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Bloons Tower Defense

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Bloons Tower Defense
The logo for Bloons TD
Genre(s)Tower defense
Developer(s)Ninja Kiwi,
Digital Goldfish Ltd. (iOS)
Publisher(s)Ninja Kiwi
Platform(s)Android, browser (Flash), iOS, macOS, Nintendo DSi, PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
First releaseBloons TD
Mid 2007
Latest releaseBloons Supermonkey 2 Mobile
  • WW: November 1, 2016

Bloons Tower Defense (also known as Bloons TD) is a series of tower defense games under the Bloons series produced and created by Ninja Kiwi. The game was initially developed as a browser game, built upon the Adobe Flash platform and released in 2007. Later games in the series expanded to support various mobile platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows Phone, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DSi.

In the game, players attempt to prevent balloons (called bloons in-game) from reaching the end of a set course by placing towers or road items along it; units which can pop the bloons in a variety of ways. It is also possible to freeze and, in later levels, glue the bloons, giving other towers more time to pop them. Money is gained by popping bloons and completing levels, and can be spent on extra towers or upgrades for existing ones or even special items such as exploding pineapples and monkey tacks.

Gameplay

The main objective of Bloons TD is to prevent balloons, known in-game as "bloons", from reaching the end of a defined track on a map which consists of one or more entrances and exits for the bloons. The game is a tower defense game and thus the player can choose various types of towers and traps at his or her disposal to place around the track in order to defend against the bloons, gaining points for every bloon popped.[1][2] If a bloon reaches the end of a path, the player loses lives (or in later games, health); once these are depleted, the game ends.[3][4]

Bloons follow the map's set path on the track (unless they are hit by a weapon that causes them to move back to the start) until they either reach the exit(s) or are popped. The types of bloons in the game (as of December 19, 2016) are as follows: red bloons, blue bloons, green bloons, yellow bloons, pink bloons, black bloons, white bloons, lead bloons, zebra bloons, rainbow bloons, ceramic bloons, and blimps, referred to as MOAB (Massive Ornary Air Blimp)-class bloons, BFB (Brutal Flying Behemoth), DDT (Dark Dirigible Titan, which has camo and lead properties and is exclusive to Bloons Monkey City) and the toughest bloon the ZOMG, (Zeppelin Of Mighty Gargantuaness) with tougher variants containing a number of weaker ones.[5] In some versions of the game bloons possess special abilities, or strengths, such as camo (which most towers cannot detect) and regrowth (the ability for the bloons to slowly grow back to its original size), that resist certain tower types.[6] With each level, the intensity of bloon waves proportionately increases.[7]

Towers are the main defensive utility in the Bloons TD series. Each tower has its own unique purpose, power, and use, with some being powerful against specific bloons but unable to target others effectively.[8] Every tower can be upgraded to increase power and other capabilities by spending the in-game currency, known simply as 'money', which is earned by popping bloons and at the end of each round.[8] In Bloons TD 4 and Bloons TD 5, certain towers can be placed to produce additional money.[9]

In later games, there are 4 difficulty levels to play each level on, and there are 5 different types of maps rated by difficulty; beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert, and extreme. With each harder difficulty the player plays on, the less lives they have and the more each tower and upgrade cost.

Series

There are currently seven main games in the Bloons TD series, in addition to various add-on packs and spin-offs such as Bloons TD 4 Expansion and Bloons Monkey City,[10] and a new release, Bloons TD 6, which is set to be released some time in 2018.[11] The series was retitled from Bloons Tower Defense to Bloons TD in 2009 due to infringement on the TowerDefense trademark owned by Com2uS.[12]

Bloons Tower Defense and Bloons Tower Defense 2

A screenshot of the original Bloons Tower Defense.

