Picking a Tower Defence Game That Won't Burn You Out

Not all tower defence games respect your time. Some are built to be enjoyed; others are built to nag you back in. Here's how I sort them.

Look at how upgrades feel in the first hour. If progress comes from playing well, good. If it comes from waiting or repeating the same map for currency, be wary.

Check whether the difficulty comes from the maps or from your stats. A great tower defence game gets harder because the enemies get cleverer, not because your towers are artificially underpowered until you level up.

Finally, play three maps and ask yourself if you're planning or just reacting. The best ones make you think ahead. If you're only ever putting out fires, the design is probably shallow.

Use those three checks and you'll dodge most of the time-sink traps.