''Earth Defense Force'', known in Japan as , is a

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

third-person shooter Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

series by

D3 Publisher is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher founded on February 5, 1992. The company is known for the ''Simple (video game series), Simple'' series of budget-priced video games. Their games have been released for the G ...

, originating as an offshoot of the ''

Simple Simple or SIMPLE may refer to: *Simplicity, the state or quality of being simple Arts and entertainment * ''Simple'' (album), by Andy Yorke, 2008, and its title track * "Simple" (Florida Georgia Line song), 2018 * "Simple", a song by John ...

'' series. As of 2024, it consists of eleven entries and six main installments, developed and published by various studios and publishers since 2003, primarily Sandlot. The series follows the titular Earth Defense Force (EDF), an international armed force that fights to defend

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

from

alien invasion Alien invasion or space invasion is a common feature in science fiction stories and films, in which extraterrestrial lifeforms invade Earth to exterminate and supplant human life, enslave it, harvest people for food, steal the planet's resource ...

s by

extraterrestrials Extraterrestrial life, or alien life (colloquially, aliens), is life that originates from another world rather than on Earth. No extraterrestrial life has yet been scientifically conclusively detected. Such life might range from simple forms ...

that field massive insectoids in their war against humanity. Individual ''Earth Defense Force'' releases generally receive mixed or average reviews, but the series has been lauded for its simplistic but entertaining premise and

campy Camp is an aesthetic and sensibility that regards something as appealing or amusing because of its heightened level of artifice, affectation and exaggeration, especially when there is also a playful or ironic element. ''Camp'' is historically ...

tone, and it maintains a strong

cult following A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...

Premise

''Earth Defense Force'' has roughly five separate continuities as of 2024. However, in general, all entries in the series share a similar basic premise, following the Earth Defense Force (EDF), a specialized multinational defense force established and supported by every country and staffed by the world's militaries, tasked with defending

and

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

ity from external threats. The vast majority of ''Earth Defense Force'' installments are set after the discovery of the Ravagers, an intelligent and organized

alien race Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, a lifeform with e ...

, with the formation of the EDF sometimes explained as being a precautionary measure. The Ravagers prove to be hostile and attempt to invade Earth, deploying massive insectoids such as

ant Ants are Eusociality, eusocial insects of the Family (biology), family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the Taxonomy (biology), order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from Vespoidea, vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cre ...

tick Ticks are parasitic arachnids of the order Ixodida. They are part of the mite superorder Parasitiformes. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, and species, but can become larger when engorged. Ticks a ...

pillbug Armadillidiidae is a family of woodlice, a terrestrial crustacean group in the order Isopoda. Unlike members of some other woodlice families, members of this family can roll into a ball, an ability they share with the outwardly similar but unr ...

beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

hornet Hornets (insects in the genus ''Vespa'') are the largest of the Eusociality, eusocial wasps, and are similar in appearance to yellowjackets, their close relatives. Some species can reach up to in length. They are distinguished from other Vespi ...

s, and

spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...

s to destroy Earth and exterminate humanity; this prompts the full-scale deployment of the EDF to fight back and repel the alien invasion. The series installments are mostly set during the 2017 invasion, during later invasions in 2019 and 2025, or, in different continuities such as the one introduced in ''Earth Defense Force 5'', 2022 and 2026. Several conflicts also feature alien races and enemy types distinct from the Ravagers and the insects, including the bipedal

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

-like Colonists (their "resemblance" to humans based on generic characteristics such as having two eyes is a

running gag A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are no ...

), the advanced grey alien-inspired Cosmonauts, the reality-bending but

genocidal Genocide is violence that targets individuals because of their membership of a group and aims at the destruction of a people. Raphael Lemkin, who first coined the term, defined genocide as "the destruction of a nation or of an ethnic group" b ...

Primers, assorted

robot A robot is a machine—especially one Computer program, programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions Automation, automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the robot control, co ...

s and probes fielded by the aliens, and various

kaiju is a Japanese term that is commonly associated with media involving giant monsters. Its widespread contemporary use is credited to ''tokusatsu'' (special effects) director Eiji Tsuburaya and filmmaker Ishirō Honda, who popularized the ''kaiju'' ...

