Defender
Defender is an Arcade, Action, Side-scrolling, Rail-Shooter, Single and Multiplayer video game by Williams Electronics. The game takes place on the fictional planet, where the player can eliminate waves of invading aliens while protecting astronauts. It is a quite addictive 2D shooting game in which the player can control a unique spaceship as it navigates the terrain by flying a fighter from right or left.
The objective of the player is simple to destroy the alien invaders and defend astronauts. Eliminating the alien allows the player to progress to a new level. During the gameplay, the player must protect his ship from the aliens, and if the alien ship touches the player’s ship, he will lose his life. Defender is available to play in multiple modes, and each one consists of a variety of missions.
Defender Alternatives
#1 Thunder Blade
Thunder Blade is a Flight-based, Third-person, Rail Shooter, and Single-player video game by Sega. The game story and setting resemble the film and 1984 television series Blue Thunder. In this game, the ultimate task of the player is to control a helicopter to destroy enemy vehicles. Control a unique helicopter use missiles and guns to eliminate the massive force of enemy tanks, military vehicles, and helicopters to save the country.
Thunder Blade offers excellent mechanics, enjoyable gameplay, and simple controls. To make the game enjoyable, it offers both top-down and third-person perspectives. Like similar games, it also consists of multiple missions, and in each mission, the player can face more challenging enemies than the last one. Multiple bosses, superb game setting, power-ups, various modes, and many missions are exciting features of the game.
#2 After Burner II
After Burner II is an Arcade Rail Shooter and Single-player video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega. It serves as a 2nd title in the After Burner series that offers similar gameplay with lots of new features and upgrades. Like the previous game, it allows the player to control an F-14 Tomcat jet and take down massive waves of enemies while avoiding the incoming fire.
The game introduces new maps with new enemies that are much stronger than the previous enemies. It offers new weapons that make the game enjoyable. With enhanced game mechanics, immersive and quite addictive gameplay, a well-written storyline, and pleasant background music, After Burner II is an excellent Arcade Shooter game for all ages.
#3 After Burner
After Burner is an Arcade, Rail Shooter, and Single-player video game developed and published by Sega. In this game, the player can control an F-14 Tomcat jet to destroy the series of enemy jets throughout the more than 18 challenging stages. At the beginning of the game, the player can complete his practice mission that will teach the player about the game.
After completing his practice level, the game allows the player to get into the fictional game world where he can move his aircraft in multiple directions and defeat all the enemy creatures. The most exciting thing about this game is that the player can face a powerful enemy boss at the end of each level. The player must use his first missile to eliminate the boss monster. The game contains a massive range of weapons that the player can collect during the gameplay.
#4 Star X
Star X was developed by Graphic State and published by BAM Entertainment. It is a Single-player, Rail Shooter video game in which the player can control a unique aircraft to eliminate all the enemy planes that will destroy humanity. There are multiple ships available in the game; each ship has its own weapons and appearance; choose his favorite one and get into the challenging world.
Star X offer fantastic game mechanic and simple controls. During the gameplay, the player can move his ship in multiple directions to complete his objective. The game allows the player to collect all the power-ups during the mission to help the player defeat the enemies. Different maps unlock new levels, and upgrades are the key features of this game.
#5 Sin and Punishment
Sin and Punishment is a Single and Multiplayer Shooter video game created and published by Nintendo. The gameplay of the game is similar to other rail shooter games in which the player can control one of two protagonists whose aim is to defeat massive monsters with the help of given weapons. The game features multiple maps, and each level of the game consists of various missions.
In each task, the player can eliminate the massive wave of monsters. It is available to play solo and with another player in cooperative mode. In co-op mode, both players can play against monsters and complete a series of missions together. Sin and Punishment offer impressive gameplay with simple controls and beautiful visual details.
#6 Philosoma
Philosoma is an Arcade, Adventure-based Shooter and Single-player video game developed by Epic and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Its gameplay is similar to its other Rail Shooter games in which the player can control a powerful spaceship and eliminate the massive wave of enemies.
At the beginning of the game, the player can choose his character with the ship and get into the challenging game world where the player can freely move his ship in any direction, collect weapons and kill all the enemy creatures. The player’s ship has four weapons that can be upgraded by collecting the points. There are series of missions, and in each mission, the player can face a more powerful wave of enemies, including a powerful boss. Philosoma features a fantastic game setting, simple controls, and beautiful visual details.
#7 Shoot 1UP
Shoot 1UP was developed and published by Mommy’s Best Games. It is an Arcade, Adventure-based, Rail-Shooter, Single and Multiplayer video game. Choose one of the various ships and get into the fictional game world full of powerful enemy creatures. According to the game’s story, a massive alien force attacks the earth and tries to rule on earth technology to destroy the earth.
In this game, the player can take on a protagonist who starts his adventure to protect the earth and defeat all the enemy creatures. The player can move his ship in any direction, collect power-ups and eliminate all the evil ships for progress. It is one of the best fixed-shooter games that offers fast-paced gameplay to immerse players deep into the challenging game world. The game includes many prominent features such as more than 30 different ships, upgrades, collect new weapons, power-ups, a different theme, superb game setting, and enjoyable gameplay.
