I have very fond memories of playing Kingdom Rush as a kid with my dad. We’d sit together on our couch and brainstorm the best tower defense strategies for the level at hand together. I was loved using wizards while he tended to enjoy using the soldier towers. I was excited to play the game again now as an adult for this critical play, and maybe it’s the nostalgia glasses, but I still feel this game is best in class in delightful user experience and tower defense balance. And it’s interesting how it compares from a design lens with a game we heard a lot about from George Fan last week, Plants vs. Zombies.
Kingdom Rush is a tower defense game created by Ironhide Game Studio. It’s available on browser, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Linux (I played on iOS). It targets enthusiasts of strategic gameplay and medieval fantasy settings, and appeals to all ages with it’s child-friendly UX. Plants vs. Zombies, a game created by George Fan and developed by PopCap Games, targets casual gamers as well as strategy enthusiasts, it’s available on practically every platform imaginable – even BlackBerry!
The medieval fantasy theme of Kingdom Rush is richly detailed and provides narrative context that feels connected to the strategic engagement of the player. In comparison, Plants vs. Zombies, while entertaining and creative, offers a more whimsical and less cohesive thematic experience. This contrast highlights the impact of theme on player immersion and the overall depth of gameplay. I’d argue for that reason Kingdom Rush has quite about more theme-related immersion than PvZ.
In Kingdom Rush, the main mechanics of tower placement and upgrades are designed to support a gameplay experience that emphasizes strategy and planning. The aesthetics, influenced by the medieval theme, provide a visually rich and engaging backdrop that enhances immersion. The game’s formal elements are intricately tied to the medieval fantasy theme, reinforcing the player’s connection to the game world. In simplest terms, the theme and formal elements are virtually indistinguishable, and it feels easy to see yourself as part of the defense yourself.
Plants vs. Zombies, on the other hand, I’d argue, uses its mechanics like plant placement and resource management to create a dynamic that is easy to grasp and play but without caring as much about merging theme and formal elements. I’d say the aesthetic of PvZ is quirky, and aims to entertain and amuse rather than immerse. This design choice aligns with the game’s goal of appealing to a wide audience, making it an excellent entry point for casual gamers into the tower defense genre. The formal elements (which on paper are very similar to Kingdom Rush), such as the variety of plants and zombies, provide enough variety to keep the gameplay interesting without overwhelming the player. However, at the end of the day I wouldn’t attribute immersion to the theme itself.
If anything could be improved with Kingdom Rush, it would definitely be its tutorials which are many and also very text-based as seen below. In this regard, PvZ takes the cake with its intuitive on boarding.
As a designer, I think PvZ could potentially be improved by taking some cues from Kingdom Rush, and varying the way enemies attack. I think it would be very interesting to see a version of PvZ with bending lanes and plants that can shoot in multiple directions. It’s a little less forced and might enhance the immersive aspect that Kingdom Rush achieves through its aesthetic thematic choices.
