Tanked 3: First Blood 2 Slot (Nolimit City)

The Tanked 3: First Blood 2 slot is unusual: you’ll begin with a 4x5x6x5x6x5x4 grid with an xLoot mechanic. The grid is in 4 sections (top left, bottom left, top right and bottom right). Winning combinations are formed when the moving character symbol picks up gem symbol of the same colour.

Known as the xLoot mechanic, each gem symbol has 7 payout levels: they increase when its corresponding character kills other character symbols. The payout level increases by 1 for each character killed.

The grid is split into 4 sections: top left, bottom left, top right and bottom right. Every explosion that increases the grid does so by 1 step. You can expand each of the 4 sections up to 3 times to a maximum grid of 9x10x11x12x13x12x11x12x13x12x11x10x9. When the grid expands, it can reveal 1 or more feature symbols in the newly expanded section.

With a 20p minimum bet per spin, the most you can play for is £5 a spin in the UK (or £2 if you’re under 25). The Coins icon will see all bet options clearly displayed on a pop-up screen. Players outside the UK have the option of Autoplay and Turbo Mode.

The Tanked 3: First Blood 2 RTP rate is 95.99%: 66.9% comes in the base game and 29.1% from the bonus features. Nolimit City has also produced 94.01% and 92.01% RTP versions. Based on a £20 balance and 20p minimum bet per spin, below is the number of expected spins before running out of money:

• 95.99%: 2,469 spins
• 94.01%: 1,653 spins
• 92.01%: 1,240 spins

In the high volatility bracket (8/10), the hit frequency rate is 20.24%: this means a winning outcome will form every 1 in 4.94 spins on average. Triggering any of the 3 free spins modes will occur every 1 in 259 spins on average.

Lastly, Tanked 3: First Blood 2 comes with 25,584 x bet max wins, which is marginally higher than the 25,000 x bet available in the first outing. Known as ‘A Different Perspective’, the max win probability is 1 in 2.1 million spins. Winning 100 x your total bet or higher will occur, on average, every 760 spins.

With a war theme, the Tanked 3: First Blood 2 slot is the sequel to Tanked (released in December 2024). In this instalment, the 4 clans are back on the frontline, ready to earn glory. With an appetite for destruction, the setting is a multi-terrain battlefield which is seen from above.

The graphics are not as crisp as you’d imagine from a NLC production and have an 80s/8-bit feel. It reminds me of ELK Studios games being honest. The soundtrack has a rock feel and a little cheesy, oddly.

On the 4x5x6x5x6x5x4 grid, you’ll see 4 different coloured gems: blue, green, yellow and pink. There are various types of each gem as each gem has 7 payout levels: they differ in value from 0.05 up to 10 x your total bet. As mentioned above, payouts increase when its corresponding character kills other character symbols. The payout level increases by 1 for each character killed.

Special symbols include 4 characters, Coins, Coinbursts, Wilds, 5 different types of Tank Boosters (Rocket, Loot Rocket, Grenade, Hatchet and Airstake), 2 types of Bombs and a Beer Bonus symbol. More on these below.

Tanked 3: First Blood 2 Mobile

Tanked 3: First Blood 2 was created using HTML5 technology, allowing for play on mobile, tablet and desktop devices. Compatible with iOS and Android smartphones, you’ll play in Portrait Mode on a smartphone device.

Tanked 3: First Blood 2 comes with various special symbols that can combine to devastating effect in the base game and 3 free spins modes.

Coin & Coinburst

Look out for Coins, which are worth between 1 and 5,000 x your total bet. When a character picks up a Coin, you’ll win the Coin’s value. If the character is killed, any Coins collected will drop onto the grid. That said, any winnings awards from the Coins are retained.

When a character collects a Coinburst symbol, all positions covered by any character transform into Coin symbols: only empty positions, gems and Wilds can transform into Coins. If a Wild symbol transforms into a Coin, other characters will not be allowed to collect it.

Tank Boosters

Tanked 3: First Blood 2 comes with 5 different types of Tank Boosters (that can be picked up by characters). A character will carry the Tank Booster until no more movement is possible which makes him use it. Below is a description of what each Tank Booster entails:

• Rocket: The character shoots the wall closest to a random enemy character with the explosion removing all enemy characters and payout symbols in the explosion pattern. This increases the size of the grid section by 1 step. Feature symbols remains on the grid.
• Loot Rocket: Acting like the Rocket, it also guarantees that all feature symbols are picked up by any character that is killed, along with any new feature symbols (except the Beer Bonus) that appear when the grid expands.
• Grenade: The character throws the grenade targeting any random enemy character. The explosion removes all characters and payout symbols in the explosion pattern.
• Hatchet: It targets the character holding it and removes all characters and payout symbols within the explosion pattern. The character holding the Hatchet remains in position.
• Airstrike: The character hits 2 to 3 enemy characters and removes all characters and payout symbols within the explosion pattern.

Characters removed by any Tank Booster will reappear on the grid when new symbols frop in. Any Tank Boosters the enemy collected before the explosion remain. Explosions will not affect Coins, Bombs, Coinburst, Tank Boosters, Beer Bonus and Wild symbols.

Bombs

There are 2 types of Bombs:

• Bomb: expands in 1 direction
• Three Way Bomb: expands in 3 directions

Bombs are triggered when no characters can move and all possible Tank Boosters have been activated. Exploding in the direction/directions it points, all payout and character symbols are removed from the grid, with the grid expanding in the direction of the bomb’s impact. If a Bomb removes any character, it reappears on the grid when new symbols drop in.

