Defender

 Game Boy Advance
Metascore
37

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 12
  3. Negative: 8 out of 12
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  1. Nintendo Power
    60
    Three versions of the first side-scrolling shooter give Defender for the GBA old-school flair. [Feb 2003, p.160]
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  2. GameZone
    55
    There are too many "button" needs to limit yourself to such a tiny panel of controls. You really need to stand back and SEE what's going on. You must have very quick fingers to survive for long.
  3. TotalGames.net
    55
    A distinct lack of pace (something that made the original so absorbing) also makes the action far less exciting than it should be.
  5. Pocket Games
    50
    The main part of the game is a complete mockery of the Defender franchise. [Spring 2003, p.31]
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  6. GameSpot
    49
    The updates really don’t do anything to improve the gameplay and in some cases actually detract from it.
  7. Nintendophiles
    45
    Good variety, no sound, and a flawed concept.
  8. Gamer's Pulse
    40
    The graphics are simply poor. The sound is painful to the ears at time, although it stuck very close to the original game.
  9. All Game Guide
    40
    Defender proves that more is not necessarily better, especially when it comes to modes of play. Rather than take a rock solid format and enhance it through multiple variants of the same basic theme, the developers have created a mess and tried to cover it up with different versions that all have weaknesses.
  10. Cheat Code Central
    40
    Don't confuse this game with the console games however. Console games good; GBA game bad.
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  11. IGN
    20
    I haven't seen a worse classic remake since Atari botched "Pac-Man" on the 2600 more than two decades ago.
  12. Game Informer
    20
    The arcade died years ago, but this is surely an uncalled-for goober spit on its grave. [Feb 2003, p110]
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  13. Gaming Age
    0
    Terrible gameplay, terrible animation, terrible AI, the addition of new modes that actually detract from the original, revamped controls that manage to both suck and blow at the same time – if given a choice between playing the GBA version again or eating the cartridge, plastic and all, I’d be firing up my microwave and looking for a plate.

Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Most Discussed Game Boy Advance Game of 2002
27
#27 Most Shared Game Boy Advance Game of 2002

User Reviews

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User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 2 more ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 1 out of 2
  1. Rockstaar9
    Oct 21, 2021
    1
    Boring, stiff, ugly, and it controls like garbage. How do you mess up a game as simple as Defender?
  2. ChrisA.
    Jul 27, 2003
    8
    I like this game. A great shooter.