Defender
-
Defender
(1981 on
Arcade, 1982 on
Atari 2600,
Atari 5200...)
-
Defender
(1982 on
BBC Micro, 1984 on
Electron)
-
Defender
(1982 on
Exidy Sorcerer, 1983 on
Microbee)
-
Defender
(1992 on
DOS)
-
Defender
(1995 on
Windows 16-bit)
- Defender (1997 on Dedicated handheld)
-
Defender
(2002 on
Game Boy Advance)
-
Defender
(2021 on
TRS-80 CoCo)
Description official descriptions
Defender is an updated version of the classic arcade game of the same name. The Manti bugs have invaded earth and the remaining human survivors now live in colonies throughout the solar system. As more swarms of Manti arrive, even the colonies are now in danger of being wiped out. You've been enlisted to help save the remaining colonists and destroy the Manti bugs! There are a total of six different ships to fly, each with its own flight characteristics and special weapons. Weapon and shield power-ups can also be found throughout the various missions. As in the original version of Defender, the Manti will try to capture any humans they can find to change them into mutants to increase their attack force. To increase chances of success you will need to rescue captured humans before this happens and bring them to a safe landing zone. Saving colonists will also earn you some credits, which can later be used to buy improved weapons or shields for your ship. Also included are several video extras detailing the historical perspective of and the making of Defender.
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Credits (PlayStation 2 version)
167 People (100 developers, 67 thanks) · View all
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| Associate Producer | |
| Assistant Producer | |
| Test Manager | |
| Test Supervisor | |
| Lead Product Analyst | |
| Product Testing Analyst | |
| Technical Standards Analysts | |
| Technical Director | |
| Art Director | |
| Product Manager | |
| Senior VP, Publishing | |
| VP, Marketing | |
| Director, Entertainment Marketing | |
| Director, Public Relations | |
| Public Relations Manager | |
| Print Design and Production |
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| [ full credits ] | |
Reviews
Critics
Average score: 71% (based on 22 ratings)
Players
Average score: 2.8 out of 5 (based on 12 ratings with 1 reviews)
An amazing advance on the classic Atari game.
The Good
This game has amazing graphics, phenomenal gameplay and control, and is overall stunning. I love the advanced storyline and graphics. The sound is amazing as is the levels and missions. There are tons of new enemies and it's in 3-D. No more side scrolling or fake 3-D. This is really, 3600 degree action. No I don't mean 360 degrees. There are some stunning ships. In this game you can save your game and change the difficulty. Play by yourself or against a friend. This game has everything! This is a perfect example of an amazing and challenging game.
The Bad
There is nothing in this game I didn't like. If I could speak for other people though, I'd say the final story sequence is kinda weird when memory crashes the Moon into the Earth. And the commentator can be pretty annoying.
The Bottom Line
Defender is an amazing improvement on the Atari game. It has the most amazing graphics, storyline, sound, and gameplay in any game I've ever played. This is a game that anyone who likes action or sci-fi, games should play. No, everyone should play this game. It's truly the most perfect game ever.
PlayStation 2 · by Dark Lord (31) · 2005
Trivia
Novel
The game was adapted into a cross-promotional novel by Tim Waggoner in September of 2004, Defender: Hyperswarm, published by ibooks, Inc. and distributed by Simon & Schuster. The back cover reads...
The aliens known as the Manti have been destroyed by Defender pilot Mei Kyoto when she helped the AI called Memory crash the moon into Manti-occupied Earth. The remnants of humanity that live on the Solar Colonies have been saved, but at the cost of their homeworld. Several years have passed, and Kyoto has become a controversial figure. While some view her as a hero, others demonize her as the destroyer of Earth. Kyoto would like nothing better than to be an anonymous rookie pilot again, but without the Manti threat to keep the Solar Colonies unified, friction has developed between the human outposts.
Detroit Adams -- now a general and head of the Galactic Stargate Authority -- has convinced Kyoto to use her celebrity status as a goodwill ambassador to the Colonies, in the hope of keeping them unified... or at least prevent open hostilities from breaking out...
References
In several of the missions, there is a mad scientist named "Dr. Mudo". This is a reference to the mad scientist "Dr. Muto", who was in the game of the same name, which was also released by Midway at roughly same time as Defender.
Information also contributed by Pseudfo_Intellectual
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Servo.
PlayStation 2, Xbox added by Corn Popper.
Additional contributors: Kalrac, Patrick Bregger, Charly2.0.
Game added November 19, 2002. Last modified October 19, 2024.