Tower Defense games ( "Tower Defense") are quite true to their name. We build turrets to protect ourselves from hordes of cockroaches/flies/zombies/planes/squares, etc., for successful defense we get coins/bonuses/resources, for them we build/improve turrets to protect ourselves from hordes... Well, you get the idea.
It may sound boring, but in practice these are quite exciting games with a simple interface. Our today's rating will allow you to get acquainted with the 5 best representatives of this genre. By the way, some of the games presented belong to the Castle Defense sub-genres, but we will summarize everything under one name, which is more familiar to a wide range.

By the way, games like Dota and LoL (MOBA) appeared solely due to the popularity of Tower Defense. DotA has a lot in common with TD: endless "batches" of attacking units, defensive turrets... So this humble genre that has contributed to the development of the gaming industry should not be underestimated.

DotA fans create TD maps, as if hinting: “This classic DotA is so boring! We want TD!

However, everyone can troll doters - it's better to go directly to the subject

Top 5 Tower Defense

Year of issue: 2012 Publisher: NevoSoft

Probably, in order to position their toy as fun for all ages, the developers decided to cheat and declare the soldiers toy. As a result, children can mow down hordes of attackers without any hesitation. The concept proved popular, so the second and third parts of this TD were released.

4th place. Bloons TD 5

Year of issue: 2012 Publisher: Ninja Kiwi
Starting with a simple flash game, the guys from Ninja Kiwi were able to create a whole series of confrontation between funny monkeys that hold back the invasion of ... balloons. To finally consolidate the success in 2012, the 5th version on Flash for PC was released.

3rd place. Turrets

Year of issue: 2010 Publisher: Alawar A game with cartoon graphics and the same cartoon monsters. Some of the "monsters" look so cute and harmless that even the dancing Groot is jealous of them: an obvious calculation for a children's audience. But, despite this, "Turrets" have also become popular among the older generation.

2nd place. Kingdom Rush

Year of issue: 2011 Publisher: Armor Games The much-loved TD has become popular, probably due to a small innovation: the presence of heroes. They were able to significantly influence the outcome of the confrontation, gradually improving their skills. In 2013, the second part, Kingdom Rush: Frontiers, was released.

Creeper World- tactical strategy with elements tower defense. The main task at each stage is to open portals to another world by charging the generators.
The game has 55 different levels, several game modes, unique gameplay. There is an editor with which you can create your own maps.

The game has been updated from version 0632 to 0800 (Anniversary Edition). Changelog not found.

Kingdom Rush: Frontiers- continuation of one of the most successful and popular TD. New towers, heroes, enemies, cards, abilities, bosses, etc. are waiting for you.

Awards:
CNET: "Fast and exciting gameplay makes Kingdom Rush Frontiers a must-have pick for tower defense fans.."
148Apps: "Sometimes more *is* better."
Pocketgamer: "It"s a brilliantly engaging game that sucks you into its world and refuses to let you go. "
Toucharcade: " ...one of the most well-rounded TD titles out there."
SlidetoPlay: "Kingdom Rush Frontiers takes everything that made the first game so fiendishly habit forming and adds lots of nice new tweaks and content."

GOG edition version UPDATED from 2.3.0.5 to 2.4.0.6. Changelog not found.

Game version UPDATED from 1.4.4 to 3.2.10.

Ratropolis is an adorable and challenging 2D strategy game where you build your decks of cards and try to build and defend your little rat colony from waves of bloodthirsty predators. AT Ratropolis you control a small colony of cute little rats who are fighting for survival against waves of hungry cats and other dangerous predators. You have to defend your central base, build buildings on both sides of it, expand your territory and hire different types of military units to defend the base. But it all plays much faster than it looks, since most of your actions are real-time and are done by playing cards from the deck you collect as you play.

The game has been updated to v1.0.1401. Changelog not found.

Empires in Ruins- a mixture of 4x strategy and tower defense, in a dark world filled with black humor. Conquer, build, defend and play as the angry Sergeant Hans Heimer in your own personal vendetta against the "system".

The game has been updated to v0848.05. List of changes inside the news.

Grim Nights is a pixel survival strategy game where you have to collect resources, expand your village, look for treasures in dungeons, and train soldiers to defend against the undead!

