Tower Defense Games for the iPad

After doing many searches for this very topic via Google, and seeing numerous posts with the same 4 or 5 titles, I’ve decided to compile a list here for anyone browsing the Internet for a Tower Defense fix on their iPad.  I’m currently running an iPad 2 as my tablet of choice, and while I do manage to get a ton of work done on it, I also have an immense collection of games.  My favorite genre of course is Tower Defense.  A typical TD title involves enemies crossing a field, and the player must implement any number of defense structures to stop them.  It sounds simple, the concept is, but how that concept is put into action is what separates a good TD title from utter rubbish.

The following list is in alphabetical order, listing games that I have played through the single player campaigns until completion, and earned my miniscule contribution to the developers retirement plans.

1. 3 Kingdoms TD – Legend of Shu. Straight forward TD with an Asian theme and guided maps.
2. Anomaly HD.  A different take on the TD concept, in this game you are the attacker controlling a single wave of units as you attempt to push out an unknown invasion force from Iraq.  Units can be upgraded and rerouted on the fly.
3. Castle Attack HD. More or less a “Plants Vs. Zombies” knockoff, where you must prevent various units from crossing the field of battle.
4. Epic War TD / Pro.  Typical TD, tons of creeps, decent weapon selection, very challenging, guided maps.  Many of the titles I’ve played involve accessing new maps only after succeeding at a previous one.  This title has all maps unlocked to begin with.  My biggest complaint however is that after purchasing, you are forced to go to either an advertisement for the new content, or the new content itself.  I’d like one reminder, maybe a link on the main screen, but I don’t need to be reminded every time I load the game that you’ve got new crap.
5. Fieldrunners. Fun game with mainly open maps.
6. GDefense HD.  Typical tower defense, mainly open map, ants trying to reach your food.  Kill them at all costs.  Can be frustrating when certain bugs are able to go over structures that others must go around.
7. GemCraft.  Guided maps, use various gems to power your towers and traps.  A little more complicated than I’d care to deal with, but fun.
8. geoDefense.  Vector graphics stand out in this TD title, which can be excruciatingly difficult, and guided maps that are as confusing as they are fun.
9. GunsNGlory.  This game could be better if it had a fast forward button.
10. iBomber Defense. Guided maps and a world war 2 theme.
11. Medieval HD. Two castles, one field, upgradable units and weaponry.  Fun until you have everything just about maxed out.
12. LandGrabbers.  Not so much tower defense, but fun nonetheless.  Multiple enemies per map all competing for the same structures, whoever controls all the structures first wins.
13. Lord Of The Rings Prologue. Besides familiar characters, nothing much to say here.  I didn’t care for it.
14. Sentinel 3. Typical tower defense with guided maps.
15. Starfall. Amazing TD with a combination of challenging open and guided maps.
16. Swarm. Same setup as geoDefense, only with open maps.
17. TanksNTurrets HD. Typical TD, guided maps and challenging gameplay until you figure out that all you need are rocket towers.
18. Tower Defense HD.  Typical TD with open and guided maps.

I’m still waiting for TowerMadness to either have a free offer or come down in price, as I’m not paying $7.99 for any game I don’t care how popular it is.  I’ve played the iPhone version which is OK, but I generally prefer games that are already optimized for the iPad.

The following list are TD style games that I’ve either played, tried to play, but either way determined that they are complete rubbish.

1. AutoRobot HD EX.  I generally try a free version of a game before paying for it.  In this case, loading the game resulted in a forced full screen video advertisement.  By forced I mean that it opens, gives you the option to exit it, and a few seconds after you reach the main menu you are forced to view it again.  Adding insult to injury, if you try to watch the whole ad just to play the game, you can’t escape the ‘Click here for more information’ screen.  I even tried starting the game before the ad, and you can hear it playing in the background behind the ad – but you have no way of actually getting to it.  Pointless rubbish.
2. Kretures HD Lite.  Huge maps, weapons with vast range, but completely chaotic.  Needs more structure IMHO.
3. TapDefenseHD. Guided maps, can’t recall why I disliked it, but I played it for about 5 minutes then deleted it.
4. Three Kingdoms TD – Fate of Wei.  Updated game from the “3 Kingdoms” franchise.  Might be fun if it worked correctly.  One of the fun parts of the 3 Kingdoms games I found were ‘magic’ units that could only be seen by specific towers.  In the version on the top list, you start the game with wizards who can see these creeps and make them visible to all other towers.  In this version, you have 20 lives and none of the characters you start with on the first map can see the 20 creeps that are invisible.  Rubbish!

There are a few other games I’ve played and have enjoyed, but I’ll save those for a non Tower-Defense related post.