Introduction to Tanked 3: First Blood 2
Tanked 3: First Blood 2 is a casino slot from Nolimit City, and the second chapter in the all-out warfare between four militarised animal factions. Despite the title suggesting it might be some sort of second sequel to the third instalment, this is just a straight-up follow-up to the original Tanked from 2024. So if you feel like you missed one or two releases in between, you didn't. As expected, it's a comeback of the xLoot mechanics inspired by the CollectR system from ELK Studios, but this time, it plays out on a grid consisting of hexagonal positions. This major change should already substantially transform the gameplay, and with a plethora of extra mechanics layered on top of it, the setup shapes up to be one of the most engaging ones we've seen in a while. Let's join the fight and see how our role fits into this explosive conflict, where the spoils can be worth up to 25,584x the bet.
If you prefer exploring the game's many features on your own, the demo at the top of the page offers unlimited, risk-free gameplay for precisely that purpose.
Theme, Gameplay & Payouts
Tanked 3: First Blood 2 is a video slot from Nolimit City with 7 reels and a 4-5-6-5-6-5-4 row setup. Creating wins requires matching four main characters to the gems of the same colour in adjacent positions. The available stake range starts from a Min.bet of 0.20 and goes up to a Max.bet of 100. Behind the reels, a default RTP of 95.99% runs the game's engine, being just under the industry average. A few lower variants of 95.33%, 94.01% and 92.01% were also released, so make sure to check the version before playing. More valuable wins can be fewer apart when there's a hit, as the math profile comes with a high volatility rating, while the maximum win you can land within a single game round is 25,584x the bet. The top prize is achievable with an average frequency of 1 in ~15.9M spins. Free spins trigger at an average rate of 1 in 259 spins, whereas the base hit frequency sits at 20.24%.
The explosive warfare operations unfold in a natural space with hints of sand, water, and some green vegetation. The entire scene looks like a board game divided into individual hexagonal fields, of which a good chunk in the middle is earmarked for the initial playing area. Muddy gemstones and various kinds of military equipment populate the reels, while the four leaders roam between them, seeking their way to victory. A quirky, cartoony vibe dominates the artwork, making you not want to take the entire situation all too seriously despite the intense soundtrack flooded with the sounds of armed conflict. The game can be played on most modern devices, since its universal, responsive setup adapts seamlessly to all desktops, smartphones, and tablets.
The regular paytable consists of four symbols represented by blue, green, orange, and pink gems. Each one has seven payout levels. Blue awards between 0.05x and 3x the bet. Green from 0.05x to 4x. Orange from 0.1x to 5x, and red from 0.15x to 10x the bet. Multiple special symbols may also randomly appear on the reels, from Coins with cash prizes and various Tank Boosters to exploding Bombs and Bonus symbols represented by a pitcher of beer.
Special Features & Slot Mechanics
What is the max win in the slot Tanked 3: First Blood 2?
You can win up to 25,584x the bet.
What features are available in the slot Tanked 3: First Blood 2?
The features are xLoot, Coin & Coinburst, Tank Boosters, Bombs, Pickpocket & Booms, xGlitch, Grid Size, Bonus Games, Extra Spin, Nolimit Booster, and Feature Buy (Nolimit Bonus).
xLoot
xLoot is the game's primary win evaluation mechanism. Every time one of the four characters lands adjacent to a gem symbol in matching colour, it collects it. If there are more gems directly connected to the initial one, the character continues to gather all available symbols.
Coin & Coinburst
Coins appear on all reels with values of 1x-5x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x, 100x, 250x, 500x, 1,000x, 2,000x, or 5,000x the bet. Whenever they are collected by a character, the value is instantly awarded. If the character gets killed while carrying coins, they return to the grid, but the prizes are retained. When a character collects a Coinburst symbol, all positions traversed by that character are transformed into Coins.
Tank Boosters
Five different boosters can be picked up by any character and used whenever all possible movements on the grid are executed.
Rocket = shoots the wall next to a random character. The explosion removes characters and payout symbols in an indicated pattern and increases the size of the grid section by 1 step.
Loot Rocket = behaves like the Rocket and additionally picks up all feature symbols dropped by the killed character.
Grenade = the character throws a grenade at another character, causing an explosion that removes other characters and payout symbols in an indicated pattern.
Hatchet = targets the character holding it and removes all characters and payout symbols in an indicated explosion pattern. The character with the hatchet remains on the grid.
Airstrike = hits 2 to 3 other characters and removes them and any payout symbols within the indicated explosion pattern.
Bombs
Two types of Bombs may drop on the grid. A regular one expands in one direction, while the triple one expands in three directions. When no more movements can be executed, Bombs explode in the direction they point. All characters and payout symbols are removed, and the grid expands in the direction of the impact.
