Rounding out the Summer of Arcade is Signal Studios hybrid tower defense game. As a fan of tower defense I was really looking forward to this Toy Soldiers, and it definitely delivered in it’s own unique way. The core gameplay is basic tower defense with fixed emplacement positions and upgradeable towers. What sets Toy Soldiers: Cold War apart from the slew of other tower defense games is the ability to individually control turrets and units that can be either present in the form of RC vehicles or special abilities like the Commando. These simple additions to the gameplay makes for a fun experience.
The story is an alternate history of the Cold War as borne out by Toy Soldiers. The story is largely conveyed between missions on a loading screen, with the rest covered by the levels themselves and what you infer based on their arrangement and naming. The settings range from hometown USA and Europe to Vietnam and Pacific Beaches, all portrayed as playsets in a childs bedroom.
Graphically the game is spot on, with exaggerated toy appearances and actions. When infantry die, they revert to a plastic army man state and spin around in the most amusing manner. Also not disappointing is the audio, with a very appropriate feeling 80’s Action Movie style. When you start the game up, see if you don’t want to go watch Rambo, Commando, Invasion USA or even a Steven Segal flick.
Outside of the campaign there are a few options for things to do. If you want to get a handle on the different turrets and how they act, check out the Weapons Case and take them for a spin. Or perhaps you have a bit of time to kill but don’t feel like braving multiplayer or the campaign, hit up the minigames. There are 6 different minigames available to be played, in each you control a turret and have an objective to accomplish either accurately or quickly. My favorite is the “Thread the Needle” minigame where you have to control a rocket through rotating plates with holes cut in them. There is also a Survival Mode, currently with 3 levels which are just what they sound like.
Overall this is a solid title that is easily enjoyable and a good way to round out the Summer of Arcade.
