Petition to get Defender and Robotron on iPhone

[needthephone]

To Wms industries formerly Williams Electronics

Please could you produce iphone versions of what are widely acknowledged as two of the greatest video games of all time-Robotron and Defender.

All those who would also like to see these please add your comments below

Thankyou

[LiveForever]

These classic games deserve to be played on the fastest rising games platform of the moment.

Please Williams release Defender, Robotron for the iPhone.

[NewMacGirl]

on behalf of my husband

YES PLEASE

[dickovski]

You would need a double joystick controller especially for Robotron which as you say is the greatest arcade game in history:)

[OttawaGuy]

How would Robotron work?

[FearlessFreep]

Defedner did rule, but I would think there's a concern as to how the input controls would work. There's 5 buttons (THRUST, FIRE, REVERSE, SMART BOMB, HYPERSPACE) plus the joystick to worry about in an on-screen interface. I would think that would be difficult. Not impossible, but challenging with limited screen real estate.

[bradl]

If I remember correctly, Williams was acquired by Midway, who made NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat, etc. They may be the ones this 'petition' needs to go to.

I say this because it was Midway released their classic games (Wizards of Wor, Paperboy, APB, Rampage, among others) along with the Williams classic games (Robotron, Joust, and others) in their Midway Arcade Classics and Midway Arcade Classics II products for the Playstation 2. Midway couldn't release those unless they bought the rights to them from Williams.

BL.

[icewing]

You would need a double joystick controller especially for Robotron which as you say is the greatest arcade game in history:)

The joystick area would be on each side of the screen, which would be in the center. These would just be places where you would rest your thumbs, then move them around as if they were joysticks.

I'd pay for Robotron!!!

[okaive]

Hell yeah for Robotron.

But curious on how it would work to,

[LiveForever]

In case anyone wants to see what the fuss is about here is Robotron in action: (OK the graphics are very "old school" but there has never been a better more intense game written. When you play it both hands move independently (HOW??-I don't know it just happens), it seems totally hopeless, there are jsut too many bad guys swarming around you. Somehow you forget yourself and you just play by instinct alone and when you are in the "zone" its amazing. As soon as you start thinking you are lost-AMAZING game which I have never seen something which had the same effect despite computers having trillions of times more memory and processing power.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=JZsIyJehtE8

and Defender

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Y56cVduEkYs&feature=related

and the even harder Stargate
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=AINBbMRWIw4

The sound effects are amazing all the little mummers, peeps and zaps.

If you watch it on your iphone you can see it fits the screen perfectly. What I would envisage would be two control region pads at either side-one to control the mans direction and the other to control the gun.

I have the new Centipede iphone verion and they have done a great job. It plays just like the real thing. They have the classic version plus two more enhanced versions which use modern graphics-

Updated versions of Robotron and Defender would be amazing (BUT they must have teh original versions too)


Some of the quotes under the Robotron Youtube video-they say it all really


To me, this is the best example of a pure video gave ever made. No complicated rules or ridiculous 34-button joystick/buttom combinations to remember. No silly 4-minute film intros. Just two joysticks, your reflexes and still the hands-down BEST sound effects EVER. Kids nowadays should play this game and then see what they've been missing all these years.


OMG! This is my all time favorate arcade game. I know many people who have spent a fortune on playing this game in a evening out. I placed my quarter in the machine at about 9:00 PM Friday evening, and I still had a full line, about 1,000 extra men when the bar owner unplugged the game on me at 5:00 AM, all on 1 single quarter. Greatest Game of ALL time. BTW, Who played in this video? I do over 10 million easily on my first man (well, used to, that was 25 + years ago.)


I know what you're saying. You have to force yourself to get into the zone and the best way to play is to forget playing. It's no longer about playing a video game; it's about controlling your mind while losing control of it. SAVE THE LAST HUMAN FAMILY!

[Kashchei]

It's nice to see that there are other fans of these old-school games. I got addicted to Defender working at a liquor store as a teenager with a Defender machine out front. I was out playing the game whenever I got the chance. Ah, memories . . . .

[needthephone]

Robotron and Defender were developed by Eugene Jarvis and Larry Demar who are like Steve Jobs and Wozniak of video games-

Here are the story of Defender and Robotron (links are to part 1 and the other parts are linked from these pages)

Story of Robotron 1 of 7 ( interviews with Eugene Jarvis and Larry Demar)
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=RuEuCp280J4&feature=related

Story of Defender 1 of 13

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=BTs4d7xW704&feature=related

Longer interview with Jarvis
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=LF8MQnYe-JM

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=wGzcW7oEmeI&feature=related

We NEED these games on the iphone- I would pay of course.

[PSmith]

I have seen Defender and Robotron used on a Jailbroken iphone with MAME. personally I don't want to jailbreak as the guy I knows phone is always crashing.

You should email Williams or Midway themselves.

GT Interactive did Arcade Classics (Williams games Defender, Stargate, Joust, Bubbles and Sinistar) for the PC which I have somewhere.

Agree this is a must have collection of games for the iphone.

[bradl]

As for how Robotron would work, they could take a page out of Namco's book.

Namco added an option to Pacman and Pacman Lite to where the joystick could either be tilting the iPhone in the direction you want Pacman to go, using a D-Pad in which you tap and hold down where you want Pacman to go, or swipe in the direction you want Pacman to go.

