Episode

Level 5: Defender! (1981) - The Game That Flipped Space Invaders Upside Down

Podcast: Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast
Published: Feb 17, 2026
Duration seconds: 1253
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Summary

Defender! revolutionized arcade gaming in 1981 with its sideways-scrolling chaos and button-overload controls. In our series finale, we rank all five legendary 1981 games and reveal how we'd spend our last five quarters: Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Frogger, or Defender? The ultimate showdown of the greatest arcade year ever!