Bloons Tower Defense is the first game in the BTD series, released for free as a flash browser game in Mid 2007.[13] In the game players had to defend against coloured bloons with monkeys, dart throwers, and other towers positioned around the map.[14] When strong bloons are popped they release weaker ones until eventually completely popping.[5] Bloons Tower Defense 2 was released soon after in Late 2007,[13] adding new towers, multiple map options, new bloons, and an option for game difficulty.[15]

Bloons TD 3

A screenshot of the Bloons TD 3 browser version.

Bloons TD 3 was released around September 5, 2008, months after the release of Bloons Tower Defense 2, named differently due to a trademark dispute with Com2uS.[12][13] As with the second game, new towers, bloons, and maps were added.[16]

A version based on this game was released for iOS titled Bloons TD; made available on October 3, 2009 from the iOS App Store.[7] This version had extra maps styled in snow and beach themes,[17] and included OpenFeint achievements.[18] The game included 5 map packs, containing a total of 15 different levels to play, with packs unlocked by completing the previous levels.[4] This version of the game was also released for the PlayStation Portable in 2010.[2] Another version of the game, simply titled Bloons TD, was released for DSiWare in 2011, containing 50 rounds to complete.[19][20]

Bloons TD 4

Bloons TD 4 was released in October 26, 2009 online with an iOS version released on December 7, 2010, developed in conjunction with Digital Goldfish.[21][22][23] The gameplay underwent changes including a graphical update, the ability to save the current game, and the introduction of an unlock-based leveling system.[3] The tower upgrading system received various changes including increasing the number of upgrades per tower,[13] and new maps and game modes were added.[24]

iPhone and iPad versions of this title have been purchased over one million times.[25] A version of the game was also released as a DSiWare game in 2012.[26]

Bloons TD 5

A screenshot of the Bloons TD 5 iOS version.

The original (Flash) Bloons TD 5 was released on December 13th, 2011. On November 15, 2012, BTD 5 was released on iOS worldwide for iPhones and iPods with improved graphics and additional upgrades, tracks, towers, and bloon types.[8] In November 19, 2014 it was released on Steam.[27] The game also introduced a daily challenge feature in Janruary, 2012; which sets a certain goal for the player to achieve, rewarding him or her with more in-game currency.[28] Also with a new update for the mobile version of BTD5, a new tower was added called the "Monkey Sub". The submarine was later added to the online version in July 2015. The iOS, Android and Steam versions have 15 languages: English, Arabic, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish.[29] On March 3rd 2017 it was released for Microsoft's Xbox One for $14.99 USD.[30]

Bloons TD Battles

Bloons TD Battles was released in December 13, 2012,[31] and later to Android and iOS platforms in Between November 5 & 6, 2013.[32] In April 20, 2016, it came to Steam.[citation needed], as a ported version of mobile. The gameplay is similar to that in Bloons TD 5 but two players compete against one another in one of three game modes. In "assault" mode, each player normally progresses through the levels that are made harder However, the players are also given the ability to purchase additional bloons, sending them to the opponent, overwhelming them.[33] In "defense" mode, the players play a natural game, the screen split vertically. Players can spend money to increase their income. In "Card Battles" mode, the players choose from a selection of cards to use in their games. The cards have two functions: Sending bloons to the enemy player, which, like in Assault Mode, will give the player who sends the bloons income, and placing down a tower. All three game objectives are to outlast the opponent in surviving the bloon attacks. The mobile version of Bloons TD Battles is exclusive as it has 3 non-PC towers, the Monkey Sub, the Monkey Engineer and an exclusive tower called the "COBRA" (Covert Ops Battles Response Agent).[34] Using the system's skill-based matching system, players can be automatically matched with one another.[35]

