Not to be confused with the “Remastered” Windows version released in 2002, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a complete recreation of the famous video game Defender of the Crown, initially released in 1986. In the video game Defender of the Crown, the player assumes the role of the mythical folk outlaw in his journey to restore the crown of England. This occurs when Richard Lionheart is taken prisoner during the Crusades, and his brother John Lackland usurps the throne and abandons him for dead in the Holy Land, drawing the ire of various knights. The player aims to rescue Richard from the Holy Land and reclaim the monarchy. During a heated debate, he accused his opponents of being traitors, ultimately leading to the outbreak of civil war.
The player now takes on the role of Robin Hood himself (instead of selecting one of four imposters), the graphics are in full 3D, there is a storyline integrated into the game, and the objective of the game is to be the first to reach and conquer King John’s fortress in Cornwall. Several of the game’s other elements have also been updated. To accomplish this goal, the player must first construct an army large enough to hold sufficient shires, which are responsible for generating income via taxes. This money could then be used to hire additional forces (peasants, archers, footmen, and the great knights and catapults), or it might be used to pay King Richard’s ransom, which would allow for the enlistment of loyalist knights.
As in the first game, the action occurs on a turn-based map of England. The player chooses which steps to take, such as using Little John’s army to conquer a neighboring shire and hiring soldiers either for him or territory defense, raiding a castle or caravan, building strongholds, holding tournaments, or spying on the other lords using Maid Marian’s contacts on the court. Each of the attacking actions triggers aEach of the attacking efforts triggers aEach of the attacking efforts triggers a brief version of one of the following minigames:
The archery raid is the first of the side quests to become available. In this mode, the player plays the Robin Hood role, hiding in a tree and watching the drama unfold below him. The objective of the minigame is to use Robin’s dependable bow and arrow to shoot the cavalry guards and the convoy as they pass by his location. Since several soldiers are armed with a bow, Robin can use the log as cover while concealing himself behind it.
If the player assaults a protected territory, the game will become strategic. In this mode, the combat will take place on a field with three lanes, and the objective will be to either destroy the adversary’s defenses or cause him to leave by making direct attacks on each street.
The player engages in swordplay against one or more adversaries, the number of which is determined by the environment. The objective is straightforward: slice everyone by launching blows while dodging and parrying the impacts that are dealt to you by your opponents. During raids, there is also a countdown that displays the amount of time remaining before daylight. If Robin cannot escape before the timer reaches zero, or if he is murdered, he will be imprisoned.
Both armies are stationed on opposite ends of a multi-lane battlefield to facilitate real-time combat, which takes place between these two groups. The player decides which lanes to attack (or defend), and if they are successful, the enemy will suffer enough unit losses to either abandon the area or simply wait for their deaths.
During a tournament, jousting allows the participant to compete for fame, gold, and land. After selecting an adversary, he first works on building up enough speed, then hurls the spear at the adversary to dismount him from his horse.
Castles guard some theories, and a siege must first be commenced to take control of these shires. To accomplish this goal, the player must first load up on catapults and then destroy the fortification by hurling rocks at each of its walls. The more damage done to a wall, representing a component of the defending army, the simpler it is to break through that wall.
