[AnimeGamer]

6 Best Anime Tower Defense Games 2024

Tower defense games have long captivated gamers with their addictive blend of strategic planning and pulse-pounding action. In a world where hordes of trouble loom on the horizon, there's nothing quite like the thrill of orchestrating a perfect defense.

Not only do these games provide exhilarating entertainment, but they also shape our critical thinking abilities, teaching us the art of patience and timing. In the realm of anime, the fusion of the tower defense genre and Japanese animation creates a one-of-a-kind gaming experience.

If you're ready to dive into a world of strategic mastery and relentless battles, look no further. Here are the 6 best anime tower defense games to play in 2024!


Table of Contents

1. Arknights
   
2. Millenial War Aigis A
   
3. Touhou Monster TD
   
4. Gensokyo Defenders
   
5. Star Maidens Chronicles
   
6. Crazy Defense Heroes
   

Arknights

Figure 1-1. Arknights Cover Art

Topping our charts, Arknights is a free-to-play tactical RPG tower defense mobile game. The game was developed by a Chinese game development company, Hypergryph, back in 2019. As of today, besides being available on the Play Store and AppStore platforms, Arknights can also be played on Windows as well.

The game's engrossing plot revolves around Rhodes Island, a pharmaceutical organization working to combat the mysterious and dangerous effects of the Originium. As a key member of Rhodes Island, your role is to recruit and command a team of extraordinary individuals, collectively known as Operators, each gifted with unique skills and abilities.

Figure 1-2. Arknights Gameplay

Moreover, the gameplay mechanics in Arknights are nothing short of exhilarating. It is a mix of tower defense and puzzle, where you have to place your operators on the right tiles to block and defeat the incoming waves of enemies. You can also activate their skills for special effects, or withdraw them for redeployment.

With 8 distinct character classes and their subsequent archetypes at your disposal, strategic synergy and meticulous planning are keys to victory in Arknights tower defense battles. As such, can you be able to take command and reshape the fate of Rhodes Island?

Millenial War Aigis A

Figure 2-1. Millenial War Aigis A Cover Art

Bagging second place, Millenial War Aigis A is a state-of-the-art free-to-play anime tower defense game developed by DMM Games. It was originally released in 2013 but was re-released in 2015 along with the support of the English language. Presently, the game is available to play on Play Store and AppStore, as well as Windows and MacOS via a browser application.

Millennial War Aigis A takes players to a fantasy world where demons have invaded and destroyed the kingdom. You play as the Prince, the last survivor of the royal family, who is entrusted by the goddess Aigis to gather an army of heroes and reclaim the land. You will recruit, train and deploy hundreds of unique units with different classes and abilities to fight against the demonic forces.

Figure 2-2. Millenial War Aigis A Gameplay

By delivering an engaging storyline along with strategic gameplay mechanics, Millenial War Aigis A ensures to keep players hooked for hours on end. In the game, you recruit and deploy a diverse array of warriors, archers, mages, and more, each possessing unique skills and abilities. In order to achieve victory, you have got to position your units strategically, erect formidable defenses, as well as unleash devastating special attacks to repel the advancing waves of adversaries.

Are you brave enough to join the ranks of fearless commanders and embark on a journey that will test your tactical prowess like never before?

Touhou Monster TD

Figure 3-1. Touhou Monster TD Main Menu

Securing the third spot, Touhour Monster TD delivers players with a top-notch whimsical tower defense gameplay experience with pixel graphics unlike any other. Developed by MyACG Studio in 2021, Touhou Monster TD is available to play on Windows via Steam. 

The game takes players to a toy world where cute and colorful monsters are trying to invade your base. You play as a toy soldier who has to build and upgrade various towers to stop them. You can also control your character and use skills to assist your towers. In the game, you encounter 60+ different monsters with various abilities and weaknesses and you only have a little over 15 combat units.

