Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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More about Defender of the Crown (from Wikipedia):
Defender of the Crown is a strategy video game designed by Kellyn Beeck. It was Cinemaware's first game, and was originally released for the Commodore Amiga in 1986, setting a new standard for graphic quality in home computer games.
In 1987 it was ported to MS-DOS, the Atari ST and the Macintosh and a conversion was done for the Commodore 64. Later it was ported to the CDTV, CD-i and Atari Jaguar and conversions were made for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Amstrad CPC, Apple IIGS and Intellivision. Unofficially a ZX Spectrum version was also made. A sequel, Defender of the Crown II, was released in 1993 for the CDTV and Amiga CD32. Two remakes have been released: Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown in 2003 and Defender of the Crown: Heroes Live Forever in 2007.
The first public demonstration of Defender of the Crown occurred at the Los Angeles Commodore Show in September 1986, before its November release, and attracted a huge crowd. The game amazed those who saw it for the first time:
Screenshot of a raid with graphics in the 1986 Amiga version.
Mical saw artist Jim Sachs push the Amiga to its full potential. "Jim Sachs, what a god he is," marvels Mical. "Jim Sachs is amazing. These days everyone sees graphics like that because there are a lot of really good computer graphics artists now, but back then, 20 years ago, it was astonishing to have someone that good."
The final game was a landmark in video game production values. As game designer Bob Lindstrom recalls, "The shock of seeing Defender for the first time was one of those experiences that changed the gaming stakes for all of us."
Compared to other video games of the time, Defender of the Crown established a new level of quality. IBM had Kings Quest by Sierra On-Line, a decent but primitive adventure game. The Macintosh had games like Checkers or Backgammon, or board games like Risk. Defender of the Crown had richer graphics than any computer, console, or even arcade game could boast in 1986. It was a revelation.
Defender of the Crown became a commercial hit. In 1989, Video Games & Computer Entertainment reported that it had been purchased by "almost three-quarters of a million gamers worldwide". Sales had surpassed 1 million units by 2001.
Info gave the Amiga version four stars out of five, stating that its "graphics have set new standards for computer games". The magazine praised the "breathtaking" animation and "impressive" color, but hoped that future Cinemaware games would improve on the "adequate" gameplay, which was "the weak link". The Australian Commodore Review gave the Commodore 64 version of the game a total score of 96 out of 100, while Commodore User said that it was "totally brilliant and one of the best games to date on the 64." Computer Gaming World praised the Amiga version of Defender of the Crown's graphics and animation, calling the game "a showcase program to demonstrate the power of the Amiga to your friends." Although the gameplay was not as complex as other strategy games of the time, the reviewer was still exceptionally pleased with Cinemaware's first game. That year the magazine gave Defender of the Crown a special award for "Artistic Achievement in a Computer Game", but in 1990 and 1993, surveys of wargames in the magazine gave the game two-plus stars out of five.
Compute! also stated that Defender of the Crown effectively demonstrated the Amiga's graphics, but stated that its gameplay was oversimplified. CU Amiga stated that "there are not many areas in which Defender of the Crown could be improved ... the graphics are sophisticated with lush colours and visual effects." Amiga Format were less kind to the CD rerelease of the game, stating that it "hasn't stood the test of time simply because the gameplay is somewhat weak." Power Unlimited gave the CD-i version a score of 87% writing: "Defender of the Crown is a very varied game. All sorts of things come your way, including tactics, action and romance. Graphically it is also beautiful.."
Versions:
The versions of Defender of the Crown, notably for DOS and the NES, resulted in an enormous loss in graphic and audio quality due to those systems' inferior abilities compared to the Amiga. But these versions featured more in-depth strategic elements compared to the unfinished original version. The Apple IIGS, Atari ST, and Commodore 64 versions were done with better success, the IIGS, Macintosh, and ST versions' graphics coming quite close to the Amiga version. A version for the Sharp X68000 was in development by Bullet-Proof Software but never released.
All versions:
Amstrad CPC
Atari ST
Apple IIGS
Commodore 64
Game Boy Advance
Nintendo Entertainment System
Macintosh
DOS CGA (4 color) and EGA (16 color)
ZX Spectrum (unofficial)
CD-i
Atari Jaguar
Intellivision
Subscribe bit.ly/sub-cgs
#defenderofthecrown #dosgames #strategygames
No Commentary
More about Defender of the Crown (from Wikipedia):
Defender of the Crown is a strategy video game designed by Kellyn Beeck. It was Cinemaware's first game, and was originally released for the Commodore Amiga in 1986, setting a new standard for graphic quality in home computer games.
