The Defenders of the Earth Games Book was produced by Hippo Books in the UK in 1987. The board games are presented in a book style format, licensed through Yaffa Characters Licensing as approved by King Features Syndicate and printed by NSC Cartons Ltd. The book is created by Tim Wood and illustrated by Jan Nesbitt.

The Defenders of the Earth Games Book contains 5 board games which are detachable, with all tokes and components required to play the games found on the back cover, requiring them to be pushed out. The book measures 30.5cm x 20.3cm, with the board games measuring 30.5cm x 216cm once folded opened for playing.

The 5 board games are all printed in full color with a gloss finish titled Ming’s Maze of Death, Blast-Off, Combat, Battle With Mongor and Ice Robot. Instructions on how to play each game are found on the surface of each respective game board.

Game instructions as provided by Hippo Books can be seen below.

Ming’s Maze of Death Game Instructions

Not available.

Blast-Off Game Instructions

Rules (7 players). Ming and his evil minions have ambushed the Defenders in a deserted city on an unknown moon. They have triggered o solar bomb and now both sides must roce desperately to take off in their ships. Choose to be either the Defenders or Ming. Each player needs the eight character counters for his/her chosen side, Start off the board. Use your spin either to put one of your counters on the board (introduce them one at a time) or to move o counter already on the board. The first four numbered squares are safe (only one counter at a time can occupy any of these squares). Once counters are past these squares they can be captured by an enemy counter landing on them and must start again. First player to get all eight counters into his/her ship wins (you do not have to spin the exact number to leave the end of the board).

Combat Game Instructions

Rules (2 players). The Defenders are lining up for a final battle against Ming and his evil minions. Choose to be either the Defenders or Ming. Place on the board the sixteen counters that match the pictures (eight counters per player). Each character shown on the board has a power number to indicate their fighting skill. (The two ice robot counters with blue backgrounds go on the +2 Ice Robot squares.) The aim of the game is to place one of your counters in your enemy’s purple square. Whoever does this first is the winner. 1. Defenders move first. 2. Players play alternately, moving one counter one square along any straight line in any direction except diagonally. 3. Only one piece con occupy a single square. 4. A counter is knocked out and removed from the board if an enemy counter with a higher power number moves on to its square. 5. If counters with the same power number meet, the counter moving on to the square wins. 6. The yellow squares are force fields. Any counter on a force field square is weakened and its character’s power number falls to 0 while the counter is on that square (except for counters with power number 1 who stay the same). 7. Counters with power number 1 can jump over the force field square(s) in any direction in a straight line except diagonally. A jump lasts a whole turn. 8. A player cannot occupy his/her own purple square with one of his/her own counters.

Battle With Mongor Game Instructions

Rules (2-4 players). The children are imprisoned in Ice Station Earth. The Defenders must battle with Mongor to rescue them. Each player needs five counters – one adult Defender and one set of children all of the same colour. Place all the adult Defender counters in the centre of the board with Mongor. Place all the children counters on the correct squares at the corners of the board. Players spin in turn to move or fight. You must first battle with Mongor to escape. Spin once for you then once for Mongor. If your total is higher, you have won. On your next turn you can spin to escape. If you draw or lose, you must wait till your next spin to battle again (keep spinning until you defeat Mongor). In order to escape, you must spin 1, 3, 5 or 6. You can then move down the correct numbered passage on to the track. If you spin 2 or 4, you fail to escape and must try again on your next turn. You can move in any direction but you cannot change direction during a move except by landing on a hazard on the board. When you land on one of the corner squares you can release the child there by removing the child counter of your colour from the board. Obey all instructions on the track. If you land on SWAP you can swap your playing counter with any other player. If you land on TRAP you must move back to the center to fight and escape as you did at the start of the game. (Note that the TRAP square does not count as a TRAP when you land on it just after escaping from Mongor). First player to release all their four children wins.

Ice Robot Game Instructions

Rules (2-4 players). Ming has ordered his scientists to develop a new, more powerful Ice Robot. You have to prove that your machine can pass o simple test. Unfortunately, the Robot does not always work perfectly. Each player needs one Ice Robot counter (each counter should have a different-coloured background, so that you know whose counter is which). Place the counters in Ming’s Control Room to start. The aim of the game is to move your counter out of Door A through the corridors and back into the Control Room through Door B. The first to do this has won. 1. Players move in turn according to the number shown on the spinner. Counters cannot change direction during a turn except for the rules below. 2. If you pass through a square where corridors cross, you can stop and then spin again on your next turn to decide the new direction in which to go (follow the direction of the number which matches the number you have spun). If you spin o number which does not appear on the crossroads, wait and spin again next turn. When you know in which direction to go, spin again to move. 3. If you pass through on AIRLOCK square, move your counter up to twelve squares in any direction. You may change direction as many times as you like during this move. 4. If you pass through a numbered circle, you con immediately move your counter to the matching numbered circle on the board if you wont. 5. If you reach a dead end, you must turn round and use up your turn moving back the way you come (unless this is on AIRLOCK or numbered circle).

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