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Compile & Defend

Game overview

Compile & Defend

A tower defense game where you don't click to shoot — you write code your towers run every tick, in Python, JavaScript, C++, C#, Rust, Zig or Lua. Prioritize threats with if, sweep swarms with for, and route air, armor and camo to the right tower. Better algorithms beat more towers.

Indie Simulation Strategy
Last tracked players
0
All-time peak
3
24-hour change
Unavailable

Delayed observation · last tracked . Values marked unavailable are not estimated.

About this game Read the full description

You don't place towers. You program them.

Compile & Defend is a tower defense game with no click-to-shoot. Every tower on the field runs your code, once per tick. Write a smarter script and your defense gets smarter — write a sloppy one and the swarm walks right through.

It's the tower defense game for people who'd rather refactor than micromanage.

Write it in your language

There's no proprietary scripting dialect to learn. You write in a clean subset of a real language you already know — pick from Python, JavaScript, C++, C#, Rust, Zig, or Lua. They all compile to the same engine; the language only changes how your code is spelled. Switch anytime.

How it plays

Your program is bound to each tower every tick — me is the tower, me.enemies_in_range is what it can see, me.shoot(target) pulls the trigger. From there it's all you!

The closest enemy isn't always the most dangerous one — so the naive shoot the first thing you see script will always get you started, and never win. Better algorithms beat more towers.

Features

  • Code-driven combat — a real (but safe) interpreter runs your script. Clear, line-numbered errors, because debugging is half the genre.
  • A teaching campaign — a seven-stage tutorial walks you from your first shoot to full for-loop swarm control, introducing each threat one step before the tool that beats it.
  • 13 campaign maps across three tiers.
  • Easy / Normal / Hard — harder modes are tougher and longer, pushing you into scaled freeplay for the medal. Earn up to three stars per map, including a bespoke coding challenge that rewards a genuinely better algorithm, not just more gold.
  • Ten distinct towers — Arrow, Cannon, Tesla, Sniper, Frost, Venom, Support, Mortar, Chain and Detect, each with its own API: slow enemies, poison them, buff allies, lob splash at a point, chain lightning through a cluster, or reveal camo for your other towers.
  • Eight threats to route around — fast Runners, flying Flyers, armored Brutes, camo Shades, swarming Spawnlings, self-splitting Broods, and the nested Titan boss.
  • Build and share your own levels — draw a map, draft its waves, and share it with a single copy-paste code. An auto-balancer certifies every level is beatable and code-mandatory before you play.
  • Sandbox mode — infinite gold, every enemy on tap, hot-swap your code live. Prototype a controller, break it, fix it.

Everything is deterministic, so a script that wins today wins tomorrow.

Write once. Compile. Defend.

Player activity

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System requirements Windows · Linux

Windows

Minimum

Minimum:
  • OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
  • Processor: Intel Core i3 or equivalent (any x86-64 dual-core)
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: GPU with Direct3D 12 / Vulkan 1.0 support (Intel HD Graphics 500-series or better)
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: 150 MB available space
  • Sound Card: Any
  • Additional Notes: Keyboard required — the game is played by writing code.

Recommended

Recommended:
  • OS: Windows 11 (64-bit)
  • Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Any dedicated GPU or modern integrated graphics
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: 200 MB available space
  • Sound Card: Any
  • Additional Notes: Keyboard required — the game is played by writing code.

Linux

Minimum

Minimum:
  • OS: Any modern 64-bit Linux (glibc 2.31+) — e.g. Ubuntu 20.04+, Arch / CachyOS (rolling), Fedora 34+, SteamOS 3.0+
  • Processor: x86-64 dual-core (Intel Core i3 or equivalent)
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Vulkan 1.0-capable GPU
  • Storage: 150 MB available space
  • Sound Card: Any (PulseAudio / PipeWire)
  • Additional Notes: Runs on Steam Deck; an external/on-screen keyboard is strongly recommended, since the game involves typing code.

Recommended

Recommended:
  • OS: A current 64-bit Linux — Arch / CachyOS (rolling), SteamOS 3.0+, Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 38+
  • Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Vulkan 1.0-capable GPU
  • Storage: 200 MB available space
  • Sound Card: Any (PulseAudio / PipeWire)
  • Additional Notes: Runs on Steam Deck; an external/on-screen keyboard is strongly recommended, since the game involves typing code.
Game details Languages, features & support
Publisher
Codx.io
Brazilian rating
l
Steam Germany rating
0
Achievements
48
Features
Single-player, Steam Achievements, Steam Workshop, Adjustable Text Size, Camera Comfort, Color Alternatives, #category_contrast_controls, Custom Volume Controls, #category_playable_at_your_own_pace, Playable without Timed Input, Steam Leaderboards, Includes level editor, Family Sharing
Languages
English
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Game Insights

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Developer Analytics

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Compile & Defend worth buying right now?
Wait — $4.99. Wait for upcoming sale in ~13 days for potentially better pricing.
When does Compile & Defend go on sale?
Wait for upcoming sale in ~13 days for potentially better pricing.
Is Compile & Defend free to play?
Compile & Defend costs $4.99 on Steam.
What genre is Compile & Defend?
Compile & Defend is a Indie, Simulation, Strategy game.
Who developed Compile & Defend?
Compile & Defend was developed by Codx.io and published by Codx.io.
What platforms does Compile & Defend support?
Available on Steam for Windows, Linux.