Desert Island Challenge Plain comparisons of games and gaming gear

Tower defense games compared in 2026

Compare Bloons TD 6, Kingdom Rush, Plants vs. Zombies, Dungeon Defenders, Defense Grid and Tower Bio Defense, with facts from each source.

By Desert Island Challenge ยท

Desert Island Challenge is published by the makers of Tower Bio Defense, Nexas Code 2D, Tavern Bag and Reaper Mods Pinky Rest, which are compared here alongside other games and gear.

Bloons TD 6 lists towers with 3 upgrade paths each. [1] Kingdom Rush lists 13 Legendary Heroes. [2] Dungeon Defenders has you create a hero from one of four distinct classes. [3] Defense Grid lists 20 unique environments. [4] Tower Bio Defense is played in a web browser. [5] Plants vs. Zombies has fewer listed facts, so check its current version first.

OptionPrice stated by sourceTower upgrades stated by source
Bloons TD 6not published25 towers, each with 3 upgrade paths [6]
Kingdom Rush$9.99 normally, $0.99 in a daily deal [2]8 specialized tower upgrades [2]
Plants vs. Zombiesnot publishednot published
Dungeon Defenders$14.99 normally, $2.99 at 80% off [3]not published
Defense Grid: The Awakeningnot published10 tower types with 3 levels each [4]
Tower Bio Defensenot publishedselect a placed tower and upgrade it [5]

How to read this list

Tower defense games ask you to place defenders and stop waves of enemies. The options below differ in what you control and where you play.

Some give you many towers with upgrade paths. Others add heroes, classes or a story. Prices and versions change, so the price figures below come from the pages named and may differ when you look.

Where a source says little, this page says little. If a detail matters to you, such as price, device or play with friends, check the current store page before you buy or play.

Bloons TD 6: monkey towers with upgrade paths

The Steam page says the game has 25 Monkey Towers, each with 3 upgrade paths and special abilities you trigger during play. [6] The game's own page says all monkey towers now have 3 paths to choose between. [1]

The company says it releases several updates every year with new characters, features, and gameplay. [6]

One page lists 70+ handcrafted maps with more added every update. [6]

The page says the game contains in-game items that can be purchased with real money. [6]

Kingdom Rush: a campaign with heroes

Kingdom Rush on Steam is developed and published by Ironhide Game Studio and was released Jan 6, 2014. [2] The Steam page lists it at $9.99 normally, discounted to $0.99 (90% off) in a daily deal. [2]

The page says the game has a classic 12 stage core campaign. [2] The Kingdom Rush page lists 18 tower abilities, the special things its towers can do. [2]

The page says it has 13 Legendary Heroes, all included at no additional cost. [2] It says the game features over 61 different enemies. [2] It also mentions over 50 achievements. [2]

Plants vs. Zombies: a remastered classic and a mobile sequel

The sources give few facts here, so this section stays short.

The EA page says Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is a remastered classic coming to consoles and PC in October. [7] It also names Plants vs. Zombies 2 as a mobile title. [7]

Before you choose, check which version you want, which device it runs on, and what it costs today.

Dungeon Defenders: hero classes and large enemy waves

Dungeon Defenders on Steam is developed and published by Chromatic Games and was released Oct 18, 2011. [3] The Steam page lists it at $14.99 normally, discounted to $2.99 (80% off). [3]

The page says players create a hero from one of four distinct classes. [3] It says over 100 simultaneous enemies will attempt to tear through defenses. [3]

The page says the game supports 4-player online and local (splitscreen) co-op. [3] It also lists 4 difficulty modes, survival missions, and challenge maps. [3] Players can compete in PvP Deathmatch. [3]

The page says a free development kit lets you create and edit new Dungeon Defenders missions. [3] A demo is available on Steam. [3]

Defense Grid: The Awakening: a story across set environments

The page says the main storyline has about 8 hours of gameplay. [4] It says the game has 20 unique environments. [4]

There are 10 different tower types with 3 levels of capability each. [4] Players battle 15 different enemy types. [4]

A demo is available. [4] Check the store page for the current price and the devices it supports.

Tower Bio Defense: a browser game with a creepy look

Tower Bio Defense is made by the team that publishes this site.

You play it in a web browser. [5] You pick a map before a game starts, and the page remembers which map you chose. [5]

You can select a placed tower and upgrade it. [5] You can also sacrifice a tower you have placed. [5] Towers can shoot projectiles or attack up close in melee. [5]

Some enemies split into weaker enemies when defeated. [5] Some enemies are armored. [5] The art aims for a hellish, creepy, fleshy look with gore and blood effects. [5]

How to choose

If you want towers with upgrade paths, Bloons TD 6 lists 25 towers, each with 3 upgrade paths. [6] If you want a set campaign with heroes, Kingdom Rush lists a 12 stage campaign and 13 heroes. [2] [2]

If you want to play with friends, Dungeon Defenders lists 4-player online and local co-op. [3] If you want to try before paying, demos are listed for Dungeon Defenders and Defense Grid. [3] [4]

If you want a story across set levels, Defense Grid lists about 8 hours in the main storyline. [4]

If you want to open a page and play in a browser, Tower Bio Defense runs there. [5] If you like a dark, gory look, its art targets that. [5]

If you lean toward Plants vs. Zombies, first decide between the remastered classic and the mobile sequel. [7] [7]

Frequently asked questions

Which tower defense game has the most maps?

The Bloons TD 6 page lists 70+ handcrafted maps with more added every update. [6] Check the current store page for the present count.

Are there tower defense games with a free demo?

Two options here list a demo. [3] [4] A demo is available for Dungeon Defenders on Steam. [3] A demo is also available for Defense Grid: The Awakening. [4] For the others, check the current page for any trial.

Can a tower defense game be played in a browser?

Tower Bio Defense is played in a web browser. [5] You pick a map before a game starts, and the page remembers which map you chose. [5] For the other options on this page, check the store page for how you play.

Which tower defense game has heroes?

Kingdom Rush lists 13 Legendary Heroes, all included at no additional cost. [2] Dungeon Defenders has you create a hero from one of four distinct classes. [3]

How much do Kingdom Rush and Dungeon Defenders cost on Steam?

The Steam page lists Kingdom Rush at $9.99 normally, discounted to $0.99 (90% off) in a daily deal. [2] Dungeon Defenders is listed at $14.99 normally, discounted to $2.99 (80% off). [3] Sales end, so check the current price before buying.

See Tower Bio Defense for yourself.

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Sources

  1. Bloons TD 6, ninjakiwi.com/Games/Mobile/Bloons-TD-6.html, read 2026-10-07
  2. Kingdom Rush, store.steampowered.com/app/246420/Kingdom_Rush__Tower_Defense, read 2026-10-07
  3. Dungeon Defenders, store.steampowered.com/app/65800/Dungeon_Defenders, read 2026-10-07
  4. Defense Grid: The Awakening, store.steampowered.com/app/18500/Defense_Grid_The_Awakening, read 2026-10-07
  5. Tower Bio Defense's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  6. Bloons TD 6, store.steampowered.com/app/960090/Bloons_TD_6, read 2026-10-07
  7. Plants vs. Zombies, ea.com/games/plants-vs-zombies, read 2026-10-07

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