Arcade Classic No 4 - Defender & Joust (GB)

In the Arcade Classic No 4 - Defender & Joust collection on Game Boy Color, players will experience two classic arcade titles with unique and challenging gameplay.

With Defender, you assume the role of a pilot controlling an advanced spaceship, soaring through a continuously side-scrolling world. Your primary mission is to protect the surviving humans, also known as humanoids, from being abducted by aggressive aliens. The main enemies are the Landers, who will attempt to grab humanoids and fly them upwards. If a Lander successfully abducts a humanoid, it transforms into a faster and more dangerous Mutant. You must use your laser gun to eliminate enemies, and you can also deploy limited smart bombs to clear the screen when overwhelmed. A radar display at the top of the screen helps you track the positions of all humanoids and enemies across the expansive map. The goal is to destroy all enemies in a wave to advance to the next stage. If all humanoids are abducted, all remaining Landers will transform into Mutants, creating an extreme survival challenge.

Switching to Joust, you embody a valiant knight riding a giant ostrich or stork. The gameplay revolves around flying within a confined arena and defeating opposing knights. The flight mechanics are controlled by pressing a button to flap your wings and ascend, while gravity pulls you downwards. To defeat an opponent, you must strike them with your lance from a higher position. If you collide from below or at the same level, you will be defeated. When an opponent is vanquished, an egg will drop. You must quickly collect this egg before it hatches into a new knight. Be wary of the lava pit at the bottom of the screen, as touching it will result in losing a life. Occasionally, a large pterodactyl will also appear; they are fast and challenging to defeat but yield significant bonus points. Joust demands skillful control and precise positional judgment to emerge victorious.