Yes! Defender Returns at Last.

Veteran gamers rejoice. Defender, probably the most over-subscribed game in any 1980’s arcade, is in development for PS2, GameCube and Xbox. Publisher and developer Midway is bringing the classic ‘space-strategy-blast-em-up’ to the next-gen consoles in 2002, and this time around the game is getting a new 3D look, as you can see in the accompanying screenshots from the PS2 version. Let’s hope that Midway don’t stray too far from the premise of the original game, which saw the player shooting down squiggly green alien ships while thrusting through space. One thing is for sure: the original mode is definitely going to be included in the new version, allowing players to hyperspace back to another dimension. Just how much do contemporary aliens differ from their 80’s cousins?

“Defender takes the classic idea of defending humans against alien attacks, and totally remakes the game to allow for a next-generation gameplay experience,” said Justin Heber, Managing Director, Midway Games Ltd. “The new 3D version of this timeless classic will offer players an incredible mix of action and strategy, non-stop gameplay and crisp visuals.”

Well, we’re convinced. Can’t we just ‘hyper’ into next year and have a go, like now?