Current version:Famicom / NES
Defender of the Crown

Defender of the Crown

NES port of Defender of the Crown. The Age of Chivalry! A time of lusty wenches and black hearted villains. King Richard has been murdered and England is thrown into civil war! Amidst the ringing clash of steel and the thunder of charging steeds the bold Saxon knights have chosen you to lead them into battle against the hated Normans. Victory will not come easy. To save England your skills as swordsman and military leader will be severely tested. But should you succeed you’ll win the Crown of England and the love of many a beautiful damsel!

AI score · out of 10
7.7 / 10
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About this game

NES port of Defender of the Crown. The Age of Chivalry! A time of lusty wenches and black hearted villains. King Richard has been murdered and England is thrown into civil war! Amidst the ringing clash of steel and the thunder of charging steeds the bold Saxon knights have chosen you to lead them into battle against the hated Normans. Victory will not come easy. To save England your skills as swordsman and military leader will be severely tested. But should you succeed you’ll win the Crown of England and the love of many a beautiful damsel!

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Famicom / NES

AI review

AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:

7.7 / 10Famicom / NES

Defender of the Crown is assessed here as a specific FC/NES release with its documented strengths and practical limits kept in view.

NES port of Defender of the Crown. The Age of Chivalry! A time of lusty wenches and black hearted villains. King Richard has been murdered and England is thrown into civil war! Amidst the ringing clash of steel and the thunder of charging steeds the bold Saxon knights have chosen you to lead them into battle against the hated Normans. Victory will not come easy. To save England your skills as swordsman and military leader will be severely tested. But should you succeed you’ll win the Crown of England and the love of many a beautiful damsel! This assessment focuses on the specific FC or NES release and on the play actions, goals, and progression documented for Defender of the Crown. Its value comes from how clearly the central rules create decisions and feedback across a session. Pacing is judged by the variety of situations, the learning curve, recovery after failure, and the reason to replay. Presentation is considered through readability, animation, sound, and the consistency of the game's style rather than by modern resolution. Practical limits such as period controls, guidance, saving, or required accessories are included only when they affect this release. Players who enjoy learning compact systems and improving through repeated attempts are the clearest audience, while anyone seeking modern convenience should review those version-specific limits first.

Strengths

  • The documented central loop gives Defender of the Crown a clear identity and a learnable set of goals.
  • Progress rewards understanding the rules and applying them more consistently across repeated situations.

Weaknesses

  • The original release can create friction through its documented difficulty, guidance, control, or recovery limits.

Who it is for: Players interested in the original FC/NES design and willing to learn its period-specific rules.

Play notes: Check the documented language, saving, accessory, and recovery conditions for this exact release.

View scoring basis
DimensionReview stateScoreWeight
Dimension

The content pacing score applies the V3 boundary to the documented mechanics, pacing, presentation, and FC release constraints.

Reviewed7.7 / 10Not provided
Dimension

The core experience score applies the V3 boundary to the documented mechanics, pacing, presentation, and FC release constraints.

Reviewed7.7 / 10Not provided
Dimension

The presentation immersion score applies the V3 boundary to the documented mechanics, pacing, presentation, and FC release constraints.

Reviewed8.3 / 10Not provided
Dimension

The technical usability score applies the V3 boundary to the documented mechanics, pacing, presentation, and FC release constraints.

Reviewed7.2 / 10Not provided

Review sources

Not provided

Core information

Developer
Cinemaware
Publisher
Konami
Release date
1989
Platforms
Famicom / NES
Content kind
Game
Release state
Released
Region
Worldwide
Official website
Not provided
Offline minimum players
Not provided
Offline maximum players
Not provided
Online minimum players
Not provided
Online maximum players
Not provided
Tags
WarSolo-friendly2D GraphicsMedievalResource ManagementExplorationSide-scrollingFantasyTop-downRetro StyleHistoricalPixel Art
Supported game languages
Not provided
Requires base game
Not provided
Standalone
Not provided
Age ratings
Not provided
Play modes
Single player
Perspectives
Side viewIsometricTop-down

Release editions

Sources

Not provided