Ep.178 – Defending the Arcade: How Eugene Jarvis Made Defender

In 1981, Williams Electronics released Defender, a side-scrolling shooter that redefined arcade action and cemented Eugene Jarvis’s legacy. Our conversation explores how Jarvis, a pinball programmer turned video game pioneer, drew on his experience at Atari and Williams to craft one of the fastest, most demanding games of the Golden Age. We trace its evolution from prototypes inspired by Space Invaders and Asteroids to the creation of Defender’s scrolling world, radar display, and relentless alien swarms. We also discuss the high-pressure lead-up to its AMOA trade show debut, its slow but explosive rise in arcades, and how it became one of 1981’s top earners. Finally, we explore Jarvis’s later work with Vid Kidz and Raw Thrills. Join us as we scroll, shoot, and save humanity one pixel at a time on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.