Earth Defense Force

A video game franchise encompassing Jaleco's 1992 shoot 'em up and D3 Publisher's sci-fi third-person shooter series.

Action

33

Games

1992–2024

Years

18

Platforms

$24.27

Ø CIB

+29.4%

24M change

About

The Earth Defense Force series began as a 1992 side-scrolling shoot 'em up by Jaleco before transitioning into a popular 3D third-person shooter franchise published by D3 Publisher. Key titles in the modern shooter series include Earth Defense Force 2017 and the spin-off Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon. Players typically battle massive waves of alien invaders, giant insects, and colossal robots to protect Earth.

The franchise originated with Jaleco's Earth Defense Force (1992), a horizontal shoot 'em up released for arcades and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The intellectual property later shifted to D3 Publisher, where developer Sandlot reimagined it as a 3D action series within Japan's budget Simple 2000 line.

The series achieved breakout international success with Earth Defense Force 2017 (2007) on the Xbox 360. This release solidified the franchise's signature gameplay loop, featuring fully destructible cityscapes, hundreds of collectible weapons, and framerate-taxing hordes of enemies. It also introduced Storm 1, the legendary elite soldier who became a recurring focal point of the lore.

To appeal to Western audiences, D3 Publisher commissioned Vicious Cycle Software to develop Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon (2011). This spin-off departed from Sandlot's traditional formula by introducing distinct character classes—such as the Trooper, Jet, Tactical, and Battle armors—alongside a more structured leveling system and six-player survival modes. Throughout these iterations, the franchise has maintained a distinct B-movie charm, characterized by campy voice acting, cooperative multiplayer focus, and chaotic, physics-driven combat.