Difference between revisions of "Defender"
Amycjgrace (talk | contribs) (→Strategies) |
Amycjgrace (talk | contribs) (→Strategies) |
||
| Line 69: | Line 69: | ||
# Fly low. Good DEFENDER players seldom fly more than two inches above the planet, in order to protect their humanoids. | # Fly low. Good DEFENDER players seldom fly more than two inches above the planet, in order to protect their humanoids. | ||
# Mutants are not as hard to destroy as it might appear. Thrust, then reverse direction and adjust your height simultaneously, and fire. | # Mutants are not as hard to destroy as it might appear. Thrust, then reverse direction and adjust your height simultaneously, and fire. | ||
| − | # Listen to the game sounds. Most of the time you'll hear a humanoid cry for help before you see it. Use the Scanner to find it. Try playing DEFENDER using | + | # Listen to the game sounds. Most of the time you'll hear a humanoid cry for help before you see it. Use the Scanner to find it. Try playing DEFENDER using the Scanner alone a few times to get a good idea of how it works. |
| − | the Scanner alone a few times to get a good idea of how it works. | + | # You can carry a humanoid around with you so that the aliens can never destroy all ten of them without destroying you. But if you touch the planet, the humanoid will immediately jump free. |
| − | # You can carry a humanoid around with you so that the aliens can never destroy all ten of them without destroying you. But if you touch the planet, the humanoid | ||
| − | will immediately jump free. | ||
# Use Smart Bombs only in extreme emergencies, or if there are enough aliens on the screen to push you past a 10,000 point mark. | # Use Smart Bombs only in extreme emergencies, or if there are enough aliens on the screen to push you past a 10,000 point mark. | ||
# When you're thrusting, move up and down and fire continuously to sweep your area clean. | # When you're thrusting, move up and down and fire continuously to sweep your area clean. | ||
Revision as of 14:08, 19 August 2018
| Defender | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Defender Retail Packaging | |
| Publisher(s) | Atarisoft |
| Original Retail Price | $44.95 |
| Programmer(s) | unknown |
| Part# | RX 8506 |
| Format(s) | Solid State SoftwareTM Command Module |
| Release | 1983 (4th quarter) |
| Genre(s) | Action, Shooter, Space |
Defender for the TI-99/4A is a port of the 1981 Williams Electronics arcade game by the same name. The TI-99/4A version was published and distributed by Atarisoft. It was released during the 4th quarter of 1983. Defender's part number for the TI home computer system is RX 8506 and originally sold for $44.95.
Contents
Gameplay
Defender is a two-dimensional side-scrolling shooter. It occurs on the surface of an unknown and unnamed planet. The player can move his/her ship left or right and up or down. The player's goal is to destroy as many alien invader's spaceships as possible and to prevent them from abducting the humanoids on the surface of the planet. When the player destroys all the enemies, he/she advances to the next level. The player loses a ship when it gets hit by enemy fire or if hyperspace jumps go wrong. The game ends when the player loses all his/her ships.
Advertising Blurbs
Back of Retail Packaging
.jpg)
The planet's fate is in your hands. Lander, Bombers, Baiters, Pods, and Swarmers. The alien attack has come, and defeat at the hands of crazed invaders threatens the humanoids. Their only hope is the spaceship, Defender. Armed with smart bombs and able to shift into hyperspace, Defender evens the score only to become the object of another foul attack: kidnapped humanoids transformed into killer mutants!
Fun Fact
The Arcade version of Defender appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by general editor Tony Mott. [1]
Manual
Inserting the Cartridge
- Make sure alpha-lock key is in the UP position.
- Insert the Defender cartridge.
- Power on the TI Home Computer.
- Game Selection screen will appear.
Joystick Control
Plug the joystick into the joystick port. Using this one device, you can thrust, reverse, and change Defender's altitude - giving you unmatched freedom of the skies as you battle the invaders. Press the fire button to fire missiles.
Game Selection
The options for game selection are as follows:
One player, easy
One player, hard
Two players, easy
Two players, hard
Press + (plus) key to display options one at a time to make your selection.
Game Start: Press fire button on joystick #1 to start game.
Game Play Keys:, active during game play.
Restart: The + (plus) will end game and return to option screen.
Pause: The 'P' key is used to temporarily pause game play. Pressing 'P' again resumes game play.
Smart Bombs: The space bar is used to activate a smart bomb which destroys all aliens on the screen.
Hyperspace: Any other key causes the Defender ship to hyperspace to a random location somewhere in the playfield.
Game End
Upon complete destruction of player's Defender ships, the game end screen is displayed for five seconds. After which the game is displayed. During the game end screen the fire button can be pressed to cause the game option screen to appear immediately.
Strategies
- Fly low. Good DEFENDER players seldom fly more than two inches above the planet, in order to protect their humanoids.
- Mutants are not as hard to destroy as it might appear. Thrust, then reverse direction and adjust your height simultaneously, and fire.
- Listen to the game sounds. Most of the time you'll hear a humanoid cry for help before you see it. Use the Scanner to find it. Try playing DEFENDER using the Scanner alone a few times to get a good idea of how it works.
- You can carry a humanoid around with you so that the aliens can never destroy all ten of them without destroying you. But if you touch the planet, the humanoid will immediately jump free.
- Use Smart Bombs only in extreme emergencies, or if there are enough aliens on the screen to push you past a 10,000 point mark.
- When you're thrusting, move up and down and fire continuously to sweep your area clean.
- Aliens become confused if you quickly reverse twice, giving you time to blast them.
