Commercial software for the Amiga 500 was slow to surface when the home computer entered the market 1986. Then came along Defender of the Crown, which showed off what the Amiga was capable of. So impressive was this strategy experience that it remained a benchmark for years, while also making Cinemaware a studio to keep an eye on.
Defender of the Crown is about to make a comeback in a new remake that includes a faithful Retro Mode. Also included are a Classic Mode with improved visuals and deeper mechanics, along with a dice-driven roguelike Kingdom Mode.
You play as a Saxon lord out to overthrow the Norman empire to reclaim the throne. You’re able to converse with various figures, including Robin Hood, while partaking in jousting tournaments, raids, and castle sieges. It’s probably the jousting sections that are the most renowned.
Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns is being developed at Nordcurrent, and it’s expected to release on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC. There’s no release date just yet.
The studio is best known for mobile games. Hopefully, they haven’t bitten off more than they can chew by entering the console market. Anyway, here’s the trailer: