Bloons TD
Encyclopedia
Bloons Tower Defense, often abbreviated as Bloons TD or BTD (the official website uses this moniker as well), is a series of tower defense
-style games under the Bloons
brand produced and created by Ninja Kiwi. It was initially developed as a browser game
built upon the Adobe Flash
platform, but in later games was made available as an iOS app
for the iPhone
, iPod touch
and iPad
. It is noted that devices operating on Google
's Android OS
can play the Bloons TD series as well, due to their ability to download Adobe Flash Player
from the Android Market
. This allows them to run the game directly through the browser.
" (a creative derivative of Balloons
) from reaching the end of the track on the playing field. As implied by the genre, the player has various types of towers at his disposal to defend against the Bloons; including Dart Monkeys, Tack Towers, Ice Towers, Cannons, the powerful Super Monkey, and others introduced in the various versions of the game. The playing area consists of a defined track, with one or more entrance and exit for the Bloons.
Most larger Bloons also move faster than their lower-end constituents, making them even more threatening to the player.
capable of attaching glue to a certain number of Bloons that pass over it (which slows then down) before becoming useless. In Bloons TD 4, a new tower named the "Glue Gunner" was added to the game, having to ability to attack bloons with a derivative of Monkey Glue. There are also many other types of towers, introduced in the various editions of the game.
Towers include...
Dart Monkey, Cannon, Dartling Gun, Monkey Ace, Tack Shooter, Spike Factory, Boomerang, Spike-o-pult(not availible to buy in bloons tower defense 4, only upgrades), and Super Monkey
In addition, there are 'premium upgrades' that are bought with MochiCoins from an account.
Money can be spent in various ways. It can be used to purchase towers and upgrades.
It can be used to purchase the very powerful but expensive Monkey Storm
and rainbow Bloons were added into the game, as well as multiple defensive additions for the player. A new tower, road spikes, and monkey glue. Road Spikes can be placed on the track to pop a number of Bloons which pass over them, until they wear out; Monkey Glue is used to slow down Bloons that pass over it until it is used up. There are also new tracks; each with its own difficulty level. These difficulty levels affect the number of lives a player has, as well as the cost of towers. In this game, players are provided with 50 to 100 lives (depending on the difficulty).
Bloons and M.O.A.B.s (Massive Ornary Air Blimp), both of which are difficult to pop due to their ability to endure multiple shots from the player's towers. There were now four tracks available the first time the game is played, but four more can be unlocked by beating the original courses. Bloons TD 3 added another 2 towers, including the Monkey Beacon, which strengthens nearby towers. There are also four upgrades available for most towers, instead of the two from the previous games. A new free-play mode was introduced if level 50 is beaten in each course.
A version for iOS called Bloons TD was made available on October 2, 2009 from the iTunes App Store. On January 26, 2010 a free version was released with less features called Bloons TD Lite.
The game graphics were also completely revamped.
Bloons TD 4 introduced five new tower types, with each receiving additional upgrades including a final, powerful (and expensive) super-upgrade. New Bloons were also added, as well as additional towers, and player options. Some levels have received special challenges.
A version for iOS called Bloons TD 4 was released via iTunes App Store on December 7, 2010. On January 19, 2011 a free version was released with less features called Bloons TD 4 Lite. An iPad version called Bloons TD 4 HD was then released on March 31, 2011. This was followed by the release of a free iPad version called Bloons TD 4 HD Lite on April 28, 2011.
editor Daemon Hatfield stated that Bloons Tower Defense 3 succeeds in standing out in this crowded genre, by having the core game mechanics right and adding their own individual twist. GameZebo
editor Jim Squires gave Bloons Tower Defense 4 a 3.5/5 rating, praising it on its "Well designed maps and towers" and for having "Tons of content"; although it was criticized for not "bringing anything new to the genre." GamePro
editor Ryan Rigney gave Bloons Tower Defense 4 a 2/5 rating, stating that it has "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". However, Wired
called the game "pop culture at its best".
. As regards the next installment in the series, Bloons TD 5 is said to be released in late 2011; although this is mostly conjecture. Starting November 18th, however, "journal pages" would pop up on the page for the game, each one describing new upgrades and towers the monkeys have created. At the bottom of the page, it appears there are 12 pages in total, with one page being released per day. The puzzle game "Who Wants To Be a Bloonionaire" was released. If completed, you will be presented with a trailer for Bloons Tower Defense 5 which is scheduled to come out December 2011 with new towers, upgrades and bloons.
Tower defense
Tower defense is a subgenre of real-time strategy computer games.The goal of tower defense games is to try to stop enemies from crossing a map by building towers which shoot at them as they pass. Enemies and towers usually have varied abilities, costs, and ability costs...
