What is it? A surprisingly chill way to battle monsters
Who is it for? Strategy fans who want quick sessions
How much does it cost? Free to try, $6/£6 unlocks full game
What makes it special? Lovely presentation and player-friendly mechanics
From the creator of Hidden Folks comes something entirely different – a strategic tower defense game that oozes with the developer’s trademark charm. Rift Riff’s lovely sound design, fluid animations, and silly monster designs make it instantly inviting, while a smart gameplay loop keeps the dopamine hits coming.
The core experience is classic tower defense: defend an Extractor against waves of monsters that either beeline for your base or attack any nearby towers. Before each wave you pick a small loadout of towers, then build on preset spots, spending “juice” that slowly accumulates to place and upgrade towers. Success earns prisms to unlock new rifts, towers, companions, and upgrades, steadily widening your options and strategies.
What sets Rift Riff apart is how fair it feels without dulling the challenge. Short on juice? Schedule a tower to build later. Post-build regret? Cash the tower in and get something else. Even if your Extractor falls, you only have to redo the last wave.
It’s also a great fit for iPhone. Portrait mode, quick sessions, touch-friendly controls – it feels designed for mobile, even though it’s a port of a PC release. You can dip in for a couple of waves or sink an hour refining your strategy.
More importantly, it’s fun. The silly monster designs, playful art style, and forgiving design all add up to a game that rewards experimentation instead of punishing it. If you’ve bounced off the tower defense genre because it’s usually too rigid or overwhelming, Rift Riff is the one to try.