Pickpocket & Booms
When 2 characters are next to each other, and neither can move anymore, there's a chance that one of them receives a Tank Booster, a Coinburst or a Bonus symbol.
Small Boom occurs when 3 characters are next to each other, and no more moves remain. The character that can remove the most symbols on the grid will explode and remove all characters and paying symbols in an indicated pattern. Symbols that match the exploding character's colour will advance to the next payout level.
Big Boom occurs when 4 characters are next to each other, and no more moves remain. All characters explode, removing all paing symbols on the grid and increasing each grid section by 1 step. All payout symbols advance to the next payout level.
xGlitch
The feature may trigger when a character can only pick up one symbol. When it kicks in, only feature symbols will refill the grid during cascades. The cycle can repeat from 4 to 50 times in a row during a single round.
Grid Size
The grid size can increase from the initial setup by growing each of the four sections up to three times. The final size can reach 13 reels and a 9-10-11-12-13-12-11-12-13-12-11-10-9 row setup. Segments increase accordingly by 1 step each time Bombs, Big Booms, Rockets, or Loot Rockets are triggered.
Bonus Games
Depending on the number of Bonus symbols collected by the characters within the same game round, three bonus modes can be triggered.
Thresher Spins (3 Bonus symbols) = 7 Free Spins, where payout levels and grid size are carried over from the base game and are persistent during the bonus.
Reaper Spins (4 Bonus symbols) = 7 Free Spins with the enhancements of the previous variant and Coins kept sticky between spins until collected.
The Dead Pay Well (5 Bonus symbols) = 7 Free Spins with the enhancements of the previous variant. Coins collected by characters are carried over between spins, and every killed character drops its Coins in adjacent positions, making them available for collection again.
Extra Spin
The feature can trigger automatically at the end of any game round, offering the possibility to play another spin with specific Tank Boosters to choose from and the grid size retained. Then, the selected Tank Booster is assigned to a random character. The price of the Extra Spin depends on the conditions of the last round and can only be triggered if it doesn't exceed the total win.
Nolimit Booster
To enhance your base game spins, you can use several options available in the Nolimit Booster menu.
2x = Bonus Blitz, guaranteeing a minimum of 1 Bonus symbol to land.
50x = guarantees 1 Coinburst symbol.
200x = guarantees the maximum grid size and all payout symbols on the highest level.
4,000x = God Mode, with the possibility of landing the Max Win symbol that awards the top prize of 25,584x the bet.
Feature Buy (Nolimit Bonus)
If you want to skip the base game grind, you also have the possibility of triggering any of the bonus rounds instantly through the Nolimit Bonus function.
100x = 7 Thresher Spins.
300x = 7 Reaper Spins.
800x = 7 The Dead Pay Well Spins.
325x = Lucky Draw with a 50%/25%/25% chance split.
Final Thoughts on Tanked 3: First Blood 2
It's no secret that Nolimit City has modelled its first Tanked release after the ELK Studios' CollectR mechanics popularised by the Pirots series. However, instead of the four collecting characters being a team (despite occasional squabbles on the reels), they became sworn enemies in the post-apocalyptic war-torn world. This leading approach was also accurately reflected in the gameplay, where most features involved the creatures wailing on each other with sophisticated weaponry. Conflicts caused all kinds of explosions, which in turn, transformed the grid in various ways. The sequel faithfully follows that base format, but adds layer upon layer of new, complex mechanics, which kind of explains why the game was in production for such a long time.
The abundance of various events in Tanked 3: First Blood 2 can genuinely make your head spin, even if you're a seasoned player. All the Tank Boosters, Coins, Bombs, Booms, Glitches, and so on seem like a never-ending arsenal that takes a good while to get used to and to be able to track throughout each game round. Knowing the first instalment is helpful, but with the new grid setup, more payout levels, and more assisting features, it's just an unbelievably convoluted configuration. Our best advice if you decide to try it is not to dwell too much on what's going on and just enjoy the show. When it comes to the biggest highlights of the sequel, Coins make quite a splash alongside the fresh hexagonal format. They're not only capable of carrying impressive values, but also can be collected multiple times over the course of a base game spin or the bonus rounds if a character gets wiped out and drops its loot. The rest of the setup has shifted from relying on increasing the global multiplier to embracing the total devastation of symbols and characters.
With all the technical improvements comes also a substantial art overhaul, swapping the dark, dirty trenches for a relatively lively and vibrant natural environment. Despite so much action packed into the game, the designers outdid themselves in organising all elements as clearly as possible and balancing the effects so that keeping up with the pace of the carnage is not impossible.
Tanked 3: First Blood 2 astounds with the sheer amount of complex mechanics woven into one game. It delivers gameplay faithful to the original, yet empowered by impactful improvements that carry the familiar vibe forward to ultimate devastation.