-style games under the Bloons
Bloons
Bloons represents multiple flagship video game series developed by the game maker Ninja Kiwi. There are various groupings, including the Bloons series, the Bloons Tower Defense series, and various other spinoffs on the original games...
brand produced and created by Ninja Kiwi. It was initially developed as a browser game
Browser game
A browser game is a computer game that is played over the Internet using a web browser. Browser games can be created and run using standard web technologies or browser plug-ins. Browser games include all video game genres and can be single-player or multiplayer...
built upon the Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
platform, but in later games was made available as an iOS app
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
for the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPod touch
IPod touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
and iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
. It is noted that devices operating on Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
's Android OS
OS
OS may refer to:* O.S. Old Stonyhurst, an old boy of the ancient Jesuit public school, Stonyhurst College* O.S. Engines, a Japanese manufacturer of model aircraft engines* Ocean Science, an Oceanographic Journal published by the European Geosciences Union....
can play the Bloons TD series as well, due to their ability to download Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Flash Player
The Adobe Flash Player is software for viewing multimedia, Rich Internet Applications and streaming video and audio, on a computer web browser or on supported mobile devices. Flash Player runs SWF files that can be created by the Adobe Flash authoring tool, by Adobe Flex or by a number of other...
from the Android Market
Android Market
Android Market is an online software store developed by Google for Android OS devices. Its gateway is an application program called "Market", preinstalled on most Android devices, allows users to browse and download mobile apps published by third-party developers...
. This allows them to run the game directly through the browser.
Gameplay
The main objective of the game is to prevent the enemy "BloonsBloons
Bloons represents multiple flagship video game series developed by the game maker Ninja Kiwi. There are various groupings, including the Bloons series, the Bloons Tower Defense series, and various other spinoffs on the original games...
" (a creative derivative of Balloons
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
) from reaching the end of the track on the playing field. As implied by the genre, the player has various types of towers at his disposal to defend against the Bloons; including Dart Monkeys, Tack Towers, Ice Towers, Cannons, the powerful Super Monkey, and others introduced in the various versions of the game. The playing area consists of a defined track, with one or more entrance and exit for the Bloons.
Bloons
Bloons are the enemy in the game series. They appear at the entrance(s) located on the playing field, and follow along a pre-defined path on the track until they either reach the exit(s) or are popped. There are many types of Bloons, with the tougher variants usually containing a number of weaker ones. Some Bloons also have special abilities, invulnerabilities, or strengths. Depending on the difficulty and version of the game, the player has a certain amount of lives available to him. Different types of Bloons consume different amounts of lives (if they reach the end of the playing area); with Red Bloons consuming 1, Blue consuming 2, Green consuming 3, Yellow consuming 4, and so on.Most larger Bloons also move faster than their lower-end constituents, making them even more threatening to the player.
Towers
Towers are the mainstay defensive utility in the Bloons TD series. Each tower has its own unique purpose, power, and use, with some being quite powerful against some Bloons but unable to target others effectively. Throughout the series the towers have been changed, edited, and many have been added. For instance, in Bloons TD 2, the Dart Tower was renamed to the Dart Monkey, and Monkey Glue was inserted into the game; a trapTrap (tactic)
A trap is a device intended to catch an intruder or prey. "Trap" may also refer to the tactic of catching or harming an adversary. Conversely it may also mean a hindrance for change, being caught in a trap.-Device:*Animal trapping*Bird trapping...
capable of attaching glue to a certain number of Bloons that pass over it (which slows then down) before becoming useless. In Bloons TD 4, a new tower named the "Glue Gunner" was added to the game, having to ability to attack bloons with a derivative of Monkey Glue. There are also many other types of towers, introduced in the various editions of the game.
Towers include...
Dart Monkey, Cannon, Dartling Gun, Monkey Ace, Tack Shooter, Spike Factory, Boomerang, Spike-o-pult(not availible to buy in bloons tower defense 4, only upgrades), and Super Monkey
Upgrades
Every tower can upgrade to increase power and other capabilities. In BTD4, each tower has a 'secret' upgrade that is extremely powerful. They are very expensive and have to be unlocked before use. Of course, they are the strongest and final upgrade of each tower.In addition, there are 'premium upgrades' that are bought with MochiCoins from an account.
Money
There are various ways to gain money in the Bloons TD series. In Bloons TD 1 and 2, money was earned by popping Bloons and completing levels; with the money gained by the latter decreasing each level (starting at 100 and slowing diminishing). In Bloons TD 3, these methods were altered. Money is still earned by popping Bloons (which decreases when you reach a certain level count), but the amount of money gained for completing each level was changed to increase per level instead of decrease. In Bloons TD 4, Banana Farms were added, which provide the player with 120 dollars for the first upgradde, 250 dollars for the second and 500 for the third at the end of each level.Money can be spent in various ways. It can be used to purchase towers and upgrades.
