Defender of the Crown

A very old Amiga game, first published in 1986 by Cinemaware. A sort-of-adaptation of Ivanhoe. One of the oldest 16-bit turn-based strategy games. While the game is only barely like any of its progeny, it was groundbreaking back in its own days. And it still have nostalgia value to some people.

In Defender of the Crown, King Lionheart has been murdered. Civil war ensues. As a heroic Saxon, you have to defend the English monarchy from the dastardly Normans. (Wait, what? Wasn't Richard Lionheart a Norman? Whatever...)

You collect taxes, buy armies and send them into battle. Plus, you can also raid castles with your fencing skill or go on a tournament with your jousting skill. If the Normans kidnap a Saxon lady, it's your job to raid their castle to rescue her.

A new company that bought Cinemaware's name and assets has released both a remake and a "remastered" version of Defender of the Crown for modern Windows and Macintosh PCs. They also have the original version of the game available to play for free online, here.


 * Damsel in Distress: One of four randomized Saxon ladies.
 * Fake Difficulty: Technically, the Normans deserve to rule. They are more competent and better at everything. However, they play normally, attacking to a normal plan rather than swarming the player.
 * Instant Win Condition: You win if you take the three Norman castles; no other castles or territories are required. Although it's rare, it's possible to win with one or even both Saxons still alive, even though they're supposedly fighting for the crown just like you. If another Saxon win this way, you get a different game over screen where the new king sends you as a diplomat to some boring place. If you get defeated, you get a message about how you flee and vow to return one day.
 * Level Up At Intimacy 5: Do your Optional Sexual Encounter, and it unlocks the ability go gain powerups for every damsel you save. Called "new respect", your leadership skill improves one level for every extra damsel you save.
 * In the original version, you simply get a massive boost from rescuing one damsel, and she's the only one you get to marry and boink.
 * Mini Game: Jousting and castle raids.
 * Optional Sexual Encounter: Save a damsel, "then late one night..." get lucky. If the damsel is the daughter of another Saxon, you instantly claim his territory.
 * Robin Hood: You can recruit him as an ally three times: this was a selling point of the game.
 * Spiritual Successor: Centurion Defender of Rome, from the same author, is considered to be one to this game.
 * Updated Rerelease: Defender of the Crown: Heroes Live Forever (2007), with a minor added features.
 * Video Game Cruelty Punishment: In the Jousting minigames, if you kill your opponent's horse by stabbing it with your lance, you get dishonored big time: all the land you conquered becomes unclaimed territory, and you lose all your army units (which is especially frustrating if you already conquered much of England). A Disproportionate Retribution to say the least.
 * You Require More Vespene Gas: In the form of cash.