Tower defense games are one of the better genres of games for mobile and tablet use. Their simple controls mixed with their easy mechanics make them easy to pick up and play while the challenge helps keeps gamers engaged. We’ve got a list of the best tower defense games for your iPad so let’s take a look. Please note that most of these games have lite (free) versions that you can find on iTunes!
You can also find many of these games on Android on our best tower defense games for Android list!
Table of Contents
4Towers Onslaught
[Price: $1.99 with in-app purchases]
4Towers Onslaught is a tower defense game with simple graphics but a much more complex premise. In this game, you play with four towers that you can customize and change in 18 different ways in order to create more complex and powerful towers. Along with that, there is an endless mode, various power ups that you can collect to boost your tower stats, and more. Thanks to the simple graphics, this game packs up to 200 enemies on the screen at once which gives you quite a frenzy to deal with.
Anomaly 2
[Price: $3.99]
Anomaly 2 is a more complex tower defense game. It features very good graphics and a ton of game play content, including online multiplayer and the opportunity to play tower defense as well as tower offense. The campaign is very narrative driven providing one of the deeper storylines you’ll find in a tower defense game and there are a ton of ways to win each level. It’s $4.99 which is a bit more expensive than most, but it’s one of the best experiences you can find in this genre.
Download Anomaly 2 from the App Store
Bloons TD 5
[Price: $2.99 with in-app purchases]
The Bloons TD series of games have always been both highly rated and highly popular. They generally feature cartoon-like graphics with simple mechanics that make the game friendly for both kids and adults. Bloons TD 5 is the latest in the series and it continues the proud tradition of the games that preceded it. The game features 21 towers, 50+ tracks, 250+ random missions, iCloud support, four difficulty settings, and three different game modes. It’s a solid game with a lot of features.
Download Bloons TD5 from the App Store
Fieldrunners 2
[Price: $2.99 with in-app purchases]
Fieldrunners 2 is a unique entry because it bends the tower defense genre so much. On top of being a tower defense game, it also features elements of puzzle, action, and strategy games as well in a multi-genre attempt that’s actually very good. With this game you’ll have 20 upgradable weapons, various game modes, a surprisingly good AI, iCloud support, and much more. The graphics aren’t half bad either.
Download FieldRunners 2 from the App Store
Related: Best RPG Games for the iPhone & iPad
Jelly Defense
[Price: $2.99]
Jelly Defense is a fun little game with a cutesy kind of feeling to it. It is a classic tower defense game so you’ll be setting up towers and taking down bad guys, but the graphics are goofy and cute which makes this good for kids and adults alike. The story line is simple but serves to move the game forward as you’re entrusted to save the lives the Jelly nation from the bad guys. It’s adorable but it also provides a challenge.
Download Jelly Defense from the App Store
Kingdom Rush Origins
[Price: Varies]
The Kingdom Rush franchise is among the highest rated and most popular tower defense games on mobile. There are three Kingdom Rush games in total with the latest being Kingdom Rush: Origins (linked using the button below). These are simple tower defense games that feature a host of towers and heroes that you use to stop the hoard. There are a bunch of levels along with upgrades and power ups to help you along your way. The first of the series is free with the latest being $2.99.
Download Kingdom Rush Origins from the App Store
Plants vs Zombies 2
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
The Plants vs Zombies series of games are, arguably, the most popular tower defense games in the Apple App Store. They’re not tower defense in the classic sense but you do set up flowers which act as towers to defend your base against a hoard of zombies. The unique blend of flowers and zombies is both entertaining and well done with a story line to match and the developers also release new content from time to time. It is free to play and it’s one of the few tower defense games on the list that is.
Download Plants vs Zombies 2 from the App Store
Sentinel 4: Dark Star
[Price: $2.99 with in-app purchases]
The Sentinel series is another long-running series of tower defense games that have been consistently good. The latest in the series is Sentinel 4 which dwarfs the others in terms of graphical standards and game play. At least for most people. The game includes decent graphics, a 26-map campaign, endless mode, giant maps, power ups, weapons, and a lot more. It’s a bit more in-depth than most games and also includes iCloud support, achievements, and leaderboards.
Download Sentinel 4 from the App Store
Tiny Defense 2
[Price: $2.99 with in-app purchases]
Tiny Defense 2 is a classic tower defense game that uses a unique 2D style of graphics. The mechanics are more or less typical of a tower defense game which means it’ll be easy to pick up and play. The game features 150 levels stretched out over five different scenarios, a full campaign mode, 30 mini-games, and a ton of content to unlock and upgrade. There are also achievements. It’s an older game, but still a solid option with a lot of game play to enjoy!
Download Tiny Defense 2 from the App Store