Bloons Monkey City

Bloons Monkey City was released in November 25, 2013. Like Bloons TD Battles, the core gameplay is similar to that of BTD5, however, the player has to maintain a city, expanding the city by capturing bloon-infested areas called tiles. One important goal of the game is levelling up the city. Players earn XP for the city by capturing tiles, completing missions or building towers. There is also an in-game feature known as Monkey v. Monkey, allowing players to fight each other; raids can be launched using the resource "Bloontonium". This can be acquired by capturing certain tiles or with Bloontonium generators. If the opponent fails to defend against the raid in the set time period, the attacker gains city cash, another resource in the game used to build towers, bloonstones, the 'premium currency' of the game, and city honor, which has no primary purpose in the game other than achievements. One primary difference between this game and the others in the Bloons series is the addition of buildings. Buildings in Bloons Monkey City are required in order to use and to upgrade towers. Some buildings serve as prerequisites to other buildings, while others are prerequisites to using certain bloons in raids, and the number of towers you can use in a game depends on how many of that specific type of building you possess. Some buildings unlock new monkeys, while others unlock upgrades for these monkeys. Other buildings are required to unlock the tier four upgrades, Camo Bloon defense, and MOAB class Bloon popping power (the Sun God and Robo-Monkey also require buildings). In mid-2014, Ninja Kiwi released a new mode known as Contested Territory, a mini-game which offers bonus rewards, and pits players against each other, all of whom compete to survive the most rounds for the longest time on a trickier-than-normal track.[36] This game was released on browser, but a port to iOS and Android was released in December 3, 2014 and February 18, 2015 respectively.[37][38]

Reception

Shortly after the release of Bloons Tower Defense, Lore Sjöberg of Wired described the game as cheerful and addictive, calling it "pop culture at its best".[14] In 2012, Justin Davis of IGN described Bloons Tower Defense as one of the best free tower defense games, despite its "amateurish" artwork.[5] He later noted the first entry's lack of depth, and that the sequel improved this.[15]

IGN editor Daemon Hatfield said that he thought Bloons TD 3 succeeded in standing out in the crowded genre by having sufficient core game mechanics and adding an individual twist.[39] The game's iOS version received mixed reviews with some authors praising the unique towers and good gameplay, though the user interface, controls, and lack of leaderboards were criticised.[4][7][40] The DS version received similar reception, with Lucas Thomas of IGN describing it as "a pretty good take on good old Bloons TD."[19] Eurogamer's Kristan Reed gave the PSP version 8/10, describing it as "transfixing", though he said that the music appeared to be designed to "drive you insane".[16]

GameZebo editor Jim Squires gave Bloons TD 4 a 3.5/5 rating, praising it on its well designed maps and towers and for having a large amount of content, but he criticized the game for not "bringing anything new to the genre."[21] GamePro editor Ryan Rigney gave Bloons TD 4 a 2/5 rating, stating that it had the same Bloons Tower Defense gameplay as the previous titles, and "the screen eventually gets so hectic that it's no longer fun to play"; an issue which many other reviews also responded negatively to.[3][21][41]

Bloons TD 5 was received similarly to its previous version, with reviewers commenting positively on the number of maps, towers, and levels, but criticising the lack of innovation to the tower-defense genre and performance issues at higher levels.[8][9] Both Bloons TD 4 and Bloons TD 5 featured among the top 10 paid iPhone apps in the iOS App Store,[42][43] with Bloons TD 4 selling over 1 million copies.[25] Bloons TD remained in the top 100 apps for at least 3 months,[17] and Bloons TD 5 was the 8th most purchased iPhone app in 2013.[44] Overall, the game series has been played over 1 billion times across web and mobile devices.[45]

