The sequel to tower defence favourite Kingdom Rush offers the same sweet gaming action as the original, alongside a slight IAP sting.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers: On the plus side
Tower Defence isn’t a new genre by any definition, which makes it hard for any one game to stand out. Kingdom Rush managed this with very cute animated graphics and a wonderfully flowing attack system that removed the “corridors” style of most free-form TD games. Instead, you’ve got fixed battlements for your mages, archers and soldiers, and it’s up to you to work within those constraints to keep the wolf from the door. Also the zombie, the axe weilding psycho and the killer bee… but I digress.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers doesn’t change any of that in any material way. In most respects, it’s an expansion pack for Kingdom Rush more than it is a new unique experience. This is no bad thing; Kingdom Rush Frontiers battles are still gripping and entertaining affairs as you balance your budget against your needs, deploying scarce emergency troops and rains of fire to buy yourself a few precious seconds for your forces to regroup and hopefully prevail. Surviving a level isn’t hard — but getting the maximum three stars is.
So what is new in Frontiers? There are a slew of new heroes to choose from, and the choice and placement of those heroes can make a significant difference in the heat of battle. There are also temporary buffs, from extra in-game gold to an all-out nuclear bomb — seriously, it’s called the Fat Boy — that’ll clear the battlefield in a stroke. You buy the buffs with gems, which are earned in battle, but it’s also possible to spend real money for more gems if you’re time pressed.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers: On the minus side
Once again, then, we’re in in-app purchase territory. Want the more expansive hero types? That’s going to be more expensive, with additional heroes costing from $2.99 to $6.99 to unlock. They’re not vital to have, but it does sting a little to have to pony up extra for them.
The gems for buffs trade has similar price points, but to be honest I’ve got less of an issue with this. Gem allocation in-game is fairly generous, and it’s fun to go back and try new approaches on previously conquered levels anyway. It sits much more comfortably in my zone of acceptable IAP, as you’re not pushed to use in the same obnoxious way as, say, Tetris Blitz. I am somewhat annoyed, however, that it’s not a universal app, so those with both iPhone and iPad are expected to shell out twice for the same assets.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers: Pricing
Kingdom Rush Frontiers costs $2.99 for the standard version, while the the HD iPad version is $5.49.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers: Alex’s Verdict
Kingdom Rush Frontiers isn’t a huge improvement over the original Kingdom Rush, but that title is still one of the best touch-enabled tower defence titles, and as such, that means that Frontiers is too. The IAP and lack of universal app support is a little galling — for what it’s worth I bought the standard version, but then I have few issues with size doubling most apps — but they’re not killer problems. If you like Tower Defence style games, Kingdom Rush Frontiers should rush on to your iDevice as soon as possible.