Before I start telling you about some of the best tower defense games that we have in the market, you should better know that Tower Defense is not an independent category of games. Actually, this one is a part of Strategy genre which later on turned out to be quite popular.
And like the name says, the ultimate goals of these games is to guard individual territories marked by towers or castles or some other form of infrastructure. Over the time, this genre became really popular and now you can witness the games which are a combination of tower defense and some other genres too. You can get to know about it more through the details given below.
21 Best Tower Defense Games
So, to entertain those people who wants to know more about these best tower defense games, I decided to pick the most amazing ones amongst all. Rather than picking games which are entirely based on tower defense system, I picked those which have involvement of other objectives and genres too. I am sure you will enjoy your heart out while playing these games.
1. Kingdom Rush
Website:Â http://www.kingdomrush.com/
Kingdom Rush is definitely deserves to be on top of the list of best tower defense games. It is amazingly popular and started out as a simple flash player game only. The setting of this tower defense game is done in a medieval fantasy plot where there are empty lots.
These lots are arranged on predetermine paths and players are supposed to build towers on these empty lots.
You get 4 choices of towers called Barracks, Archers, Mages and Artillery and each one of the costs different. You start with a certain amount of money and rest is earned by killing enemies and through experience points. You can also make timely modifications and upgrades to the tower through the money earned.
Compatible with: 
 
 
 
2. Sanctum 2
Website:Â http://www.coffeestainstudios.com/games/sanctum-2/
Apart from being a super entertaining and one of the best tower defense games, Sanctum 2 also features the element of first person shooting genre too. The game also features both single player and multiplayer gaming modes as well.
The plot of the game takes place in the futuristic setting of the planet Loek III. The players are supposed to take the role of one of the four guardians of this planet in the game.
The game is best enjoyed in multiplayer mode and because of the involvement of two different genres, it becomes even more entertaining to play it. You need to design complex mazes and strong towers in order to stop the enemies from destroying the planet.
Compatible with: 
 
 
3. Orcs Must Die! 2
Website:Â http://www.robotentertainment.com/
The next option amongst the best tower defense games is Orcs Must Die 2. This brings the elements of action and trapping into the game. Although it features both the single player and multiplayer gaming modes but its primary focus remains on co-operative gameplay.
Talking about the campaign mode, players are supposed to defend one or more rifts from the orcs armies which are emerging from various doors.
The game proceeds in a level like fashion where the later one brings new difficulties into the game. To defeat the orcs and save the territory, players can use a number of traps, equipment and spells too but this requires spending in-game currency.
Compatible with:
4. Dungeon Defenders
Website:Â http://dungeondefenders.com/
Dungeon Defenders is counted amongst the top tower defense games which bring together the genre of tower defense as well as an action role-playing. These two are the most trending genres of gaming which makes Dungeon Defenders a super entertaining game.
They mainly focus on cooperative multiplayer gaming, and the game takes place in a fantasy based plot where the players are supposed to control the character of wizards or warriors.
The ultimate goal is to defend the territory against hordes of monsters and evil characters. As per the enemies you need to face orcs, goblins, kobolds, etc. and one team is comprised of up to 4 players for this.
Compatible with: Â Â Â
5. Plants vs. Zombies
Website:Â http://www.popcap.com/plants-vs-zombies-1
For someone, who is just crazy about best tower defense games, it is impossible that they are not known to Plants vs. Zombies. The objective in the game is to grow a variety of plants in order to stop the army of zombies.
Here the players take control of homeowners who are supposed to grow these plants. They should stop zombies from entering their homes at any cost.
There are 5 to 6 lanes in a planting zone, and most plants can only defend or attack in their own lane. These plants need sun for growing, and hence they are more active in day time as compared to night time. Hence the continuous day-night cycle plays an important role in the gameplay.
Compatible with: Â Â Â Â Â 
 BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry Tablet OS, Windows Phone, PS Network, Bada
6. Prime World: Defenders
Website:Â http://playdefenders.com/
The next pick for the list of best tower defense games is Prime World: Defense. It also allows cross-platform collectible card element in the game and runs on free-to-play distribution model.
The players are supposed to take up the character of rangers who is a strategic commander of a small group of defenders. You are going to command your team to perform raids in order to fight with creeps and hunt artifacts. It is important to collect magic and tower cards throughout the game which are used later on.
The collecting element of the game might sounds a bit boring and mainstream, but when you will play the game, you are going to enjoy it a lot.
Compatible with: Â Â Facebook, Kongregate, NVIDIA Shield
7. Clash Royale
Website:Â http://clashroyale.com/
Clash Royale is a really popular name amongst the best tower defense games. It was specially developed as mobile applications and belongs to the genre of freemium mobile tower rush. The game is based on strictly multiplayer gaming mode only and that too on the theme of online battle arena.