Since the arcade version of Robotron used two joysticks, you could use two of the above methods to move the guy around and fire (tilting/rotating will work for movement or fire, but not both simultaneously). So it is possible.

Robotron and Defender.. meh. Can take it or leave it. Joust on the other hand... must have.

BL.

[needthephone]

There is already a Robotronesque game in the app store called 2079.

To steer the craft you tilt the phone and you fire by touching a pad which allows you to aim in any direction.

It's not bad but there are no levels and it just keeps going so there are no breaks and you can't see how far you have progressed.

It's ok but no Robotron

[velvetelvis]

i dont think defender would play to well on the iphone. robotron maybe, but what i really would like to see is tempest. i think that would translate well to the iphone.

[okaive]

Hell I would love to see Joust. Loved that damned game, just not as much as Robotron or Galaga.

[needthephone]

Wikipedia entries:

Defender
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defender_(video_game)

Robotron
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotron_2084

Williams
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_Electronics

Eugene Jarvis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Jarvis

[jsgameman]

Ive just downloaded Viper from the AppStore, although its not a direct copy of Defender its closer than anything else. I've been looking for a defender clone since I got my iPhone.

[DreamPod]

Unfortunately, those games would totally suck on the iPhone due to its (lack of) controls, particularly Robotron (two virtual joysticks = twice the bad, or tilt plus one is still pretty sucky). Sure, they are *possible* due to virtual d-pads and tilting and stuff, but have you actually tried any fast-action twitch game that needs split second changes of direction on the iPhone? They just don't work well. Pacman for example is pretty hard to do any good at.

[needthephone]

Thanks for that I just looked at Viper and it seems close to Defender!!

How does it play then?

For Robotron you could have two circular areas at eitehr side of teh palying screen for teh joysticks

2079 uses one and you move the phone for the ships movement but I agree this is difficult but two keypads would work ok

[equlizer]

Now bring Moon Patrol to the iphone, I think i would die:eek:

[jsgameman]

Ive been playing Viper for a day now... game play is very good, just as addictive as Defender. My high score is currently 200,000 having spent the morning playing. I think they have got the game play just right, for a retro shooter.

Game control is also very good, easy to control and responsive, there's no hyperspace or smart bombs which I missed at the start but when you start playing you soon forget about them.

Up to 100,000 you get an extra life every 20,000 then it jumps to every 50,000.

[needthephone]

I took the plunge and brought it.

It's not bad but it doesn't have the Defender noises like teh buzzing tone or the gun swooshes.

Has it only three levels??

Can they do Joust and Robotron now??/

[fs games]

Apologies for the self promotion... I loved Defender as a kid and played it endlessly on the BBC Micro under the guise of Planetoid... so I've written something as close to the original as I could including most of the in-game sounds. Hyperspace and bombs are there too.
I'll try and get a youtube video of it but here are some screenshots:
http://www.faulconbridgesoftware.com.au/

Hope you enjoy it!

[MasterN13]

Yah Robotron would be great

[fs games]

For those wishing to try out my version there is a free/lite version of planet defence: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=314581750&mt=8

I am in the process of releasing an update which will see a closer-to-orginal style graphics, ship movement, enemy movement and shooting, plus there is an online highscore table.

[Mr. Gates]

http://toucharcade.com/2010/03/04/upcoming-revolt-taking-the-dual-stick-shooter-to-new-heights/

[JNGold]

A forgotten one - GORF!

I loved this game as a kid as it combined all the popular spaces games into one. The sound effect were great too! The game would tell you what level you had progress to. "You are Space Cad-et!"

Love to see it on the iPhone!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorf

[mbills2]

if you know how to put robotron on your iphone and get stuck at the factory settings screen...

click the insert coin + the start button together. This will bring up settings. Input (this game) -> change advance button to L1 or L2 -> return to main menu -> restart game -> you can now play robotron on iphone. :D

[appman2010]

Check out this App on the Apple App Store, it's very much in the style of Robotron, take a look !!!

[franski]

Hi folks - just discovered Defender for iPhone, released about 3 weeks ago - it's pretty good. I've been playing it for a few days now & still can't get past level 3... just as difficult & frustrating as the original (which I was never any good at anyway, but doesn't stop me thinking it was the best game ever!). Look for "Defender!" in the app store, by a company called SOMA

[franski]

Hey! They've done Scramble as well. Not a total clone, but it's great!

[ZilogZ80]

As much as I love these old games - although Joust is by far my favourite rather than Defender/Robotron - why are people obsessed with trying to shoehorn them onto an iPhone? The controls would just suck compared to the arcades. Get yourself an X-Arcade stick or whatever and play it on MAME. I want developers to concentrate on new and innovative games that are actually designed for touch controls. I don't want old games that actually play worse than the originals.

[franski]

Kinda difficult to take MAME with you on the tube...

[bandito22]

Apologies for the self promotion... I loved Defender as a kid and played it endlessly on the BBC Micro under the guise of Planetoid... so I've written something as close to the original as I could including most of the in-game sounds. Hyperspace and bombs are there too.
I'll try and get a youtube video of it but here are some screenshots:
http://www.faulconbridgesoftware.com.au/

Hope you enjoy it!

Hi, I notice you have the retro-graphics does that not create some potential copyright problems or is Defender now considered abandonware??