Best Tower Defense games on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated tower defense games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals and best free tower defense games are available at the bottom of the page.
Filters & Lists
Castle Of Alchemists
Defend your castle in this fast-paced tower defense/action hybrid game with stunning pixel art graphics! Play as alchemically enhanced warrior Bellator, set traps, build towers, craft powerful weapons, and defend your home! The fate of the castle lies in your hands!
Gnomes
A turn-based tower defense with deep roguelike progression, set in ever-expanding, procedurally generated biomes. Build, farm and defend your village as you push deeper into goblin-infested territory. Unlock powerful upgrades and craft your environment to survive the endless goblin horde.
Nordhold
Enemies are coming! Every decision matters: build your city, grow the economy, and prepare for enemy waves. Strengthen your defenses, adapt your strategy, and unleash your hero’s full potential. This unique Tower Defense will test your skills – are you worthy to claim a place at Valhalla?
Ancient Cultivatrix
"Ancient Cultivatrix" is a Roguelite cultivation game with tower defense elements. The world was corrupted by chaos and became utterly depraved. Please gather the surviving cultivatrices and unite them. Enhance Taoist energy and spiritual prowess together, gradually uncovering the elusive truth.
Astronomics
Top-down action and space exploration meet asteroid mining automation! Navigate to randomly generated asteroids passing by and start mining. Impress your employer, upgrade your equipment, fight off pirates and save up for that ticket to Earth so you can finally come home... for the very first time.
Border Pioneer
As the kingdom's most promising pioneer, embark on a legendary journey to tame the frontier! Build thriving towns across various landscapes, fending off waves of diverse enemies until you establish a firm foothold and have explored everything the eye can see!
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap combines chaotic third-person combat with devious trap-laying strategy. Enjoy endless replayability as your War Mage grows stronger through roguelite progression. Repel relentless orc hordes solo or with up to 4 players.
IDUN - Frontline Survival
A defense RTS where you can move turrets at will. Extract resources, upgrade technology, and defend against enemy swarms in a gripping space campaign. Hold the line, set up your turrets, and brace for screen-filling hordes!
Age of Darkness: Final Stand
Age of Darkness: Final Stand is a dark fantasy survival RTS where you must illuminate, build and defend humanity’s last bastion against hordes of Nightmares. Set in the remnants of a kingdom consumed by a deadly fog, you decide. Will you hide in the light? Or take back your world.
Creeper World IXE
The unstoppable alien force known as The Creeper has returned, devouring thousands of worlds in its path, and yours is next. Battle against the Creeper fluid in a groundbreaking pixel-level simulation to prove that humanity will rule the galaxy forever!
Rogue Command
Classic RTS gameplay fused with a modern roguelike. Shape your build each run by assembling an evolving arsenal of powerful units and facilities. Harvest resources, build out your base. Raise your army and call down orbital strikes to overcome the forces threatening your survival.
Epic Auto Towers
Epic Auto Towers is a turn-based strategy game combining elements of autobattler, deckbuilder and roguelike. Purchase uncommon and rare Towers and build the strongest combo to withstand the monster assault! Discover unusual new Tower combinations as you come back for more.
Tower Factory
Tower Factory is a tower defense and automation game with roguelite elements. Optimize resource production using conveyor systems while defending against monster waves. Can you find and destroy the enemy tower before it's too late?
Ark of Charon
Build a mobile fortress on the back of a giant and mysterious walking Tree and embark on a journey in this merge of tower defense and colony simulation.
ShapeHero Factory
ShapeHero Factory is a game that fuses the factory simulation, roguelite, and tower defense genres. Use different shape combinations to mass-produce a variety of heroes, who will then fight all on their own. All you need to worry about is building the optimal factory to manufacture them.
Thronefall
A minimalist game about building and defending your little kingdom.
Diplomacy is Not an Option
Diplomacy is Not an Option is a strategy game set in a medieval fantasy world. Build your town and defenses, raise huge armies and fight against massive hordes of enemies. How long can you survive?
Dread Dawn
This is an open-world zombie survival game set in a quarantined city. You play as a student left behind due to missing the evacuation convoy. Together with classmates and other survivors, you must defend the school, survive, and await rescue.
Axon TD: Uprising - Tower Defense
Axon TD lets you expand the map boundaries themselves. A huge arsenal of towers and a wide variety of enemies clash in a battlefield that grows to your whims. Engage in single, cooperative, and roguelite gameplay.