The players are given control of a variety of towers and the ultimate objective here is to destroy as many towers as possible of the opponents.
Players are given experience points on this basis and afterward ranked by their trophies collected throughout the game. There are total 12 playing arenas which adds a factor of versatility in the game. Moreover, in-game currency, cards collection and a variety of chests are other parts of this game.
Compatible with: Â
8. Defense Grid 2
Website:Â http://www.hiddenpath.com/games/defense-grid-2/
Moving on with the list of best tower defense games, the next option here is Defense Grid 2. It features both single player and multiplayer gaming modes where the player is supposed to take up the role of a commander. This commander is tasked to defend his bases, space stations, colonies, etc. from alien attacks.
The gameplay is governed from top-down perspective where the player has the ability to build a variety of towers in order to block the paths of aliens and defend their bases.
There are a variety of options available when it comes to choosing towers, and each of them differs on the basis of abilities provided. Killing aliens and collecting resources also plays and important role in the game.
Compatible with: Â Â Â
9. GeoDefense
Website:Â http://www.criticalthoughtgames.com/geodefense
GeoDefense serves as the prequel to GeoDefense Swarm and also listed on top of the best tower defense games by Times magazine. However, the game follows the gameplay of typical tower defense games which is somewhere quite predictable too.
Players are supposed to fight against enemies called creeps and stop them from moving towards the towers built by players.
Players can take help of maps to properly prevent and destroy the enemies’ progress. GeoDefense also moves forward in a level like fashion where tower prices, lives, and occurrences are varying. Moreover, the gaming environment is set in vector display like a field which features a preset path from where the enemies enter the field.
Compatible with: Â
10. Revenge of the Titans
Website:Â http://www.puppygames.net/revenge-of-the-titans/
Revenge of the Titans is counted amongst the best tower defense games PC and basically a mix between tower defense genre and real-time strategy genre. Although the game features only single player gaming mode but received praises for its art styles and gameplay.
Revenge of the Titans is a direct sequel to the game Titan Attacks, and according to the plot you are supposed to take the role of an unseen commander who fights against alien race.
The ultimate goal is to stop the enemies from destroying the command center. However, aliens have the capability to ignore the towers built by you which increases the difficulty level of the game.
Compatible with:
11. Iron Brigade
Website:Â http://www.ironbrigadegame.com/
Iron Brigade is a special mention amongst the best tower defense games as it is a hybrid between the genres of tower defense and third-person shooting. The game is set after the World War I and features an alternate reality. Here the player is supposed to control units to fight with robotic species Monovision.
The gameplay is divided amongst various missions, and the player controls giant robots who are equipped with customizable weapon and armors.
There are two gaming modes featuring single player and multiplayer involvement. They have also used the role-playing elements in the game as well, and I really liked the fact that how they have given equal importance to various aspects of the game and not only to tower defense alone.
Compatible with: Â
12. Castle Storm
Website:Â http://www.castlestormgame.com/
So, the next addition in the category of best tower defense games is Castle Storm. This is a typical type of tower defense game featuring both single player and multiplayer gaming modes.
The game also features the elements of adventure and battle in it too. The player needs to unlock characters by playing separate games, and the game basically starts from the default character of Sir Gareth. There are a variety of campaign modes available in the game to play.
Each campaign mode is comprised of different objectives and brings up new character into the limelight as well.
Compatible with:Â Â Â Â Â Â 
13. Crystal Defenders
Website:Â http://www.crystaldefenders.jp/
Crystal Defenders is basically a set of two different tower defense games and derive its plot settings from other games too. In fact, the game also features characters from Final Fantasy based character classes who play tower defense scenarios against series monsters.
So, this is quite like enjoying the elements of other popular games into this world of tower defense whilst also enjoying action elements too.
The game is controlled from top-down perspective and features multiple stages which contain 31 levels/waves of enemies. These enemies enter from the left side of the screen, and you need to stop them from reaching to the right side of the screen with the help of towers building.
Compatible with: Â Â Â Â
14. Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Website:Â http://www.anomalythegame.com/
Moving on in this category of best tower defense games, the next one is Anomaly: Warzone Earth which is a mix of tower defense and real-time strategy game. The plot of this game is set in futuristic world where several alien spacecraft has crash landed in some major cities.
Taking a toll on traditional tower defense gaming, this game features a reverse tower defense gameplay where players are supposed to destroy towers in order to inspect these space crafts.
Player do this by controlling a convoy of vehicles and while following a defined path, the player also need to collect power-ups for the survival of convoy and can also do so by making some purchases through in-game currency.
