The basic object is to take over all of medieval Britain by capturing the home castle of each leader. You do this with a campaign army made up of soldiers, knights, and catapults. Besides fighting other armies and taking over their castles, you can also conduct raids and participate in jousts, which can be played either for fame or for land. In a raid, you can raid a rivals castle for gold, or if the chance arrives, rescue a saxon maiden who will become your wife.

If there is any criticism that can be levelled against this excellent game, it is that the action elements are sometimes too difficult-- jousting experienced opponents can be a chore, as can the side-scrolling sword fights that take place during the raid or maiden rescue. Aside from this minor complaint, Defender of The Crown is one of the most atmospheric and truly cinematic games you'll likely find. As with all other Cinemaware games, beautifully drawn intermissions and cutscenes are included. This is the rarer EGA version of the game released by Mirrorsoft which puts it on par with the Commodore 64 version, with vibrant graphics and the same gameplay that we all know and love. Two thumbs up!

Note: The game file is available for download with permission from Cinemaware, Inc. All Cinemaware game files are copyright (c) 1985-2000, Cinemaware, Inc. All rights reserved.