# Side shooter (defender type) game from 1981? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511 "2005-10-03T02:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/1 "2005-10-03T02:00:32Z")
Got a friend who is trying to find the name of a game she used to play when she was very young. All she can remember is that it was a side scrolling space shooting. Ive shown her Defender and she thinks it was similar but not it. Can anyone suggest some Defender type games from 1981? So that would be a side scrolling space shooter. It had a similar terrain layout (with the hills etc). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/2 "2005-10-03T02:07:02Z")
[Vanguard](http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=10293)? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/3 "2005-10-03T02:08:45Z")
[Scramble](http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=V&game_id=9447)? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/4 "2005-10-03T02:15:10Z")
Well, there was a sequel to _Defender_ called [_Stargate_](http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9780). It was essentially the same game with some extra bells and whistles. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/5 "2005-10-03T03:00:53Z")
[Zero Wing](http://www.classicgaming.com/rotw/zerowing/)? If so, then I guess [all your base belong to her](http://www.planettribes.com/allyourbase/AYB2.swf). Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/6 "2005-10-03T07:43:49Z")
**Stargate** was basically an expanded defender with more complexity. Awesome game. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/7 "2005-10-04T17:55:00Z")
Super Cobra? (before '81, IIRC) Space Fury? (color vector) ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/8 "2005-10-04T18:47:24Z")
[Zaxxon](http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=Z&game_id=12757) wasn’t exactly a sideshooter but it was one of the most common of arcade games of the era. Loved that game. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/9 "2005-10-04T19:09:09Z")
> [@rabbit](#): > > Ive shown her Defender and she thinks it was similar but not it. My money’s on [Cosmic Avenger](http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=C&game_id=7399). ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/10 "2005-10-04T19:15:41Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > **Stargate** was basically an expanded defender with more complexity. If I had all the quarters back I spent on this game, I could [buy one](http://vintagearcade.net/inventory.shtml). I wonder if the old lady will let me keep it in the living room? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-shooter-defender-type-game-from-1981/324511/11 "2005-10-05T03:21:25Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > If I had all the quarters back I spent on this game, I could [buy one](http://vintagearcade.net/inventory.shtml). I wonder if the old lady will let me keep it in the living room? I used to have a big callus on my thumb from the buttons. “Defender Thumb”, I called it, although I think Stargate was about 90% responsible.