Tower defence for beginners: surviving your first hour

Most people who bounce off tower defence do it in the first ten minutes, usually because the game throws numbers at them without explaining priorities. Here's what we wish someone had told us early on.

First: read the path before you place a single tower. The whole genre is about choke points — the spots where enemies bunch up or slow down. A cheap tower on a good corner beats an expensive one placed randomly, every time.

Second: don't spend all your money. Keep a small reserve so you can react when a wave surprises you. Rebuilding mid-fight is normal, not a failure.

Third: slow effects are underrated. New players love damage towers, but slowing enemies gives all your other towers more time to hit them. A little crowd control quietly doubles your output.

Finally, embrace losing a run. Tower defence is meant to be replayed with new knowledge. The first loss teaches you where the pressure comes from, and the second attempt is where it clicks.