I don’t have to split my upgrade points between researching new tanks and upgrading existing ones. Also, gamers who appreciate historical accuracy will get a kick out of War of Tank’s tech tree, which reflects the upgrading system nations actually used in real life. This allows players to experience the evolution from pre-war Panzer 1s to the famous Tigers of 1944.

World of Tanks Blitz garage

Mechanics

Diversity of tanks aside, the game mechanics are excellent. WoT puts a lot of detail into its battle engine, giving tanks both weak and strong spots on the outside armor. This forces players to strategize and think like real tank commanders. It’s better, for example, to hit an enemy tank on its side and rear, rather than blasting it head on. The player also has to use the terrain for advantage because, in this game, five-to-six hits is all it takes for a tank to be destroyed. Thus gameplay is more like that of Red Orchestra, where players strategize and gain advantage through superior position rather than classic Call of Duty-style gamers who rely on trigger reflexes. Keep in mind that you only have one life in this game, so be sure to use it well.

World of Tanks Blitz gameplay

Battles aside, however, the game includes a variety of cool mechanics I always wanted out of other MMOs—like upgrades bought through experience instead of gold. One of my pet peeves about MMOs is this: I pay a lot of money for the opportunity to buy epic new weaponry but when the time comes to buy the gear, I’m generally out of money. It makes me so angry.

War of Tanks, to its credit, is good because it uses a tech tree like in Total War or Hearts of Iron, where research points allow players not to waste money and resources on upgrading tech. The game rewards technology upgrades that are parallel to production. That’s pretty cool. The graphics themselves are pretty stunning, too. WoT has more depth than most mobile games (even though the PC port is better. But what are you going to do?). As an added bonus, tanks are able to roll over random obstacles, which can be very convenient in some maps.

Overall I’ll give this game an 8/10. Admittedly, the tanks could’ve used a bit more variety compared to the PC version. But there’s a reason this MMO is one of the most popular online games today. Its graphics, diversity and gameplay have all had a pretty successful port onto mobile, and it’s an awesome way to enjoy a great game on the go.

Currently, World of Tanks Blitz is free to play for Apple iOS. We’re still waiting (anxiously) for the Android app. At the time of writing there are rumors it will come to our favorite OS, but no date has been announced. For those waiting, I recommend getting the PC game on your computer, too; it’s just as good as mobile, but with more variety and better graphics.

For BMod, I’m Puching Zhang.

Image Credits: Wargaming

Header/Featured Image: Romanian tanks attack during Combined Resolve II” by 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command via Flickr Creative Commons

Puching Zhang

Author: Puching Zhang

Based in Chicago, Puching Zhang covers the gaming beat for BreakingModern.

Share This Post On

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>