Tower Defense Game Genre: 6 Characteristics of TD Games

A tower defense game (also abbreviated as TD Game) is a strategy game where a single player defends a location or goods from the opposition by building structures that impede the opponent’s movement. Played both online and offline, this [genre of video game](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/guide-to-video-game-genres) does not require using actual castles and towers in gameplay and instead has a variety of different options. Some tower defense video games are single-player, while others are player vs. player (PvP), co-op, or multiplayer. Some of the best tower defense games manage to maintain a good pace and remain engaging as they progress. TD games are designed to allow gamers to stop or slow down the enemy’s players by placing towers that provide offensive capabilities on the battlefield. Some classic tower defense games are similar to role-playing games (RPGs) because they have turn-based gameplay. 1. __There are different paths__. TD games give the player challenges to overcome. Commonly, these games give the enemy multiple paths to travel, which the player has to defend. In some tower defense games or game modes, the number of paths goes up as the game progresses. 2. __The enemy has variations__. Game designers create multiple enemy types and variations for their games. They come in droves, although their characteristics change from game to game. Waves of enemies often appear as well, upping the difficulty. Occasionally there is a boss battle to overcome. 3. __Towers are upgradeable__. The towers also improve alongside the caliber of the enemy. New towers become more powerful with different weapon options to choose from, adding capabilities such as firing range, speed, attack damage, and more, depending on the game. Other special abilities come into play as well. 4. __There is strategy involved__. Popular TD games engage the player by making tower placement critical to progressing further. The player’s defense strategy becomes very important to proceed as well. 5. __They operate in real-time__. Some tower defense games function with a real-time mode, which increases the pressure on the player on accomplishing the goal within the established limits. They are similar to first-person shooters (FPS) in this way. 6. __They’re available on popular video game platforms__. Tower defense games are found on mobile devices such as the iOS App Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android phones; consoles, web browsers; and platforms like Steam. Many tower defense games come from indie developers and are free to play. Here are a few popular games in the genre: 1. __*Bloons Tower Defense* (2007)__: First released as a flash-based browser game, Bloons Tower Defense was later ported to mobile devices and mobile consoles as *Bloons TD 6*. The idea is to stop balloons from traveling down a course with towers and monkeys. 2. __*Plants vs. Zombies* (2009)__: In *Plants vs. Zombies*, you play as a homeowner who is attacked by roaming zombies. To defend yourself, you have to plant plants that have various offensive attributes. 3. __*Dungeon Defenders* (2010)__: *Dungeon Defenders* takes the tower defense genre and combines it with elements from RPGs and action-adventure games. Players combat traditional fantasy elements, including orcs and goblins. 4. __*Kingdom Rush* (2011)__: Originally a flash browser game, *Kingdom Rush* moved on to the iPad and Android platforms before landing on Steam. It also uses a medieval fantasy setting as its background. 5. __*GemCraft: Chasing Shadows* (2014)__: This is the fourth game in the *GemCraft* series and was available as a digital download using Steam or in a Flash format. 6. __*OTTTD* (2014)__: In *OTTTD*, or Over the Top Tower Defense, you’ll face off against a robotic shark intent on destruction. 7. __*Element TD* (2020)__: This game uses tower defense systems that let you put various items together to provide different offensive and defensive options. Get the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com/) for exclusive access to video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Will Wright, Paul Krugman, Stephen Curry, Annie Leibovitz, and more. Tower defense games are strategy games where players stop or slow an enemy by placing obstacles with offensive capabilities on the battlefield.