Looking for a fun, adrenaline-inducing game you can play on your phone? Tower defense games are a great choice as they are packed with action and they’ll put your strategy and defense skills to the test. While I really enjoy playing tower defense games, I had mostly been familiar with PC-based games such as Orcs Must Die! 2, Kingdom Rush and Defense Grid, among others. But, a few weeks ago a friend introduced me to a few tower defense games I could play on my phone. The truth is I was quite impressed with how well defense games translate to mobile devices. We ended up playing defense games for almost two hours that day and I have been hooked ever since. My friend also sent me a link to a few other defense games, which I’ll drop below in case you want to check it out yourself.
I couldn’t resist and I played some of the games that caught my eye. And, after finding a few that I loved, I thought it would be a good idea to share them with you along with a short review for each one. I grouped my favorites into two categories. The first is for defense games with fantasy themes and the second is for games where you must defend your kingdom against an alien invasion.
Tower Defense Games with Fantasy Themes
I’ve played quite a few defense games, and while classic army defense games are a lot of fun, I’ve found that fantasy defense games to be even more exciting as they add unique elements to the mix. My first group of defense games are those that take place in fantasy settings, so you can test your defense skills by fighting with orcs, elves, wizards, dwarfs, and other magical creatures.
Apps: Grow Castle, Kingdom Rush
Grow Castle is more than your typical tower defense game, as you can also build your kingdom by collecting resources, upgrading your castle, and growing your army. I liked how you can choose from unique heroes and customize their abilities to fit your battle style. Another plus is that you can play online which is a great way to truly test your battle skills. While the game does not particularly stand out with its graphics, I found that the game’s character and gameplay mechanics really bring it to the next level.
Another defense game I really liked is Kingdom Rush. Unlike my previous pick, the artwork is quite impressive. Not only that, but I also fell in love with the gameplay and storyline. I particularly liked how you can play side quests such as exploring Bigfoot’s cave or winning over an elf race to have them battle by your side. I did find that the battles can get quite challenging as you advance through the higher levels. On the upside, you can access many battle tips in the in-game encyclopedia which I found to be very useful for gaining an upper hand during battle.
Tower Defense Games with Alien Invasion
Have you ever wondered how you would react if you were faced with an alien invasion? Now you can see for yourself by testing your defense skills against invading aliens. The next two defense games are a ton of fun to play as you’ll need to defend your base (and the world) from little green men, otherworldly monsters and other space invaders.
Apps: Tower Madness 2, Alien Creeps
One of my favorite alien defense games is Tower Madness. The premise is really simple as you need to strategically place towers to defend sheep from invading aliens, which is just perfect if you are looking for a game you can pick up and play on-the-go. I did find that the pace during the first few levels is a bit slow. Thankfully, you have the option to speed up the action if you want to advance through those battles a bit faster.
And, last but not least, my fourth favorite defense game is Alien Creeps. I found this to be a really exciting game as the battles are fast-paced. There is also an ample weapon selection to choose from, which adds to the strategic element of the game. I also like how you play the side of the military defending the earth as the aliens are invading the desert – very much like an Area 51 theme! A word of advice. Higher levels mean you’ll be attacked from more sides, and given that you can’t view the entire battle screen at once, make sure you have a defense strategy set up on all fronts, so you don’t get caught off guard.
Conclusion
That’s it! Those are my top 4 favorite defense games. They are all a bit different in their game mechanics, battle pace, themes, enemies, and weapon selection, so it comes down to your play style and personal preference. Whichever you pick, you are in for a lot of fun. So, make your choice and put your tower defense skills to the test!
