Krafton, the mastermind behind popular games like PUBG Mobile, is back with its new Defense Derby mobile game. This exciting tower defense game is all about strategic battles in a unique PvP Betting Royale format.
The game’s announcement took place in 2021, and since then, the developers have been hard at work creating a prototype. To shape this innovative game, they drew inspiration from successful titles like The Castle Burn and The Guardian Stone. If you are eagerly waiting for the game, you have come to the right place. We’ve gathered all information revealed so far about the Defense Derby mobile game.
What is Defense Derby?
Defense Derby is a tower defense game at its core. It combines the real-time strategy and the PvP genre. Unlike other tower defense games where you solely focus on your own gameplay, this game, however, requires you to develop strategies depending upon the mindset of other players. The scouting system where players spend Derby Chips to bid, adds another layer of uniqueness to this game. Hence this game is also known as a Betting Royale.
Gameplay
This Betting Royale game features a PvP mode. Your main goal is to protect your castle from waves of enemies. To do this, you’ll recruit characters and place them on the tower. These characters have specific positions and limited attack ranges. The enemies will follow a set path to reach your castle’s entrance, and if any of them get there, your tower’s health will decrease. To win, you must strategically position your units and defeat all the enemies.
Moreover, the Defense Derby’s gameplay adds an interesting twist by buffing units based on their placement. If you deploy units of the same class next to each other, they’ll gain attack damage and attack speed buffs. So, the positioning of your units becomes crucial for success. But that’s not all – the game also involves a bidding mechanism. It starts with a scouting phase where all players bid for a character shown to them. The player with the highest bid wins that character and can deploy it as a unit. This adds an element of mindful guessing and strategy to the game.
Apart from the PvP mode, Betting Royale also offers many different PvE modes, with the core gameplay being tower defense. This means you can enjoy various challenges and experiences while defending your castle in different scenarios.
In summary, Betting Royale is a tower defense game with a twist. You’ll protect your castle from waves of enemies by strategically deploying characters on the tower. Positioning units smartly is essential, and the bidding mechanism adds an exciting layer of strategy. Additionally, the game offers various PvE modes, making it a well-rounded and enjoyable gaming experience.
Trailer
The trailer for Defense Derby introduces different characters from various factions: Aella and Gruvo from the beast faction, Leon from the human faction, and Seria from the spirit faction. They all sit around a table with their tower replicas and card decks, betting with coins called Derby Chips. Gruvo provides commentary, saying that winning the first bet doesn’t make someone a champion, hinting at how strategic and competitive the game is. The art style is like The Castle Burn game that inspired it. Although there’s no specific gameplay or launch trailer, you can find lots of information about the game mechanics on their official YouTube channel.
Leaks So Far
Defense Derby has captured significant attention for its groundbreaking bidding mechanic in the realm of tower defense games. Based on the leaks revealed so far, here’s what you can expect from Defense Derby. To protect your tower, you must bid for characters displayed on cards during the scouting phase. These cards are selected from a pre-existing deck shared among all players.
The characters and their abilities are divided into three factions: Human, Beast, and Spirit, each adding strategic depth to the game.
- The Human Faction consists of units that have undergone rigorous training, granting them higher attack power compared to the other factions. Among the Human units, you will encounter Vikings, Archers, Swordsmen, and Wizards.
- The Beast Faction excels in constant vigilance and intense competitiveness. Their special attribute lies in higher chances of critical strikes compared to other factions. Look out for units like Minotaurs, Mammoth Bombers, and Dragons within this faction.
- The Spirit Faction possesses mystical powers and magical abilities, with their special attribute being higher damage values for their unique skills in comparison to other factions. Some of the units in the Spirit Faction include Divine Wardens, Dendroid Warriors, and Mermaids.
Furthermore, these units within each faction are categorized into physical and magical types. Employing a strategic deployment approach is crucial. Placing two units of the same faction together enhances their attack power by 20% while aligning two units of the same type in a line boosts their attack power by 30%. Skillful deployment of units will be the key to becoming a champion in Defense Derby.
Additionally, as mentioned above, there will also be PvE game modes. In the Dungeon Adventure PvE mode, players can collect crystals to purchase new units. Additionally, the Blitz PvE Defense mode offers a single-player experience where you can challenge bosses that appear every four stages.
Release Date, Early Access, and Requirements
The latest playtest for the game took place between April and May, involving select countries such as India, Indonesia, and Korea. As the game approaches its final stage for a global launch, there are no plans for additional playtests. The developers have officially announced that Defense Derby will be launched on August 3, 2023, for both Android and iOS.
Players can expect a smooth gaming experience on mainstream devices; however, it’s essential to note that the game performs best on Android 6+ and IOS 13.0+ for iPhone. Specifically, for Android users, the game requires a version of 6.0 or higher. You can follow the game’s official Facebook page for the latest updates and announcements.
So, what do you think of the game? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