Start Over
Embark on an unpredictable survival journey in Start Over. Solo, co-op, online, explore diverse landscapes, craft through 4 tech tiers, encounter wildlife, and trade or raid for resources. Choose your path, defend against waves, and shape your destiny in a dynamic world. Are you ready to Start Over?
Dungeon Tycoon
Build your own dungeon and attract heroes from all over the realm! Grow your business by exploiting every facet of your visitors' dungeon exploration experience. Will you be able to keep your evil dungeon business going?
Drill Core
Corporate greed meets strategic planet-mining in Drill Core! Drill to the heart of planets while managing workers, researching cutting-edge tech, and fortifying against alien attacks. Will you prioritize efficiency and risk your workers' safety, or focus on defense for survival?
Utopia Must Fall
Defend humanity's last surviving metropolis from mysterious alien machinations in this challenging base-defense arcade shooter. Featuring rapid upgrade progression, procedurally generated attack waves, dark humor and laser-sharp aesthetics.
Northend Tower Defense
Jump into a realtime strategy, action filled battlefield, deploy relentless soldiers, unlock powerful troops and vehicles, upgrade your army, decimate the enemy. If that's not enough, jump into a chaotic Zombie mode, with traps, fun upgrades, and a new gameplay!Most played tower defense games on Steam
Take a look at the top tower defense games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of April 15th 2025.
1. Bloons TD 6
The Bloons are back and better than ever! Get ready for a massive 3D tower defense game designed to give you hours and hours of the best strategy gaming available. Bloons TD 6 is a tower defense, strategy and multiplayer game developed and published by Ninja Kiwi. Released on December 17th 2018 has received 350,419 reviews of which 340,860 were positive and 9,559 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.6 out of 10. The game has hit the top spot as the #1 most played tower defense game, thanks to its 13,049 peak concurrent players over the last day.
9.6
340,860
9,559
13,049
players
2. Kingdom Two Crowns
Gather coins, build defenses and reclaim your fallen Kingdom. Explore and uncover secrets, unlock new technologies and protect your crown versus waves of Greed monsters that come at night. Kingdom is a solo or co-op micro-strategy and tower defense game set in an atmospheric pixel world. Kingdom Two Crowns is a tower defense, minimalist and city builder game developed by Stumpy🐙Squid, Fury Studios and Coatsink and published by Raw Fury. Released on December 11th 2018 has received 7,063 reviews of which 6,244 were positive and 819 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. While seeing 4,099 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #2 among tower defense games based on player count.
8.6
6,244
819
4,099
players
3. Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition
Zombies are invading your home, and the only defense is your arsenal of plants! Armed with an alien nursery-worth of zombie-zapping plants like peashooters and cherry bombs, you'll need to think fast and plant faster to stop dozens of types of zombies dead in their tracks. Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition is a tower defense, zombies and strategy game developed by PopCap Games and Inc. and published by PopCap Games, Inc. and Electronic Arts. Released on May 05th 2009 has received 138,275 reviews of which 134,944 were positive and 3,331 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.6 out of 10. While seeing 3,458 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #3 among tower defense games based on player count.
9.6
134,944
3,331
3,458
players
4. Nordhold
Enemies are coming! Every decision matters: build your city, grow the economy, and prepare for enemy waves. Strengthen your defenses, adapt your strategy, and unleash your hero’s full potential. This unique Tower Defense will test your skills – are you worthy to claim a place at Valhalla? Nordhold is a rogue-lite, tower defense and city builder game developed by StunForge and published by StunForge and HypeTrain Digital. Released on March 25th 2025 has received 1,420 reviews of which 1,287 were positive and 133 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. With 2,114 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played tower defense games.
8.6
1,287
133
2,114
players
5. Legion TD 2 - Multiplayer Tower Defense
An infinitely replayable multiplayer and single-player tower defense. Defend against waves of enemies and destroy the enemy's king before they destroy yours. Legion TD 2 is a one-of-a-kind game of tactics, teamwork, and prediction. Party as 1-8 players. Legion TD 2 - Multiplayer Tower Defense is a tower defense, multiplayer and auto battler game developed and published by AutoAttack Games. Released on October 01st 2021 has received 13,384 reviews of which 11,565 were positive and 1,819 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. With 1,230 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played tower defense games.
8.4
11,565
1,819
1,230
players
6. Mindustry
An open-ended factory management game with RTS and tower defense elements. Mindustry is a base-building, resource management and tower defense game developed and published by AnukenDev. Released on September 26th 2019 has received 21,477 reviews of which 20,586 were positive and 891 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.4 out of 10. With 1,128 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played tower defense games.
