Tower defense games make up a large portion of the strategy game section on the Nintendo Switch eShop, and they’re a lot of fun to play through.
There’s tower defense games to fit almost every preferred style on the Switch. Want a space-themed one? How about a RTS tower defense hybrid? Something medieval? The amount of choice can be quite overwhelming, especially if you’re new to the genre.
To help you pick out exactly what kind of tower you want to defend, I’ve handpicked the 11 best tower defense games on Switch, covering a wide range of different niches and styles.
Have you played any of these games before?
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville Complete Edition
Starting off strong, this addition to the Plants vs. Zombies franchise is a must-play for anyone who likes fast-paced, quirky games on the Switch. It’s a lot of fun, and approachable for gamers of all different experience levels.
The general premise in this game is that you’re defending against a horde of bloodthirsty zombies, using sentient plants to help along the way. There isn’t much of an overarching story in this game but there is a decent mission structure, which helps to keep the game flowing smoothly.
The controls for this game are simple enough and it’s easy to pick them up regardless of your past gaming experience. The game looks great too, and the art style makes it one of the most recognizable zombie games.
There’s plenty of single player content in this game and a heap of brilliant multiplayer content to work through as well. Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville offers heaps of value for money and I highly recommend checking it out.
PixelJunk Monsters 2
PixelJunk Monsters 2 is a fun, upbeat tower defense game that features the main character Tikiman and a whole host of other vibrant characters.
In this game, you’ll need to use various towers and troops to protect a group of Chibis against an ongoing attack from a horde of beasts. The maps are interesting and you’ll be able to build up unique strategies to defend against your enemies in each level.
PixelJunk Monsters 2 looks wonderful on the Nintendo Switch. It has a charming aesthetic and it feels right at home on the console.
In terms of performance, the controls work well, the user interface is pleasant, and I could not find any issues to report back on, other than some clunky loading times.
There are multiple worlds to play through in this game, each with their own stages and final bosses. The difficulty curve is quite unforgiving at times, but there’s a real sense of achievement once you beat a stage. With character customization and a heap of content to play through, there’s a lot to love about this game.
Kingdom Rush Origins
Originally beginning as a mobile game, Kingdom Rush Origins is one of the best high fantasy, medieval games for fans of the tower defense genre.
Kingdom Rush Origins follows a very simple tower defense structure, putting you in control of a band of warriors who are trying to defend their kingdom against an onslaught of enemies. There are lots of maps, unlockables, and characters to discover, with opportunities to upgrade and customize your troops.
There’s even a hero class of sorts, which you can pick out a main character from and control in the game. Fans of RTS games will enjoy this as these characters can move freely and do a lot of damage, adding an extra element of strategy to the overall game.
Kingdom Rush Origins has a pleasant aesthetic and it looks good on the Switch. The controls are easy to get to grips with, offering both touchscreen and button support.
This is a very accessible game overall, although it is worth noting that the pace can be painfully slow in places. If you can look past a few slower levels, this is a game that I highly encourage strategy game and tower defense fans to pick up.
X-Morph: Defense
X-Morph: Defense isn’t strictly a tower defense game, but it felt wrong leaving it out. This game is a mesh between a tower defense title and a fast-paced shooter.
Putting a unique spin on the classic stories usually told in tower defense games on the Switch, you’ll need to take control of alien troops and defend against the humans. You’ll get the ability to build towers, but will play the majority of the game as a spaceship pilot fighting alongside your defensive structures.
The overall aesthetic here is great and it feels at home on the Switch. Even when the action on screen gets chaotic, there aren’t any notable performance issues.
The controls are decently easy to pick up, and there’s plenty of customization available for the towers and troops.
With plenty of maps to play through and a great level of replay value, this is a game that I highly recommend. If you’re a fan of tower defense Switch games and want to try something a bit more out of the box, this is a game I encourage you to check out.
Aegis Defenders
As with the previous game in this list, Aegis Defenders isn’t a classic tower defense game. It is, however, a must-play for any fans of tower defense titles or platform games.
This game started off life as a Kickstarter project, and it feels right at home on the Nintendo Switch. Each stage starts off with a platformer phase, then it breaks into a tower defense stage. A lot of the gameplay focuses heavily on the different abilities of each character, and these abilities can combine in unique ways.
There is a decent single player offering here, but this game really shines in multiplayer. The controls are intuitive and there’s no performance issues to note either, which is incredible as there’s a lot going on in this game. In my opinion, this title has great replay value.
This is an incredibly beautiful game, and it highlights how smaller-production games often showcase some of the best art on the console. The soundtrack pairs with the visuals beautifully, and the character design is rich and vibrant too.
There’s certainly a difficulty spike to consider with this game, as each level has a lot of moving parts. The single player content can be a bit tricky to pick up due to the constant swapping between characters, but it’s certainly not game breaking. This is a really unique game and it’s one of my personal favorites on this list, hands down.
Dungeon Warfare
Dungeon Warfare is an example of how less can be more when it comes to tower defense games. This game is simple but incredible effective.
