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Cover of Defender

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Games like Defender

1981

A legendary arcade shooter where you fly a ship over a horizontally scrolling planet, fending off alien waves while rescuing astronauts from abduction. Fast pace and brutal difficulty define the experience.

  • Challenging difficulty
  • Sci-fi setting
  • Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
  • Action-packed real-time combat
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The closest matches for Defender are Galaga, Super Contra and Raiden. Each of these 10 games shares something of what makes Defender special – the reasons are listed right on each game.

10 games with a similar feel, sorted by match

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Best match

Galaga

96 %Match

1981PCXbox

  • Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
  • Sci-fi setting
  • Challenging difficulty

A classic arcade shooter where you pilot a fighter along the bottom of the screen and blast waves of insect-like aliens. The tractor beam that captures your ship, which you can rescue for double firepower, gives it its hook.

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Super Contra

Challenging difficulty

Konami's arcade run-and-gun where you fight an alien invasion solo or with a friend. Alongside classic side-scrolling stages there are overhead levels, all with typical punishing arcade difficulty.

Raiden

Challenging difficulty

A classic vertical arcade shooter where you dodge enemy fire across eight missions, blast targets and collect power-ups. Built around score chasing and replays, with a steep challenge.

Xevious

Sci-fi setting

A 1982 arcade classic in which you pilot the Solvalou fighter through vertically scrolling waves of alien enemies, shooting air targets and bombing ground ones at once. It was a pioneering title for the shoot-'em-up genre.

Robotron: 2084

Challenging difficulty

A legendary arcade twin-stick shooter where you fight endless robot waves alone while rescuing the last humans. Frantic, punishing and built purely around reflexes.

Syder Arcade

Challenging difficulty

An uncompromising retro shoot 'em up inspired by 90s Amiga classics, with free-scrolling, multi-directional shooting. Only your skill counts against hordes of alien invaders.

Zenodyne R

Challenging difficulty

A 16-bit era style shoot-'em-up with a Mega Drive-flavored soundtrack, six boss-filled stages, five ships and branching paths. Your reflexes and patience get a serious workout.

Gradius Origins

Challenging difficulty

A collection of all seven arcade Gradius games in 18 versions, including the Gradius III AM Show Version making its home console debut. Classic side-scrolling shoot-'em-ups with the power-up bar, precise dodging and steep difficulty.

Mega Man 10

Challenging difficulty

A deliberately NES-style 8-bit run-and-gun platformer where you pick stages in any order, beat robot bosses and take their weapons. Tight controls and a demanding, old-school difficulty.

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