. The EDF largely consists of

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

units and

armored fighting vehicle An armoured fighting vehicle (British English) or armored fighting vehicle (American English) (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour, generally combining operational mobility with offensive and defensive capabilities. AFVs can b ...

s, and the series entries typically depict the player as a member of either regular infantry or elite

special forces Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

. The game's playable characters are represented by different

character class In tabletop games and video games, a character class is an occupation, profession, or role assigned to a game character to highlight and differentiate their capabilities and specializations. In role-playing games (RPGs), character classes ag ...

es ("armors") that vary depending on the game, but across most entries the basic armors are the "Infantry"/"Trooper"/"Ranger", a standard all-rounded

soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer. Etymology The wo ...

wielding standard service weaponry and

explosives An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...

; the "Pale Wing"/"Wing Diver"/"Jet Lifter", a female special forces

scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom ** Scouts BSA, sect ...

with a light but vulnerable jet-powered winged suit; the "Fencer", a support soldier in a heavy but slow

exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the internal organs, in contrast to an internal endoskeleton (e.g. human skeleton, that ...

wielding heavy guns, powerful swords, and usually also a

ballistic shield A ballistic shield, also called a tactical shield or bulletproof shield, is a protection device deployed by police, paramilitary, paramilitaries, and military, armed forces that are designed to stop or deflect bullets and other projectiles fired a ...

; and the "Air Raider", a

logistical Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the point of consumption according to the needs of customers. Logi ...

technician A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skill and technique, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Specialisation The term technician covers many different special ...

reliant on controlling

close air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...

, drones, and requisitioning usable

combat vehicle A ground combat vehicle, also known as a land assault vehicle or simply a combat vehicle or an assault vehicle, is a land-based military vehicle intended to be used for combat operations. They differ from non-combat military vehicles such as M ...

s such as

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...

infantry fighting vehicle An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle and armoured personnel carrier used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct fire, direct-fire suppo ...

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...

hoverbike A hoverbike (or hovercycle) is a vehicle that can Levitation (physics), hover, resembling a flying motorcycle, motorbike, having at least two propulsive portions—one in front of and one behind the driver. It is often used as a staple vehicle in ...

s, and

mecha In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines, typically depicted as piloted, humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the meaning in Japan ...

Games

Main series

''Monster Attack'' (2003)

''Simple 2000 Series Vol. 31: The Chikyū Bōeigun'', released in Europe by

Agetec Agetec Inc. ("ASCII Game Entertainment Technology") was an American video game publishing company that was best known for bringing Japanese titles to the United States. The company was formed through ASCII Corporation, spinning off their American ...

as ''Monster Attack'', is the first main installment and the first game in the series overall, developed by Sandlot as part of D3 Publisher's ''

'' series for the

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...

. Set in 2017, it follows an informally-organized EDF that deploys after the world's militaries are devastated by the alien invasion, to fight a

pitched battle A pitched battle or set-piece battle is a battle in which opposing forces each anticipate the setting of the battle, and each chooses to commit to it. Either side may have the option to disengage before the battle starts or shortly thereafter. A ...

with the invaders in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

''Global Defence Force'' (2005)

''Chikyū Bōeigun 2'', released in Europe as ''Global Defence Force'', is the second main installment, developed by Sandlot for the

. Later rereleases for the

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...

in 2011 and the

PlayStation Vita The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, then in other international territories on February 22, 2012, and was produced ...

in 2014 and 2015 retitled it as ''Earth Defense Forces 2''. Set after ''Monster Attack'' in 2019, it follows the now-official EDF as they fight against another attack by massive insects, which culminates in a second alien invasion.

''Earth Defense Force 2017'' (2006)

''Chikyū Bōeigun 3'', released overseas as ''Earth Defense Force 2017'' and alternatively known as ''Earth Defense Force 3'', is the third main installment, developed by Sandlot for the

Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...

and

. A rerelease of the game for the

Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...

was released in Japan in 2021. It was the first game in the series to be released in North America and for a non-

PlayStation is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...

console, and includes local and online co-operative play. It essentially retells the events of the 2017 invasion depicted in ''Monster Attack'', from the perspective of Storm-1, an elite Japanese EDF unit that spearheads the fight against the aliens.

