Defender 1982 By: Atari/Williams

Storyline:

RESCUE THE HUMANOIDS

Earth's "friendship" signals, beamed into deep space and beyond the Milky Way, have attracted extraterrestrial beings, all right, but not the ones we expected. Now wave after wave of warlike Aliens from some unidentified solar system "home in" and attack. In the cockpit of Universal Space Ship Defender, you wait tensely, watching your scanner for approaching aliens. There they are! First comes a lone Bomber, laying space mines. You pick that off with your laser missiles with no trouble. But an innocent-looking Pod ship explodes when you hit it, releasing clusters of missile- splitting Swarmers. Whew! That was close! Now what? Your Scanner shows a convoy of saucer-shaped Baiters coming fast and escorting a squadron of Landers. Space Intelligence has informed you that the Landers' diabolical mission is to kidnap Earth's Humanoids and transform them into hideous flying Mutants programmed to destroy the cities and take over the Earth.

In the city below, Humanoids run helter-skelter through the streets like frightened ants. Some cower in doorways, hoping, no doubt, that the Landers will overlook them. No chance! Look! See that terrified Humanoid wriggling helplessly in the force of the Lander beam? No time to lose! Thrust out and blast that Lander with your laser missiles. There! That got him. Now dive down and catch the Humanoid. Hurry! Hurry! He's falling fast!

--From the Atari 2600 Defender instruction manual.