9.4
20,586
891
1,128
players
7. Idle Hero TD - Tower Defense
Endless idle tower defense game full of deep strategy and combat mechanics. Unlock and upgrade dozens of epic fantasy heroes to defeat an infinite swarm of enemy monsters. Strategize hero positions, synergies, and skills for an effective defense, then sit back and let the auto-battler do its thing! Idle Hero TD - Tower Defense is a early access, strategy and tower defense game developed and published by Swell Games LLC. Released on May 03rd 2024 has received 589 reviews of which 486 were positive and 103 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.8 out of 10. With 923 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played tower defense games.
7.8
486
103
923
players
8. The Riftbreaker
The Riftbreaker™ is a base-building, survival game with Action-RPG elements. You are an elite scientist/commando inside an advanced Mecha-Suit capable of dimensional rift travel. Hack & slash countless enemies. Build up your base, collect samples and research new inventions to survive. The Riftbreaker is a base-building, tower defense and survival game developed by and published by Exor Studios and Surefire.Games. Released on October 14th 2021 has received 17,803 reviews of which 16,053 were positive and 1,750 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. With 818 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played tower defense games.
8.8
16,053
1,750
818
players
9. Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance TD
While a formidable evil emerges, an unexpected alliance is taking shape! It will take the finest warriors of Linirea and the relentless Dark Army to stop it. Beware! Though they may journey side by side the ever-changing winds of fate could swiftly alter their course. Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance TD is a strategy, tower defense and 2d game developed and published by Ironhide Game Studio. Released on July 25th 2024 has received 8,594 reviews of which 7,520 were positive and 1,074 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. With 770 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played tower defense games.
8.5
7,520
1,074
770
players
10. The Perfect Tower II
The Perfect Tower II is a mix between an incremental and a tower defense game. Build a town, manage resources and explore a variety of mini-games and tons of upgrades. Fully automate your game and watch numbers going up! The Perfect Tower II is a strategy, idler and tower defense game developed and published by Fire Sword Studios. Released on February 26th 2021 has received 3,581 reviews of which 3,154 were positive and 427 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. With 650 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played tower defense games.
8.5
3,154
427
650
players
Best deals on tower defense games on Steam
Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of tower defense games available on Steam right now, updated on April 15th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted tower defense games.
1. Deathtrap
Deathtrap is a Tower Defense game with strong action-RPG elements, a game of vicious tricks, killing machines, rotating blades and splattering blood. Deathtrap is a tower defense, rpg and action game developed and published by NeocoreGames. Released on February 04th 2015 has received 2,185 reviews of which 1,833 were positive and 352 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.1 out of 10. Featuring a massive 93% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for tower defense category.
8.1
1,833
352
-93%
18.57€
1.30€
2. Paper Planet
Paper Planet is a planet-defender, arcade roguelike with a doodley, Flash-inspired artstyle. Battle through waves of unique enemies and bosses. Combine items with strange and wacky effects for insanely overpowered runs. Play with 1-4 players, for some chaotic co-op fun! Paper Planet is a action roguelike, tower defense and bullet hell game developed by Doodlegames and published by 2 Left Thumbs. Released on August 21st 2023 has received 466 reviews of which 407 were positive and 59 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 92% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in tower defense games.
8.2
407
59
-92%
12.50€
1.00€
3. GemCraft - Chasing Shadows
An epic, challenging tower defense game with an emphasis on strategy and replayability. Summon gems of immense magical potency and harness their unique abilities against a seemingly endless horde of monsters. The archdemon seeks to swallow the world, and you must journey to stand against her. GemCraft - Chasing Shadows is a tower defense, strategy and indie game developed by Game in a Bottle and published by Armor Games Studios. Released on April 30th 2015 has received 4,115 reviews of which 3,923 were positive and 192 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 90% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in tower defense games.
9.2
3,923
192
-90%
10.00€
1.00€
4. Heretic's Fork
Dear candidate, we are pleased to invite you to take up the position of manager of Hell. You will punish sinners by using our deck-building computer system to construct hellish towers capable of keeping the endless hordes of the underworld in check. Best of luck! Heretic's Fork is a deckbuilding, tower defense and arcade game developed by 9FingerGames and published by Ravenage Games. Released on September 13th 2023 has received 3,500 reviews of which 2,998 were positive and 502 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.3 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #4 position in the best deals for tower defense games.
