Trolls vs. Vikings is a larger-then-life tower defense game where you must command your arsenal of troll troops to take on angry Nordic guys.

Haven't we met before?

There have been so many tower defense games for Windows that it seemed every combination of one being against another being had been exhausted by game developers. Yet this is the first time trolls have been matched up against Vikings - and it proves to be a whole lot of fun.

The idea of Trolls vs. Vikings is to protect your village from attack from hoards of angry vikings who are determined to get you. You do this by placing different types of troll strategically to attack the Vikings, selecting based on the type of attack each troll performs.

Trolls vs. Vikings is unashamedly similar to Plants vs. Zombies. Not only does it look and feel similar to PopCap's undead romp, but the entire gameplay mechanic is virtually identical.

The battlefield in Trolls vs. Vikings is divided into different lanes, and the Vikings attack in waves from the right of the screen, just like the brain-eating ghouls in Plants vs Zombies. Even the behavior of the trolls is very similar to the PopCap game. Miner trolls are like sunflowers, digging for moonstones which are used (like suns) as currency for buying trolls. There are catapult trolls that will remind you of pea shooters, trolls that bury underground and grab Vikings like the venus fly traps, and even lightning and fire attacks like those from Plants vs. Zombies 2.

Command your own troll army

OK, I'll stop banging on about similarities between T vs. V and P vs. Z, now. The truth is, Trolls vs. Vikings is a blast to play. The learning curve is very well defined, easing you in with some tutorial levels to help you get the basics then letting you lose at the right time. One new troll type is introduced in each new level (of which there are more than 70), giving you time to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each.

You select a troll to place by tapping or clicking on it from your inventory on the left of the screen and dragging it onto the battlefield or tapping a square. Some trolls can be moved during gameplay, and there are also spells that you can cast (fire balls and rock chucking) which can be bought from the in-game shop. The shop in Trolls vs. Vikings also includes new trolls and upgrades. Currency in the shop is gold collected from dead Vikings, and you can buy more gold with real cash.

Woodland wonderland

Trolls vs. Vikings is a gorgeous gaming experience. The woodland battlefields are beautifully drawn, and the grunting and groaning sound effects add to the humorous atmosphere of the game. Vikings and Trolls are imaginatively conceived and unlocking new ones is always great fun.

Troll playing adventure

If you're a Plants vs. Zombies fan looking for a new dose of cartoon tower defense fun, you should definitely install Trolls vs. Vikings. If you've never played Plants vs. Zombies before, I would recommend to try those games first, though since they still have the edge.