defender video game defender arcade video game developed released february horizontally scrolling shoot game set fictional planet player defeat waves invading aliens protecting development led programmer williams defender video game project drew inspiration defender important titles golden age video arcade games selling units company best selling game highest grossing arcade games praise critics focused game audio visuals gameplay frequently listed best contributions video game industry difficult video games game horizontally created genre purely horizontal scrolling shooters inspired development games followed sequels ports contemporary systems software label non platforms gameplay defender dimensional scrolling shooting game set surface unnamed planet player controls space ship terrain flying left right controls ship elevation buttons control horizontal direction weapons object destroy alien invaders protecting landscape abduction humans abducted return attack ship defeating aliens allows player progress level failing protect causes planet explode level populated surviving waves results restoration planet players allotted ships progress game able earn reaching certain scoring ship lost hit enemy hit enemy jump goes wrong randomly exhausting ships game ends development defender attempt developing new video game company earlier game clone popularity coin operated arcade games spurred company shift focus games arcade games company chose successful record williams games head development assisted time williams small staff management unfamiliar technology electronic games result staff afforded large creative freedom initial development space popular setting video games time felt abstract setting help obscure simple graphics lacked realism initially spent months developing color variations inspired created similar game new gameplay mechanics spending weeks design team abandoned idea believing lacked enjoyment development shifted hardware differences defender proposed specifications problematic displays graphics special monitor staff planned use graphics conventional monitor team experimented game graphics abandoned felt gameplay lacked enjoyment visual appeal believing attempts derivative developers held brain sessions session agreed favorable elements wrapping effect felt game allowed player fly screen exciting decided create game world larger screen displayed game environment longer screen visible area scrolling horizontally expanding idea envisioned version rotated degrees changing orientation design ship moved flying horizontally large element added game world later removed staff felt lacked enjoyment intended screen left right fellow williams employee convinced game able direction months development team felt game progress examined games concluded survival necessary component implement achieve devised enemies present threat enjoyed violent action entertainment wanted game elements felt action reasonable objective inspired 1960s television defenders titled game defender reasoning title helped justify violence added expand space theme players defend shot enemies element flying added session landscape depicted line wide primarily hardware powerful generate detailed later development july development schedule superior began pressure finish game time upcoming trade september spent weeks creating boss felt omitted process didn speed pressure frustrated point considered resigning time new programmer named hired assisted programming game added visual audio effects example implemented particle effect generate unique explosions destroyed enemies new elements felt project began promise development shifted focus enemies given ability capture humans new enemy devised mechanic captured humans turned hostile added rescue element game believed interesting players encouraged continue playing element making comeback dire situation applied planet felt ups downs real life bombers enemies release floating bombs screen added enemies added create different gameplay elements pods designed attack spaceship opposed included add pressure player preventing lingering enemies quickly follow spaceship based similar enemy september game unfinished williams programmer assisted meeting deadline trade evening trade arcade delivered display developers forgot create attract mode automated sequence designed audience play game began working night early morning team created final chips mode installed chips work designers additional attempts correct problem attract mode operational team returned homes prepare developers expanded game allow users play indefinitely display model featured levels team felt game difficulty williams employees progress past level score points developers decided best prepared players exceed expectations added levels repeated hardware game features sound graphics monitor central processing unit handles graphics gameplay handles audio pack batteries provide power save game settings high scores machine electrical outlet cabinet artwork wooden frame development started focusing game hardware staff debated type monitor use black white color reasoned advanced technology better establish good designers chose color monitor developers estimated game require colors instead chose hardware display colors time designers believed need game monitor resolution expansion industry standard staff believed wider screen provided better aspect ratio improve game presentation video games time relied hardware graphics developers decided use software handle animation programmed game assembly language switch allowed display screen objects lower cost game control scheme uses way buttons designed controls emulate simultaneously player left hand similar right hand pushes buttons similar button functions use similar layout button shoot projectiles accelerate far right left respectively reasoned players accustomed control schemes past games felt altering past designs prove difficult reception