If you have any free time, you will know about the temptation of playing flash games.  They have recently upgraded and are as good as many retail games, without any purchase or trouble in downloading.  They simply run on your browser.  Regrettably, many of the games are simplistic, very basic and not really enjoyable.  That may be a blessing if you are at work or at college and have time to kill, because if these games were addictive, then your productive time may well is in trouble.

Bloons Tower Defense 4 Expansion is a game that will perhaps make you regret that you ever discovered flash games.  It is a sequel to a long line Bloons Tower Defense games – now sequels either mean they are trying to milk the franchise, or it can be because the previous game was so popular that they had to update and make a sequel.  Bloons Tower Defense 4 Expansion is very much the latter.


The concept of the game is simple.  Bloons, or balloons are attempting to cross over to your territory or home.  You, as some sort of monkey are trying to stop the horde of balloons by popping them all over a series of different mazes.  The way you can do this is by placing strategically a series of towers that have different weapons.  They range from a simple dart gun, to freeze rays, to a super monkey that shoots lasers from his eyes.  As you progress in the game, these towers become unlocked.  These towers can then be upgraded as you gain more in game money to be able to pop more balloons.  While you are upgrading, your enemy, the balloons is equally upgrading.  The balloons get steadily harder, there are balloons that pop to form more balloons, balloons that are immune to ice, armor plated balloons, and even massive airships carrying balloons.  As the levels progress you will face harder and harder challenges, and you have to upgrade to cope.  The game even tries its hand at resource management and you are able to plant banana farms for more income to fight off the balloons.

The game has several different mazes that you play over, and each poses a different tactical challenge.  It also comes in a range of difficulty modes, making towers more or less expensive.  If the game gets too difficult for you, there is always the option of using real cash to upgrade your towers so you can take out the balloons.  Even so, you do not have to do this – with enough tactical placement and resource management you can fights off the balloons.


The game play is wonderfully balanced, and at no stage do you feel bored because you are overwhelming the enemies, or frustrated because you feel the game is weighted against you.  Each tower has its uses against different balloons, and this game will make you come back again and again.  It is extremely addictive.  If you want to have any free time or want to do any work, then perhaps Bloons Tower Defense 4 Expansion is not for you, but if you have a few hours to kill, it’s one of the best flash games you will play.