The game has been updated from version 1.2 to 1.2.2. You can see the list of changes.

Cult Of The Abyss- survival horror sandbox about survival with a dog companion, with elements of Tower Defense, magic, crafting, gardening, endless locations and building a base, as well as its protection at night. You find yourself in a ruined world ruled by a dark apocalyptic cult. In this whimsical journey, you play as a boy named Quest who is not alone and travels with his best friend Dippy the dog. Both of you need to hunt for prey, explore and survive while you try to find your way home. You build your own hideouts, defend and defend them so as not to be overrun by creepy creatures that hunt you at night.

The game has been updated to the version of 10/29/2019. Changelog not found.

Legend of Keepers- a game in the genres of Dungeon Defender and Roguelite from the developers Dungeon Rushers, in which you will manage your own dungeon filled with various monsters, which more and more new heroes want to "loot".

Now in Russian.

The game has been updated to v0.5.2.3. An update called "Blood and Tears" with two hours of gameplay.

MarZ Rising is a base defense tactical game that allows you to discover a whole new tower defense gaming experience! Build, manage and defend your Martian base.

Game version UPDATED from 04/12/19 to 05/02/19. The list of changes can be found.

GOG edition version UPDATED from 1.0.gogp210519_(64bit)_(29677) to 1.0.gogp180619_(64bit)_(30416).

Release date: First 2008 Second - 2014

An arcade-tactical-shooter tower defense game in which players in the role of a battle mage will have to fight off countless hordes of orcs and goblins of various stripes. An interesting concept of the game - Orcs Must Die! - this is a non-standard tower defense, in which there is not even a single tower. Instead, we, in the role of a magician, rush around the location, independently reflecting the attacks of enemies and periodically setting up various tricky traps.

The game has several types of weapons, various magic, many traps, and all this can be improved using skulls - a special currency issued for completing a level on a particular difficulty. Of course, you won’t be able to take your entire arsenal into battle, so players will have to think through their battle tactics and take only what is guaranteed to come in handy.

Defender's Quest: Valley of the Forgotten

Release date: 2012

Genre: fantasy RPG, tower defense

An original hybrid of genres such as tower defense and fantasy RPG, in which the gameplay is built around wide tactical possibilities, deep customization and a strong story. The combat system is based on tower defense mechanics, with the only difference being that instead of towers we have various traditional RPG heroes. Each hero is pumped separately, changes equipment, learns skills.

One of the gameplay features here is a tactical pause, which allows you to give orders to the heroes, but the battles themselves take place in real time. The speed of what is happening on the screen can be changed for the convenience of the player. Separately, it is worth noting the plot, which is built around each character and is always directly related to the gameplay. It's a pleasure to follow him.

Prime World: Defenders

Release date: 2013

Genre: card tower defense

Unusual tower defense and card game. The basis of the gameplay here is traditional for the tower defense genre - there are locations with pre-laid monster routes, there are respawn points for all evil spirits, it is possible to place and improve towers to stop the endless stream of opponents. But what is the difference from other similar projects?

The main difference is that towers and their upgrades here are maps that players need to find and upgrade. For each specific level, you will often have to change the deck, choosing the most optimal cards for passing. You can get cards in missions, in the daily lottery and when buying boosters (which, by the way, are purchased for game currency). Surplus cards can be sold or used to upgrade towers and spells or increase their level.

castlestorm

Release date: 2013

Genre: Action,

An original project with elements of the tower defense genre in which we, in the role of Knights or Vikings, build a castle and defend it from enemy attacks. In order to effectively resist the enemies, we have at our disposal a variety of medieval weapons, in particular artillery, grenades, all kinds of throwing weapons and powerful spells.

In addition to tower defense, the game contains elements of strategy and management. We will have to extract various resources and distribute them to improve certain defensive structures. The physics of the game deserves special attention - it is beyond praise here. Destroying the castles of the enemy is incredibly enjoyable, especially if you play online with other players.

Kingdom Rush

Release date: 2011

Genre: Fantasy, action, tower defense

An excellent representative of the Tower Defense genre, in which the gameplay is honed to perfection. We have a lot of towers here and endless waves of enemies, while the towers can be improved. In addition, we have a hero who moves freely around the map and can turn the tide of battle in a weakened area in favor of the player.

