The tower defense genre has been around for ages, going back to titles like 1978’s Space Invaders. It’s evolved considerably since then, going from 2D to 3D with crossovers into other genres like first-person shooters. There are countless tower defense games out there, and more are released every year. We took a look at a few dozen and chose the top five, based on contemporary critics’ reviews upon release, their overall popularity, and how much fun they are to play. We’ve selected only the best entry for each franchise and have come up with the following five.
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5) Orcs Must Die! 2
The first Orcs Must Die! is a revolutionary action-tower defense game, and its sequel only amped up the gameplay to outdo the original. Orcs Must Die! 2 features gameplay similar to the first title but incorporates co-operative gameplay, which wasn’t present in the OG, elevating it significantly. What makes the franchise so entertaining is how it incorporates FPS and RPG elements into the tower-defense format, making it a 3D action game where the player takes an active role not only in laying traps and tower defenses, but also in directly attacking the assaulting Orcs. It’s a fantastic game, and an easy pick for one of the best tower defense titles around.
4) Rush Royale
Rush Royale is a mobile game that incorporates card game elements into the tower defense genre. It comes from the Dutch game publisher My.Games, and is as popular as it is fun. Its battles involve fighting various monsters using playing cards. It also features cooperative and PvP gameplay modes. The playfield is a 3×5 grid where players place units to defend against waves of monsters. It includes heroes and plenty of variation. Since its release, the game has been downloaded more than 50 million times and remains incredibly popular years after its release in late 2020.
3) Defense Grid: The Awakening
Tower defense games began incorporating 3D elements around the time Hidden Path Entertainment released Defense Grid: The Awakening on Xbox 360, PC, and Mac. Of the few that arose during that time, it’s easily the best, as it features dynamic gameplay with extensive lore, multiple path options, and plenty of towers to choose from. After its release, numerous add-ons and DLC were released over several years, and the game not only did well but also remains a popular option for its fans. While it could have used more levels, it’s a fantastic tower defense game that helped move the genre forward.
2) Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance
The Kingdom Rush franchise features some of the most popular tower defense games released in the 21st century. The games feature beautiful graphics, detailed lore, and tons of unit variations with plenty of upgrades. Of all the games in the franchise, Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance is the best-received, though fans typically enjoy everything Ironhide Game Studio creates. Kingdom Rush 5 Alliance features 34 upgradable characters, 18 towers, and 16 epic heroes, making for a plethora of excellent story options, so if you’ve never played it, you absolutely should.
1) Plants vs. Zombies
After weighing the many options, the one game that stands out as the best in the tower defense genre is 2009’s Plants vs. Zombies. The game is filled with lore, tons of options, and variations of its gameplay style as the story progresses. It was incredibly successful, spawning sequels and plenty of copycats. While it’s not the most complex tower defense game that’s on the market, there’s no denying its staying power, and it’s one of those games that fans enjoy returning to after years have passed, enjoying it as much or more than they did the last time.
What’s your all-time favorite tower defense game? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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