Browser games are often brushed off by gamers as being too “simplistic,” or beneath them, but some of the more developed ones can be very fun. The simple format allows the gamer to play them without a lot of setup, and one browser will allow the player to play millions of games – most of them are free. One of my personal favorites is a game called “Tanki Online.” It works in Google Chrome, and is pretty easy to play. Almost everything is customizable, it has a decent interactivity, is updated regularly, and has very few faults.
The game is very customizable, with simplistic controls and in-game adaptations. The arrow keys control movement, the “Z” and “X” keys control turret rotation, and the “C” key center the turret. In the secondary controls, the arrow keys are replaced with the “A,” “W,” “S,” and “D” keys; the “Z” and “X” keys with the “<” and “>” keys, and the “C” key with the “?” key. In both variants, fire is the space bar. The player can also control his or her tank’s turret and firing using the mouse, if they only want to use one hand on the keyboard. My personal favorite is the first of these listed.

The tank setup is very simplistic. A basic set of turrets and hulls is available for purchase at the beginning of the game, allowing for the light, short- to medium-range battles that take place in the small beginning arenas. As the player progresses, gaining crystals they can use to purchase new turrets, they unlock new turrets, hulls, and maps, allowing them to choose the style that’s best for them. Heavy, slow sniper? Check. Fast striker with a flamethrower? Check. Basic tank, but a lot of buffs? Check. There are any amount of play styles, which is enhanced by the fact that different strategies are better for different maps and game modes. Team deathmatch? I prefer a heavy sniper. Capture the flag? I use a light, fast hull and a splash damage turret. The more the player advances, the more options are open to them. The matches scale with levels, so the game doesn’t have level 10 players in the same map as level 1 players.

The game has three main chat options: an official FAQ and forum, an in-game chat, and a lobby chat. The forum allows players to share and receive strategies and tips, and anyone can make friends, sharing playstyles and challenging each other to contests. The in-game chat allows players to share information with their team, or just get their gripes out. This helps them make friends too, though some might not send a friend request. The lobby chat function was recently removed, though the creator may put it back in again soon. It allowed players to make friends really well, and was the perfect mixture of forum and in-game mediums.

The game has a few downsides though. As a military game, there is quite a lot of rivalry, especially among the lower ranks, which can make it a challenge to get started; even at higher levels, it can be frustrating. Also, “Tanki Online” is only available – to my knowledge – in English, Spanish, and German, all of which are usually on the same Servers, adding confusion to communication.

Overall, “Tanki Online” is a simple, customizable, social MMO game. The storyless game may leave some players feeling that something is lacking, but the game itself is fun to play. Players can design their own style, and the game progresses as they do, always keeping them with players of a similar rank. In addition, the maps are well thought out. I recommend this game to any gamer, whether they are just starting their gaming career, or are a seasoned gamer. This game has something for both. It is a great example of how browser games can be much better than expected.