Figure 3-2. Touhou Monster TD Gameplay

The gameplay of Touhou Monster TD is a rich cocktail of tower defense and action, where you have to place your towers strategically and use your character wisely to survive the waves of enemies on different battlegrounds. Speaking of which, Touhou Monster TD incorporates many carefully drawn visually striking battle arenas. Hakurei Shrine, Magical Forest, The Human Village, Mist Lake, Scarlet Devil Mansion, Waterfall of Nine Heavens, and Moriya Shrine are just a few examples. Moreover, you can also collect and upgrade different weapons, armor, and accessories for your character in the game.

If you want to have some unique fun and test your tower defense skills, then Touhou Monster TD is a must-play game!

Gensokyo Defenders

Figure 4-1. Gensokyo Defenders Cover Art

Next on our list is Gensokyo Defenders by Neetpia. Originally released in 2018, this anime tower defense game is currently available to play on PS4, Switch, and even Windows via Steam. 

Just like the Touhou Monster TD game above, Gensokyo Defenders also takes place in the fictional universe of Touhou and employs tower defense mechanics in its gameplay. However, that’s precisely where the similarities between these two anime tower defense games on our list end. 

In Gensokyo Defenders, players assume the role of a tiny ice fairy and see her becoming the greatest fairy of all. And in order to achieve this, she has to battle her way out of hordes of enemy fairies that will do anything to stop Cirno, the tiny ice fairy.

Figure 4-2. Gensokyo Defenders Gameplay

Fear not as you will not be alone. Along your journey to become the greatest fairy of all, you will find 20+ characters from the Touhou universe that will accompany you along the way. In addition, there are spell cards and traps which you can use to slow down enemy fairies.

And things don’t stop there yet. In Gensokyo Defenders, you also have the option to upgrade your arsenal of weapons through the resources you get by defeating fairies in the tower defense battlegrounds. In stages where you get stuck, know that you always have the option to bring in your friend and take the battle to the enemy!

Star Maidens Chronicles

Figure 5-1. Star Maidens Chronicles Cover Art

Continuing with the flow, Star Maidens Chronicles grace our list of the best anime tower defense games to play in 2024. Developed by Project YNP in 2020, Star Maidens Chronicles is currently available to play on Windows via Steam.

Yeah, yeah, I know, some of you who are familiar with Star Maidens Chronicles would argue that this is an RTS game and hence does not fit the Tower Defense genre.

Figure 5-2. Star Maidens Chronicles Gameplay

However, it would be remiss of me if I don't highlight the fact that in Star Maidens Chronicles, there are only 4 buildings to construct, namely a command center, supply depot, barrack, and tower. And on top of that, some civilizations also feature a second tower, both of which are essential to deploy in order to protect your base through various missions in the game.

As such, while Star Maidens indeed falls into RTS gameplay, it is equally a tower defense game. About 35% - 50% of the game revolves around tower building, strategic tower placement, and defending your base with towers when the enemy attacks.

Hence, Star Maidens Chronicles is a must-play anime tower defense game if you have got that thing to command armies set in a medieval setting, featuring a vast variety of maps for real-time battles.

Crazy Defense Heroes

Figure 6-1. Crazy Defense Heroes Cover Art

Last but not least, Crazy Defense Heroes is yet another one of the best anime tower defense games to play in 2024. It was both developed and published by Animoca Brands in 2019 and is currently available to play on both Android and iOS devices.

Crazy Defense Heroes is your typical tower defense game. With no story or lore, the game throws you directly into the battlefield where you are to stop incoming hordes of various types of enemies. Worry not though, as at your disposal, Crazy Defense Heroes lay hundreds and hundreds of hero characters, towers, spells, and equipment cards.

Figure 6-2. Crazy Defense Heroes Gameplay

As of writing, there are presently 1000+ levels in the game, where each level is tougher than the previous one. Due to various enemy types, such as orcs, minotaurs, skeletons, and even dragons, the placement of units on the game map becomes all the more important. 

And as if that was not enough, Crazy Defense Heroes also lets other players join you via Clan Quests where you take on the enemy together and summon a dragon to rain fire on your enemies as well as freeze your enemy warriors in blocks of ice all the while fighting on forests, mountains, and wastelands!