Play Defender of the Crown on GBA Online

Defender of the Crown on GBA drops you into medieval England right after the king’s been murdered—chaos everywhere, Saxons and Normans at each other’s throats, and Robin Hood (yep, that one) giving you the rundown. You start with a single castle and a handful of soldiers, which feels way too small when everyone else is eyeing your land.

At first, I just tried to build up my army and take the nearest territory, but then I got distracted by a jousting tournament. Turns out, timing the lance just right to knock some pompous knight off his horse is way more satisfying than it should be. Sometimes you win land, sometimes just bragging rights—either way, it beats getting ambushed by your so-called Saxon allies.

Oh, and if you’re feeling dramatic, you can always raid a castle for gold or, uh, romance. Nothing says "strategic alliance" like marrying a princess because her dad’s castle had good loot. The mix of conquest and random events keeps it from feeling like a straight-up war sim. Just don’t expect your "friends" to stay loyal.