World of Tanks Goes Retro With 8-Bit Winter Showdown Mode

I’ve often said that World of Tanks is an updated version of the classic 8-bit Atari 2600 game Combat. In January, Wargaming is taking that comparison to a whole new level, with the introduction of Winter Showdown Mode.

OK, so the above trailer shows off something a little more graphically advanced than Combat, but it should still have that same kind of simple feel, but with a few added bits of complexity that World of Tanks fans will enjoy. Most notably, friendly fire really is friendly, with players having the ability to heal each other with their shots.

Winter Showdown Mode comes with three new tanks: the Mammoth heavy tank, the Polar Bear Tank Destroyer, and the Arctic Fox light tank and lets players team up in platoons of size up to five in 10-on-10 battles. The mode comes to World of Tanks on Jan. 15 if you’re in the Korean Republic and Jan. 26 for North America, Europe, and Asia.