Dungeon Defense
Out of virtually nowhere comes Dungeon Defense (DD hereafter) from InMotion Software LLC to hit me upside the head with a frozen soda.  Just when I thought the tower defense genre was tapped like an empty keg, once again a wily developer has found a way to revitalize, innovate and rise above the glut in the app store.  Call me cliche but this is TD with a genuine (pronounced gen-YOO-EIN) twist.  Yes, the overall goal of the game is still to prevent baddies from traversing a set path but when it comes to the execution of that goal, all bets are off as DD zooms on ahead of the pack.  There’s actually no backstory at all, just know ye that under your command is an evil skeleton army hell-bent on protecting its dungeon’s treasure horde and mighty Dungeon King from a steady stream of pesky heroes who lust for what you probably stole from them in the first place (but I digress).

There are no options in the game, you simply load it up and press Start (or resume if you have a game in progress).  You begin with 200 gold to your credit (ironically not much of a horde eh?) which is enough to get you 2 skeleton swordsmen.  There are no towers in this game; instead the path contains strategically placed spawn points where you’re allowed to conjure up a single unit.  That spawn point them becomes the unit’s permanent ‘home’ as it will always return there after a battle to regenerate hit points.  Should it die in battle, it will lay in a crumpled, bony heap until a visual timer expires, at which point it reconstitutes on the spot and either rejoins the battle at full health or ambles back to it’s spawn.

Control
You have no direct control over your army, they automatically move to attack any approaching heroes and not always intelligently.  However, this to me is part of the strategy element and it’s all about where and when you place units and subsequently upgrade them.  Upgrading, nay let’s call it leveling up since we’re on the fantasy kick, a unit is accomplished easily with a touch that brings up a small menu where you can level up, heal/revive or sell.  Note there’s no penalty for selling as the game unfortunately keeps no score or stats.  Later in the game you’ll be able to place undead archers and axemen (the ‘tank’ of your army and they are brutes).

Even though this is just 1.0 and updates are probably already in the think tank stage, it just wouldn’t be prudent without posting the old gripes and suggestions.

Bottom line, I absolutely love this game and recommend anyone and everyone go buy it asap and start kicking hero butt with extreme prejudice.