The advantages of the project include a good visual range, polished multi-level gameplay that can tighten, extensive pumping options, excellent humor and a lot of Easter eggs, abundantly scattered by developers across the levels. If you missed this game for any reason, check it out immediately and you won't regret your time!

Infested Planet

Release date: 2014

Genre:, action, tower defense

An indie RTS with tower defense elements in which we control a group of units, destroy the hordes of monsters and their incubators that constantly overtake us, extract resources and build turrets to defend the base. The main task is to destroy the monster incubators scattered around the map. At the same time, with each destroyed incubator, opponents will receive improvements and new abilities that allow them to more effectively resist you and even go on the attack.

To win the game, you will need to efficiently distribute the extracted resources by hiring new soldiers, improving them and supplying them with new weapons. Do not forget about the protective turrets, which will keep the ever-growing hordes of enemies at bay. In addition to a long company, the game contains a battle generator that allows you to play any battle to your liking.

Bardbarian

Release date: 2014

Genre: Action, arcade, tower defense

Quite an original tower defense in which we play as a Viking bard who doesn't like to fight too much, but who knows how to summon various assistants with his lute-axe. The main task here is to hold out for a day, which are divided into four stages, while as you progress through the levels, the player unlocks new units and their upgrades, upgrades his character, improves his village, and also finds new warriors.

The game has a simple but vigorous and addictive gameplay, nice animated graphics, a large selection of troops and, as a result, a variety of tactics, two difficulty levels and three game modes. If you like simple gameplay and the tower defense genre, then this project is definitely worth checking out.

space run

Release date: 2014

Genre: Real time strategy, tower defense

A project that mixes genres such as real-time strategy and tower defense. The main game mechanic here focuses on the construction of spaceships. Moreover, it is here that the game elements traditional for “towers” ​​are hidden - the construction of defensive structures, which, in fact, are the key parts of the ship itself.

The gameplay here is as follows - you have a spaceship made of hexagonal panels that fit together to form starships of various shapes and sizes (depending on the mission). During the mission, you must use the available resources by building towers, turrets, rocket launchers, shields and boosters on panels, and survive in extremely hostile space, while trying not to lose cargo and complete your task.

Dungeon of the Endless

Release date: 2014

Genre: , strategy, bagel, RPG, tower defense

An original tower defense game with a mix of roguelike, RPG and tactics in which we crash our prison starship over the planet Auriga, enter a dungeon and try our best to make our way to the surface through a series of rooms. Behind each closed door, the player is waiting for something valuable, as well as whole waves of monsters, seeking to destroy the crystal lying in the wreckage of the ship.

The gameplay of the game is divided into strategic and "tower". In the strategic part, we, as survivors, explore the dungeon, extract treasures and resources, and in the second, we set up turrets and guard the crystal. The gameplay is designed in such a way that with each new room it becomes more difficult to protect the crystal, so the player will constantly have to balance between resource extraction, the desire to explore more rooms and move to the next floor.

Bloons TD 5

Release date: 2011

Genre: Arcade, tower defense

An in-depth fortress defense game in which players can build incredible towers, research upgrades, hire cool Monkey Special Agents (yes, we're playing as monkeys in this game!) and destroy balloons. Cartoon graphics, nice animation, several modes and incredibly addictive gameplay will appeal to every gamer, regardless of age.

The gameplay here is simple and clear - we put armed monkeys on the lines, improve them as we play and try not to miss a single ball. Each of the "towers" has 2 radically different development paths. Players will have 250 missions, many achievements, 3 difficulty levels and even co-op!

Deathtrap

Release date: 2015

Genre: Action, RPG, tower defense

An excellent hybrid of tower defense and action-RPG based on The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing trilogy, in which the player, both alone and in co-op, defends islands floating in the void from all sorts of evil spirits. The plot here is purely nominal - you go to abandoned outposts to protect nearby cities and towns from hordes of monsters.

Places for traps and towers in each level are marked in advance, however, due to the nature of the characters available to play and the tactics used by the player, the gameplay may be fundamentally different. As the character level grows and after certain special conditions are met, new devices, active and passive skills, etc. are unlocked. In addition to the campaign, the game also has an endless mode in which the creatures become stronger and angrier, and the internal currency is given just enough so that you survive "from last strength."