''Earth Defense Force 2025'' (2013)

''Chikyū Bōeigun 4'', released overseas as ''Earth Defense Force 2025'', is the fourth main installment, developed by Sandlot for the

and

PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, and both are part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. The PS3 was first released on ...

. It features four player online co-operative play. An updated port featuring cross-region multiplayer, ''Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair'', was released for the

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...

and

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

in 2015, and a

port was released in 2022. It is a direct sequel to ''Earth Defense Force 2017'' and follows the EDF's elite Storm Team during another war against a larger alien invasion in 2025.

''Earth Defense Force 5'' (2017)

''Chikyū Bōeigun 5'', released overseas as ''Earth Defense Force 5'', is the fifth main installment, developed by Sandlot for the

and

. It was announced at TGS 2016, released in Japan in 2017, and released in North America and Europe in 2018. It is a

reboot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...

of the series and follows the EDF, a private military company in this continuity, as they fight to repel a massive alien invasion in 2022.

''Earth Defense Force 6'' (2022)

''Chikyū Bōeigun 6'', released overseas as ''Earth Defense Force 6'', is the sixth main installment developed by Sandlot for the

PlayStation 5 The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...

, and

Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

. It was released in Japan in 2022, and was released in North America and Europe in spring 2024. It currently has the most missions of any entry in the series, with almost 150 missions not counting expansion content. Set three years after ''Earth Defense Force 5'', when the Primers return to a battered Earth and render the planet nearly uninhabitable and humanity almost extinct, the game follows the EDF's remnants as they use a Primer

time portal Time travel is a common theme in fiction, mainly since the late 19th century, and has been depicted in a variety of media, such as literature, television, and film. The concept of time travel by mechanical means was popularized in H. G. Wells' ...

time travel Time travel is the hypothetical activity of traveling into the past or future. Time travel is a concept in philosophy and fiction, particularly science fiction. In fiction, time travel is typically achieved through the use of a device known a ...

back to the events of ''Earth Defense Force 5'' to prevent humanity's defeat, but interference from the Primers causes a

time loop The time loop or temporal loop is a plot device in fiction whereby Character (arts), characters re-experience a span of time which is repeated, sometimes more than once, with some hope of breaking out of the cycle of repetition. Time loops are co ...

as both vie to change the course of history.

Spin-offs

''Space War Attack'' (2005)

''Simple 2000 Vol. 78: The Great Space War'' (THE 宇宙大戦争, ''Za Uchū Daisensō''), released as ''Space War Attack'' in Europe, is a flight combat simulator game developed by BIT TOWN for the PlayStation 2.

''Global Defence Force Tactics'' (2006)

''Chikyū Bōeigun: Tactics'', released in Europe as ''Global Defence Force Tactics'', is a

turn-based strategy Strategy video game is a major video game genre that focuses on analyzing and strategizing over direct quick reaction in order to secure success. Although many types of video games can contain strategic elements, the strategy genre is most commo ...

game developed by thinkArts for the

. It is set after the events of ''Global Defence Force'' and is essentially a continuation of its plot from a command perspective instead of the on-the-ground perspective of the main installments.

''Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon'' (2011)

''Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon'' is a spin-off developed by

Vicious Cycle Software Vicious Cycle Software was an American video game developer, video game development company based in Morrisville, North Carolina. History Vicious Cycle was founded in 2000 by Eric Peterson, Dave Ellis (game designer), Dave Ellis, Marc Racine, a ...

for the

, and

. It was the first game in the series to be developed outside Japan and also the first to feature online co-op. It is essentially an "Americanized" rendition of the ''Earth Defense Force'' series, and follows American EDF forces as they defend the United States from aliens and insects, presented as a non-canon "side story" to ''Earth Defense Force 2017''.