#8 Yar’s Revenge
Yar’s Revenge is a Single-player, Fixed Shooter video game by Atari. The game puts the player into the role of an insect-like creature called Yar, who can move in the game world and shoot through a barrier to fire his Zorlon Cannon into the breach. The player’s ultimate objective is to destroy the deadly evil Qotile that exists on the other side of the barrier. However, the evil can attack the Yar even if the barrier is undamaged by turning into the Swirl and shooting around the screen.
This game consists of multiple levels, and in each level, the player can face many enemy creatures. During the gameplay, the player must collect all the power-ups and special items to help him defeat the deadly creatures. It also contains boss levels that make the game more complicated. Yar’s Revenge offer quite impressive gameplay, simple controls, and enjoyable background music.
#9 Race the Sun
Race the Sun is a 3D, Third-person Person, and Single-player Endless Running video game created and published by Flippfly. A historical Rail-Shooter game inspires the game, but it does not offer shooting elements. In this game, the player can control a solar-power spaceship, and dodge various objects on the way such as NPC ships, laser beams, and other stationary obstacles while collecting pick up can be used in the game.
The game ends when the player hits an object or other ships. The levels are pseudo-procedurally generated and separated into distinct regions; each new one comes with a set of challenges. The player continually earns rewards as long as possible the ship is moving. At the beginning of the game, it looks easy to play, but the player faces lots of challenges such as obstacles and enemy ships that make the game exciting and enjoyable.
Race the Sun features three different kinds of levels, such as Standard level, an apocalyptic level, and a Maze-style obstacle course; each one has its unique difficulties. The game offers stunning visual details, simple controls, and fantastic game mechanics.
#10 Star Fox
Star Fox is a 3D, Adventure-based, Rail-Shooter, and Single-player video game developed and published by Nintendo. It offers both first and third-person perspectives in which the player must navigate Fox’s spacecraft an Arwing through the environment while multiple enemies attack them. Along the way, multiple power-ups are placed, which the player can collect to defeat these enemies. There are a series of missions available in the game, and at the end of each level, the player receives a score based on how many enemies have been eliminated and how the player will protect his teammates.
At the end of each mission, there is a boss, which the player must eliminate for progress to the next level. The exciting thing about this game is that it contains some unique elements that differentiate it from the standard side-scrolling shooter games. It uses to maneuver around the enemies’ attacks and lots of heavy obstacles. Star Fox also offers many prominent features such as different environments, multiple ships, replayability, upgrades, lots of achievements, great game setting, smooth control, and excellent 3D visual details. Star Fox is one of the best Rail Shooter games to play and enjoy.
#11 Wing Commander
Wing Commander is a Space, Shooter and Single-player Flight Simulation created and published by Origin Systems. The game puts the player into a nameless pilot of a unique ship who starts his adventure against the deadly enemies to destroy the earth. It takes place in a space environment that is full of massive obstacles and enemy ships. The ultimate task of the player is to eliminate all the enemy ships before they attack the earth.
Wing Commander consists of multiple missions, and in each mission, the player can defeat a certain amount of enemies. At the end of each mission, the player can face a powerful enemy boss that makes the game more interesting with simple and smooth controls, enjoyable background music, and stunning 2D visuals. Wing Commander is an excellent Flight Simulation to play and enjoy.
#12 3D Galaxy Force II
3D Galaxy Force II is an Action-Adventure and Single-player video game developed and published by Sega for Nintendo 3DS. The game takes place in the fantasy-themed world where you control a ship from a third-person viewpoint to defeat enemies. The galaxy is in trouble because the Halcyon Empire is planning to take it over. Halcyon is the ruler of the invading Fourth Empire, marked Junos as his final target in the running campaign of world dominance.
There are different playable fighters available, and the game requires you to choose your favorite one before setting off on a journey to save the world. The game takes you to a 3D environment where you discover improved visuals with the support of a 16:9 widescreen. Different types of levels are there, and each one requires the completion of objectives. The game rewards you with points for each completed level and releases different power-ups to boost your abilities. 3D Galaxy Force II includes prominent features such as 3D Graphics, Superb Mechanics, and Wonderful Controls.
#13 Aces of the Galaxy
Aces of the Galaxy is a Single and Multiplayer Rail-Shooter video game created by Artech Digital Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment. Control a powerful spaceship and start his adventure to protect the galaxy from the massive alien enemies who will try to rule on them.
The player character is the last hope who can save the world. At the beginning of the game, the player can choose his ship and get into the challenging game world to defeat the massive alien force. Just like the other similar games. It also consists of multiple missions and in each new, the player can face lots of enemies, including a powerful enemy boss.
A massive range of weapons, various ships, different environments, and unlockable achievements are core features of the game. Aces of the Galaxy offer fantastic game mechanics and stunning visual details.
#14 StarBlade
StarBlade is a 3D, Arcade, Space-based, Rail Shooter, and Single-player video game by Namco. It is an enjoyable, fast-paced game specially made for the player who loves First-person Rail Shooter games. Before starting the game, you can choose one of the various spaceships and get into the fictional game world. Each ship has its own appearance and weapons. Just like the other similar games, it offers lots of power-ups during the gameplay, which the player can collect to progress.
It has many levels, and at the end of each level, the player must defeat a powerful boss to unlock the next one. After completing the series of levels, the game allows the player to unlock some special powers and spaceships that make the game more enjoyable. StarBlade also offers many key features such as multiple modes, hundreds of upgrades, unlockable achievements, various levels, superb game settings, simple controls, and stunning visual details.