Mankind had reached a pinnacle in warfare technology. Tanks had been created that were far superior to anything else at the time, and an artificial intelligence had been developed to control these tanks. Humans would no longer have to die in war. But in the midst of this technological triumph, disaster occurred. A virus has taken over the artificial intelligence for the tanks, and now they've gone on the rampage. You must use your human wits and intelligence to defeat the AI controlled tanks.
Atari's arcade classic Battlezone was one of the first 3D games to be released. At the time, its vector-based 3D graphics were revolutionary. Years later, Atari would try to find the same success on the Lynx with Battlezone 2000.
In this update, players shoot their way through a series of 3D wire-frame levels in order to complete specific objectives. Objectives usually include achieving minimum point or kill totals. Different enemy tanks often take different amount of shots to kill. To be successful, players must complete objectives within the allotted time and without losing all their lives.
Before each round, players can select from one of three tanks as well as customize their tanks. Points can be allocated to and taken away from the tank's missile count, fuel, ammo, and shields in order to configure a tank to a desired playing style. During the levels, players can also collect power-ups that replenish the tank's stock of these items.