It is hard to argue that tower defense games have been put through their paces since their introduction to iOS. Pretty much every possible style and approach has been attempted, resulting in a huge selection of titles to pull from. The recently released Monster Die! Die! Die! attempts to bring just one more permutation to the table: pouring from a cauldron of death. Can an acid bath of variety put this newcomer over the top, or is there just not enough meat on the proverbial gaming bone?
Though this may come as a surprise to some, Monster Die! Die! Die! is a game that revolves around killing monsters. Novel concept, eh? Humanity is under attack from creatures that resemble the enemies from the terrible early 90s cartoon “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.” At least the abominations have the decency to form a single-file line while making their way towards a core that the player must protect. This is where the aforementioned dumping comes into play.
Using information about the attackers' weaknesses, which is conveniently located hovering above their heads, the player queues up an acid of some sort, which is then dumped on top of the attacking troops. Additionally, there are the standard collections of mountable turrets and the like, but their elemental attacks tend to feel inconsequential next to the power of washing away adversaries by the dozen.
Through completing missions, the player accrues cash that can in turn be spent on upgrading equipment. Cash and experience multipliers can also be purchased in order to curb the challenge, but there is never really a point where the difficulty necessitates shelling out real money. After all, when chugging through Monster Die! Die! Die’s! very roughly translated storyline, it will be difficult enough to understand what is going on - aside from collecting battle bonuses, anyway.
When it comes to trying something very different, Monster Die! Die! Die! provides a mechanic that hasn’t ever been seen. Unfortunately, that was probably for good reason. With an extremely limited way of using the tools that are provided, the appeal wears thin way too quickly. That said, it only costs a buck, so there is nothing wrong with giving it a look if for no other reason than morbid monster-maiming curiosity.