Revenge of Defender

Aka Starglider 2 with an attitude, Revenge of Defender (or Defender of the Crown’s evil twin in name only) is a 3D space shooter where your main enemy is not the aliens—it’s the frame rate. Piloting your sleek fighter through wireframe space, you’ll blast baddies, dodge polygons, and occasionally wonder if your joystick is plotting against you. The soundtrack is pure late-'80s sci-fi cheese, and the explosions are—well, let’s say abstract. But when the game’s firing on all cylinders, it feels like a rebellious cousin to Elite. Fast, frantic, and unapologetically old-school.