For all its weaknesses, one thing the Apple II can do really well is wire-frame graphics. Creating routines to draw lines, or "vectors" if you will, is much easier than on any 8-bit Commodore or Atari computer. And so Apple II Battlezone looks really nice compared to its 8-bit counterparts. Unfortunately, this version is worse in nearly every other respect, particularly frame rate. Graphics stutter so badly that it's hard to get any sense of panic or excitement, even when staring down a super tank in a duel that has already gone on for several shots. Audio is even worse. The UFO sounds like an electronic chihuahua, and may create a desire to rip your Apple's speaker out of the case. The game does have an option to disable sound effects, but that isn't a good idea in a game where the enemy can fire at you from behind.
Stick with Apple II Battlezone long enough and you just might find a good game buried under the pitiful frame rate and annoying audio. The physics of the battlefield are fair and consistent, and objects in your vision scale nicely as you approach and retreat. Unfortunately the poor frame rate makes it hard to aim and hard to tell when you are safely dodging enemy fire, but a generous five lives per game and six difficulty levels to choose from make up for this, at least a little. Players who can tolerate the frame rate and tune out the bad sound effects might actually find more to love here than on the Commodore 64, where the frame rate is higher but the animation still comes off jittery. It is safe to say, however, the best versions are elsewhere.
Grade: C+.