Bloons TD 5: It’s got looks AND personality

The Bloons games have been mainstays of the tower defense genre for years. The series has always had simple and addictive gameplay that magically turns minutes into hours, and Bloons TD 5 is no different. Bloons 5 takes that familiar tower defense gameplay and slaps on sleek visuals, loads and loads of upgrades, and even more tasks for players to complete. As of now, Bloons 5 is the definitive of the series and packs a big monkey-shooting-balloons punch.

Why it’s Awesome (settle in, this is a long one)

Imagine a TD with a hefty amount of towers and multiple times the upgrades. Let that sink in. Then go play Bloons TD 5. The towers are the real draw to this game, and unlocking and using new upgrades is the most exciting aspect of the game. Yeah, okay. Upgrading towers doesn’t sound that exciting, but the real draw to tower defense games is obtaining new towers and upgrades and seeing what they do, and how they can aid your defenses.

Bloons 5 excels at making you want to see what new upgrades do, and the game’s 17 base tower types give you plenty to look forward to. Each type of tower has two distinct upgrade trees, both of which being distinctly different from the other. For example, the Boomerang Thrower can upgrade into either a Glaive Lord or a Bionic Boomer. The first damages any and all enemies that pass by, and the second gives double attack speed and an active ability to make it attack at hyper speeds for 10 seconds.

The diversity is what really makes this title stand out from most of the other tower defense games you find online. With its 17 base towers and 34 upgrade types (not to mention the smaller upgrades to reach those enhanced tower variations), there is a lot to look forward to while playing Bloons 5.

Past the vast tower selection lies the array of maps. There are 18 maps to choose from, three difficulty levels, and three optional modes for each of them. Every map requires a different strategy, which encourages you to shift from your favorite towers (mine being the Spike Factory and Monkey Apprentice) and try out new combinations and layouts.

It’s so… Shiny!

I keep rambling about the towers and ignoring the look of the game, which I shouldn’t do because it really does look good. The overall graphics are colorful, sharp, and distinctively high quality considering it is a 2D tower defense. Every tower and upgrade has its own distinct look (even tiny upgrades look a little different). To further this, every tower has a drawn image (seen on the bottom left of the screen during gameplay). Each monkey is drawn well and is absolutely adorable, only adding to the charm of the game. Sometimes it’s the little things that count, and these little things go a long way to tying the whole package together.

On top of everything else, the game has a few things to keep you coming back. You earn cash when you complete a stage. With it you can buy one-use units called special agents, a building at the main screen that will upgrade a tower of your choice, or one time boosts used during gameplay. There are also daily challenges for bragging rights and cash, though these are a small part of the overall experience of the game.

Bloons TD 5 brings a lot to the table for tower defense fans and for fans of the series. Those who have never played a Bloons game before will have loads to discover, while people who have played the series before will be delighted with all of the new features and gameplay available. I found myself losing hours to Bloons 5, so much so that I might even call it a timesink. There’s so much here I haven’t covered, but I feel those small details you should come across yourself.