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Few joys in gaming are as satisfying as setting up killzones and laying waste to waves of enemies with strategically placed weaponry that auto-fire and incrimentally upgrade. After all, our ol’ lizard brains are hardwired to see those numbers go up and our defences get bigger and bigger until… total domination. (Cue: maniacal laughter!) So, to honor the genre, we thought we’d whip together a list of the top 10 best tower defense games and rank them for your reading pleasure. So, without further delay, let’s pull the trigger!
10) Unholy Heights
- Platforms: Switch, 3DS, PS4, PS Vita, PC, Xbox 360
- Release Date: September 2012
Nabbing the wooden spoon is Petit Depotto’s colorful and zany take on the genre. Instead of building traditional towers, however, you’ll rather be managing your very own hotel brimming with various monsters. Each critter boasts its own strengths and weaknesses, and you’ll have to house them in strategic positions as they don’t always get along with their neighbours. As the game’s day/night cycle plays out, you’ll be tasked with fending off waves of virtuous heroes in real-time combat. Keep upgrading your hotel to help entice even more menacing creatures to your hotel to help you crush those wimpy goody two-shoes’. Sometimes, it’s good being bad, right?
9) Defender’s Quest: Valley of the Forgotten
- Platforms: PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, PC
- Release Date: 30 October 2012
If you’re a hardened traditionalist, who likes their tower defense games to possess that instant pick-up-and-play feel, then Level Up Labs’ fantasy take on the medium is a surefire win. Blending RPG elements with conventional tower defense gameplay, Defender’s Quest sees players judiciously setting up their defences to ward off waves of increasingly deadly monsters. Thankfully, you have access to a bunch of different hero units who range from powerful ice mages to incredibly useful healers to fire-breathing dragons. While the control layout can feel a little overwhelming at times, this is a super fun defend ’em up with some neat ideas to boot.
8) Dungeon Defenders 2
- Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC, iOS, Android, Mac
- Release Date: 20 June 2017
Those looking for a more engaging and action-packed tower defense experience will want to check out Dungeon Defenders 2, as it offers a more dynamic and fast-paced adventure compared to some of the more relaxing entries on this list. In contrast to the chill and cosy gameplay typically associated with its peers, Chromatic Games’ fantasy defend ’em up sees players getting right into the thick of the action by way of its third-person action segments. Choose from an eclectic range of 16 distinct heroes, level up and unlock new abilities, hook up with up to three other friends in co-op, and defend your towers from marauding beasts and goblins in several unique game modes.
7) Thronefall
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: 2 August 2023 (Early Access)
Sometimes, refining things down to the very bare essentials can do wonders to a tired genre. Case in point: Berlin-based developer, Grizzly Games, strips away all the fluff and boils things down to its core components in its minimalist tower defense experience that launched into early access last year. As the ruler of your kingdom, players gallop around while auto-firing at increasingly stronger enemies. Sure, while you can build defensive towers and enlist squadrons of soldiers to do your bidding, strategically manoeuvering your protagonist around the battlefield and unleashing their variety of different abilities will drastically impact the tide of battle, too, much like the heroes in the above-mentioned Kingdom Rush Frontiers. On top of the fun gameplay loop, however, its eye-catchingly vibrant presentation is a really nice boon as well.
6) Rogue Tower
- Platform: PC
- Release Date: 28 January 2022
Much akin to the aforementioned Thronefall, Die of Death Games’ Rogue Tower is another more minimalist take on the genre, albeit with a bit more granularity and depth. Players start with a single tile to build upon, with a single path, but what makes things unique is the fact that you have to expand the map after every wave. As the game is contingent on RNG, every time you expand, there’s a chance that the path will splinter off into multiple directions, making your job of defending that much harder. Luckily, due to its roguelike nature, losing a challenging run isn’t so bad as you’re constantly unlocking permanent upgrades that make future runs less punishing. Phew!
5) Kingdom Rush Frontiers
- Platforms: Switch, Xbox One, PC, Android, iOS
- Release Date: 5 June 2013
We’re reaching the upper echelons of tower defense’s finest offerings now, and Ironhide Game Studio’s Kingdom Rush Frontiers wants to stake a claim and be a part of the conversation. Not only is this a smart evolution over the 2011 original, but it’s arguably the best title in the series thanks to all the new bells and whistles. This time around, players get a bunch of new enemies, new stages, and additional bosses to contend with, as well as some new heroes to assume control of to boot. Really, the entire series is top-notch as it’s such a fastidiously designed defend ’em up with plenty of character and charm. Still, if we had to pick one, we’d opt for this sequel, as it’s both super affordable and overflowing with content.
4) Bloons TD 6
- Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Mac, iOS, Android
- Release Date: 14 June 2018
Who knew that monkeys hated balloons so much, eh? Yes, Ninja Kiwi’s sixquel (it’s a word, okay) sees the simian rascals at it once again as they take on waves of dastardly inflatables. At its core, this is the very definition of easy to pick up, hard to put down by virtue of its user-friendly accessibility, its addictiveness, and its vast array of customisation options. In fact, with over 30 diverse weapons to build, this title has one of the largest rosters of towers on this entire list. Between us, though, it’s all about the Alchemist tower, which helps to significantly buff the damage of nearby towers. You’re welcome!
3) Defense Grid 2
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Mac, Switch
- Release Date: 23 September 2014
Standing out from the crowd of irreverent and zany titles on this list is Hidden Path Entertainment’s alien invasion sci-fi defend ’em up, Defense Grid 2, and it’s definitely a more straight-laced experience in the vein of something like Starship Troopers. Across 21 maps, players will have to contend with a variety of monstrous extraterrestrials who’re on a war path to destroy your mission control center. Boasting plenty of unique towers, gobs of creepy alien critters, lots of clever challenges, a map editor, and even some well-implemented multiplayer co-op that’s surprisingly diverting. Indeed, this is a tower defense fan’s dream.
2) Plants Vs Zombies
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC, iOS, DS, PS Vita
- Release Date: 5 May 2009
Its reputation precedes it, but that’s because it’s one of the best! That’s right, Popcap Games’ iconic strategy mega-hit may’ve been a bit more of a “casual” offering, but that doesn’t make it any less of a cultural touchstone. With 49 distinct plants to weaponise against oodles of different flesh-munching undead, the amount of customisation is insane. Top it off with a soundtrack brimming with catchy earworms, a bright and appealing art-style, and enough modes and content to keep you whiling away the hours for days on end, and it’s fair to say that the original Plants Vs Zombies tower defense title is an absolute winner. Heck, even its free-to-play sequel was pretty darn good, despite its sometimes questionable monetisation systems.
1) PixelJunk Monsters Ultimate
- Platforms: PS3, PSP, PS Vita, PC, Mac, Wii U
- Release Date: 6 December 2007
Occasionally, a game comes along that just feels utterly pitch perfect. Enter: Q-Games’ incredibly underappreciated tower defense opus, PixelJunk Monsters Ultimate. Players assume the role of the Tikiman, a wee forest defender who must protect their brood of whippersnappers at all costs. What makes the gameplay so fantastic is that it’s equally approachable as it is challenging, but with plenty of strategic depth to boot. See, dancing on towers helps to incrementally upgrade your weaponry, which makes the moment-to-moment gameplay instantly gratifying. Add in an addictive co-op mode, a seemingly endless supply of maps, a wonderfully chill soundtrack, and you’ve got the best tower defense title out there, bar none.