In 1987 it was ported to MS-DOS, the Atari ST and the Macintosh and a conversion was done for the Commodore 64. Later it was ported to the CDTV, CD-i and Atari Jaguar and conversions were made for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Amstrad CPC, Apple IIGS and Intellivision. Unofficially a ZX Spectrum version was also made. A sequel, Defender of the Crown II, was released in 1993 for the CDTV and Amiga CD32. Two remakes have been released: Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown in 2003 and Defender of the Crown: Heroes Live Forever in 2007.
The first public demonstration of Defender of the Crown occurred at the Los Angeles Commodore Show in September 1986, before its November release, and attracted a huge crowd. The game amazed those who saw it for the first time:
Screenshot of a raid with graphics in the 1986 Amiga version.
Mical saw artist Jim Sachs push the Amiga to its full potential. "Jim Sachs, what a god he is," marvels Mical. "Jim Sachs is amazing. These days everyone sees graphics like that because there are a lot of really good computer graphics artists now, but back then, 20 years ago, it was astonishing to have someone that good."
The final game was a landmark in video game production values. As game designer Bob Lindstrom recalls, "The shock of seeing Defender for the first time was one of those experiences that changed the gaming stakes for all of us."
Compared to other video games of the time, Defender of the Crown established a new level of quality. IBM had Kings Quest by Sierra On-Line, a decent but primitive adventure game. The Macintosh had games like Checkers or Backgammon, or board games like Risk. Defender of the Crown had richer graphics than any computer, console, or even arcade game could boast in 1986. It was a revelation.
Defender of the Crown became a commercial hit. In 1989, Video Games & Computer Entertainment reported that it had been purchased by "almost three-quarters of a million gamers worldwide". Sales had surpassed 1 million units by 2001.
Info gave the Amiga version four stars out of five, stating that its "graphics have set new standards for computer games". The magazine praised the "breathtaking" animation and "impressive" color, but hoped that future Cinemaware games would improve on the "adequate" gameplay, which was "the weak link". The Australian Commodore Review gave the Commodore 64 version of the game a total score of 96 out of 100, while Commodore User said that it was "totally brilliant and one of the best games to date on the 64." Computer Gaming World praised the Amiga version of Defender of the Crown's graphics and animation, calling the game "a showcase program to demonstrate the power of the Amiga to your friends." Although the gameplay was not as complex as other strategy games of the time, the reviewer was still exceptionally pleased with Cinemaware's first game. That year the magazine gave Defender of the Crown a special award for "Artistic Achievement in a Computer Game", but in 1990 and 1993, surveys of wargames in the magazine gave the game two-plus stars out of five.
Compute! also stated that Defender of the Crown effectively demonstrated the Amiga's graphics, but stated that its gameplay was oversimplified. CU Amiga stated that "there are not many areas in which Defender of the Crown could be improved ... the graphics are sophisticated with lush colours and visual effects." Amiga Format were less kind to the CD rerelease of the game, stating that it "hasn't stood the test of time simply because the gameplay is somewhat weak." Power Unlimited gave the CD-i version a score of 87% writing: "Defender of the Crown is a very varied game. All sorts of things come your way, including tactics, action and romance. Graphically it is also beautiful.."
Versions:
The versions of Defender of the Crown, notably for DOS and the NES, resulted in an enormous loss in graphic and audio quality due to those systems' inferior abilities compared to the Amiga. But these versions featured more in-depth strategic elements compared to the unfinished original version. The Apple IIGS, Atari ST, and Commodore 64 versions were done with better success, the IIGS, Macintosh, and ST versions' graphics coming quite close to the Amiga version. A version for the Sharp X68000 was in development by Bullet-Proof Software but never released.
All versions:
Amstrad CPC
Atari ST
Apple IIGS
Commodore 64
Game Boy Advance
Nintendo Entertainment System
Macintosh
DOS CGA (4 color) and EGA (16 color)
ZX Spectrum (unofficial)
CD-i
Atari Jaguar
Intellivision