This game has a top-down style of play and a charming, old-school feel to it. You have to defend against hordes of incoming enemies, blocking off multiple paths and utilizing your weaponry to beat each map. There’s a lot of replay value here.
Dungeon Warfare is genuinely challenging in places, with a real difficulty spike and a handful of maps that’ll keep you busy for a good while. The controls are easy to pick up, though, and there’s a real sense of progression as you work throughout the game.
The visuals in Dungeon Warfare are decent and the game looks good in both handheld and docked mode on the Nintendo Switch.
With an immersive upgrade system, engaging maps, and enough challenges to keep even the most seasoned of gamers busy, what’s not to love? This is one of the best tower defense games on the Switch, hands down.
JARS
JARS is a creepy, gothic tower defense game with elements of puzzle and platformer titles.
It follows the story of Victor, who has been sent into his family’s basement to retrieve a jar of pickles. In the basement, Victor discovers Dracula’s sarcophagus and has to defend it against all manner of enemies, while breaking jars and learning more about the story along the way.
The art style is what caught my eye initially with this game, as it really does look tremendous on the Nintendo Switch. The user interface is pleasant for the most part, although the menus can feel a little clunky in places. Other than that, the game plays well and it’s easy to get stuck into.
While this certainly isn’t the game for anyone who wants a classic, easygoing tower defense game, it’s still one of my favorites in this list. There are admittedly a few weirdly high difficulty spikes, but it’s an intriguing game and worth checking out if you’re a fan of the genre.
Steampunk Tower 2
Steampunk Tower 2 is an intriguing addition to the world of tower defense games on the Switch. It comes with some unique features and ideas, and it has one of the most interesting aesthetics that you’ll find in the Switch TD game niche.
The story in this game follows the war between the Free Nations and the Cult in an alternate timeline for 1800s Europe. You play as a Free Nation recruit and you’ll have to use the Steampunk Tower to defend against the Cult’s attacks, while managing resources and completing missions along the way.
The premise of having a singular tower instead of a wide variety of them may not be appealing to everyone, but it does make for a unique game. The resource management/currency farming aspect is interesting too and adds a new layer to the game for players to consider.
This game looks decent on the Switch and it plays well for the most part, too. It can feel a little slow or clunky in places but there are no game-breaking issues or quirks to report.
Steampunk Tower 2 offers a full campaign and plenty of content to work through. The developers clearly tried to do something unique with this game and it’s worth experiencing for yourself if you’re someone who likes tower defense games on the Switch.
Zotrix: Solar Division
If you like strategy games set in space, this is one of the best picks for you in this list. This game is a hybrid between a traditional tower defense title and RTS game, and it comes packed with interesting content to keep you busy.
In Zotrix: Solar Division, you’ll need to help the Solar Division Command and defend your ship against the aggressive alien forces known as the Zotrix. You’ll need to protect ships, look after satellites, and prevent the Zotrix from advancing on your forces.
This game has a very old-school vibe to it, and it looks good on the Nintendo Switch. There’s a lot to learn and master in this game but the controls make sense and are easy to get to grips with at first. There are no performance issues or quirks to note.
The addition of resource management and extra planning to this game makes the gameplay fulfilling. There are lots of maps and game modes to explore here, with a great level of customization available for towers and troops, and different game difficulty levels too.
If you’re someone who enjoys tower defense games with a classic vibe, this is a game that I really think you’ll like.
Defense Grid 2
Defense Grid 2 is a stellar example of a space-themed tower defense game that’s ideal for gamers of all experience levels.
This game follows a pretty standard tower defense set-up. You have to defend against hordes of attacking aliens, protecting your power cores with heavy hitting gun turrets and troops. There’s heaps of customization available in this game, and you can fully change up any of the troops and the maps too.
There are multiplayer options to stand alongside the single player content in this game, but they can be a bit unpredictable in places. This is a game that I’d encourage picking up for single player gaming sessions mainly, as this is where the game really shines.
The controls in Defense Grid 2 are intuitive and the game is decently easy to pick up as a whole. The graphics look good, and there are no performance issues to note.
Defense Grid 2 takes the standard formula for a tower defense game and offers something stylish, fast-paced, and fun. This is a game that I’d recommend to both seasoned gamers and new fans of the genre, as it’s approachable yet challenging in places.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers
I’ve already featured a Kingdom Rush game in this article, but I couldn’t leave Kingdom Rush Frontiers out. This is an absolute gem of a game, and it’s one that I recommend for tower defense fans of all experience levels.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers follows the standard tower defense structure and gets you to defend a base against an onslaught of enemies. The maps are truly immersive and they all have unique quirks and features that can add to the overall experience.
The controls make sense and are easy to pick up, and the user interface is pleasant. This is an impeccably made game, and I’m a huge fan of the detailed visuals. Tower defense games aren’t known for being the frontrunners for graphics in gaming, but this game offers some truly immersive maps.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers is a premium tower defense game and it’s one of my favorites.
