Defense Grid: The Awakening

28 RTS games like Defense Grid: The Awakening that you should try

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We filtered the 50 games similar to Defense Grid: The Awakening down to the 28 that fit the “RTS” category. Plants vs. Zombies, Unholy Heights and Bad North top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Defense Grid: The Awakening.

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GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Tags

Solo

Year 2008Dev Hidden Path Entertainment

Stores

Steam ↗Epic ↗

Quick answer

Within the “RTS” category, the closest game to Defense Grid: The Awakening is Plants vs. Zombies — scoring 91/100 on our similarity scale. Unholy Heights and Bad North follow close behind.

#1Plants vs. Zombies91 #2Unholy Heights91 #3Bad North89 #4Stronghold HD (2012)84 #5Gratuitous Space Battles84

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The best rTS games like Defense Grid: The Awakening

28 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Defense Grid: The Awakening. Each one has been evaluated across 7 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Plants vs. Zombies

91

Plants vs. Zombies

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalDarkCasualCozy

Steam👍 98%· 152KRAWG👍 93%· 733MC87IGDB80· 1

Year 2010Dev PopCap Games · Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, deep simulation and real-time strategy

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, survival mechanics and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping setting scifi

#2Unholy Heights

91

Unholy Heights

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloCozyCasualNarrativeOpen World

Steam👍 89%· 1.6KRAWG👍 30%· 20IGDB80· 1OC66· 10

Year 2013Dev Teyon · AGM PLAYISMPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Nintendo

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, turn-based strategy and cozy, relaxing feel, while skipping combat tactical

89

Bad North

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalIsometricMeleeCozy

Steam👍 93%· 14KIGDB67· 2OC71· 29

Year 2018Dev Plausible Concept · Raw FuryOn PS4 · PC · Mac

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: turn-based strategy, puzzle design and adventure storytelling, while skipping setting scifi

#4Stronghold HD (2012)

84

Stronghold HD (2012)

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalIsometricMultiplayerNarrative

Steam👍 96%· 10KRAWG👍 82%· 310MC81

Year 2012Dev FireFly StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, strong narrative focus and sandbox world, while skipping setting scifi

#5Gratuitous Space Battles

84

Gratuitous Space Battles

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalSci-FiIsometricMultiplayer

Steam👍 70%· 877RAWG👍 24%· 42MC72IGDB65· 2

Year 2009Dev Positech GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy, sandbox freedom and punishing difficulty

#6Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

83

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalSci-FiIsometricMultiplayer

Steam👍 90%· 9.2KRAWG👍 83%· 225MC85IGDB85· 4

Year 2007Dev Electronic Arts Los Angeles · Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of tower defense games: real-time strategy, deep simulation and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: strong narrative focus, melee combat and post-apocalyptic world

#7AI War: Fleet Command

82

AI War: Fleet Command

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalSci-FiIsometricCo-op

Steam👍 82%· 1.6KRAWG👍 26%· 50MC80IGDB90· 1

Year 2009Dev Arcen GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of tower defense games: real-time strategy, deep simulation and tower defense planning

≠ Where it differs: brings turn-based strategy, punishing difficulty and open world exploration

#8Stronghold Crusader

81

Stronghold Crusader

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalIsometricMultiplayerMelee

Steam👍 98%· 21KIGDB80· 1

Year 2002Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and melee combat, while skipping setting scifi

80

Stronghold

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalIsometricMultiplayerMelee

Steam👍 96%· 10K

Year 2001Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC · Mac

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, strong narrative focus and sandbox world, while skipping setting scifi

#10Castle Story

69

Castle Story

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloIsometricMultiplayerCo-opMagic

Steam👍 65%· 11KRAWG👍 59%· 27

Year 2012Dev Sauropod StudioPlaytime ~3hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, survival mechanics and adventure storytelling, while skipping combat tactical

#11Harvest: Massive Encounter

97

Harvest: Massive Encounter

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloSci-FiBase Building

Steam👍 79%· 162

Year 2008Dev Oxeye Game StudioPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning, real-time strategy and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: base building, while skipping deep simulation

#12Infested Planet

94

Infested Planet

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalSci-FiIsometricMelee

Steam👍 94%· 3.0KRAWG👍 59%· 44MC75OC77· 10

Year 2013Dev Rocket Bear GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with real-time strategy, tower defense planning and combat tactical

≠ Stands apart with melee combat, visual topdown and visual 2d, while skipping deep simulation

#13iBomber Defense

91

iBomber Defense

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloCasual

Steam👍 74%· 245IGDB70· 1

Year 2010Dev Cobra MobilePlaytime ~2hOn PC · iOS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, real-time strategy and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with vibe casual, while skipping deep simulation

#14iBomber Defense Pacific

89

iBomber Defense Pacific

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalMeleeCasualHardcore

Steam👍 83%· 593RAWG👍 19%· 42

Year 2012Dev Cobra MobilePlaytime ~1hOn PC · iOS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, real-time strategy and combat tactical

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy, vibe casual and punishing difficulty, while skipping deep simulation

88

StarCraft

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalSci-FiIsometricMultiplayer

Year 1998Dev Blizzard EntertainmentOn PC · Mac

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with real-time strategy, tower defense planning and combat tactical

≠ Stands apart with melee combat, multiplayer gameplay and loot and gear systems, while skipping deep simulation

Complete list of rTS games like Defense Grid: The Awakening

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Defense Grid: The Awakening, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time

RTS · Adventure

Oil Rush

Oil Rush

RTS · Tower Defense

Revenge of the Titans

Revenge of the Titans

Tower Defense · RTS

Anomaly: Warzone Earth

Anomaly: Warzone Earth

RTS · Tower Defense

Cubemen

Cubemen

Tower Defense · RTS

Robowars

Robowars

Tower Defense · RTS

Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower Defense

Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower Defense

Tower Defense · RTS

Clash of Clans

Clash of Clans

RTS · Tower Defense

Swords and Soldiers HD

Swords and Soldiers HD

RTS · Tower Defense

Atom Zombie Smasher

Atom Zombie Smasher

Tower Defense · Sandbox

Defenders of Ardania

Defenders of Ardania

Tower Defense · RTS

Clash Royale

Clash Royale

RTS · Deck Builder

Plague Inc.

Plague Inc.

RTS · Simulation

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