09/03/2026
🕹️ Trivia Answer: Defender!
Williams' Defender wasn't interested in keeping things simple.
Its control panel gave players a two-way joystick plus five buttons: Fire, Thrust, Reverse, Smart Bomb and Hyperspace.
The controls were so intimidating that operators initially worried players would give up on the game. Instead, mastering them became part of the appeal. By spring 1981, Defender had surpassed Asteroids as the top-earning arcade video game, and Williams ultimately sold more than 55,000 cabinets.
Turns out “make it easier” isn't always the answer.