In a tower defense game, enemies walk along a path toward your base and you build towers that attack them automatically. You win by stopping every wave. The ten principles below apply to most tower defense games, whatever its theme.
The basics in one table
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Wave | A group of enemies that arrives together |
| Path | The route enemies follow |
| Leak | An enemy that reaches your base, costing a life |
| DPS | Damage per second: how much a tower deals over time |
| Splash damage | Damage that hits several enemies in an area |
| Slow / stun | An effect that makes enemies move slower or stop |
10 tips
1. Build at the bends
A tower placed on the inside of a curve can hit enemies on two or three stretches of the path. Corners give you the most time in range for the same price.
2. Cover the early waves cheaply
The first waves are weak. Spend as little as you need to stop them and keep the rest of your gold. Over-building at the start leaves you short when the hard waves arrive.
3. Upgrade or build new?
In many games an upgraded tower can deal more damage than two basic ones for the same total cost, but it also leaves a single point of failure. A good rule: build enough towers to cover the path, then upgrade the ones at the best spots.
4. Mix damage types
Single-target towers are best against tough enemies; splash towers are best against crowds. Most games send both, so a defense with only one type eventually fails.
5. Slow things down
A tower that slows enemies doesn't kill anything, but it keeps every other tower firing for longer. One or two slowing towers near your main damage zone make it much stronger.
6. Check enemy types before a wave
Many games show what is coming next. Flying enemies may ignore the path, armored ones resist some towers, and fast ones slip past slow-firing towers. Adapt before the wave, not after.
7. Prepare for bosses
Boss waves have one very tough enemy. Concentrate your strongest single-target damage where the boss will spend the most time, and add slows there.
8. Use sell and rebuild
If a tower is in the wrong place, selling it usually returns part of its cost. Moving a tower to a better spot can be worth the loss.
9. Use special abilities at the right time
Spells, reinforcements or bombs work best when a wave is bunched up or when a boss is about to leak, not at the start of a wave.
10. Learn from leaks
When an enemy gets through, note where your defense was thin and fix that spot first. Replaying a level with that knowledge is how most hard levels are won.
Games to practice on
- King Rugni Tower Defense: a classic tower defense where you keep at least one of your 10 lives across waves of elemental enemies.
- Tower Defense Clash: build towers on free spots against monster waves, with elemental powers when arrows and stones are not enough.
- Gold Miner Tower Defense: mixes tower defense with card strategy and upgrades.
- Tower Defense: a straightforward starting point.
More games are in the strategy games category.