initially game slow gain popularity defender attract attention retrospect believed intimidated complexity game received arcades crowds gathered cabinet nights play testing success spurred williams release cocktail version defender eventually williams best selling arcade game units sold worldwide game popular collector item upright common cocktail models rare release highest grossing arcade games earning billion williams employee surprised game popularity stating game seen able earn quantity quarters months release game united_states video game industry magazine called defender successful game commenting man game garnered praise graphics audio gameplay features gamespy lauded defender challenging gameplay commenting representative games described graphics beautiful citing varied sprites flashing explosions stated audio visuals gameplay depth balanced excessive difficulty praised game catch rescue feature praised stating game impossible allows players plan strategies author praised audio visuals connection game plot gameplay time release director marketing competitor described game amazing listed number arcade game technical creative cultural impact year rated game number list arcade games citing technical achievement difficult title addictive gameplay edge ranked defender sixth best game 1980s editors described design elegant despite lack narrative characters defender described difficult games industry wrote remains hardest arcade games developed initial attempts lasting seconds uncommon rated defender ninth difficult game citing attack rescue gameplay author called toughest games arcade history stated players typically able play seconds enthusiasts saw proficiency game badge honor echoed similar comments sellers described defender difficulty saying play proficiency stated players continue play despite difficulty author attributes game success challenging design difficulty attributed complex control scheme edge magazine called defender difficult master games describing controls writer called game controls ruthless complex respectively readers named bit version fifth magazine thirty list programs popularity magazine critical stating game appeal justify cost shipped cartridge impact legacy players competed obtain highest score game longest play time single credit competitive playing longest play time popularized played defender half hours casino hotel witnesses watched media attention spurred players attempt feat expert players exploited software bugs extend length play time defender focus video game contest players cities simultaneously competed weekend april victor score took hours bug related game keeps track scoring allows players earn large number extra lives players use extra lives leave game rest bugs allow ship avoid damage enemies length play professor listed defender horizontally scrolling shooting game describes breakthrough title use motion multiple goals complex gameplay provides players methods play games called defender landmark title 1980s said game use scrolling helped remove design limitations associated screen stated defender use scrolling introduce true gaming environment said game feature introduced defender integrated gameplay essential manner described important space game early 1980s commented realism technological advances pushed developers create popular games citing phoenix examples listed game classic title introduced new technology specifically scrolling stated prior defender companies designed video games balanced challenge believed games easy attract players difficult limit play time minutes challenging dissuade players commented defender success illustrated video game enthusiasts ready difficult games spurred developers create complex game designs contributions game development cited accolades author considered high action based arcade games citing defender gameplay games designed stated established early hard core designer defender ign listed game designer titles defender influenced video game industry stated game helped establish williams key figures arcade game industry sellers echoed similar comments success defender williams expanded business building new facility hired employees expansion work isolation influx people created environment unhappy left williams found development company company served consulting firm williams developed games remakes sequels success defender prompted williams approach originally wanted create new game suggested creating enhanced version defender meet williams month deadline titled game stargate developed sequel defender features new elements improved original performance home ports stargate released title trademark purposes williams released defender themed machine elements original game sound effects enemies waves weapons williams produced units rare machines midway arcade update defender way smash update assisted game programmed game widely distributed released defender console written previously updated remake published simply defender features graphics person viewpoint released xbox game cube playstation emulated versions defender included home compilations greatest hits influenced games clones home games copied defender design include commodore bit family guardian commodore video game designer based games defender design games built design elements defender especially protecting people vehicles ground horizontally scrolling world protector bit family apple cultural references game referenced music song arcade album road song defender album song defender album man fever boys song body album rapper chris mentions defender chorus song album chris dead artists sound effects defender include twin saint saint michaels mount bouncing ball censor swearing clean version generation game figured prominently somewhat music video song authored novel called based video game defender midway properties appear toy game title ship defender plays role final battle game villain lord
Defender (1981 video game)