Landmaster

From Star Fox - Wiki on Neoseeker

The Landmaster Tank

Overview

The Landmaster tank is a ground-based vehicle that first appeared in the N64 game Star Fox 64. Unlike other vehicles piloted by Starfox, this one is restricted mostly to horizontal movement. The tank does possess the ability to hover in the air, but this feature drains the boost bar, thus limiting the time the tank can stay airbourne. It is also capable of performing a barrel-roll, although this is vastly different from the roll performed by other vehicles. This roll does not manifest any kind of shield and tends to launch the tank to the side. Its focus is more to evade laser fire altogether rather than deflecting it.

The tank comes equipped with a single front-mounted laser cannon. In single player gameplay this laser is restricted to a single laser version and is incapable of using upgraded lasers (however, if the player does not lose a life then any laser upgrades the player had entering the level will still be there when they exit it). In multiplayer versus the tank can use twin lasers, despite the design. Like the Arwing, holding the A button charges a plasma bolt, which can lock onto most enemy targets and then home in on them. The blast is small but can take out multiple targets.

Smart bombs are usable as well, fired with a press of B. These bombs have a wide blast radius and will destroy large groups of enemies, but any hit bonuses are lost from the defeated enemies, and these bombs only have a limited supply. They also work slightly different to that of the Arwing. Rather than shoot a bomb straight ahead, the main battle cannon acts like a mortar and shoots the bomb normally but it will drop as it flies, so you want to aim up a little before firing at your target.

Boost and braking functions are available, although the tank cannot stop completely. Both functions drain the boost gauge but typically can go longer than the Arwing. The disadvantage to this is that after you've maxed out the gauge, you cannot roll like you would still be able to in an Arwing making it temporarily difficult to maneuver if suddenly beset upon by enemies.

Appearances

Star Fox 64

The Landmaster's first appearance. The tank is usable in two single player levels (Macbeth and Titania) and is also an unlockable vehicle for use in multiplayer battles by earning the medal on Venom in the single player (although Landmaster use is restricted to stages that have actual floors, for obvious reasons).

Star Fox: Assault

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Although not directly usable, the Landmaster tank appears as a collectible trophy. This is earned by scoring a combined total of over one thousand KOs.

Wolf O'Donnell's Landmaster

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The tank is used by Fox, Falco and Wolf as their Final Smash, although visual differences exist between the tanks. In all cases a tank drops onto the battlefield, which can move around, barrel-roll, hover upwards and fire its main laser cannon. The tank only stays for a short period of time. Minor performance differences exist between the usable tanks.