Ironhide Game Studio got me. They have taken a mobile game and brought it to the Xbox and they have absolutely got me. Not since the release of Plants vs. Zombies on the iPhone eons ago have I been so addicted to a game that sprung from mobile roots. Kingdom Rush is a fast-moving strategy game that has simple gameplay concepts in its designs and an enormous casual gaming replay backbone that will have you coming back for more, if not only just to pass time. We’re all just filthy casuals at heart.
Should I be ashamed to be so incredibly engrossed in thoughtless, simple gameplay execution? Nah. While there is plenty of this gameplay to go around in Kingdom Rush, there are also deeper elements that make it work so well.
Let’s dig right into this mobile mayhem.
Rushing…always rushing
The gameplay concept behind Kingdom Rush is simple. You build structures to block enemy invasions, you raise troops to slow down said enemies, and you use great champions to lay down final blows on the wicked who somehow get through your initial defenses. That’s the concept. That’s it. Beyond some minor backend leveling up and champion character unlocks, this is the crux of the gameplay. And while it is certainly simple at the very heart of it all, it does create quite a bit of entertainment when all those elements mix together.
The fun in this game comes in a variety of ways. The first is building up structures and upgrading them to stop a bevy of enemies. The structures can be cannons, troop barracks, arrow-flinging archers, and even wizards that throw down lightning bolts at passing enemies. You build up these structures by slaying enemies. The more enemies you slay, the more you can build, as each enemy’s death equals a certain amount of acquired coin. That coin can be used to make new structures or upgrade pre-existing ones. So, you’ll want to make the best decisions possible in the building phase of the game to make the greatest number of coins in the shortest amount of time. Ironhide Game Studio does a good job of motivating the player to do this song and dance routine with building, eliminating, and upgrading. These three elements alone will make you keep replaying the game over and over again. It is incredibly addictive.
Now, going back to gameplay, to make the game a bit of a challenge, and to avoid players building an infinite number of structures, the game only allows you to build on a finite amount of land. This means that some levels have 9-10 plots you can build on. Some have less. Regardless, what you build and what you upgrade are two important factors in stopping multiple waves of enemies that come at you in the game. And that is the point of the game, much like the previously mentioned PvZ, you have waves of enemies coming at you and you have to take them down in a short amount of time before other enemies show up. Take all of that in for a second — you must strategize what you build and where. The heavy amount of strategic thinking in this game is maddening, especially at the speed it goes (and it goes fast in the later stages). On top of this, the game knows that you only have a certain combination of structures that equal success or failure. It’s fun trying to figure out which structures work best against the enemy type thrown at you. Sometimes you will run into an arrow-heavy solution, and sometimes building up troops and cannons might be the best method of defense. There are a variety of ways most levels could go, and these decisions are also driven by enemy types. And there are so many enemies in the game.
The enemies are structured in a basic way. You have some that are grunts, just filling holes and distracting your soldiers from major enemies. There are mid-enemies that are difficult but manageable with the right number of low-level defensive structure combinations. Then there are difficult, armored enemies that are hard to take down without high-level structures in place. And then…there are the bosses. These are massive creatures that you really must be prepared to take down. The enemy variety makes this an interesting game and plays very much into structure strategy.
Beyond that simple structure, the game also does a commendable job of creating unique enemies that keep the waves of oncoming enemies interesting. From goblins to bats and all the way to giants and metal robots, there’s enough enemy coolness going around to make you forget that the basic structure of enemies exists. The creative design of the enemies creates some surprises during fights and even some that might throw you for a loop. For example, in the third hour of gameplay, the game decided to throw in some flying creatures that my ground troops couldn’t reach, which made me panic a bit. You can only let a finite number of enemies in your kingdom before you lose the match (20) and not being able to kill the flying creatures made that number disappear quickly. Thankfully, my archers took them down quickly, but that wave of enemies heightened my alert for randos showing up on the battlefield. It added some good excitement to the gameplay.
In addition to the enemies, the other gem in this gameplay design mine is how the levels are cleverly designed. The game begins with simple layouts, mainly focusing on one or two enemy rush roads at a time. As you progress further and further, the game starts to get more complicated with what it throws at you. For example, there is a zig-zag snowy level where there are mine shafts for enemies to traverse and appear closer to your kingdom instantly. Having to handle fast-moving enemies who take shortcuts and juggle the others who take regular routes can be mind-binding and add quite a bit of a challenge to the game. Anyway, you will see a good design with levels that add more depth to the simple concept of the game.
Overall, the gameplay is simple in structure, creative in its level and enemy venture, and incredibly replayable. While it never gets to some triple AAA level of depth and entertainment, it certainly matches the fun you would find in a casual gameplay experience.
On that note, let’s wrap this up.
Conclusion
Kingdom Rush from Ironhide Game Studio is a casual and fun gameplay experience that doesn’t do too much to entertain but does enough to keep you coming back for more.
