Defender is the unforgiving side-scrolling shooter that put Williams Electronics on the map. You pilot a ship over an alien planet, defending stranded humans from abduction by descending UFOs. Save the humans, blast everything else, and watch your radar — the playfield wraps and the threats come from both directions.
Defender shipped in 1981 from Williams Electronics, designed by Eugene Jarvis and Larry DeMar. It was one of the first arcade games with a true bidirectional playfield and quickly became the company's biggest hit, with over 55,000 cabinets sold — a reputation for unforgiving difficulty included.
How do I play Defender? Use the arrow keys to fly your ship and Space to fire. Defend the humans on the surface from Landers trying to abduct them. Watch your radar — threats come from both directions.
Is Defender free? Yes — no signup, no downloads, no installs.
What does the smart bomb do? A smart bomb wipes every enemy currently on the screen. You start with a limited number per round.
Does my high score save? Yes — your best Defender score is stored locally in your browser.