Defenders Of The Earth

Defenders of the Earth is an action-platformer based on the 1986 animated television series. The game features veteran comic-book heroes Flash Gordon, the Phantom, Mandrake the Magician, and his bodyguard Lothar. The evil Ming the Merciless has kidnapped their children, and the team must rescue them from his fortress. You play as Flash, journeying through side-scrolling areas of Ming's castle, shooting enemies and avoiding security cameras that detect your presence. Flash can call on the other Defenders for assistance: Mandrake creates magical bridges, the Phantom kicks down doors, and Lothar breaks locks. Quick progress is needed, as Ming's surveillance system raises the alarm if you linger too long.

Commodore 64

Released in 1990 by Enigma Variations, programmed by Peter B. Ward . The C64 version features very precise scrolly-smooth movement, with the screen so slick it feels like playing on a console . Graphics are colourful but sprites are barely bigger than 16x16 pixels, making enemies difficult to shoot . The music is described as "bleepy." Critical reception was very negative: Zzap!64 gave 32%, calling controls "sluggish and unresponsive." The alarm system continues even when paused, potentially killing Flash without input. Up to six enemies can appear on screen simultaneously but they are so small they don't pose a threat. The Phantom and Lothar do not assist in this version, and you cannot carry more than two weapons, even after picking up power-ups. Player ratings on Lemon64 average 4.1/10. A disappointing conversion of a weak license.