Defend Your Life: TD

Release date: 2015

Genre: Casual, tower defense

The gameplay does not use any innovations and is generally traditional for the genre. We have several towers with the ability to upgrade, many enemies with their own unique features, as well as additional bonuses and powers. Despite the seeming simplicity, the game can be addictive, especially if you are a fan of the genre or just want to pass a couple of evenings in the "next turrets".

GemCraft – Chasing Shadows

Release date: 2015

Genre: Action, strategy, tower defense

A continuation of the famous tower defense game in which players get magic stones and use them to protect an object from monsters. Each stone has its own color, its own level of cut, and besides, they can be mixed with each other, increasing various parameters. The main resource in the game is manna. With it, players can manipulate stones, build objects and make improvements.

The main task is to defeat the monsters. To do this, players can not only create and upgrade towers, but also use stones to create traps, use them as bombs, and much more. There are also amulets in the game that players can get by fulfilling certain conditions. In the finale, players will have to fight the most terrible monster, possessed by an evil entity, to defeat which they will have to make every effort.

Dungeon Warfare 1 and 2

Release date: First - 2015 Second - 2018

Genre: Arcade, 2D, tower defense

An arcade tower defense in which the evil lord of the dungeon is trying with all his might to protect his house from countless heroes who want to steal his treasures, or just looking for adventure on their own. To protect the dungeons, our protagonist can build traps, improve them, use runes and spells, and much more.

It is noteworthy that as the game progresses and the traps improve, they become more sophisticated and dangerous, however, the heroes do not sleep either, going to the dungeons with stronger equipment. Remotely, the project resembles the cult Dungeon Keeper, transferred to the tower defense genre, but the game is not without its own charm and unique finds. It's definitely worth a try.

Fortified

Release date: 2016

Genre: Action, real time strategy, tower defense

An explosive cocktail of genres such as tower defense, third-person shooter and real-time strategy, in which we find ourselves in an alternative fifties, where earthlings with their last strength resist hordes of Martian robots who want to take over our planet. The game has nice graphics stylized as old pulp magazines, four charismatic characters and an exciting gameplay.

Our main task is to prevent the destruction of nuclear missiles until they are launched. At the same time, in between waves, we can build and improve firing points. It is worth noting that the game makes you think and carefully study the habits of enemies. Otherwise, you will lose very quickly, and the level will have to be replayed from the very beginning. Separately, it is worth noting the boss fights, which you will surely remember for a long time!

Last Hope - Tower Defense

Release date: 2016

Genre: Zombie, tower defense

A tower defense game in which we have to protect our settlement from Indians, zombies and even mutants! To complete our task, we can choose one of the three heroes, after which the defense will begin directly. To protect against enemies, we will build powerful towers, as well as use epic weapons.

In the game, bloody battles await you on three-dimensional maps with the ability to upgrade the selected hero. Various towers and upgrades allow you to choose your own battle tactics, and the unique skills of each of the characters will be able to turn the tide of any, even the most hopeless battle. A variety of enemies is also able to please. Here you will meet all kinds of worms, and mutants of various stripes, and distraught Indians, and, of course, the living dead!

REDCON

Release date: 2016

Genre: Real time strategy, tower defense

The original tower defense, reminiscent of some artillery simulator. Everything is incredibly simple, but at the same time fascinating. You are on the left, the enemy is on the right. You have guns, the enemy also has weapons. To win, you need to destroy the location of the "enemy" by controlling one or another weapon.

Management in the game is simple, but with some features. So, for example, having selected a weapon, we press the attack button, after which the cannon will fire until it receives another order. Soldiers, flickering in different directions, are controlled in a similar way, and are used for repair work, as well as receiving various bonuses. There are a lot of guns in the game, and almost each of them has at least two firing modes. In addition, the player will constantly have to monitor the availability of energy and projectiles. In general, you will not be bored.

HERO DEFENSE

Release date: 2016

Genre: Action, RPG, tower defense

An exciting mix of tower defense, MOBA and RPG genres in which five brave heroes fight in various arenas with the goal of defeating the Nekrosis Count. To achieve their goals, a team of undead hunters will have to stab, tear, chop, shred and burn entire hordes of the undead.

