Play Ocean City Defender Online

Game Overview

Ocean City Defender is one of those obscure Atari 2600 gems that somehow slipped under the radar. You man a coastal defense turret, blipping away at pixelated enemy ships and planes that creep in from the edges of the screen. It’s simple—just move and shoot—but those early 80s games had a way of making straightforward mechanics feel tense.

The invaders come in predictable patterns at first, then suddenly zig when you expect them to zag. I kept mistiming my shots against the bombers, watching helplessly as their payloads wiped out chunks of my city. There’s something weirdly satisfying about the chunky explosion sounds when you finally nail a perfect hit.

It’s no Asteroids or Space Invaders, but if you dig digging up forgotten arcade-style relics, this Zellers-distributed oddball has a certain charm. The fact that it’s hard to find these days just makes sinking a few rounds into it feel like uncovering buried treasure.