Interview: Kingdom Rush devs tell all about Genesis and 15th anniversary celebrations
- Kingdom Rush 6: Genesis promises to be the biggest entry in the series yet
- So we decided to put some of our burning questions to the folks at Ironhide
- Find out more about upcoming celebrations and plans for the 15th anniversary!
As far as tower defence franchises go, there are few as big as Kingdom Rush. And with Kingdom Rush 6: Genesis on the horizon, it seemed the right time to find out from the devs themselves a little more what fans can expect from this latest entry, as well as the upcoming 15th anniversary of the series!
My name is Juan Fernández. I’ve been working at Ironhide Game Studio as a game designer for 6 years, lately working as Lead Designer of Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance and Kingdom Rush 6: Genesis
With Genesis being the sixth entry in the series, how do you feel about how the franchise has evolved over the years?We always try to tread the thin line between keeping the core essence of the franchise while also innovating in each entry in terms of gameplay, visuals and technical features. On top of that, we’re also putting a lot more effort into developing an overarching narrative for the current and future titles.
Speaking as a player, I’d say the combination of challenging stages, wide variety of unique Towers and Heroes to create my own strategy and the ever-present humor and easter eggs that give little surprises here and there.
Why do you think the tower defence genre is still so popular?I think the “build your own destruction machine piece by piece” is a very engaging formula that has been explored in many innovative ways and even mixed with other genres to keep it fresh, but Kingdom Rush also offers a gameplay and vibe of its own that calls players to keep coming back to the franchise.
What do you think players will find familiar, and new, about Kingdom Rush 6 when it does release?While the core gameplay stays the same as the previous games, we implemented new Upgrade Heroes and Spells that allow for more customization of each one. On top of that, each stage has 4 new challenges to test players’ skills, like the short but intense Blitz Mode or Spells Rush, where Heroes are not allowed, for example.
This is a mode we’re really excited about! In it, players can tackle the Campaign stages but using the original Kingdom Rush set of Towers, Spells, and only 1 Hero available, making it a harder challenge while also updating the original towers’ art style.
Are there any special celebrations in the pipeline for the 15th anniversary of Kingdom Rush?Personally, I'm amazed by how much the Kingdom Rush community has grown and how many people have been part of this journey. We want the celebration to be about the players as much as it is about us. That's why we're adding the Classic Mode, a tribute to the franchise's beginnings and to the fans who have been with us from that moment.
And, of course, I hope we throw a great party!
So there you have it! Looks like there's plenty to look forward to for both Kingdom Rush fans and newcomers to the series alike with the release of Genesis. If you still want more of an overview of this new entry in the series, be sure to check out Stephen's Kingdom Rush 6 demo impressions!
