Originally launched by Cinemaware in the late eighties, Defender of the Crown is a combination of action and strategy set in war-torn medieval England. The strategy portion of the game takes place on a screen similar to the modern day Risk board game, with each territory highlighted according to ownership. The hero must advance through the territories and defend those he has already taken. Castles in each territory house damsels in distress, sorely in need of rescue. That is just a subplot, however. The goal of the game is to take the crown, which conveniently disappeared upon the king’s death, and take over all the territories of the land.
Defender of the Crown has some basis in historical fact. Many of the territories available for conquest are actual English holdings. The fight scenes and values of soldiers reflect middle age warfare as well. A knight was worth more than a common foot soldier, for example, and was needed in order to succeed against other enemy knights. Castles were not just overrun. Sieges were planned and massive siege weapons such as catapults were employed to weaken castle walls before sending in the troops.
There were also other facets of stereotypical medieval life featured in Defender of the crown. Knights were expected to rescue the aforementioned damsels in distress. A single hero could save more than one lady, and the chosen maiden’s caricature was displayed in a window
to remind the knight of his heroic deed. Knights could also partake in tournaments, which are tricky, but fun. To simulate the jostling action of a destrier carrying a heavily armored knight, the screen shakes about, making it difficult to center the lance on the opponent. Robin Hood could also be enlisted to aid the hero’s cause. There is also some fairly complex swordplay that involves standard fencing commands.
Overall, Defenders of the Crown was a good blend of strategy and action. While the majority of the game is centered on strategy, there is some skill required, especially during the swordplay sequences. The jousting is based somewhat on luck, but there is definitely some skill required to successfully run the catapults during sieges. The damsels and Robin Hood are sort of cool, but unnecessary extras. It is a simple, short-lived game that can be completed a few hours, but has a fair degree of replayability. It would be an excellent choice for those who have no desire to enter a lifelong campaign or for the beginning strategy gamer.
