Defense Grid: The Awakening

24 Simulation 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 24 that fit the “Simulation” category. Plants vs. Zombies, Unholy Heights and Bad North top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Defense Grid: The Awakening.

iRank80/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Tags

Solo

Year 2008Dev Hidden Path Entertainment

Stores

Steam ↗Epic ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Simulation” 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 simulation games like Defense Grid: The Awakening

24 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

#11Gratuitous Tank Battles

97

Gratuitous Tank Battles

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloSci-Fi

Steam👍 52%· 103MC69

Year 2012Dev Positech GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Nearly identical: deep simulation, tower defense planning and setting scifi.

≠ Missing: real-time strategy.

#12Creeper World: Anniversary Edition

91

Creeper World: Anniversary Edition

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Solo

Steam👍 97%· 966

Year 2016Dev Knuckle CrackerPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Nearly identical: deep simulation, tower defense planning and single-player focus.

≠ Missing: real-time strategy.

#13Farm for your Life

91

Farm for your Life

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloIsometricCasualCozyDark

Steam👍 82%· 638

Year 2014Dev Hammer LabsPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with deep simulation, tower defense planning and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, adventure storytelling and survival mechanics, while skipping real-time strategy

90

Dwarfs!?

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloIsometricCasualNarrativeOpen World

Steam👍 78%· 1.1KRAWG👍 18%· 56

Year 2011Dev Power of 2 · Tripwire InteractivePlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, deep simulation and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, sandbox freedom and survival mechanics, while skipping real-time strategy

#15Kingdom: New Lands

90

Kingdom: New Lands

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloNarrativeHardcoreProceduralOpen World

Steam👍 86%· 12KIGDB75· 2OC73· 12

Year 2016Dev Licorice · Raw FuryOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning, deep simulation and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with survival mechanics, roguelike runs and adventure storytelling, while skipping real-time strategy

Complete list of simulation 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.

Rise to Ruins

Rise to Ruins

Tower Defense · Simulation

Thronefall

Thronefall

Tower Defense · Simulation

Bloons TD 5

Bloons TD 5

Tower Defense · Simulation

Kingdom: Classic

Kingdom: Classic

Simulation · Adventure

Craft The World

Craft The World

Simulation · Sandbox

Kingdom Two Crowns

Kingdom Two Crowns

Tower Defense · Adventure

7 Days to Die

7 Days to Die

Survival · Simulation

Plague Inc.

Plague Inc.

RTS · Simulation

Dorfromantik

Dorfromantik

Puzzle · Simulation

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