Defender II is a horizontally scrolling shooter, ported to the NES by HAL Laboratory from the 1981 Williams arcade game Stargate — the sequel to Defender. Players pilot a ship across a wrapping planet, destroying alien waves and rescuing humanoids from abduction while using a radar scanner, smart bombs, and hyperspace. It renames Stargate to preserve the trademark.
How To Play Defender II
Control
Action
D-Pad Up / Down
Move the ship vertically
D-Pad Left / Right
Reverse the ship’s facing direction
A Button
Thrust (accelerate)
B Button
Fire laser
Select
Smart bomb (clears on-screen enemies)
Start
Hyperspace / pause
About Defender II
Release date
NES (JP, as Stargate): September 24, 1987 · NES (NA): July 1988 (arcade original: 1981)
Developer
Vid Kidz (original arcade); HAL Laboratory (NES port)
Publisher
HAL Laboratory / HAL America (NES); Williams (arcade)
Platform
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES); originally Arcade, plus many ports
Sheldon has spent over a decade immersed in retro gaming, from NES classics to arcade gems. He's deeply passionate about preserving gaming history and helping others rediscover these timeless titles. When he's not gaming, Shaun writes about the evolution of video games and their cultural impact.
