Defender
Defender is an arcade game released in 1981 by Williams Electronics. It was developed by Eugene Jarvis and Larry DeMar, who would go on to create other classic arcade games like Robotron: 2084 and Sinistar.
Defender is a horizontally scrolling shoot-em-up game where the player controls a spaceship that must defend a planet from alien invaders. The player can move the spaceship left and right, and they can shoot the aliens with lasers. The player can also collect power-ups to increase their firepower or their shields.
The game is divided into two phases: the attack phase and the defend phase. In the attack phase, the player must destroy the alien mothership. In the defend phase, the player must protect the planet’s humanoids from being captured by the aliens.
Defender was praised for its innovative gameplay mechanics, its challenging difficulty level, and its addictive soundtrack. The game was a commercial success, and it is considered to be one of the most important arcade games of all time. It spawned a number of sequels and imitators, and it continues to be enjoyed by players today.
Here are some of the innovative gameplay mechanics of Defender:
- Horizontal scrolling: Defender was one of the first arcade games to feature horizontal scrolling, which means that the player’s spaceship can move left and right on a scrolling landscape. This added a new dimension to the gameplay and made the game more challenging.
- Power-ups: Defender features a variety of power-ups that the player can collect to increase their firepower or their shields. This added a strategic element to the gameplay, as players had to decide when to collect power-ups and when to focus on shooting the aliens.
- Two-phase gameplay: Defender is divided into two phases: the attack phase and the defend phase. This added variety to the gameplay and kept players engaged.
Defender is a classic arcade game that is still enjoyed by players today. It is a challenging game with innovative features that helped to shape the future of video games.