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1%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
2[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/defender_pinball.jpg]]
3%%[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]
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5''Defender'' is a PhysicalPinballTable designed by Creator/BarryOursler and Creator/JoeKaminkow, and illustrated by Constantino and Jeanine Mitchell. It was released in 1982 by Creator/WilliamsElectronics as a PinballSpinoff of their popular ''VideoGame/{{Defender}}'' arcade game.
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7While other LicensedPinballTables of the time simply themed a generic table with the licensee's images and ideas, ''Defender'' attempted to replicate the video game's rules and structures into a pinball paradigm. In each wave, the player must protect ten Humanoids from being abducted by Landers and turned into Mutants; take too long to destroy the Landers, and Baiters will pop up from the playfield to thwart your shots. Hit the Pods to access the Warp target, then shoot down the Swarmers to open the Stargate. Skillful players will judiciously use Smart Bombs to destroy all enemies, while a well-timed press of the Reverse button will save wayward balls from draining down the left outlane.
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9''Defender'' was released at a time when pinball games were on the decline, and Williams only managed to sell an anemic 369 tables.
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11!! The ''Defender'' pinball demonstrates the following tropes:
12%%* AlienInvasion
13* AsteroidsMonster: The Pods, which unleash Swarmers when hit.
14* DoorToBefore: The Stargate returns balls from draining down the right outlane and returns it to the plunger.
15* MooksButNoBosses: As with the video game, you fight against {{Mooks}} of all sorts, but there is nothing resembling a boss to be seen.
16* NintendoHard: The wave-based gameplay and the manually-activated Reverse kickback tend to trip up unaware players. If an operator removes the center post between the flippers, the game becomes even harder as a result.
17%%* PlanetLooters: The Landers.
18* SmartBomb: Activated by pressing a second button on the right side of the cabinet; it destroys all enemies currently on the playfield.
19* SpaceIsNoisy: Averted; unlike other pinball games of the era, ''Defender'' does not include any background sound effects, to emulate its VideoGame source.
20* StalkedByTheBell: Like its video game namesake, Baiters will appear to interfere with the player if he takes too long to destroy the Landers.
21* WarpZone: Hitting the Warp target takes the player ahead three levels.

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