What Towers Have I Not Yet Defended?
June 8, 2013 2:49 PM Subscribe
I'm a Tower Defense game junkie. I need to place the towers and I need to stop the hordes. I want to make sure I've placed them all and stopped them all. Where should I go for the Ultimate TD Deathtrip?
Now, before you release the hounds, know this:
- I have played Gemcraft in all of it's iterations.
- I have played Kingdom Rush.
- I have played Incursion and Incursion 2.
Also please know I am well-acquainted with Armor Games and their ilk.
I need to know what else is out there that only the purest addicts love. Give me your all-time TD recommendations here.
Now, before you release the hounds, know this:
- I have played Gemcraft in all of it's iterations.
- I have played Kingdom Rush.
- I have played Incursion and Incursion 2.
Also please know I am well-acquainted with Armor Games and their ilk.
I need to know what else is out there that only the purest addicts love. Give me your all-time TD recommendations here.
Defense Grid. I used to not like TD games, until I met Defense Grid. It's not freeform tower placement, but specific locations along the routes, and SF-themed. Nice characterization by a "computer," a former person encoded into the defense infrastructure, who talks to you through the game.
It's available on Steam along with a few map-packs, including a Portal 2-themed mappack, as the "potato sack" game pack.
posted by Sunburnt at 2:53 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's available on Steam along with a few map-packs, including a Portal 2-themed mappack, as the "potato sack" game pack.
posted by Sunburnt at 2:53 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Kingdom Rush's sequel, Frontiers, just came out this week.
posted by Diablevert at 2:54 PM on June 8, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Diablevert at 2:54 PM on June 8, 2013 [5 favorites]
Also, I couldn't manage well in it, but Sanctum is a first-person TD game, so you get to use weapons yourself in addition to placing towers.
posted by Sunburnt at 2:57 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by Sunburnt at 2:57 PM on June 8, 2013
Agreeing on Bloons 5. If you like it you could also go back and play earlier versions, but might as well start with the newest and shiniest.
posted by Stacey at 3:13 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by Stacey at 3:13 PM on June 8, 2013
Dungeon Defenders is another co-op hybrid TD/FPS game. Best played with 2-3 friends.
Sanctum is also co-op multiplayer, since Sunburnt didn't mention that.
Revenge of the Titans is an indie effort, free-form tower placement.
I think Desktop Tower Defense is the purest execution of the form.
posted by contrarian at 3:17 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Sanctum is also co-op multiplayer, since Sunburnt didn't mention that.
Revenge of the Titans is an indie effort, free-form tower placement.
I think Desktop Tower Defense is the purest execution of the form.
posted by contrarian at 3:17 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh, and Plants vs Zombies is amazingly fun, and a fairly fresh take on the whole tower defense thing.
posted by contrarian at 3:17 PM on June 8, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by contrarian at 3:17 PM on June 8, 2013 [6 favorites]
Oh, I got excited about the Kingdom Rush sequel until I saw it's only out for iOS right now. Too bad.
I'm a fan of Defender's Quest - it's quite funny and has some story/rpg aspects, and there's a huge new game+ mode with new story, new levels, and even more insane difficulty.
posted by caesura at 3:18 PM on June 8, 2013
I'm a fan of Defender's Quest - it's quite funny and has some story/rpg aspects, and there's a huge new game+ mode with new story, new levels, and even more insane difficulty.
posted by caesura at 3:18 PM on June 8, 2013
Yeah, I am not so much a gamer (I like to watch but rarely play anything more complicated than Bejeweled), but I lurrrrve Plants vs Zombies and the desktop/console game (not so much the new Facebook one) is a hugely satisfying TD, and easy to replay and make it harder on yourself.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:27 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Lyn Never at 3:27 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hello, fellow addict!!
At kongregate.com, check out their tower defence tag. Here, rated by popularity.
You must play Cursed Treasure.
Try all of the Bloons TD. There are subtle differences between the versions. Strategies that work with 4 for example will not be successful with 5.
In iOS, Fieldrunners and Fieldrunners 2. Oldies but goodies - geoDefence & geooDefence Swarm. TapDefence. I really liked Creeps, as well.
Plants vs Zombies 2 will be out next month.
posted by cgg at 3:44 PM on June 8, 2013
At kongregate.com, check out their tower defence tag. Here, rated by popularity.
You must play Cursed Treasure.
Try all of the Bloons TD. There are subtle differences between the versions. Strategies that work with 4 for example will not be successful with 5.
In iOS, Fieldrunners and Fieldrunners 2. Oldies but goodies - geoDefence & geooDefence Swarm. TapDefence. I really liked Creeps, as well.
Plants vs Zombies 2 will be out next month.
posted by cgg at 3:44 PM on June 8, 2013
Seconding Dungeon Defenders. There's a combat component - your character can run out and fight among the towers during waves - but I consider it sort of optional and playing tower defense in a 3D environment is a fun change of pace.