It can be used to purchase the very powerful but expensive Monkey Storm
Series
There are currently four games in the Bloons Tower Defense series, in addition to various other add-on packs such as "Bloons Tower Defense 4 Expansion". There are also versions of the game which were ported to other platforms, including iOS.Bloons TD
Bloons TD was the first game in the BTD series, released in late 2007. It is limited to six Bloon types, red, blue, green, yellow, black, and white. All Bloons with the exception of Red have a number of smaller Bloons inside of them, while others (namely Black and White) had certain invulnerabilities. There are five towers to choose from to pop the Bloons; including the Dart Tower, Tack Tower, Ice Tower, Bomb Tower, and the Super Monkey. Players are provided 40 lives to beat 50 levels; unlike later versions of the game, there are no separate difficulty levels and there is only one track to choose from.Bloons TD 2
Bloons TD 2 was the first sequel to Bloons TD, and was also released in 2007. It added a number of new items. LeadLead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and rainbow Bloons were added into the game, as well as multiple defensive additions for the player. A new tower, road spikes, and monkey glue. Road Spikes can be placed on the track to pop a number of Bloons which pass over them, until they wear out; Monkey Glue is used to slow down Bloons that pass over it until it is used up. There are also new tracks; each with its own difficulty level. These difficulty levels affect the number of lives a player has, as well as the cost of towers. In this game, players are provided with 50 to 100 lives (depending on the difficulty).
Bloons TD 3
Bloons TD 3 was released in 2008. It added ceramicCeramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
Bloons and M.O.A.B.s (Massive Ornary Air Blimp), both of which are difficult to pop due to their ability to endure multiple shots from the player's towers. There were now four tracks available the first time the game is played, but four more can be unlocked by beating the original courses. Bloons TD 3 added another 2 towers, including the Monkey Beacon, which strengthens nearby towers. There are also four upgrades available for most towers, instead of the two from the previous games. A new free-play mode was introduced if level 50 is beaten in each course.
A version for iOS called Bloons TD was made available on October 2, 2009 from the iTunes App Store. On January 26, 2010 a free version was released with less features called Bloons TD Lite.
Bloons TD 4
Bloons TD 4 was released in October 2009. The gameplay underwent fairly major changes, including the ability to save the current game (which requires a MochiGames account) and the introduction of an unlocking-based system; which made it so that towers, upgrades, and the new Sandbox and Apopalypse modes were unlocked over time. Towers now have one upgrade path with four upgrades, instead of the previous split paths and it is believed that there will soon be a fifth upgrade added. The Spike-O-Pult was removed but changed into the 3rd upgrade for the Dart Monkey. Triple Shot was the fourth and final upgrade for the Dart Monkey. New towers included the Spike Factory, Monkey Ace, Monkey Buccaneer, Dartling Gun and others. The Spike Factory had a very powerful upgrade that would be unlocked at a certain career rank called the Spike Storm. The Super Monkey also was given a new upgrade to players who reached a certain career rank. A leveling system was also introduced, which directly corresponds to the unlocking system. The more Bloons the player pops over the course of his game 'career', the higher his level climbs; and hence the more features become available for use. The player's current level status is kept persistently even if the player closes his browser, which improves aspects of long-term gameplay. In the new Sandbox mode (unlocked at rank 26), the player can practice strategy and tower placement with virtually unlimited money and lives (10,000,00 and 100,000 respectively). In Apopalypse mode (unlocked at rank 31), there are no breaks between levels. Bloons come in constant, unending waves.The game graphics were also completely revamped.
Bloons TD 4 introduced five new tower types, with each receiving additional upgrades including a final, powerful (and expensive) super-upgrade. New Bloons were also added, as well as additional towers, and player options. Some levels have received special challenges.
A version for iOS called Bloons TD 4 was released via iTunes App Store on December 7, 2010. On January 19, 2011 a free version was released with less features called Bloons TD 4 Lite. An iPad version called Bloons TD 4 HD was then released on March 31, 2011. This was followed by the release of a free iPad version called Bloons TD 4 HD Lite on April 28, 2011.
Reception
IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
editor Daemon Hatfield stated that Bloons Tower Defense 3 succeeds in standing out in this crowded genre, by having the core game mechanics right and adding their own individual twist. GameZebo
Gamezebo
Gamezebo is a website that focuses on editorial coverage of the casual games industry, offering interviews, features, reviews, previews, strategy guides, news and podcasts....
editor Jim Squires gave Bloons Tower Defense 4 a 3.5/5 rating, praising it on its "Well designed maps and towers" and for having "Tons of content"; although it was criticized for not "bringing anything new to the genre." GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
editor Ryan Rigney gave Bloons Tower Defense 4 a 2/5 rating, stating that it has "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". However, Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
called the game "pop culture at its best".
Current Status and Sequel
Bloons TD 4 Expansion, released in 2010, is the latest version in the series; as implies, as an expansion upon the already existing Bloons Tower Defense 4. The game was retitled Bloons TD in January 2010 due to infringement on the TowerDefense trademark owned by Com2uSCom2uS
Com2uS is a South Korean mobile and online game development/ publishing company. Established in 1998, the company has its reputation of being the No. 1 mobile games provider in Korea....
. As regards the next installment in the series, Bloons TD 5 is said to be released in late 2011; although this is mostly conjecture. Starting November 18th, however, "journal pages" would pop up on the page for the game, each one describing new upgrades and towers the monkeys have created. At the bottom of the page, it appears there are 12 pages in total, with one page being released per day. The puzzle game "Who Wants To Be a Bloonionaire" was released. If completed, you will be presented with a trailer for Bloons Tower Defense 5 which is scheduled to come out December 2011 with new towers, upgrades and bloons.