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Play Defender In The Weirdest Location
Posted by Michael McWhertor at 1:30 PM on July 19, 2008
Using a rather clever browser hack, someone's programmed a playable Defender clone into a favicon. If you don't know what a favicon is, it's that little 16 by 16 pixel graphic that appears in address bars and browser tabs. See that pink and chartreuse "K" up there? That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.
And if you don't know what Defender is, it's a classic sidescrolling arcade shooter released in 1980. Head on over to the Defender of the Favicon site to check it out. Won't take but a minute and fellow web developer types might just get a kick out of it.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
H
Posted July 20, 2008 9:23 PM
you mentioned Chartreuse?
best drink ever
Aetherium
Posted 2:16 PM 19/7/08
It's so hard because it's so small...
after a few minutes though I got the hang of it...
Not necessarily that fun...
and I don't know if it has any use in the future...
But cute...
Aetherium
ch777p
Posted 2:11 PM 19/7/08
Hey, ya know what would be even cooler than playing defender in a wierd place? - Playing a new Skies of Arcadia anywhere
ch777p
masterdingo
Posted 2:05 PM 19/7/08
Man, that's a crazy amount of work for something that itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini.
masterdingo
LittleBigPlaneteer
Posted 2:03 PM 19/7/08
This will be Billy Mitchell's new challenge. The next King of Favicon!
LittleBigPlaneteer
Wolfers
Posted 2:01 PM 19/7/08
Haha, that's just funny.
Wolfers
Neo_X
Posted 2:01 PM 19/7/08
Pure genius
Neo_X
LittleBigPlaneteer
Posted 2:01 PM 19/7/08
Kotaku make it your favicon for a day!
LittleBigPlaneteer
Snowdaddy
Posted 1:57 PM 19/7/08
whaaaa.... It took me forever to find the game on the link and then I found it......
This is awesome but i suck at it.
Snowdaddy
Jtn
Posted 1:49 PM 19/7/08
MY EYES!!!
Jtn
deathtastic
Posted 1:49 PM 19/7/08
Why is this more fun then half the games on the current gen???? Its just damn fun.
deathtastic
HanSolomente
Posted 1:46 PM 19/7/08
I was just saying to a friend of mine the other day. "Hey you know where I can find a 16 x 16 pixel version of Defender" and lo and behold here it is. Thanks Kotaku.
HanSolomente
kumuasata
Posted 1:45 PM 19/7/08
That is awesome!
kumuasata
Lezard
Posted 2:34 PM 19/7/08
Wow, I just tried it. It's pretty neat!
Lezard
xRiOT
Posted 2:24 PM 19/7/08
chartreuse? mike, you've been at the bar too long.
xRiOT
Coquiton
Posted 2:19 PM 19/7/08
@ch777p:
We know you want a SoA sequel. We really do. No need to post it in every thread.
Coquiton
Mii
Posted 2:47 PM 19/7/08
*magnifying glass not included
Mii
Sturmfaust
Posted 2:46 PM 19/7/08
I don't see the big deal.
Sturmfaust
dowingba
Posted 3:26 PM 19/7/08
@Sturmfaust: Have you ever seen an interactive favicon before?! No. You haven't.
dowingba
dowingba
Posted 3:25 PM 19/7/08
This is epic.
dowingba
WEGGLES90
Posted 3:14 PM 19/7/08
Where do you click to play it? When I go to the page it just has the IE logo and no link on that page links to a page where you can play it... :[
WEGGLES90
vrekman32
Posted 4:10 PM 19/7/08
@Neo_X:
Indeed
vrekman32
subterfunk
Posted 5:59 PM 19/7/08
OMFG WHY DID SOMEBODY MAKE THIS
subterfunk
Erwin
Posted 5:40 PM 19/7/08
Wow, this is insane. Sure, there are technical limitations that don't allow you to do some things in the game, but the fact they got a game to work there at all is very impressive.
