City Defense Game Guide: Build the Ultimate Strategy and Conquer the Leaderboards
Hey there, strategy commander! Have you discovered the addictive thrill of defending your digital turf against endless waves of stickman invaders? If you're browsing the vast library at Hey Fun, chances are you've stumbled upon City Defense, the top-down tower defense sensation that's racked up a stellar 9.2 rating from thousands of players. It’s more than just placing towers; it’s about outsmarting the enemy, adapting on the fly, and building an impenetrable fortress. Whether you're a new recruit or a seasoned general looking to climb the Hey Fun leaderboards, this guide is your ultimate battle plan.
What is City Defense?
City Defense is a sleek, HTML5-powered strategy tower defense game developed by Vicuna. Released in December 2025, it quickly became a fan favorite for its accessible yet deep gameplay. Your mission is simple in theory but challenging in execution: protect your central base from relentless waves of enemy stickmen.
The game stands out with its clean stickman art style, fluid browser-based performance (playable on desktop, mobile, or tablet), and a strategic depth that belies its simple controls. It’s a perfect fit for the Hey Fun platform, offering a quick but engaging tactical fix. The core loop involves planning troop deployments, setting up obstacles, and watching your strategy either triumphantly hold or crumble under pressure—then learning, adapting, and trying again.
Game Mechanics & Physics: The Art of War, Simplified
At its heart, City Defense is about path control and resource management. Unlike some complex TD games, it uses intuitive mouse (or tap) controls to deploy two primary tools:
- Troops: Your offensive units. You don't just place them; you spawn them, and they march automatically toward the enemy. Different troop types have different attack speeds, ranges, and damage.
- Obstacles/Barriers: Your defensive tools. These don't attack but are crucial for shaping the battlefield. Placing a wall or barrier forces enemy units to walk around it, effectively creating a longer, more predictable path to your base. This gives your troops more time to attack.
The "physics" here isn't about gravity, but about flow dynamics. Enemies will always take the shortest available path to your base. Your job is to use obstacles to design a winding, treacherous route—a "kill zone" where your troops can focus their fire. Each wave gets stronger and often introduces new enemy types, forcing you to constantly re-evaluate your troop composition and barrier layout.
Progressive Gameplay Tips: From Rookie to General
Beginner Phase: Learning the Ropes
- Start Simple: Your initial goal isn't to beat a high score, but to understand unit behavior. Place a few basic troops and see how they engage. Notice how enemies pathfind.
- The Funnel is Fundamental: Don't scatter obstacles randomly. Try to create a single, narrow channel that funnels all enemies past a concentrated group of your troops. Think of it as building a gauntlet.
- Economy First: In the early, weaker waves, focus on building a cost-effective defense. Don't overspend on expensive troops right away. Save resources to afford crucial upgrades for the mid-game surge.
Intermediate Phase: Strategic Adaptation
- Mix Your Units: Don't rely on a single troop type. Some enemies are fast but weak (swarmed by rapid-fire troops), while others are slow but tanky (require heavy-hitting units).
- Upgrade Smartly: It's often better to upgrade a few key clusters of troops to a higher level than to have many weak ones spread out. A level 3 troop does significantly more than three level 1 troops.
- Leave Room to Adapt: Design your kill zone with some flexibility. Leave spaces where you can quickly add a new barrier or slot in a new troop type when a tough wave is announced.