Choose Element TD
Choose Element TD if it's currently about 83% cheaper on the Steam Store. Element TD launched in 2017.
Element TD vs Element TD 2 - Tower Defense
Element TD and Element TD 2 - Tower Defense both land in Strategy, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam. Element TD (2017) is 4 years older than Element TD 2 - Tower Defense (2021). Element TD 2 - Tower Defense scores higher on Steam reviews (90.9% positive) than Element TD (85.5% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Element TD 2 - Tower Defense
Choose Element TD 2 - Tower Defense if you want the Multi-player, Steam Leaderboards, and Online PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 1,623 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Element TD and Element TD 2 - Tower Defense sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Element TD |  Element TD 2 - Tower Defense | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 85.5% positive (62 reviews) | 90.9% positive (1,623 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op |
| Developers | Element Studios | Element Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Element TD (2017) is 4 years older than Element TD 2 - Tower Defense (2021).
- Element TD 2 - Tower Defense scores higher on Steam reviews (90.9% positive) than Element TD (85.5% positive).
- Element TD is currently ~83% cheaper on Steam than Element TD 2 - Tower Defense (0.99 USD vs. 5.99 USD).
- Element TD 2 - Tower Defense has co-op; Element TD does not.
- Element TD 2 - Tower Defense is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Element TD has no Deck rating yet.
Element TD vs Element TD 2 - Tower Defense — FAQ
- Should I play Element TD or Element TD 2 - Tower Defense first?
- If you want chronology, Element TD (2017) came out before Element TD 2 - Tower Defense (2021). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Element TD and Element TD 2 - Tower Defense similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Element TD have multiplayer like Element TD 2 - Tower Defense?
- No. Element TD 2 - Tower Defense supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op), while Element TD is listed as single-player only.