In addition to elements of tower defense, the game has a well-developed RPG component, thanks to which players get ample opportunities for customizing characters, developing them in accordance with their own style of passing (while each hero has its own development branch). Since we have five characters under control at once, we need to react quickly, because the price of a mistake here is to restart the entire level. In addition, each of the characters has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Kingdom Rush Frontiers

Release date: 2016

Genre: Indie, tower defense

The continuation of one of the best representatives of the tower defense genre turned out to be no less exciting. In principle, if you are a fan of the previous parts, then you don’t have to read further - take the game and fight! For the rest, it should be said that this project is an excellent example of a quality game in the Tower Defense genre. Everything is excellent here - the polished gameplay, the visual style traditional for the series, and the abundance of humor, as well as all kinds of Easter eggs.

As for the gameplay, it is practically no different from other representatives of the genre. We have missions with the route that the enemy is following, there are points where towers can be placed, and there are heroes who, in difficult times, are always able to plug a gap in the defense. Of course, in comparison with the previous parts of the series, there are plenty of innovations. So, the specializations of towers, their properties and improvements have changed dramatically. Now you have to learn to fight again (which, however, does not prevent you from enjoying the game).

Rock 'N' Roll Defense

Release date: 2016

Genre: action, zombie, tower defense, indie, casual, adventure

The original Tower Defense, in which we have to keep representatives of various non-Rock subcultures from entering the stage for forty levels. The game has an excellent soundtrack, with recognizable rock compositions, and classic gameplay for such games, in an interesting performance.

The gameplay here is built as follows: we have a stage on which a popular rock band plays, there is a path that winds along the level, along which opponents walk, and there are speakers that we must place along the path in order to destroy everything that is on the track with the help of music. she is moving. Columns can be improved, but ordinary opponents are gradually becoming more diverse (there are more than 20 types) and stronger. In addition, the game has bosses that are not so easy to kill.

Warstone TD

Release date: 2017

Genre: Fantasy, tower defense

A tower defense game without towers! The gameplay here is built around stones of power, on which you can summon various warriors. At the same time, on some maps, power stones will be placed immediately, while on others, the player will have to decide on their own how to place them more profitably. There are also maps where the stones will have to be arranged in such a way as to lengthen the path of the monsters to the exit as much as possible (to create a kind of labyrinth).

At the same time, there are also special stones that give the warriors various bonuses. On one, the warrior will receive gold for each hit, and on the other, he will receive additional lightning damage to the attack. Initially, only peasants are available to players, but as they progress, new, stronger warriors will open up, which, moreover, can be improved.

Yet Another Zombie Defense

Release date: 2017

Genre: action, zombies, tower defense, indie, co-op, survival, arena

An indie game whose name speaks for itself - another Tower Defense about zombies. The action here takes place in one location, where our task is to strengthen the defense and survive the waves of zombies, which with each appearance become stronger, faster and more diverse.

The game has three modes: the standard Defense with waves of zombies, the complicated Endless Night mode and the simple Death Match mode, in which the hero's skills are pumped to the maximum from the very beginning. At night we fight off the undead, during the day we pump weapons, improve the hero, build barricades, etc. There is a cooperative.

Legion TD 2

Release date: 2017

Genre: tower defense, strategy, indie, fantasy

A direct sequel to the popular competitive Tower Defense mod for Warcraft III - Legion TD, developed by the same team. According to the plot, a certain disease has engulfed the planet Nova, and only a few worthy races are now guarding the planet, preventing the scourge from spreading.

The gameplay is based on online battle in 4v4 or 2v2 mode, while players can choose from a variety of races with their own unique characters. Each player here has his own corridor, along which he sends his troops to attack. Enemies are coming towards him. Players must extract resources, defend their king (the main unit, the loss of which leads to defeat), by placing fighters (analogous to towers) and attack the enemy king, while trying to coordinate their actions. For the passage of the wave, gold is given, which can be spent on improvements.

Eden Rising: Supremacy

Release date: 2018

Genre: tower defense, fantasy, multiplayer, sandbox, open world

A sandbox with elements of survival and tower defense, tailored for a multiplayer game. Players here unite in tribes, explore the world and hunt all sorts of creatures (or vice versa), after which they build fortifications and protect the base from waves of monsters. The strength of each wave is known to the players in advance, and you can start it manually. Those. you can explore the world for a long time, collecting resources, and only then defend the base.

