In last week’s review of old-fashioned platformer Emberwind, I commented that iOS developers were seemingly trying to recreate the halcyon days of the Amiga era.
Well, Defenders of the Crown goes one step further - it's a straight emulation of Cinemaware’s classic 1986 title.
If the years have treated other 16-bit games kindly, they haven’t been too generous to Kellyn Beck’s historical strategy title. Defender of the Crown is interesting as a gaming history lesson, but sadly that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable to play.
The game begins in 1149, with England in chaos after the king’s assassination leaves no heir to the throne. Encouraged by Robin of Locksley, you assemble a Saxon army and set off to defeat your Norman rivals and conquer the land.
Sir Ulrich von LichtensteinYou have the choice of four characters, each with different strengths and weaknesses – one might be an expert swordsman but merely an average leader, for example. All have faintly silly names like Wilfred of Ivanhoe and Geoffrey Longsword.
There are several options open to you on each turn. You can choose to hold a jousting tournament, seek to conquer an area of the kingdom, raid an enemy’s castle, build up your army, or read the map to find out which territories are most susceptible to attack.
Jousting involves a basic mini-game where you need to guide your wobbly lance into the middle of an opponent’s shield. Get it right, and your opponent falls off and you move onto the next round until all are defeated.
Quick and to the pointYou can joust for land or for fame – the benefits of the former are obvious, but gaining popularity is worthwhile if you want to increase your leadership rating.
If you’re seeking a conquest, you’ll need to first build your campaign army, which involves taking troops from those defending your castle. Undefended lands are always captured, but you usually meet some resistance and will lose a few men.
(On one occasion all five of my soldiers died yet the land was still claimed. Presumably the last soldier keeled over as he plunged the flag into the earth.)
Alternatively, you could raid an enemy castle to raise treasure to spend on your army. Here you’ll lead a small band of swordsmen in a side-scrolling interlude where you'll tap the screen to thrust your sword into any enemies that get in the way. Fail, and you’ll need to pay your way out.
Boulder bashFinally, once you’ve earned enough to buy a catapult you can attempt to demolish an enemy’s stronghold. Knock down the castle wall and the ensuing fight becomes easier, though it’s hugely dependent on numbers.
If you don’t have as many men as your opponent you’ll invariably lose, regardless of whether you order them to attack ferociously or to stand their ground.
Indeed, for a strategy game, the tactical element is absurdly simplistic – essentially, whoever has the most troops wins.
Amiga dourWhat may have been cutting-edge at the time now looks horribly outdated. The lack of any visual or aural feedback in the jousting and fighting leaves you baffled as to your frequent failures.
There are fleeting highlights. A neat interface sees you controlling an on-screen mouse pointer with your finger, while the action is displayed on a screen featuring the Amiga logo.
Yet those wishing to avoid having their rose-tinted memories tainted would be best advised to give this no-frills port a miss.