References

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  2. ^ a b Jordan, Jon (24 June 2010). "Bloons TD coming to PSP Minis". Pocket Gamer. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b c Nesvadba, Andrew (6 January 2011). "Bloons TD 4 Review". App Spy. Archived from the original on 2014-01-02. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  4. ^ a b c Rattray, Tim (21 October 2009). "Bloons Tower Defense Review". Slide to Play. Archived from the original on 2014-01-02. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
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  6. ^ Bedford, John (26 November 2012). "App Of The Day: Bloons TD 5". Gametrailers.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-02. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
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  9. ^ a b Johnson, Leif. "Bloons TD 5 Review". Gamezebo.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-02. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
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  12. ^ a b Jordan, Jon (25 January 2010). "Com2uS "guides" developers not to use its trademark Tower Defense". PocketGamer.biz. Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 27 January 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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  14. ^ a b Sjöberg, Lore (16 August 2007). "Browser Game: Bloons Tower Defense is Pop Culture at its Best". Wired. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ a b Davis, Justin (16 March 2012). "Free Game of the Day: Bloons Tower Defense 2". IGN. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
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  17. ^ a b Jordan, Jon (17 August 2009). "Bloons Tower Defense popping over to App Store". Pocket Gamer. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Jordan, Jon (6 November 2009). "Revealed: Bloons Tower Defense's OpenFeint achievements". Pocket Gamer. Archived from the original on 2014-01-02. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ a b Thomas, Lucas (10 November 2011). "Bloons Tower Defense Review". IGN.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  20. ^ East, Thomas (6 December 2011). "Pullblox coming to 3DS eShop this week". Official Nintendo Magazine. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ a b c Squires, Jim (24 January 2011). "Bloons TD 4 Review". Gamezebo. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2011-07-14. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Yonemoto, Tracy (16 February 2011). "Bloons TD 4 review". App Safari. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ "Here it is: Bloons TD 4". Bloons TD 4 Release Text. Ninja Kiwi. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013.
  24. ^ Narcisse, Evan (29 November 2012). "Pac-Man, Wii U YouTube and a Romantic Airport Management Game from the Makers of Professor Layton Arrive in The Nintendo Download The Week". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ a b "Kiwi games industry booms". Gameplanet. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ Reed, Philip (2 December 2012). "Bloons TD 4 (DSiWare) Review". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ http://store.steampowered.com/app/306020/Bloons_TD_5/
  28. ^ Lada, Jenni (8 January 2013). "Android Amusements: Bloons TD 5". Technology Tell. Archived from the original on 2014-01-04. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  29. ^ "Bloons TD 5 iTunes website (see languages)".
  30. ^ "Buy Bloons TD 5 - Microsoft Store".
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  34. ^ Bedford, John. "Bloons TD Battles iPhone Review". Modojo. Archived from the original on 2014-01-02. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  35. ^ "Bloons TD Battles Brings Sniper Monkeys, Multiplayer Tower Defense to iOS Devices". The Market for Computer & Video Games. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  36. ^ Gould, Aaron. "What's Up At Ninja Kiwi? - 06 June '14". Ninja Kiwi Blog. Ninja Kiwi. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  37. ^ Gould, Aaron. "What's Up at Ninja Kiwi? - 18 December '14". Ninja Kiwi Blog. Ninja Kiwi. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  38. ^ Gould, Aaron. "What's Up At Ninja Kiwi? - 05 February '15". Ninja Kiwi Blog. Ninja Kiwi. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  39. ^ Hatfield, Daemon (March 10, 2009). "Daemon's Take on Bloons Tower Defense 3 - Web Games Feature at IGN". IGN. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved 2011-07-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  40. ^ Broida, Rick (19 October 2009). "Five awesome iPhone tower defense games". CNET. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  41. ^ Rigney, Ryan (December 15, 2010). "Bloons TD 4 Review from GamePro". GamePro. Archived from the original on 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  42. ^ Cowan, Danny (13 December 2010). "Top iPhone and iPod Touch Game Apps: Infinity Blade, Bloons TD 4 See Big Sales". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  43. ^ Chang, Jon (17 December 2013). "Candy Crush Saga Is Apple's Most Downloaded App of 2013". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 1 January 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  44. ^ Graham, Jefferson (17 December 2013). "Apple reveals top app downloads of 2013: Candy wins". USA Today. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  45. ^ Chapman-Smith, Ben (21 November 2012). "Auckland company's latest game making it big in US". The Aucklander. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
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