There is no pumping here as such, and players select their role in battle with the help of equipment that needs to be crafted for resources. At the same time, you cannot make some equipment without a drawing, which should still be found. In defense mode, you can use not only your characters, but also traps, fortifications, etc.

Protolife

Release date: 2018

Genre: tower defense, aliens, retro, pixel art, strategy, indie

Pixel Tower Defense with original mechanics, in which you, as colonists, have to fight against a proto-creature similar to crimson biomass, which slumbers during the day and grows at night. For this reason, the gameplay here can be conditionally divided into two phases: during the day we try to win back the territory, and at night we try to protect everything that we have.

Defensive structures in the game are built from blocks, placing them in different ways, you can get different buildings and towers with different characteristics. An unusual adversary - growing living biomass can seep into even the smallest gap in the defense, so you should constantly monitor its spread. Management here is carried out directly through the builder robot (even without the help of a mouse!), Which imposes some restrictions on the gameplay - if you get carried away with building on one side of the base, you will have to run to the other side for a long time, not having time to break through the defenses.

Die or Die

Release date: 2018

Genre: tower defense, pixel art, strategy, indie, open world, co-op, sandbox

A 2D sandbox with tower defense elements in which we have to escape from the planet where we ended up as a result of the breakdown of our spaceship carrying cargo. The whole essence of the game comes down to exploring the world, extracting resources and surviving under the constant massive attacks of alien creatures. To protect the base, the player can build various turrets, traps and other defensive structures. At the same time, it is important to remember that the water in the game world acts according to all the laws of physics, and rain that suddenly starts on the surface may well flood your devices.

The advantages of the project include the presence of a cooperative and several modes in which, for example, players start their journey in a cave at the bottom of the ocean or on one of the hundreds of flying islands. There is also a base defense mode, without exploring the world.

Tower Defense is a genre of games that, despite its simplicity, has managed to gain considerable popularity among modern gamers. The essence of the game is to destroy the waves of advancing opponents, which become stronger and more numerous with each new round. The elimination of enemies occurs with the help of various guns, towers, traps and other similar means that the player arranges according to the level at his discretion.

12. Bloons TD 5

Stop the invasion of balloons in the jungle - the original home of the monkeys, using monkeys, sniper monkeys, robots and other tailed fighters for this. A very bright game with a classic Tower Defense gameplay.

Bloons TD 5 offers two single-player game modes with a large number of maps and many random missions, as well as multiplayer support. Pleased with an impressive number of monkey recruits and other units, divided into unique classes, each of which has a rather large list of improvements. That allows you to create your own unique tower defense schemes. The graphics in Bloons TD 5 are made in HD quality, and a simplified flash version of the game can be downloaded from the official website.

11. Sanctum 1-2

Sanctum is an unusual project that combines the genre of tower defense and first-person shooter. The player will play the role of an elite fighter to defend a futuristic city from the invasion of alien monsters, using various defenses and five types of personal weapons for this.

The games of the Sanctum series are made in full 3D, are characterized by a solid fantastic setting and quite acceptable graphics, as well as the fact that all the action (including the construction of defensive fortifications) takes place in the first person. The game has several modes, including for 4 people.

10. Dungeon Warfare

A rather difficult game in the tower defense genre, bordering on a real one at a high level of complexity - one wrong choice of a trap or tower installation site, and the creeps will instantly break through the defense of the unfortunate defender.

In total, Dungeon Warfare offers more than four dozen levels with ever-increasing difficulty, more than two dozen enemies and almost three dozen types of traps with an automatic upgrade system. Dungeon Warfare also features a flexible difficulty system and an endless game mode.

9 Castle Storm

Castle versus castle is the best way to describe CastleStorm, which combines the principles of tower defense with elements of strategy and castle-building simulator.

In CastleStorm, the player builds and develops his own castle, and the list of available resources, units and other features important for the gameplay depends on the selected modules. The enemy is doing the same, and both sides are constantly sending troops against each other, trying to break the enemy’s defenses and at the same time strengthen their own defenses. In general, the confrontation here is built on the principle of a "castle" duel. The nice things about CastleStorm are the realistic, funny (against) and the abundance of multiplayer modes.

