Beginner's guide

How to play Toywardens

Toywardens is a roguelike survivor game with a tower defense twist. Here is everything you need for your first runs: controls, coins, spells, enemies, bosses and how your heroes grow stronger.

The basics

You play in portrait with one thumb. Move your hero and attacks fire automatically. Your job is positioning: stay alive, keep the swarm in front of you, and clear the map room by room.

Behind you stands the toy castle you call home, so you are always balancing pushing forward against protecting the base.

One coin, two choices

Every coin you collect asks the same question: should your power travel with you, or stay home?

  • Toy Soldiers: hire them to fight at your side, wherever you go.
  • Towers: build them to guard the castle while you push deeper.

Build your spells

Pick upgrades as you level up during a run. Combine fire, frost and lightning, unlock branches, and evolve your favorite spells into powerful new forms.

No two runs play the same, so pick a direction early and keep feeding it.

Know your enemies

Some enemies chase you, others march straight for the castle. Bombers, sieges and elite enemies force a decision: fight them where you stand, or rush back to defend home.

Face the bosses

Mini bosses guard the way, and the Toy King waits at the end of every map. Read the slam, dodge the charge and survive the swarm around them.

Grow stronger

Between runs, unlock heroes, equip gear, merge items into higher rarities, and unlock new maps with fresh challenges. Eight heroes are waiting:

  • Archer
  • Wizard
  • Warrior
  • Berserker
  • Assassin
  • Gunner
  • Engineer
  • Monk

Tips for your first runs

  • Keep moving. Standing still is how swarms catch you.
  • Watch for enemies heading to the castle and spend coins on towers before they arrive.
  • Stick with one or two spell elements so they evolve sooner.
  • Merge spare gear instead of letting it sit.