Pickpocket & Booms

Various bonus features can triggered when 2, 3 or 4 characters appear next to each other and no character can move:

• Pickpocket: When 2 characters appear next to each other and no character can move, 1 character can be awarded a Tank Booster, Coinburst or a Beer Bonus symbol.
• Small Boom: If 3 characters appear next to each other and no character can move, the character that can remove the most symbols on the grid will explode, removing all character and paying symbols in the explosion pattern. Gems matching the exploding character’s colour will gain +1 payout level. This is called the Small Boom feature.
• Big Boom: When 4 characters are next to each other and no character can move, the characters will explode and remove all paying symbols on the grid and increase size of each grid section by 1 step. All gems will gain +1 payout level.

xGlitch

The xGlitch feature can trigger when a character is limited to picking up only 1 symbol, causing only feature symbols to fall during avalanches. This can repeat 4 to 50 times in a row, creating the appearance of a ‘glitch’.

Kill Drop

When a character is killed, a Coin drops with any Coins collected before being killed on adjacent positions on the grid. It can also drop a Tank Booster, Bomb, Three Way Bomb, Beer Bonus symbol or Coinburst symbol in its position.

Free Spins

Tanked 3: First Blood 2 benefits from 3 free spins features, which are triggered by collecting 3, 4 or 5 Beer Bonus symbols, respectively:

• Thresher Spins: With 7 free spins awarded, the gems payout levels and grid size is carried over from the base game. Every collected Beer Bonus symbol awards 1 extra free spin. 
• Reaper Spins: With 7 free spins awarded, it offers the same functionality as the Thresher Spins but Coins present on the grid are sticky and remain between free spins, until collected. Any coins present when Reaper Spins are triggered will also be sticky throughout the feature.
• The Dead Pay Well Spins: With 7 free spins awarded, it works like the Reaper Spins. Additionally, Coins collected by characters are paid and carried between free spins, including those collected during the trigger. When a character is killed, all Coins are dropped onto adjacent grid positions which are paid if picked up.

Extra Spin

At the end of the feature, you might get the chance to purchase an additional spin with the available Tank Booster options  to choose from. Known as the Extra Spin feature, the chosen Tank Booster is assigned to any 1 of the characters.

Retaining the grid size and symbol positions of the previous spin, this option will be present if the cost of the Extra Spin is less than or equal to the win on the previous spin.

Nolimit Booster

The Nolimit Booster feature has 3 options:

• Bonus Blitz: Costing 2 x bet, you are guaranteed 1 Bonus Scatter. The RTP is 96.02%.
• Guaranteed Coinburst: Costing 50 x bet, you are guaranteed 1 Coinburst symbol. The RTP is 96.04%.
• Maxed Out: Costing 200 x bet, you are guaranteed the maximum grid size and all gems at their highest value. The RTP is 95.99%.

Nolimit Bonus

Non-UK players may opt for the Nolimit Bonus feature. You can buy your way into the free spins features:

If you opt for the Lucky Draw option, you have a 50% chance of the Thresher Spins and 25% of either the Reaper Spins or The Dead Pay Well Spins.

When it comes to the God Mode feature, landing a Max Win symbol will see you win the game’s max win of 25,584 x your total bet.

Tanked 3: First Blood 2 Slot

Rating: 3.7/5

Tanked 3: First Blood 2 is a sequel that adds plenty of new modifiers and features to the xLoot mechanic for a more explosive and rewarding experience. However, it doesn’t do enough to make it stand out.

Chris Taylor

Following on from the first game, the Tanked 3: First Blood 2 slot is the second game and not the third as the title suggests. Similar to the Pirots series by ELK Studios, the xLoot mechanic is front and central as characters killing other characters increases gem payout levels.

Filled with special symbols, Nolimit City has kept the Tank Boosters but added different ones (i.e. Loot Rocket and Hatchet) whilst removing the Power Drill. NLC has changed the Bombs slightly and added the Pickpocket feature. Noticeably, it’s become about collecting Coins rather than building the multiplier.

If the special symbols combine, you could collect plenty of Coins and chain reactions to ensure an onslaught of wins. In the free spins modes, you benefit from gem payouts and a grid that can only increase, sticky Coins and Coins added back onto the grid if a character is killed.

I found Tanked 3: First Blood 2 a tad confusing at times. With 25,584 x bet max wins, the max win potential is slightly higher than the first game (25,000 x bet). Nolimit City has added in lots of little extras to enhance the experience but the max win potential should have been substantially higher to make it stand out versus its predecessor.

It’s definitely not Nolimit City’s best work by any stretch of the imagination and its rather complicated compared to ELK Studios’ iconic series. Will it be enough to pique the interest of Pirots fans? I doubt it but it’s a decent alternative/option if you’re a fan of NLC games.

That said, Nolimit City are trying new things: they did this with San Quentin Manhunt and Tombstone Begins. With plenty of sequels on the way, let’s hope they manage to deliver like they’ve done so many times before. If you want war-themed slots, you have Das xBoot 2wei, D-Day, Pearl Harbor and Remember Gulag (all by Nolimit City).

The Tanked 3: First Blood 2 slot review was written by Chris Taylor from our OLBG Expert team who has written over 10,000 slot game reviews in an iGaming career spanning over 2 decades.

Chris Taylor

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Chris Taylor is an industry veteran originally from Gibraltar. Having worked in the online gambling industry since 2004, Chris loves slots and has reviewed over 10,000 online slot games. Running a slots-focused website for 13 years, Chris is the go-to guy for everything slots-related.