8. GemCraft - Chasing Shadows

A rather old and widely known tower defense game, characterized by a complex strategic system with extensive possibilities, the basis for which was the ability to combine unique magic stones with various traps, towers, and so on. This gives each defensive structure unique effects and allows the player to create the most bizarre and unexpected defense schemes.

GemCraft has almost two hundred game levels, many additional tasks and a flexible difficulty setting system, which makes the replay value of GC almost endless.

7. Anomaly Series

A series of strategic computer games that represent Tower Defense in reverse. Controlling a small mobile squad, the player must free the Earth from the mechanized ones that captured it, placing countless of their fortifications and various turrets on the surface of the planet.

In the process of passing the player will be able to visit various parts of the planet, including both large dilapidated cities and deserted Arctic lands, high mountain ranges and many other interesting places. And given the excellent level of graphics, the proposed landscapes really delight with the epicness of their design. The strategic element here has also received a very serious development: each unit has unique capabilities, and only competent selection of the detachment and subsequent reasonable leadership will lead to success.

6Warstone TD

A tower defense game with nice cartoonish graphics and a solid fantasy setting. In addition, there was a place for a full-fledged RPG element in the gameplay: Warstone TD has several playable classes with unique skills. The choice of class seriously affects the game tactics, in addition, for each there are several branches of development, which include a large number of improvements for basic skills.

In general, a very unusual representative of the TD genre, where instead of the usual "towers", stones of war are used, on which various types of units can be placed. A large selection of modes adds even more variety to the game: in addition to the story campaign, there is a “Labyrinth”, cooperative missions, and even some kind of .

5Dungeon Defenders

A 3D TD with a lot of co-op in mind. Players resist hordes and seek to break into the fantasy world of Etheria and enslave all living things in it!

A feature of Dungeon Defenders is the presence of action / RPG elements. Players do not just build defensive devices - towers, traps and obstacles, watching the battle from the side, but also participate in the battle themselves, having previously chosen their hero from characters of several classes. Moreover, for participating in battles, they receive new levels of pumping and various items of equipment.

4 Defense Grid: The Awakening

A game in the TD genre that uses all the standard tricks for it. And she does it with incredible skill, which is why the gameplay, despite the lack of original and fresh ideas, looks surprisingly dynamic and interesting.

Pretentiousness Defense Grid: The Awakening adds a very beautiful environment (the action takes place in a fantastic setting) and numerous special effects. It is very pleasant that both the interface and the controls here are also very user friendly. In general, for fans of simple, but interesting and rich TD, Defense Grid: The Awakening is the best fit.

3. Plants vs. Zombies

Plants vs. Zombies is one of the best Tower Defense games on PC, consoles and mobile platforms. Moreover, surprisingly, the authors moved away from the standards of tower defense towards simplifying the gameplay, but at the same time made it incredibly exciting and intense.

Not the last role in the popularity of the Plants vs. Zombies played her cheerful, not devoid of some madness setting: the living dead against warlike plants. Well, nice hand-drawn graphics coupled with sunny and positive complete this whole completely personal picture.

2 Kingdom Rush

Another well-known Tower Defense with cartoony graphics and boring gameplay. It's nice that the developers were able to successfully fit the epic fantasy setting and RPG elements into such a specific framework. In addition to the variety of towers, players in Kingdom Rush are available with a dozen heroes, each of which has several pumped skills.

An upgrade system is also provided for the towers in Kingdom Rush. Players also have access to progressively unlocked special abilities, such as Plague Cloud, Rain of Fire, or Calling in Reinforcements, to destroy opponents.

1. Orcs Must Die! 1-2

A popular game that is a hybrid of tower defense and action RPG. Moreover, it is very difficult to say unequivocally which elements of which game are dominant here. Of the pluses, in addition to the gameplay that is most exciting in its action, it is worth mentioning an interesting fantasy setting, nice graphics and bewitching musical accompaniment.

A surprisingly good (for a traditional fantasy) plot deserves no less flattering reviews. In Orcs Must Die, in addition to the story campaign, there are other modes (including a multiplayer mode). It also provides the ability to adjust the difficulty, which will allow you to play the game with interest several times.