Basically, you have a character archetype running around placing towers. You can swap them around any time you like and each one has their own strengths. The characters level and earn skill points and... well, maybe it's best to just link to this WTF is... video
The multiplayer component is fun and satisfying, but it's totally possible to play single player. DD feels to me like a natural evolution of the genre.
posted by Perthuz at 3:46 PM on June 8, 2013
Basically, you have a character archetype running around placing towers. You can swap them around any time you like and each one has their own strengths. The characters level and earn skill points and... well, maybe it's best to just link to this WTF is... video
The multiplayer component is fun and satisfying, but it's totally possible to play single player. DD feels to me like a natural evolution of the genre.
posted by Perthuz at 3:46 PM on June 8, 2013
You have played Ninjatown, haven't you?
posted by ZipRibbons at 4:01 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by ZipRibbons at 4:01 PM on June 8, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks so far, my fellow addicts! I HAVE in fact toured the Blooniverse. And loved it! (Who doesn't swoon at the sound of the little twitchy monkeys making that popping noise?)
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 4:34 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 4:34 PM on June 8, 2013
Ah, you've done Bloons. I've also loved these:
Bugwave: ahh, the hours I've spent with thee! (Admittedly, not everyone loves this one.)
Little Protectors, with some nice hard fields at the end that really took some time to beat.
Warzone
Star Rebellion (This particular site might only let you do up to level 5. I can't remember where I played the whole thing!)
Cursed Treasure, as mentioned.
And how about the original Protector games?
posted by Glinn at 4:40 PM on June 8, 2013
Bugwave: ahh, the hours I've spent with thee! (Admittedly, not everyone loves this one.)
Little Protectors, with some nice hard fields at the end that really took some time to beat.
Warzone
Star Rebellion (This particular site might only let you do up to level 5. I can't remember where I played the whole thing!)
Cursed Treasure, as mentioned.
And how about the original Protector games?
posted by Glinn at 4:40 PM on June 8, 2013
Mod note: Loli is probably a step too far, sorry.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 5:38 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 5:38 PM on June 8, 2013
Nthing Defense Grid- it's fantastic, probably my favorite of any of the TD games I've played.
I also recommend Orcs Must Die and its sequel. It's a 3rd person "action" TD game in which you as the player can fight creatures directly (similar to Sanctum), but that in no way detracts from the strategic element of placing your defenses optimally.
posted by EKStickland at 5:42 PM on June 8, 2013
I also recommend Orcs Must Die and its sequel. It's a 3rd person "action" TD game in which you as the player can fight creatures directly (similar to Sanctum), but that in no way detracts from the strategic element of placing your defenses optimally.
posted by EKStickland at 5:42 PM on June 8, 2013
Obliterate Everything is fun. You're mining asteroids, placing turrets, and ginning up little bombers and spacefighters.
posted by sebastienbailard at 5:54 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by sebastienbailard at 5:54 PM on June 8, 2013
Nthing Dungeon Defenders. ..and though I haven't played it yet, apparently the latest Ratchet and Clank game has a lot of tower defense in it...if you DO end up enjoying dungeon defenders that would be another one to def check out as R&C are known for their fun and wacky weapons (like the sheepinator that turns the baddies into sheep)
Also you can get DD for iphone and android too not just consoles.
posted by sexyrobot at 6:09 PM on June 8, 2013
Also you can get DD for iphone and android too not just consoles.
posted by sexyrobot at 6:09 PM on June 8, 2013
Anomaly is a clever little reverse tower defense game, you need to plan the invaders to get through the towers in the levels and to your goal.
posted by shothotbot at 7:43 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by shothotbot at 7:43 PM on June 8, 2013
Another vote for Defense Grid. Oh, and if you've got a PS3, PSP or Vita, check out Pixeljunk Monsters.
posted by aparrish at 8:02 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by aparrish at 8:02 PM on June 8, 2013
Sol Survivor
I've played a lot of Defense Grid but I still like Sol Survivor better.
posted by dgeiser13 at 9:14 PM on June 8, 2013
I've played a lot of Defense Grid but I still like Sol Survivor better.
posted by dgeiser13 at 9:14 PM on June 8, 2013
Creeper World! It's a bit of a TD remix, and awesome.
Play the demo for the first one, and then buy the game because it's just that good.
There is also Creeper World Redemption, which is fun, though I like the original better. Just buy them both and save $5.
http://knucklecracker.com/
Apparently CW3 is coming out. I'm excited.
posted by Folk at 10:20 AM on June 9, 2013
Play the demo for the first one, and then buy the game because it's just that good.
There is also Creeper World Redemption, which is fun, though I like the original better. Just buy them both and save $5.
http://knucklecracker.com/
Apparently CW3 is coming out. I'm excited.
posted by Folk at 10:20 AM on June 9, 2013
On my nexus 7 (so, Android platform) I've recently become pretty addicted to Bug Rush
posted by secretseasons at 1:15 PM on June 13, 2013
posted by secretseasons at 1:15 PM on June 13, 2013
Vector Tower Defense (flash) - I've spent a LOT of time playing this one.
posted by namewithoutwords at 4:58 AM on June 17, 2013
posted by namewithoutwords at 4:58 AM on June 17, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Ranucci at 2:52 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]