8.3
2,998
502
-90%
10.20€
1.02€
5. Anomaly 2
Anomaly 2 is a sequel to the critically acclaimed Anomaly Warzone Earth. Maintaining the core elements of the original, Anomaly 2 adds plenty of new features: unit morphing, over million tactical combinations, post-apo world and tower defense vs tower offense multiplayer mode. Anomaly 2 is a strategy, action and indie game developed and published by 11 bit studios. Released on May 15th 2013 has received 1,017 reviews of which 804 were positive and 213 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.5 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #5 position in the best deals for tower defense games.
7.5
804
213
-90%
22.99€
2.29€
6. HERO DEFENSE
CREEPS CRUMBLE. HEROES RISE. Command a team of renegade heroes and impale, slash, tear and burn through legions of undead hell-bent on world domination. Your mission: to defeat the world’s most powerful vampire, Count Necrosis. HERO DEFENSE is a tower defense, strategy and indie game developed by Happy Tuesday and published by Headup. Released on May 31st 2016 has received 747 reviews of which 470 were positive and 277 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.1 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #6 position in the best deals for tower defense games.
6.1
470
277
-90%
29.99€
2.99€
7. Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Lead an armored squad through the perils of this reversed tower defense action-strategy game! Anomaly: Warzone Earth is a strategy, indie and tower defense game developed and published by 11 bit studios. Released on April 08th 2011 has received 4,622 reviews of which 4,025 were positive and 597 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 89% discount, this title has earned the #7 position in the best deals for tower defense games.
8.4
4,025
597
-89%
9.99€
1.09€
8. Orcs Must Die!
Slice them, burn them, skewer them, and launch them - no matter how you get it done, orcs must die in this fantasy action-strategy game from Robot Entertainment. Orcs Must Die! is a tower defense, action and strategy game developed and published by Robot Entertainment. Released on October 11th 2011 has received 8,131 reviews of which 7,801 were positive and 330 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 88% discount, this title has earned the #8 position in the best deals for tower defense games.
9.3
7,801
330
-88%
8.33€
1.00€
9. Orcs Must Die! 2
You’ve tossed, burned and sliced them by the thousands – now orcs must die more than ever before! Grab a friend and slay orcs in untold numbers in this sequel to the 2011 AIAS Strategy Game of the Year from Robot Entertainment. Orcs Must Die! 2 is a tower defense, co-op and action game developed and published by Robot Entertainment. Released on July 30th 2012 has received 19,233 reviews of which 17,879 were positive and 1,354 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 88% discount, this title has earned the #9 position in the best deals for tower defense games.
9.1
17,879
1,354
-88%
12.33€
1.48€
10. Lumencraft
Lumencraft is a unique combination of a top-down, rogue-like shooter and base building with tower defense elements. Dig and light up dark halls of a fully destructible environment on procedurally generated maps and campaign levels to find precious Lumen - humanity's only chance for survival. Lumencraft is a exploration, action and action rpg game developed by 2Dynamic Games and published by Star Drifters and Surefire.Games. Released on February 28th 2023 has received 1,164 reviews of which 909 were positive and 255 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.5 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 88% discount, this title has earned the #10 position in the best deals for tower defense games.
7.5
909
255
-88%
20.33€
2.44€
Free tower defense games on Steam
Check out this fantastic list of free-to-play tower defense games you can enjoy on Steam right now, updated on April 15th 2025. Looking for even more free titles? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of free to play tower defense games.
1. Idle Hero TD - Tower Defense
Endless idle tower defense game full of deep strategy and combat mechanics. Unlock and upgrade dozens of epic fantasy heroes to defeat an infinite swarm of enemy monsters. Strategize hero positions, synergies, and skills for an effective defense, then sit back and let the auto-battler do its thing! Idle Hero TD - Tower Defense is a early access, strategy and tower defense game developed and published by Swell Games LLC. Released on May 03rd 2024 has received 589 reviews of which 486 were positive and 103 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.8 out of 10. With 923 active players enjoying it for free, this strategy game has reached the #1 spot among the top free tower defense games on Steam.
7.8
486
103
923
players
2. The Perfect Tower II
The Perfect Tower II is a mix between an incremental and a tower defense game. Build a town, manage resources and explore a variety of mini-games and tons of upgrades. Fully automate your game and watch numbers going up! The Perfect Tower II is a strategy, idler and tower defense game developed and published by Fire Sword Studios. Released on February 26th 2021 has received 3,581 reviews of which 3,154 were positive and 427 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. Thanks to its free to play tag and a daily player base of 650, this tower defense game has secured the #2 spot in the ranking of free tower defense games on Steam.
