GamingList
My ListFeedDiscover GamesRelease Calendar
Best GamesAchievement LeaderboardHigher or LowerAboutContact us
Discover Board GamesBest Board GamesMy Board Game List
Hide adsLog InSign UpLog In
GamingList

Track, rate and share your games across every platform. Your feedback helps shape what comes next.

Send feedback →
Hide ads
Launched on StartupBaseFazier badge

Use GamingList

My ListDiscover GamesBest GamesFree GamesMy Board Game List

Explore

Game Backlog TrackerRatings & ReviewsGaming ProfilesSteam Game TrackerBoard Game ListGamingList vs Backloggd

Company

AboutHide adsContact

© 2026 GamingList.gg

PrivacyCookiesTermsRefundsAccessibility
Defender

Defender

Shooter

by Williams Electronics

Score

Ratings

Published

—

—

1982

—
—
—
—

Information

Consoles

Atari 2600

Developer

Williams Electronics

Publisher

Atari

Game Modes

Single player

Release Date

Dec 31, 1982

Your Rating & Status

Loading your rating…

Information

Consoles

Atari 2600

Developer

Williams Electronics

Publisher

Atari

Game Modes

Single player

Release Date

Dec 31, 1982

Synopsis:

Defender is a 1981 horizontally scrolling shooter video game developed by Williams Electronics for arcades. The game is set on either an unnamed planet or city (depending on platform) where the player must defeat waves of invading aliens while protecting astronauts. Development was led by Eugene Jarvis, a pinball programmer at Williams; Defender was Jarvis's first video game project and drew inspiration from Space Invaders and Asteroids. Defender was demonstrated in late 1980 and was released in March 1981. It was distributed in Japan by Taito. Defender was one of the most important titles of the golden age of arcade video games, selling over 55,000 units to become the company's best-selling game and one of the highest-grossing arcade games ever. Praise among critics focused on the game's audio-visuals and gameplay. It is frequently listed as one of Jarvis's best contributions to the video game industry and one of the most difficult video games. Though not the first game to scroll horizontally, it created the genre of horizontal scrolling shoot 'em ups. It inspired the development of other games and was followed by sequels and many imitations. Ports were developed for contemporary game systems, most of them by either Atari, Inc. or its software label for non-Atari platforms, Atarisoft. The 1982 Atari 2600 version was one of the best-selling games for the system and sold over 3 million cartridges. source: Wikipedia

Media

TV Commercial
Trailer

TV Commercial

Gameplay Video
Trailer

Gameplay Video

Similar Games

10

Pulled from IGDB, prioritised when they share genres with Defender.

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Klingon Honor Guard

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Klingon Honor Guard

Shooter

Galaxy on Fire

Galaxy on Fire

Shooter

Firestarter

Firestarter

Shooter

Hybrid

Hybrid

Shooter

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - First Assault Online

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - First Assault Online

Shooter

Far Cry

Far Cry

Shooter

Attack from Space

Attack from Space

Shooter

Asteroids

Asteroids

Shooter

Alien Invaders

Alien Invaders

Shooter

Astro Invader

Astro Invader

Shooter

No Discord found

Log in to suggest the official Discord.

Log in to suggest

No Reddit found

Log in to suggest the official Reddit.

Log in to suggest

Reviews

Loading reviews…