21 Melee games like Ninja Kiwi Archive that you should try

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Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

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We filtered the 50 games similar to Ninja Kiwi Archive down to the 21 that fit the “Melee” category. Bloons TD 6, 7 Days to Die and Stronghold Crusader top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Ninja Kiwi Archive.

iRank93/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

The best melee games like Ninja Kiwi Archive

21 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Ninja Kiwi Archive. Each one has been evaluated across 15 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.

#1Bloons TD 6Closest overall match

iRank91

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineRangedMeleeCasual2D

Steam👍 97%· 386KRAWG👍 81%· 208

Year 2018Dev Ninja KiwiPlaytime ~8hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, survival mechanics and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, punishing difficulty and cozy, relaxing feel, while skipping precision platforming

The Bloons are back and better than ever! Get ready for a massive 3D tower defense game designed to give you hours and hours of the best strategy gaming available.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: visuals.

Same studio: Ninja Kiwi.

Genre100Game mode84Tone68Combat63Visuals23

1/1 agree it's a good matchDetails →

Steam Epic itch.io

#27 Days to DieClosest on combat

iRank60

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

MultiplayerCo-opSoloOnlineRangedMelee

Steam👍 87%· 399KRAWG👍 53%· 497IGDB36· 8OC39· 34

Year 2013Dev Telltale GamesPlaytime ~9hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing survival mechanics, tower defense planning and ranged combat

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, adventure storytelling and deep RPG systems, while skipping precision platforming

After the nuclear war, people have to survive, and 7 Days to Die gives players the opportunity to experience it. The large parts of the planet are ravaged by destruction, and lone survivors are under the constant threat, even within relatively safe counties, like Navezgane, Nevada.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: tone and setting.

Genre100Combat100Game mode72Tone0Setting0Visuals0

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Steam Xbox PS

#3Stronghold Crusader

iRank92

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedFantasy2D

Steam👍 98%· 21KIGDB80· 1

Year 2002Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, melee combat and ranged combat

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and real-time strategy, while skipping precision platforming

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: setting and visuals.

It predates Ninja Kiwi Archive by 18 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat68Game mode39Visuals27Setting23

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedFantasy2D

Steam👍 96%· 10K

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

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, melee combat and ranged combat

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, real-time strategy and sandbox freedom, while skipping precision platforming

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: tone and setting.

It predates Ninja Kiwi Archive by 19 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat78Game mode39Visuals29Setting26Tone0

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Steam

#5Bloons TD 5Closest on tone

iRank95

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeCasual2D

Steam👍 95%· 12K

Year 2011Dev Ninja KiwiOn PS4 · Android · PC

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, vibe casual and melee combat

≠ Where it differs: brings deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world, while skipping precision platforming

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: visuals and combat.

Same studio: Ninja Kiwi.

Genre100Tone100Game mode83Combat36Visuals24

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerCo-opPvPMeleeCasual

Steam👍 92%· 4.0KRAWG👍 66%· 209MC74IGDB75· 5

Year 2011Dev ACE Team · Atlus USAPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, vibe casual and melee combat

≠ Stands apart with racing gameplay, historical setting and setting medieval, while skipping precision platforming

Rock of Ages is a game which resembles a racing game, a Tower Defence and a platformer at the same time. It was developed by ACE Team. The game is loosely based on the myth of Sisyphus.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: setting and visuals.

It predates Ninja Kiwi Archive by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone100Game mode70Combat56Setting0Visuals0

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Steam Xbox PS

#7Atom Zombie Smasher

iRank70

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeCasualTop-Down

Steam👍 90%· 2.1KRAWG👍 36%· 101MC75

Year 2011Dev Blendo GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, vibe casual and melee combat

≠ Where it differs: brings sandbox freedom, real-time strategy and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping precision platforming

The game is a real-time strategy from the independent studio Blendo Games. The main task is to save as many people as possible from the advancing horde of zombies.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: setting and combat.

It predates Ninja Kiwi Archive by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone57Visuals56Game mode54Combat39Setting0

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMeleeFantasyTacticalMedieval

Steam👍 96%· 23KRAWG👍 85%· 37OC86· 9

Year 2023Dev GrizzlyGamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Nintendo

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, survival mechanics and melee combat

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, fighting mechanics and combat tactical, while skipping precision platforming

Get involved! About the GameA strategy game without all the headache? We got you covered. Saddle the horses! See your kingdom come to life, fight gripping battles to defend it and still be done in time for lunch.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: visuals and game mode.