Install defensive towers, upgrade their power and destroy crowds of enemies crawling through intricate labyrinths to get a reward and get to the next level. Tower defense games are an exciting mix of strategy, puzzle and arcade.

And in this compilation are collected the best of them on PC for 2018. Only with multiplayer or co-op.

1. Legion TD 2 - living towers and protection of the king

"Legion TD 2" is not the most classic, but a cool representative of the genre. Even the history of its appearance is interesting - the game has grown into a full-fledged project from a fan-made mod for Warcraft III.

Video game Legion TD 2

The game is very beginner friendly, but not that easy on closer inspection. Also, teamwork is important.

• Game site: http://beta.legiontd2.com

2. Yet Another Zombie Defense - zombie shooter with defense elements

Yet Another Zombie Defense is a fast-paced top-down shooter. Build fortifications during the day and repel zombie attacks at night, but remember that each next wave is stronger than the previous one.

Video Game Yet Another Zombie Defense

Pay attention to the HD edition - the cost is symbolic, and the picture is much improved compared to the original.

• Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/674750/

3. Mushroom Wars 2 - casual battle mushroom wars

Mushroom Wars 2 is a cross-platform strategy for PC and mobile devices with rich graphics and intuitive gameplay.

Video game Mushroom Wars 2

This is a bright funny timekiller with a variety of maps, good sound and addictive gameplay. At high levels, things are not as easy as they seem.

• Game site: https://mushroomwars2.com/en/

4. Castle Story - voxel castle building

"Castle Story" is a tube indie real-time strategy where the player does not do the main work himself, but entrusts it to hardworking yellow men.

Video game Castle Story

The gameplay is unpretentious, and the story campaign is a bit lacking, but you definitely won’t find anything like this among competitors.

• Game site: http://www.castlestory.net/

5. Orcs Must Die! Unchained - Destroy the orcs at any cost

Orcs Must Die! Unchained" - the title says it all. Orcs must die, and with them other evil spirits attacking the player. This is the third part of the famous series.

Video game Orcs Must Die! Unchained

The sabotage mode is interesting - one team tries to prevent the orcs from reaching the portal, and the second one prevents them from some alternative world. The game has three-dimensional graphics, Russian interface, excellent sound.

• Game site: https://orcsmustdie.com/#!/en

6. Dungeon Defenders II - a beautiful fantasy world

Dungeon Defenders II is a classic representative of the genre with RPG elements and a colorful fantasy world.

Video game Dungeon Defenders II

There is also a competitive mode for ten people. We strongly recommend to get acquainted with the genre - entry into the game is simple, and the gameplay is interesting.

• Game site: https://dungeondefenders.com/2/

7. Toy Soldiers: Complete - Toy Wars

"Toy Soldiers: Complete" is a complete version of the famous tower defense series with control of toy tanks and soldiers in the children's room.

Video game Toy Soldiers: Complete

Arrange towers, wait for enemies to attack and conduct aimed fire at the enemy, don't forget to refuel tanks and planes with helicopters. There are several different modes and mini-games.

• Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/262120/

8. Warstone TD - tower defense without towers

"Warstone TD" - cartoony graphics, an interesting story and the complete absence of towers, successfully replaced by war stones.

Video game Warstone TD

The more you immerse yourself in the game, the harder it is to believe that such a high-quality exciting project was created by a team of only three people. Great time killer for a couple of evenings.

• Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/562500/

9. Bloons TD 5 - Battle Monkeys vs Balloons

"Bloons TD 5" - the famous toy moved from mobile devices to computers, having acquired improved graphics. And with the gameplay, she had everything in order before.

Video game Bloons TD 5

This is the case when there is not much to tell about the gameplay, but at the same time it manages to delay. There is a multiplayer.

• Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/306020/

10. Dig or Die - tower defense, sandbox and strategy

Dig or Die is a sci-fi action game about a team of astronauts trying to pick themselves up from an uncharted planet after a ship crash.

Video game Dig or Die

Realistic physics, a large number of biomes and enemies, co-op. And a cozy retro picture with a side view, too.

• Game website: http://gaddygames.com/site/

For everyone who is not yet familiar with the tower defense genre, we recommend that you try at least one game from this collection, they are great for making a positive first impression. Well, if tower defense is still not for you, just go to other collections on the site.