8.5
3,154
427
650
players
3. Bloons TD Battles 2
From the creators of Bloons TD6... Bloons TD Battles 2 is a brand new installment of the top-rated head-to-head tower defense game. Gather your Hero, choose your team of powerful Monkey Towers, and prepare to battle one on one against other players and relentless waves of Bloons! Bloons TD Battles 2 is a free to play, tower defense and multiplayer game developed and published by Ninja Kiwi. Released on November 30th 2021 has received 31,971 reviews of which 26,878 were positive and 5,093 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.3 out of 10. Thanks to its free to play tag and a daily player base of 562, this tower defense game has secured the #3 spot in the ranking of free tower defense games on Steam.
8.3
26,878
5,093
562
players
4. Dungeon Defenders II
Dungeon Defenders II is a cooperative Action Tower Defense game packed with roleplaying elements like loot, leveling, and pets. Dungeon Defenders II is a multiplayer, online co-op and co-op campaign game developed and published by Chromatic Games. Released on June 20th 2017 has received 21,770 reviews of which 16,849 were positive and 4,921 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.6 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 392 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #4 position in the best free tower defense games on Steam.
7.6
16,849
4,921
392
players
5. Infinitode 2 - Infinite Tower Defense
Infinitode 2 - a strategy in the Tower Defense genre, in which the player will have to build towers to protect his base from endless waves of enemies. The game features huge maps, lots of towers, resource miners, upgrade tree and map editor. Infinitode 2 - Infinite Tower Defense is a level editor, tower defense and building game developed and published by Prineside. Released on May 06th 2021 has received 3,592 reviews of which 3,277 were positive and 315 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 324 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #5 position in the best free tower defense games on Steam.
8.8
3,277
315
324
players
6. Bloons Monkey City
Create, upgrade, and customize your very own Bloons Monkey City in this groundbreaking blend of city building and tower defense awesomeness! Bloons Monkey City is a free to play, strategy and action game developed and published by Ninja Kiwi. Released on April 10th 2020 has received 6,147 reviews of which 5,613 were positive and 534 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 287 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #6 position in the best free tower defense games on Steam.
8.8
5,613
534
287
players
7. Bloons TD Battles
Go head to head with other players in a Bloon-popping battle for victory. From the creators of best-selling Bloons TD 5, this all new Battles game is specially designed for multiplayer combat, featuring the ability to control bloons directly and send them charging past your opponent's defenses. Bloons TD Battles is a free to play, tower defense and multiplayer game developed and published by Ninja Kiwi. Released on April 20th 2016 has received 29,074 reviews of which 26,383 were positive and 2,691 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.9 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 263 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #7 position in the best free tower defense games on Steam.
8.9
26,383
2,691
263
players
8. Ninja Kiwi Archive
Enjoy some of the best loved Flash games of the past in this awesome time capsule of over 60 Ninja Kiwi classics. Experience a piece of history and play the original Flash games that spawned the worldwide phenomenon of Bloons TD. Ninja Kiwi Archive is a casual, arcade and strategy game developed and published by Ninja Kiwi. Released on July 08th 2020 has received 5,387 reviews of which 5,056 were positive and 331 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 147 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #8 position in the best free tower defense games on Steam.
9.1
5,056
331
147
players
9. Bloons Adventure Time TD
Defend Ooo from the Bloon invasion in this epic tower defense crossover. Bloons Adventure Time TD is a strategy, action and tower defense game developed and published by Ninja Kiwi. Released on January 16th 2019 has received 4,242 reviews of which 3,693 were positive and 549 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 110 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #9 position in the best free tower defense games on Steam.
8.4
3,693
549
110
players
10. Idle Monster TD
An endless Tower Defense game of epic Monsters vs evil War Machines. Unlock and upgrade tons of unique elemental Monsters (Water, Air, Earth, and Fire) to defend your home from an infinite swarm of robots. Strategize the most effective placement of Monsters to synergize their elemental abilities. Idle Monster TD is a strategy, tower defense and idler game developed and published by Swell Games LLC. Released on June 20th 2021 has received 808 reviews of which 583 were positive and 225 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.9 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played free tower defense games on Steam.
6.9
583
225
61
players