Pixel Arcade
About this game
Missile Defense is a pointer game. Warheads streak down from the top of the screen toward six cities and three missile batteries, and your only tool is a counter-missile that flies to wherever you click and then detonates into an expanding sphere. You never shoot anything directly; you place explosions where things are going to be.
Click or tap to fire, and the nearest battery with ammo launches. Ammunition is limited per wave and does not carry over, so the discipline is spending shots on clustered threats rather than picking off single warheads. Each wave gets faster, adds warheads that split into three mid-flight, and later introduces bombers and smart bombs that steer around your blasts.
Scoring gives 25 points per warhead destroyed, multiplied by the wave number, plus 100 for each unused counter-missile and 100 for each city still standing at the end of a wave — so ammo conservation is directly worth points. Cities are restored occasionally as a bonus, but a destroyed battery comes back every wave.
The single best habit is to fire early and high: a blast placed near the top of the screen catches missiles while they are still bunched together. Pointer-driven defence games were unusual in an era of joysticks, and this one is easily the most natural fit for a phone in the whole hall.
FAQ
Why do I keep missing?
You are probably aiming at the missile instead of ahead of it. The blast takes time to travel and to expand — lead the target.
What is the best way to score?
Chain reactions. A warhead destroyed inside your blast creates its own explosion, which can take out several more.
Is this better with a mouse?
Yes, and it works just as well with a touchscreen. It is the one game here that does not want a joystick.
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