Play Thorn Guard online
Thorn Guard is a lane tower-defense game: you are Bristle, a hedgehog gardener defending the Garden Gate from waves of munching invaders.
Plant three original defenses on the grass plots — Thorn Spitter (rapid darts), Sticky Pitcher (slows the horde), Acorn Mortar (heavy splash) — along the winding garden path. Plants fire automatically once enemies come in range.
Survive all 8 waves, including the final King Grub, with the Garden Gate (20 HP) still standing. Earn sap for every pest squashed, plus a bonus for clearing a wave; call the next wave when your defenses are ready.
Your best score is saved in your browser.
How to control Thorn Guard
- Click / tap: select grass plot or tower
- 1 / 2 / 3 or build buttons: plant Spitter / Pitcher / Mortar
- U or Upgrade button: upgrade selected tower (level 2)
- X or Sell button: sell selected tower (70% refund)
- Space or Start Wave button: begin the next wave
- Esc: cancel selection, P: pause, M: mute, Enter: start / play again
How to play
- 1
Click a grass plot to open the build menu and plant one of three defenses: Thorn Spitter (50 sap), Sticky Pitcher (70 sap), Acorn Mortar (110 sap). Plants fire automatically at enemies in range.
- 2
Munch Grubs, Shellback Beetles, and Snot Slugs march down the sandy path toward the Garden Gate. Each pest that reaches the gate bites it for damage.
- 3
Earn sap for every kill plus a wave-clear bonus. Click a planted tower to upgrade it to level 2 or sell it back for 70%.
- 4
Survive all 8 waves with the Garden Gate (20 HP) standing to win. The final wave brings the King Grub — slow it down and splash it hard.
- 5
Your best score is saved in your browser.
Tips for a better run
Plant at path corners: enemies spend the longest time in range there.
A Sticky Pitcher next to an Acorn Mortar is the highest-DPS combo in the game.
Sell and replant (70% refund) if a tower covers too little path.
Upgrade a Spitter to level 2 before buying a second one — cheaper and stronger.
Save at least one Mortar for wave 8: the King Grub shrugs off darts.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play?
Click any grass plot (the dark green squares) to open the build menu, then pick one of the three defensive plants: Thorn Spitter (cheap fast darts), Sticky Pitcher (slows everything nearby), or Acorn Mortar (heavy splash damage). Click a planted tower to upgrade it or sell it for a 70% refund. Press Space or the Start Wave button when you're ready, then watch the lane — plants fire automatically.
Any strategy tips?
Build on the grass next to the sandy path — corners and the middle straightaways give your plants the most shooting time. Mix damage with slow: a Sticky Pitcher near a Mortar lets every acorn land. Sell underperforming plants (70% refund) and move them to hotter spots. Upgrade damage plants before adding more — a level-2 Spitter outshoots two level-1s for less sap.
Is Thorn Guard a copy of a tower-defense game?
No. Thorn Guard is fully original: Bristle the hedgehog gardener, the Munch Grubs, Shellback Beetles, Snot Slugs and King Grub, the three plant defenses, the garden-path lane layout, and all code, art, and audio are original works. It takes the general lane tower-defense genre as inspiration but references no existing games, films, or franchises.
