Free Tanarus

After attracting over 160,000 curious online gamers during a weekend of free Tanarus play in July, 989 Studios says it will run two more free weekend sessions.

The futuristic multiplayer tank game, found on The Station@sony.com and Microsoft's Internet Gaming Zone, will open for full free access on Friday, Aug. 28, at 12pm PST until Sunday, Aug. 30, at 12pm PST. The next free weekend will begin on Friday, Sept. 25, at 12pm PST to Sunday, Sept. 27, at 12pm PST. During the two weekends, gamers can check out a series of contests and sweepstakes on the Tanarus site.

Tanarus places over 10,000 gamers in one of five futuristic tanks where they must develop strategies on both offensive and defensive fronts to come out victorious without the use of AI. Levels are built from ever-changing dynamic battlefields with over 30 different weapons and modules.

So what do you need to do? Head on over to the official Tanarus site and download the shareware software. If you find that you like the game, you can purchase the title at retailers or through Sony for US$19.95. The CD version of the game adds a city editor, CD-quality music, and one free month of gameplay. If you'd like to continue playing, a monthly subscription for Tanarus is $9.95.