Erwin
subterfunk
Posted 6:03 PM 19/7/08
@subterfunk: Sorry... I meant to say - Willard Wigen called, he wants his concept back!
subterfunk
Tycoonalex1337
Posted 7:35 PM 19/7/08
How do you start it? I can't see any "play" link.
Tycoonalex1337
HUmonster
Posted 8:11 PM 19/7/08
@Tycoonalex1337: Indeed, where do you have to click to get the game started! Somebody please! I adore tiny games!
HUmonster
Meldy
Posted 8:49 PM 19/7/08
@Tycoonalex1337: @HUmonster: I just pressed 'N'
Meldy
Kenofthedead
Posted 9:06 PM 19/7/08
There really needs to be a Robotron favicon game. Even the tiny people need saving.
Kenofthedead
snowlock
Posted 9:00 PM 19/7/08
Wow, that's bonkers.
fairly amazing, but completely bonkers.
ps i use firefox and had to turn off "search for text when i start typing,"
because otherwise pressing N was not working to start the game.
it does bring back what small memory i have retained from many years back.
defender for the 2600 was probably the game i played the most on that console.
snowlock
Protector one
Posted 9:33 PM 19/7/08
Awesome! Best game of show! Oh wait, this wasn't at E3.
Protector one
Tycoonalex1337
Posted 11:57 PM 19/7/08
@Tycoonalex1337:
P.S. I did read the press "n" to start, but I had the search for text when I type setting on in ff3.
Tycoonalex1337
Tycoonalex1337
Posted 11:56 PM 19/7/08
@Meldy: @snowlock:
Thank you!
Tycoonalex1337
exion
Posted 2:12 AM 20/7/08
omg h4x!!!!
lol, this is a great diversion, and makes me giddy when I think of the possibilities for this kind of thing!
Imagine hidden easter eggs in future game teasers!
exion
Sturmfaust
Posted 3:24 AM 20/7/08
@dowingba: [en.wikipedia.org]
Sturmfaust
dowingba
Posted 7:50 AM 20/7/08
@Sturmfaust: Yes, that's a nice...article. Is it your nappy time now, then?
dowingba
eoaa
Posted 10:00 AM 20/7/08
This is fantastic! Makes my eyes hurt from squintin' though.
eoaa
Sturmfaust
Posted 3:25 PM 20/7/08
@dowingba: I'm sorry if I upset you, I grew up in the slums of Baltimore with an abusive uncle and puns are my only outlet :(
Sturmfaust
alienorgy69
Posted 11:15 PM 20/7/08
Who needs next gen when we have stuff like this? Ingeniuty, not million dollar spectacles.
alienorgy69
ikagah
Posted 7:33 PM 19/7/08
This is a pretty amazing advancement. The part where something new works on my Opera browswer.
ikagah
layzeegrimm
Posted 2:16 PM 19/7/08
@Snowdaddy: So where exactly is this link at? I can't seem to find it...
layzeegrimm
layzeegrimm
Posted 2:15 PM 19/7/08
@Snowdaddy: So... where exactly is this link?? I can't seem to find it...
layzeegrimm
kostahansen.de
Posted 10:02 PM 19/7/08
Now i want a favicon-version of tetris. Although it might be kind of difficult to play on 16x16 ^^
kostahansen.de
MutantZappa
Posted 3:15 PM 19/7/08
This is great. You can tell by the comments, who the web developers are and aren't.
Personally, I love it. Albeit its hard to play, but who cares. I see this as a potential movement in web design.
MutantZappa
Muk1000
Posted 4:19 PM 20/7/08
Warning: Do not play while tired.
>_<
Muk1000
Zenanon
Posted 6:48 PM 19/7/08
Doesn't really work with Firefox 3...
:(
Zenanon
MrZeO
Posted 3:59 PM 19/7/08
Its just amazing the level of programming put in this.
MrZeO
Illist
Posted 3:30 PM 19/7/08
wow... best favicon ever period.
Now all others shall pale in comparison. I shall now expect every favicon to be playable.
Illist
stupidjason
Posted 3:24 AM 20/7/08
Finally a game I can play at work, and no one will be the wiser.
stupidjason