Remember those classic TD games, like the ones in StarCraft or Warcraft 3 custom maps where you could build your own maze for the enemies? I miss those! Are there any games like that now? I’d love to relive those days and build some mazes again. Let me know if you have any recommendations!
Have you tried Defense Grid 1 or 2?
Keir said:
Have you tried Defense Grid 1 or 2?
Thanks for the suggestion, but that’s not quite what I’m looking for. Those have a set path for the enemies. What I’m talking about is like this:
Imagine a blank football field where enemies spawn at one end and run straight to the other (the no-no zone). You build the maze yourself to make them take a longer path. On the old maps, there were often 8 players competing for high scores or just hanging out. Sometimes you could even send nasty surprises to mess with the other players.
@Poe
Actually, about half of the levels in Defense Grid have areas where you build the maze. It’s a fantastic tower defense game! If you’re looking for those specific Warcraft 3-style maps, though, you might need to just grab Warcraft 3 and play the custom maps.
Warcraft 3 custom games are still pretty active.
There are standalone tower defense games on Steam, but they don’t quite hit the same way as the Warcraft 3 ones.
What about Sanctum 1 and 2?
Hollis said:
What about Sanctum 1 and 2?
Sanctum 2 is only $2? That’s a steal! I’m not a big FPS fan, but I’ll give it a try. Thanks!
Hollis said:
What about Sanctum 1 and 2?
I wish they’d make Sanctum 3. I spent so many late nights playing the second one with my childhood friend, staying up till 3 or 4 in the morning to build the perfect maze. So many good memories.
You should check out Emberward. It’s a tower defense game that really focuses on maze building, and I’ve had a blast playing it.
The creator of the old ‘Beat the Geek’ tower defense site made a mobile version of the game a while back. I know it’s on mobile, but it’s got that old-school vibe. Try searching for ‘Beat the Geek Tower Defense.’
@Phoenix
This sounds perfect—thank you!
I’m looking for something like this too. The closest I’ve found is Axon TD with its map editor for creating your own maps, but I’ll admit the towers and balance could use some work.
Pippin said:
I’m looking for something like this too. The closest I’ve found is Axon TD with its map editor for creating your own maps, but I’ll admit the towers and balance could use some work.
Have you checked out Axon TD Uprising? It came out in September 2024 and has map building as part of the missions. It’s on my wishlist, but I haven’t played it yet.
Here’s the link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2296550/Axon_TD_Uprising__Tower_Defense/
@Franklin
It looks promising, but the towers feel weak compared to the heavily armored enemies. They could improve the balance between early-game and late-game strategies.
@Franklin
This looks like it could be exactly what I’m looking for. Thanks for the tip!
There’s a game called Emberward that might still be in early access. It’s got exactly what you’re asking for and mixes in roguelike features. Definitely worth checking out!
Have you looked at the Gemcraft series? The latest one, Frostborn Wrath, is solid, but I personally prefer Chasing Shadows. It’s not fully open-ended, but maze building is a key part of the gameplay.
Try Comet Crash 1 and 2 if you have a PlayStation.
Elemental TD on Steam has a mazing DLC, and it’s the closest thing to what you’re describing.
Axon TD is also great, but it’s pretty tough.
If you’re open to something slightly different, I highly recommend Legion TD 2 on Steam.
Mindustry is a cool mix of tower defense and automation, with lots of maze-building involved.