The most recent in the Bloons TD saga, Bloons Tower Defense 4, claims to be the best, with new features and updated game play. As far as the others found on Kongregate, it really does hold true and does improve on the originals... but enough to warrant playing it, we will soon find out...

Low and behold it does! Yes the fourth installment of this title does actually have a reason to exist, and it isn't just a ploy by the author to make money... although you can be sure that he is sure trying to make a lot of money off of it. This site has a feature where you can purchase upgrades in game using cash, something I would never encourage... but if you want to I suppose feel free. However, even without any upgrades this game sure does take some metaphorical cake. It offers new towers, new levels, and all new pathing. The more options included in this version do make it better than the original. Some features that I noted specifically were the individual towers behavior such as which balloon to target, as well as a ranking system.

For those new to Tower Defense games, baddies travel along a predetermined path trying to escape and claim your lives, it's your job to stop them. To do so, a variety of towers must be employed... I do mean variety, this game is impossible to beat using only 1 or 2 types of towers. Personally I found that without the use of at least 6 or 7 different combinations it was extremely difficult to beat the medium and hard settings.

In any event, Bloons TD 4 has implemented two main features I want to comment on. Firstly is the ability to unlock new rankings. As you gain levels and rankings through killing massive numbers of Bloons you will gain new upgrades for your towers. These upgrades are what will allow you to supersede some of the more difficult stages. Upgrades range from missiles that deal extra damage to Bloons blimps to Super Monkey storms that clear all baddies from the screen. This I suppose could be labeled as an RPG style element, but I would call it more just a slightly more complex upgrade system that encourages users to continue playing. Essentially, you gain rankings and get new bonuses for existing towers, and in the first stage you actually have to unlock the towers.

More new features include the ability to save current games, so if you are currently working on a level and have something important come up you can save your design. Music and sounds can be disabled during the game without going to a menu, and the layout of the screen is fairly clean without alot of distractions.

There is also now a variety of tracks to chose from, also there is an upgrade pack you can buy, and even user designed tracks can be made. Another addition is sandbox mode, in which you have unlimited cash to do with what you please, and Armageddon mode, where once the Bloons start they never stop.

As far as difficulty, this version does step it up ever so slightly. No longer can you simply rush a super monkey and win the game. Now levels required more planning and a lot more creativity in defense. I found an excellent array of multi-directional towers combined with freeze towers, bomb towers, single dart monkey and upgrade towers works well. Finally Super monkeys do add that last bit of defense that just obliterates most things... but don't be fooled, those blimps will still stop even some of the most stalwart defense.

Overall I was quite pleased with this version of a TD game. It updates the older version, adds some new features, ramps up difficulty and doesn't ruin what it was doing well. I would encourage everyone to play this game, be it for 30 minutes or 3 hours you won't be disappointed.

Rating:

Longevity: 4.0/5
Interface: 3.5/5
Addictiveness: 3.5/5
Sound: 3.0/5
Simplicity: 3.0/5

Overall: 3.4/5

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