Compatible with: Â Â Â
15. GemCraft
Website:Â http://gameinabottle.com/
This is the time to talk about best online tower defense games, and GemCraft makes a perfect pick amongst these games. This is a type of flash game which also include the element of real-time strategy in it. Moreover, it is available to play in single player gaming mode only.
The game’s plot is quite unique and set in a fictional fantasy world which showcases the battle between wizards and a powerful demon.
You as a player is supposed to combine gems and put them in towers. Different combinations provide different effects like triple damage, splash damage and many more. Keeping up with player’s life bar and magic energy is an important part of the game.
Compatible with: Â
16. Sol Survivor
Website:Â http://cadenzainteractive.com/games/sol-survivor/
Sol Survivor is another addition in the list of best tower defense games, and this independent game is quite interactive. The game features a support mechanics where players can deploy additional effects to assist their existing stationary defenses.
This, in fact, allows the player to obtain more control over the game as they can independently kill the enemies rather than waiting for them to get killed by towers.
The player takes the role of a commander whose rank rise through the time. The game further features a variety of gaming modes too like single player and co-op campaign, duo mode, wars, versus mode, survival modes, co-op mode and many more.
Compatible with: Â
17. Babel Rising
Website:Â http://www.mandoproductions.com/wordpress/babel-rising/
Babel Rising is a mix between tower defense and arcade style games. It is quite unlike the rest of the best tower defense games as it features short levels and features 2D and 3D versions. In fact, Babel Rising received great praises for its high-quality graphics.
The player impersonates the role of God who needs to stop pagans who are endeavored to build a tower to reach to him.
This in fact, works as reverse tower building or destruction where the player needs to destroy the workers or the towers and stop people from reaching to the skies. The game is a mix between the elements of action and resource management.
Compatible with: Â Â Â
18. Dungeon of the Endless
Website:Â https://store.steampowered.com/app/249050/Dungeon_of_the_Endless/
Dungeons of the Endless is the next inclusion in the list of best tower defense games and set in a roguelike gameplay environment. It can be played in both single-player and multiplayer gaming modes.
Dungeon of the Endless requires the player to take the character of a survivor from a prison spacecraft which is just crash landed on a strange planet. The game proceeds in the form of various levels and players need to collect energy crystals in these levels.
There are various dangers which can be warded off by constructing turrets in order to protect their base and fend off the enemies. The game follows a procedurally generated world, and you need to keep up with various stats bar.
Compatible with: Â Â Â
19. PixelJunk Monsters
Website:Â http://pixeljunk.jp/library/Monsters/
Our next pick in the list of best tower defense games is the second installment of PixelJunk series and also available in the form of some expansion packs too. The single-player mode is usual one, and another one is a two-player co operative mode played on local online connection.
The idea behind the game is quite similar to the rest of the typical tower defense games where players need to build defense towers to stop the enemies from reaching the base.
There are some creatures near the base, and whenever an enemy crosses the towers and reaches to the hut, one creature is killed, and if all are wiped out, that level is failed.
Compatible with: Â Â Â
20. Tower Madness 2
Website:Â http://www.towermadness.com/
Counted amongst the best tower games, Tower Madness 2 is the next inclusion in this list. It features the elements of strategy and puzzle too along with tower defense and set in 3D world. It avails only single playing gaming mode where the ultimate goal is to defend a base filled with flock of sheep.
This base is attacked by waves of aliens and players are supposed to build towers and use them as weapons in order to destroy/kill aliens.
The waves of aliens arrive in intervals, and building towers between these intervals is really important. Moreover, you need to collect in-game coins for tower upgrades and new towers construction.
Compatible with: Â Â
21. Fieldrunners
Website:Â https://www.mobygames.com/game/fieldrunners
I sum up the list of best tower defense games with the game called Fieldrunners. Developed for a variety of platforms, this game features only single player gaming mode. Fieldrunners gives a huge freedom to players where they can place the turrets wherever they want.
In this way, the path of enemies are hugely decided by the players. However, it is not entirely possible to block a path.
There are basically three types of gaming modes available which are classic, extended and endless focusing on building four towers, two new towers and indefinite defending respectively. Each mode is further divided on the basis of difficulty in Easy, Medium and Hard modes.
Compatible with: Â Â Â
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Conclusion
Tower Defense is mostly scene as a part of real-time strategy making genre but all thanks to the technology, they are seen as an individual category these days. With a mix of turn-based combat, grand strategy making, online multiplayer modes, etc. Tower Defense games have become a huge source of fun and entertainment.
So, if you are looking for best tower defense games, I am sure the list mentioned above is not going to disappoint you at all. Furthermore, you can play online tower defense games too because there are plenty of them available to play and that too for free.
