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Games Like The Tower: Idle Tower Defense Games for Android (2026)
ONI Games · Published
Eleven games like The Tower - Idle Tower Defense: idle TD games that keep the tower that fires by itself and the upgrades between runs, from Evil Tower and Idle Archer to Grow Castle and Summoner Greed, with Google Play data.
The best games like The Tower keep its loop: a tower that fires by itself, upgrades you buy during a run, and permanent upgrades between runs. Grow Castle and Summoner Greed are the big ones, Evil Tower and Idle Archer Tower Defense are the closest in feel, and our Dark Tower turns the idea around so you play the villain. We compared 11 idle tower defense games on Google Play's US store on October 10, 2026.
What makes The Tower, The Tower
The Tower - Idle Tower Defense, from Tech Tree Games, has more than 5 million installs and a 4.01 rating. A single tower in the middle of the screen shoots at waves of enemies; upgrades during a run make it stronger until it falls, permanent upgrades bought with coins carry over to the next run, and you unlock new areas and bosses as you go. It is free, with ads and in-app purchases up to $99.99.
The list
| Game | Twist | Installs | Rating | Top in-app price | Offline tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grow Castle | a hero on every floor | 10M+ | 4.31 | $83.99 | yes |
| Summoner Greed | you play the villain | 10M+ | 4.70 | $49.99 | yes |
| Zombie War Idle Defense | a zombie shelter | 10M+ | 4.43 | $99.99 | yes |
| Idle Kingdom Defense | large medieval battles | 5M+ | 4.46 | $84.99 | yes |
| Evil Tower | roguelike perks | 1M+ | 4.20 | $84.49 | yes |
| Idle Archer Tower Defense | one archer, cards | 1M+ | 4.30 | $104.99 | yes |
| Arrow Quest | archer RPG, bosses | 1M+ | 4.57 | $114.99 | no |
| Slime Castle | you defend the slimes | 1M+ | 4.52 | $124.99 | no |
| Infinitode 2 | endless classic TD | 1M+ | 4.66 | $49.99 | yes |
| Idle Hero TD | a team of heroes | 500K+ | 4.83 | $99.99 | yes |
| TowerBall | falling balls, prestige | 100K+ | 4.17 | $39.99 | yes |
Installs are Google Play's rounded counts, ratings are out of 5, the top in-app price is the most expensive item in the game's shop, and "Offline tag" means Google Play lists the game as playable without a connection. All of these games are free and show ads.
Closest to The Tower
Evil Tower - Idle Defense TD
A medieval tower in the middle, waves of enemies, an incremental economy and roguelike perks to choose from: the closest in structure, with battles that work offline. Rated 4.20 with more than a million installs.
Idle Archer Tower Defense
One archer on one tower against waves of monsters. Losing is part of the plan: you collect loot and cards, upgrade and come back stronger, much like a run in The Tower (4.30).
TowerBall
The abstract one: towers and turrets shoot falling balls, and you earn cash and prestige points to grow exponentially. Small (100K+ installs), but the nearest to The Tower's minimal look.
The big idle defense games
Grow Castle
A castle that grows a floor at a time, with a hero on every floor and more than 120 heroes in all, while the town's archers get stronger with every upgrade. More than 10 million installs, 4.31.
Summoner Greed
You stole the king's treasure, and his army of heroes wants it back: summon cats, slimes and odd monsters to defend it in endless AFK battles. Rated 4.70 from more than 860,000 ratings.
Idle Kingdom Defense and Zombie War Idle Defense
Idle Kingdom Defense (4.46) mixes castle defense with large-scale battles and support heroes; in Zombie War Idle Defense (4.43) you hold the last shelter against endless zombie waves with turrets and a squad of heroes.
Endless, but not idle
If what you like about The Tower is that it never ends, try Infinitode 2: every map is endless, with 16 tower types, and it is rated 4.66. Our list of the best tower defense games covers the classic, non-idle side of the genre.
Our game like The Tower
We make Dark Tower: Idle Villain TD, built on the same loop with the roles swapped: your dark tower fires on its own while knights, demons, undead and angels attack it. Soul orbs buy upgrades during the battle, gold buys permanent ones in the Factory, and crystals evolve the tower by themselves. At the start and after every fifth wave you pick one of three Dark Cards, bosses come at waves 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50, and the idle vault fills while you are away. It is free, with optional reward videos and purchases.
New to it? Our Dark Tower beginner's guide covers the first week, and Factory and tower evolution the permanent upgrades.
How to choose
- Want the same feel? Evil Tower or Idle Archer Tower Defense.
- Want something proven? Grow Castle or Summoner Greed, both above 10 million installs.
- Want to be the bad guy? Summoner Greed or Dark Tower.
- Want endless waves with more control? Infinitode 2.
FAQ
What is the best game like The Tower?
For the same loop, Evil Tower; for the most polished idle defense, Summoner Greed (4.70) or Grow Castle (10M+ installs).
Is The Tower an offline game?
Google Play does not list The Tower with the Offline tag. Grow Castle, Summoner Greed, Evil Tower, Idle Archer Tower Defense and Infinitode 2 carry it.
Are there idle tower defense games without ads?
Not among these: all of them show ads. Most of them work offline, where ads cannot load.
Sources
- Google Play store pages (US), October 10, 2026.
- ONI Games: Dark Tower: Idle Villain TD game code, October 2026.
