A significant new update has been released for unique puzzle/tower defense crossover title Human Defense, and it’s shaping up to look rather appealing.

The challenging but entertaining puzzler was quite a hit when we reviewed it in June, despite its steep learning curve, and that is set to continue here.

Three new levels have arrived, continuing the human body theme with the focus placed on the stomach. They also introduce new mechanics in the form of changes in blood flow.

To counteract the challenge, new bonuses in the form of anti-viral pills, are available. A defibrillator can destroy all viruses on screen, while an adrenaline rush boosts tower defensive abilities and an X-ray machine reveals clues to the land ahead.

For those who want to be challenged all the more, an Emergency mode offers a never ending stream of viral attacks to test the player’s ability.

The Human Defense update is available now and the game is currently available to buy for only $0.99 in celebration of it.

$1.99

Human Defense

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-06-13 :: Category: Games

The tower defense and castle defense genres are quite popular on iOS. Touch devices work perfectly for that type of game and, as a result, it’s hard for a new defense game to distinguish itself from the others. Battles and Castles has just been released and seems to have some interesting features that sets it apart.

The game seems to combine elements of traditional tower/castle defense games with building elements (that have become recently popular with games like Minecraft) and RPG elements. Users actually build their castles before defending them and then recruit units, find treasure, and explore mines. It seems to have elements that fans of nearly any genre can enjoy: strategy, simulation, action, and role-playing. The game has over 20 units and 20 buildings, three levels of technology, two campaign modes, multiplayer vs AI, local multiplayer on the device itself, and Game Center support.

Battles and Castles is a universal app and is available for $2.99.

$2.99

Battles And Castles

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-06-28 :: Category: Games

Fieldrunners was one of the original breakout iOS gaming hits. First released in 2008, this game checked all the right boxes and really helped herald the iPhone’s potential as a gaming device. As time passed, the folks at Subatomic Studios continued to update the game, released an iPad version, and even a version on the Playstation Network. A lot of amazing things happened for Subatomic Studios along the way. But where was their follow up game? Years passed and nothing.

Then we got word in January that they had a new game in the works and found out shortly later that Fieldrunners 2 was that game. Now, nearly 4 years after the original was released, we have a preview of Fieldrunners 2. We’ve had the opportunity to play with the pre-release build for a week, and honestly, we’re blown away. It’s everything we loved in Fieldrunners, but turned up to 11. The preview below is taken from the pre-release app, but the final version will be out later this week.

One of the first thing you will notice with Fieldrunners 2 is that it improves on just about everything in the game. The graphics are better, the sound is better, and the variations in gameplay are greater. They have left in the familiar gameplay, the included puzzle levels, and completely new map types. Let’s start out with something that will look familiar to Fieldrunners fans.

Grasslands – Here’s a level that will remind you of the original Fieldrunners. But you’ll quickly notice the video improvements in this full retina version. Not only are the animations crisper, they are also much smoother.

Fieldrunners has a load of new levels, and not only the open / pathless tower defense style of the original Fieldrunners. There are also path levels where the creeps will loop over and back on top of the path, adding some interesting strategy to the level. Here’s an example video of a set path level, known as Tangled Turnpike in Fieldrunners 2.

When progressing through the game, you will at times unlock special puzzle levels. These levels go beyond the normal tower defense and require that in addition to guarding your base, you also have to complete the puzzle. Here’s an example of a puzzle level where you must place your limited towers in locations that will guide the creeps between one or multiple towers.

As you can see, the king of tower defense has returned. Fieldrunners 2 will be out later this week. It’s one to look forward to. Follow us on Twitter and we’ll let you know as soon as it’s available.

We adored Kingdom Rush when it first came out for the iPad at the end of last year. It offered an incredibly potent tower defense game that made a five minute quick session turn into hours.

Now, iPhone owners get to enjoy that level of addiction with the release of Kingdom Rush for iPhone! Priced at $0.99, the game pits heroes against hordes of orcs, trolls, evil wizards and more. Fortunately, a plethora of towers and spells will help players in their quest to defeat such evil.

