Dreams is a blast

Tank Attack takes inspiration from the past in the best way

There are some amazing games being created in Dreams, and more to come after 14 Feb when the ‘game’ is finally released properly, but Tank Attack by Christopher Kirk ate up our time this month with its retro simplicity as up to four players scuttle around a one-screen maze trying to kill one another. Power-ups, including a game-turning invisibility buff, offer the upper hand to those who reach them.

MORE IN THE TANK

“I have fond memories of a (Public Domain) Amiga game called Tank Attack,” says Kirk as we chat about his Dreams project. “It was four-player and it was one of a few games that my older brothers and I could play together. It was great fun and brought us all closer. As soon as I learned about Dreams I wanted to recreate the game, and those classic times I had as a kid.”

There’s a lot happening in Tank Attack to love, including rebounding shots – the screen fills with them – but in Dreams it’s the simple things that can take creative thinking: “Deciding how best to move from one arena to another,” says Kirk as we ask what element was most challenging. “There are so many choices with Dreams, and the sky’s the limit, but the beauty is in experimenting.”

Kirk has found using PS Move controllers for creating in Dreams has been key, but admits,

“it took a bit of practice”. Using the in-game tutorials made all the difference. “There’s handy tool tips to tell you what the modes do and sculpting with the moves feels nice and intuitive.”

Coupled with the inclusivity of the Dreams community, Kirk felt well-armed to succeed. “I reached out to the community with a logic issue and another creator actually built me the logic and shared it with me.” he says. “The community is great and people are always ready to help you.”

Has Dreams impressed? “Yes, there’s no way I could’ve ever imagined that I would be able to create a game, especially one that others can play too. It’s amazing,” he says.

THERE ARE SO MANY CHOICES WITH DREAMS, AND THE SKY’S THE LIMIT.

There’s no hiding place when your bullets can bounce.

Kirk was inspired by an Amiga game from his childhood.