Best Tower Defense Games

Based on critic scores and popularity, the top tower defense games right now are Endless Dungeon, Orcs Must Die!, and Orcs Must Die! 2. The list updates every day as prices and new releases come in.

Enemies move along a route toward your base in waves, and you stop them by building defenses along the way. Every tower has strengths and weaknesses, money is limited, and each wave is a little harder than the last - so the fun is in finding the perfect setup. Defense Grid 2 is a great example of the classic style, where you build mazes that force enemies to take the long way around.

Many of the best ones mix things up. Anomaly 2 flips the formula - you lead the convoy and the enemy builds the towers. X-Morph: Defense combines tower defense with a twin-stick shooter and cities you can destroy, Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break has you build defenses and then roll giant boulders at your opponent, and Dungeon of the Endless is a roguelike where you defend a crystal floor by floor - more run-based games in our Roguelike Games list.

Yes - in Orcs Must Die! 3 you are right in the middle of the fight, laying traps and blasting orcs yourself, and Aegis Defenders mixes a pixel art platformer with building defenses between battles. Both can be played with a friend, too.

Very. You learn one new tower or enemy at a time, the early waves are easy, and there is always time to think. Most games also let you replay levels on harder settings once you get good. Many tower defense games are small and cheap, so they are often among the best deals in our list.