Defender (computer game)
Defender | |
---|---|
Studio | Williams Electronics |
Publisher | Williams Electronics |
Senior Developer | Eugene Jarvis , Larry DeMar |
Erstveröffent- lichung |
1981 |
genre | Shoot 'em up |
Game mode | 1 player or 2 players, alternately |
control | 2-way joystick ; 5 buttons |
casing | Standard, mini and cocktail |
Arcade system | Main CPU : M6809 (@ 1 MHz) Sound CPU: M6808 (@ 894.75 kHz) Sound chips: DAC |
monitor | Raster : Resolution 294 × 239 (4: 3 horizontal) Color palette: 16 |
information | First horizontal scroller |
Defender is an arcade machine from Williams Electronics . The prototype of this game was developed and programmed by Eugene Jarvis in 1980 over a period of about 8 months .
Defender is a sideways and bidirectional scrolling shooter that gives the impression of a high game speed.
The playing field consists mainly of a black starry sky. A kind of radar is visible in the upper area. The lower play area consists of a hilly planetary surface that scrolls horizontally in front of the starry sky.
Defender was the first known video game in which the playing field extends beyond the visible area ( scrolling ). In 1981 it was the game of the year. To date, it is one of the most successful video games of all time.
The game was ported to almost all common home computers and game consoles of the time , including the Apple II , Atari 2600 , C64 , Adventure Vision , Schneider / Amstrad CPC (as Defend or Die ), ColecoVision , Intellivision , VC 20 and BBC Micro .
control
In addition to a 2-way joystick, the player has five buttons for thrust, fire, reverse, smart bomb and hyperspace. In Hyperspace, the player's spaceship is transported to another random location.
Gameplay
The player has the task of rescuing humanoids placed at the bottom edge of the playing field. These are constantly being abducted by aliens, which can be quickly located by carefully observing the radar. The rescue takes place by shooting down the enemy spaceships that are trying to escape with a kidnapped humanoid. The respective humanoid then falls towards the ground following gravity. If the height of fall is greater, you have to catch it by touching it and set it down on the ground.
successor
- Stargate (1981)
- Strike Force (1991)
Web links
- Defender in the Killer List of Video Games (English)
- Defender at MobyGames (English)
- Matt Barton, Bill Loguidice: The History of Defender: The Joys of Difficult Games . In: Gamasutra . July 14, 2009. (English)
- Defender game history video on YouTube