Typical tower defense tropes are in there with special abilities to unlock, new tower types and the choice of upgrading them. 50 achievements to unlock and many boss battles to compete in will keep players hooked for a long time to come.

With a cartoon fantasy style, optimized for retina displays, Kingdom Rush should prove to enthrall everyone who downloads it.

It’s out now, priced at $0.99.

$0.99

Kingdom Rush

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-06-28 :: Category: Games

Summer may mean sunshine, blue skies and good times for most, but not for Dracula. The Prince of Darkness hates daylight, of course, but now Facebook, Twitter, and other social media have made it impossible for Drac to stay out of the limelight as well. Now, his coffin has been discovered, and it’s up to you to defend it from the hordes of oddballs out to make a name for themselves.

Vampire Season is a new iOS game from developers 6waves and Brainz, and it’s due to hit the App Store on June 28th. The game will be familiar to anyone who has played a tower defense game before, but Vampire Season twists up the action by having players defend an unusual point of contention – Big Dracula himself – with a varied assortment of ghouls and zombies. And what are they protecting Dracula from? Isn’t it obvious? Interior decorators! Seriously….plus lots of other conventional and unconventional enemies as well. In-app purchases and upgrades are available, but game currency is also generated in game as you complete levels.

Look for the horror to be unleashed in just a few weeks.

A sequel to popular tower defense game, Star Defense Mission, has been released by Yezh Studio. Star Defense Mission 2 is also a tower defense with a sci-fi space theme.

This time, the games boasts three basic towers with six different evolutionary routes for those towers to go via upgrades. The ten different enemies in this challenging sequel can use seven different skills, making the defense in each level challenging and unique based on which enemies are coming. The game also includes five different items and 25 battle maps.

The story for Star Defense Mission takes place in Lightsource year 9-2. Some humans have escaped the rule of a tyrant, Sinu, with a large amount of energy crystals. The humans must use their rebel force to defend the crystals against the hordes of enemies Sinu sends against them.

The original game was featured on Apple’s New & Noteworthy page. Star Defense Mission 2 is available for $2.99 and is an iPad only game.

$0.99

Star Defense Mission 2

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2012-04-18 :: Category: Games

In development game, Dragons vs. Unicorns, announced a single player mode to its soon-to-be-released game.

Single player gameplay in Dragons vs. Unicorns consists of protecting unicorn eggs in their nests while waves of various Dragon Minions come in successful levels to destroy them. The player earns points for hatching more unicorns and earns gold for killing the minions. Golden eggs occasionally appear that hatch the special Golden Unicornling. Protecting bunnies is also a priority. The bunnies come from the opposite side of the screen to incubate the unicorn eggs. Hedgehogs, which apparently have a magical pact with the unicorns, can be used to throw boomerang-style into the minions to cause maximum destruction. Check out the labeled picture in the gallery for a more detailed account of gameplay.

Digital Harmony Games already has one game on the App Store, Chin Up. Dragons vs. Unicorns is projected to be released with both single and VS modes, player data options, and social connectivity. To keep up with development of Dragons vs. Unicorns, keep an eye on the Digital Harmony Games blog here.

Tower defense games on the App Store are nothing new and neither are games featuring modern military equipment. However, has there ever been a game that combines these two elements? Probably, but no one should let that stop them from at least giving Battleground Defense from Evelyn Software Labs a look.

Staying true to its promise of combining “classic tower defense gameplay” with “the intense action of modern warfare,” Battleground Defense’s collection of 18 towers includes missile launchers, heavy canons and flame throwers. These are the kinds of weapons one needs to take on tanks, jets, armored cars and the rest of the game’s 15 different enemy types. Among the nine maps are some where the enemy path is pre-determined and others where players must use strategic tower placement to redirect foes themselves like in Fieldrunners.

Available now for $2.99, iPhone and iPad owners alike can experience this tower defense game for the 21st century.

$2.99

Battleground Defense

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-11-30 :: Category: Games