The best tower defense games for Android

the best overall tower defense game: plants vs. zombies 2

in this free-to-play game, almost everything is perfect! the free tower defense game is characterized both by its detailed and colorful graphic style, as well as by the many tactical possibilities. there are also many varied worlds in which the player is given many different tasks, and the game also offers various mini-game variants in the tower defense style.

you can place various plants, from energy-giving sunflowers, to balling pea cannons, to carnivorous plants in your 5 x 9 tile backyard. it is besieged by a zombie herd of transformed football players, newspaper-reading grandfathers, and crazy gardeners in waves that you'll have to kill (how fitting).

• size of the app: around 70 mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.1 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

tower defense for rpg fans: kingdom rush

kingdom rush is a free tower defense game that has a lot to offer and will appeal not only to fans of this genre but all gamers. in addition to the impeccably well-done gameplay, the title also offers a large role-playing element, in which you keep leveling up your hero and equipping him with better extras.

thus kingdom rush frontiers often reminds me of a classic moba, enriched with a thick tower defense portion. all in all it's a very digestible mixture that no fan of the tower defense genre should miss.

• size of the app: around 186 mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.0 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

tower defense for professionals: defense zone 3 hd

the free tower defense game defense zone 3 for android is based more on a realistic look and more 'modern' war equipment than some of its competition. instead of defending your base against cute characters, tanks and anti-aircraft guns are used.

not only does it look really good, it also plays very well. the many tactical possibilities and depth of the game might be a little overtaxing for beginners at first, but connoisseurs of the genre will find their way immediately and appreciate the variety of gameplay.

• size of the app: around 183 mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.1 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

tower defense for young gamers: bloons td 6

in most tower defense game soldiers or knights attack in waves, in bloons td 6 the enemy is... balloons! however, the balloons don't differ too much from other attackers because they also have different special abilities. in order to fight back the masses of enemies, the defenders (they are monkeys) must be deployed correctly, and special attacks must be tactically released against to burst the balloons.

since the title has numerous levels, as well as the obligatory extras such as co-op mode, different game modes and special missions, the game fun should last very long. the price also seems justified for this. but of course you're welcome to take a look at some gameplay first to decide if you want to spend it.

• size of the app: around 55 mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.0 or higher
• costs: $4.99

tower defense for collectors: defenders 2: tower defense ccg

defenders 2 is a hybrid between a tower defense and card collecting game. here you must collect cards to unlock towers which you can then use for defense. you've probably already picked up on the freemium aspect, where money can be used to get to special towers and to bolster your defense.

however, it will take dozens of hours to get to the point of spending money. the game includes 40 different towers, 20 spells, 29 bosses, and even a pvp mode. in addition, there is a selection of challenges that make the game all the more difficult.

• size of the app: around 295 mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.2 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

retro-style tower defense: dungeon defense

the game dungen defense is reminiscent of plants vs. zombies. on the left side, you build up your defense with different heroes, while the enemies enter from the right side of the screen. unlike other td games, there's more action here and more input is expected from the player than just placing buildings.

you can collect various weapons and upgrades during the game to facilitate your defense. dungeon defense is a good little game, especially when you consider that it was developed by a single developer and lures with a charming retro design for such a low price.

• size of the app: around 37mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.1 or higher
• costs: $0.99

tower defense with charm: swamp attack

swamp attack stands out for its colorful and detailed graphical style alone, but the tower defense game also has a lot to offer in terms of gameplay. the focus is on a "redneck", who sits comfortably on his veranda and is attacked by various wacky animals.

amongst others, there are beavers with chain saws, confused crocodiles and various monsters. they are held off with various firearms such as machine guns, flame throwers, uzis and even an atomic bomb! sounds weird, but that's the way it is!

• size of the app: around 74mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.1 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

tower defense for explorers: dig defender

as the name suggests, dig defender has a mixture of tower defense and digging. digging? yes, exactly: for every level, there is a basic map but you dig out the path the attackers have to follow yourself. then, of course, you'll have to defend it.

the game features over 70 levels, a survival mode in which you fight for supremacy in the ladder, achievements and a variety of upgrades. what's also good is that there's no paywall or any charging resources keep you from playing. you can always play whenever you want.

• size of the app: around 75mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 2.3 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

tower defense and real-time strategy: guns'n'glory ww2

the successful free-to-play game guns'n'glory ww2 mixes the popular tower defense gameplay with a real-time strategy game. instead of erecting towers or defenses, the player commands tanks to stop enemies and eventually eliminate them.

this combination works extremely well and gives the well-known playing principle a pleasantly dynamic twist. since there is a lot to unlock and there are numerous game modes, long lasting fun is also ensured.

• size of the app: around 21mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.0 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

tower defense with a challenge: element td

element td is a classic tower defense game: your opponents run from one end of the level to the other and you place units to try stop them in time. it is characterized by simple graphics and easy to pick up gameplay with a special trick.

the name comes from the mechanics with the various elements. here the element you choose determines which towers you place. this creates an additional level of play that is a little more challenging. you can choose from 44 towers, 50 different villains, 30 achievements and five difficulty levels. it's worth taking a look at this one, especially at that low price.

• size of the app: around 98mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.4 or higher
• costs: $0.99

tower defense with shapes: infinitodes

in infinitodes, no small heroes or machines migrate across the map before suffering an early pixel death before they reach the target. instead, it is circles, triangles and other shapes that compete against each other here. but this is not the only special feature of the game.

the giant level maps with up to 1024 tiles, paved with countless towers to prevent these filthy balls from reaching their destination, are really special. in addition, there are hundreds of upgrades that can affect the game. there is no end, because the further you go, the greater the rewards.

• size of the app: around 13mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.0.3 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

tower defense on a grand scale: clash of clans

the big hype around clash of clans probably didn't pass anyone by. however, this is less of a tower defense game and more of a village defense game. it sounds weird, but it is. in the game by supercell, you build a village to generate resources. however, you must protect it sufficiently from attacks by other players.

however, you will not be attacked in real time, but you can watch the successful or unsuccessful attack on your village afterwards. then you have to take appropriate precautions so that your inhabitants can live safely. remove towers, raise walls and place buildings differently. but don't worry, even after a successful attack your village isn't destroyed, just poorer in some resources.

you can also attack other villages, of course, by putting together a troop, reinforcing it and then dropping it off at the right place in the enemy village.

• size of the app: around 100mb (varies depending on device)
• compatibility: android 4.1 or higher
• costs: free with in-app purchases

honorable mention: the anomaly series

from 11 bit studios, there are three very good tower defense games: "anomaly korea", "anomaly warzone earth" and "anomaly 2". what's special about these, however, is that you slip into the role of the attacker. this means you'll have to customize and upgrade your combat squad from a variety of vehicle types to get past the defending towers.

however, unlike many tower defense games, in some levels you can also change the route and have to decide which defenses you are best equipped for. there is also a multiplayer mode where you can test your defense against your opponent's attack.

so why then do the three tower defense games only get one honorable mention? because they haven't gotten an update in four to five years. this can cause problems, especially with newer android versions and devices. in addition, the games are subject to a fee, and if such a bug occurs after the expiry of the return window, additional expense arises. buy and download at your own risk.