Defender, Williams Electronics’ side-scrolling space shooter from 1980, was built on intense rescue mechanics, blistering speed, and a control scheme that challenged even the most seasoned arcade veterans. This episode covers how it was developed by a rookie video game team led by Eugene Jarvis, the hardware and sound innovations that powered its chaotic gameplay, the high-level strategies that separate casual players from legends, and how it became one of the most challenging and iconic arcade games of all time.