Tanks pack a mean punch, though they trade agility in for power.
TurnTurnTank: Globe Defense has plenty of firepower, even if it can't control well enough to save the intriguing gameplay that lies dormant inside.
When aliens launch an attack on Earth, a sole stationary tank is all that protects humanity from complete annihilation and you're the person controlling it. Shapely enemies stream toward the planet via a maze of tracks, rounds lobbed from your tank obliterating them before they can reach the surface.
Sliding your finger across the screen positions your tank against the invaders, while taps of the attack button in the lower-right corner fire off neon bullets. Sadly, you're unable to keep your finger pressed down on the attack button for a continuous stream of bullets - instead, mashing the screen is the only way to get the job done.
Quickly eliminating enemies not only keeps humanity fighting another day, but also rewards you with shield deployments and powerful bombs for clearing out big groups of aliens. These are easily deployed with a swipe of your finger from the bottom-left to whatever desired position on the battlefield.
Timing is of the utmost importance in TurnTurnTank due to the way in which tracks have been laid out in each level and the varying rate at which enemies move. Knowing when to spin your tank around means analysing alien movement and the winding course of each track to decipher the most immediate threat. It's exciting and altogether quite challenging.
Unfortunately, it's artificially difficult due to counter-intuitive controls. Instead of embracing touch-to-target controls, TurnTurnTank unwisely forces you to steer with one hand and fire rounds with the other. The tank is frequently unresponsive, and your hand is often covering up the screen. An option to just tap the screen in the direction you want to fire would be preferable.
It's a fatal flaw. Play is far too frustrating as a result of the control scheme for you to enjoy this otherwise interesting concept. TurnTurnTank may turn your head with cool neon graphics and unique gameplay, but you're ultimately going to turn away from it as a result of the poor controls.
TurnTurnTank: Globe Defense
A major overhaul of the controls must occur if TurnTurnTank hopes to defend what is a compelling gameplay concept
Tracy Erickson
Manning our editorial outpost in America, Tracy comes with years of expertise at mashing a keyboard. When he's not out painting the town red, he jets across the home of the brave, covering press events under the Pocket Gamer banner.