The object is to destroy alien invaders, while protecting astronauts on the landscape from abduction. A joystick controls the ship's elevation, and five buttons control its horizontal direction and weapons. The player controls a space ship as it navigates the terrain, flying either to the left or right. Defender was ported to numerous platforms, inspired the development of other games, and was followed by sequels and many imitations.ĭefender is a two-dimensional side-scrolling shooting game set on the surface of an unnamed planet. It is frequently listed as one of Jarvis' best contributions to the video game industry, as well as one of the most difficult video games. Praise among critics focused on the game's audio-visuals and gameplay. Williams planned to display the game at the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) trade show, though development delays resulted in the team working on the game up until the show started.ĭefender was one of the most important titles of the Golden Age of Video Arcade Games, selling over 55,000 units to become the company's best selling game and one of the highest-grossing arcade games ever. Development was led by Eugene Jarvis, a pinball programmer at Williams Defender was Jarvis' first video game project and drew inspiration from Space Invaders and Asteroids. A shooting game featuring two-dimensional (2D) graphics, the game is set on a fictional planet where the player must defeat waves of invading aliens while protecting astronauts. Defender is an arcade video game developed and released by Williams Electronics in February 1981.

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