''TapWars: Earth Defense Force 4.1'' (2016)

''TapWars: Earth Defense Force 4.1'' is a

mobile game A mobile game is a video game that is typically played on a mobile phone. The term also refers to all games that are played on any Mobile device, portable device, including from mobile phone (feature phone or smartphone), tablet computer, table ...

developed by Esquadra and released for

iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...

and Android in 2016.

''Earth Defense Force 4.1: Wing Diver The Shooter'' (2017)

''Earth Defense Force 4.1: Wing Diver The Shooter'' is a direct spin-off of ''Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair''. Developed by Clouds Inc. and Giga-Rensya Inc., it is a vertical scrolling 3D shooting game. It was initially released as a downloadable title on the Japanese PlayStation Store for PlayStation 4 on November 22, 2017, and saw a worldwide release via Steam on April 25, 2018.

''Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain'' (2019)

''Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain'' is a spin-off developed by

Yuke's Yuke's Co. Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer based in Osaka. It was established on February 26, 1993 by Yukinori Taniguchi. The company is best known for developing the ''WWE'' video game series, based on the professional wrestling promo ...

for the

and

. Announced at TGS 2017, it is a non-canon spin-off story intended for Western audiences (similar to ''Insect Armageddon'') with little relation to Sandlot's entries and an overall presentation intended to be "more serious than the series' traditional campy tone." Set in an alternate 2040 following years of conflict since the first alien invasion in 2028, the game follows the now-downtrodden EDF's Blast Team as they attempt to fight back against a world largely claimed by the aliens and insects, while also clashing with the Kindred Rebellion, a rebel army composed of disillusioned EDF soldiers.

''Earth Defense Force: World Brothers'' (2020)

''Earth Defense Force: World Brothers'' is a voxel graphics spin-off developed by Yuke's for the

, and

. It was released in Japan in 2020 in Japan and in North America and Europe in 2021. It features character-switching gameplay unique for the series, allowing the player to control a squad of four characters. ''World Brothers'' features a more light-hearted plot and tone than the rest of the series, and is intended as an homage to the series as a whole, featuring characters and references from previous entries. The plot revolves around the EDF's fight against aliens who manage to physically shatter Earth into multiple pieces, cutting off the EDF's divisions and preventing aid and resupplies. Unbeknownst to them, the aliens are under

mind control Mind control may refer to: Psychology and neurology * Brainwashing, the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques * Brain–computer interface * Hypnosis * Neuroprosthetics, the technology of cont ...

by the Dark Tyrant, an evil entity seeking to destroy Earth; in a twist on the series' usual premise, the EDF tries to free the aliens and insects to team up with them against the Dark Tyrant.

''Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2'' (2024)

''Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2'' is a voxel graphics spin-off developed by Yuke's for the

, and

. It was released September 26th, 2024. The game features a similar plot to the original ''World Brothers'', with the EDF investigating another shattering of Earth, this time caused by the Gaiark, an entity within the planet itself.

Reception

Despite generally mixed reviews, the ''Earth Defense Force'' series, particularly from ''Earth Defense Force 2017'' and onwards, has been described as having a cult following. Joe Juba of ''

Game Informer ''Game Informer'' (''GI'' is an American monthly Video game journalism, video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and video game console, game consoles. It debuted in August 1991, when the video game reta ...

'' defined ''Earth Defense Force 2017'' as a cult classic, stating that "the developers at Sandlot clearly want to tell a story about humanity's struggle against giant invading ants and robots, and the passion for that story shines through despite its technical shortcomings"; in reviewing ''Earth Defense Force 5'' five years later, he similarly opined that the series has "always had a single-minded commitment to one simple truth: It's fun to use weird weapons to blast lots of aliens." Though James Stephanie Sterling gave ''Earth Defense Force 2025'' a negative review, she did acknowledge that the series "has managed to earn itself a fierce cult following through audacity alone".

Notes

References

External links

* {{Sandlot Video games about alien invasions Bandai Namco Entertainment franchises Military science fiction video games Sandlot games Third-person shooters Video game franchises Video game franchises introduced in 2003 Video games about insects