Released 3 years after Ninja Kiwi Archive.

Genre100Setting43Combat39Game mode18Visuals0

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Steam

#9Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower Defense

iRank90

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMeleeCasualFantasy2DPixel Art

Steam👍 97%· 10KRAWG👍 88%· 92IGDB80· 1

Year 2013Dev Ironhide Game StudioPlaytime ~5hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, vibe casual and melee combat

≠ Stands apart with real-time strategy, adventure storytelling and punishing difficulty, while skipping precision platforming

The world's most devilishly addictive defense game is back - welcome to Kingdom Rush: Frontiers! Bigger and badder than ever before, Kingdom Rush: Frontiers is a whole new level of the furiously fast, enchantingly charming gameplay that made the original title an award-winning hit.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: game mode and combat.

Genre100Tone57Visuals53Setting48Combat35Game mode18

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Steam GOG Nintendo

#10Robowars

iRank46

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloCo-opMeleeTop-DownTactical

Steam👍 46%· 290

Year 2014Dev N-Game Studios · KissPlaytime ~3hOn PC

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning, melee combat and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings real-time strategy, card game strategy and combat tactical, while skipping precision platforming

In the near future, mankind has opened the way to the stars – made possible through the use of droids, able to operate in the hostile environment of the deep space. However, both spaceships and droids are dependent on ‘Neonium’ for their power.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: setting and combat.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against very positive for Ninja Kiwi Archive.

Genre100Game mode46Visuals46Combat40Setting0

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Steam

#11GemCraft - Chasing ShadowsClosest on setting

iRank80

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMeleeFantasyTop-Down

Steam👍 95%· 4.4KRAWG👍 58%· 39

Year 2015Dev Game in a Bottle · Armor GamesPlaytime ~5hOn PC

✓ Nearly identical: tower defense planning, melee combat and fantasy world.

≠ Missing: precision platforming.

The cult classic tower defense game beloved by millions comes to Steam with GemCraft - Chasing Shadows.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: game mode and combat.

Genre100Setting100Visuals55Combat46Game mode18

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Steam

#12AI War: Fleet Command

iRank69

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Co-opSoloMultiplayerMeleeTactical

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

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

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning, melee combat and co op

≠ Where it differs: brings real-time strategy, deep simulation and turn-based strategy, while skipping precision platforming

###Impulse A real-time strategy developed by independent developers from Arcen Games. The game first appeared on the public in 2009 on the developer's site and the Impulse site, and later appeared on Steam in version 2.0.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: tone and setting.

It predates Ninja Kiwi Archive by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode62Combat36Tone0Setting0Visuals0

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Steam GOG

#13Gratuitous Space Battles

iRank58

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerMeleeTop-Down2D

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

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

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning, melee combat and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, turn-based strategy and real-time strategy, while skipping precision platforming

Gratuitous Space Battles is a mix of real-time strategy and tactics of Tower Defense, altogether featuring a science-fiction setting of space warfare.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: tone and setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Ninja Kiwi Archive.

It predates Ninja Kiwi Archive by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Visuals73Combat42Game mode40Tone0Setting0

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Steam

#14iBomber Defense PacificClosest on visuals

iRank57

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMeleeCasual2DTop-Down

Steam👍 83%· 593RAWG👍 19%· 42

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

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, vibe casual and melee combat

≠ Stands apart with real-time strategy, turn-based strategy and punishing difficulty, while skipping precision platforming

iBomber Defense Pacific is the sequel to the original iBomber Defense. It is the second part in this tower defense series designed for mobile devices. ###Premise The game is set during the World War II. Unlike the original game, the sequel shifts its attention to the Pacific Theatre.

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: setting and game mode.

It predates Ninja Kiwi Archive by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Visuals85Tone71Combat35Game mode18Setting0

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Steam

#15StarCraft

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerMeleeTacticalSci-Fi

Year 1998Dev Blizzard EntertainmentOn PC · Mac

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, melee combat and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi, while skipping precision platforming

Where it drifts furthest from Ninja Kiwi Archive: setting and visuals.

It predates Ninja Kiwi Archive by 22 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode39Combat36Setting0Visuals0

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Complete list of melee games like Ninja Kiwi Archive

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Ninja Kiwi Archive, 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.