Fieldrunners

{{Infobox video game

|title = Fieldrunners

|image = Fieldrunners art.png

|caption = App Store icon

|developer = Subatomic Studios
I-play (Mobile)

|publisher = Subatomic Studios
Hands-On Mobile (Mobile)

|released = iOS
5 October 2008
Android
1 July 2011
Steam
24 May 2012
Chrome Web Store
25 October 2011
Nintendo DSi
{{vgrelease|NA|8 February 2010|PAL|11 June 2010}} Removed: 22 November 2016[https://www.reddit.com/r/3dshacks/comments/5ebodt/psa_dsiwarehax_games_have_been_pulled_from_the/ PSA: DSIWareHax games have been pulled from the eShop {{!}} 3dshacks on Reddit]
PSP
{{vgrelease|WW|1 October 2009}} PS3
{{vgrelease|WW|17 December 2009}}Mobile phone
23 December 2009

|genre = Tower defense

|modes = Single-player

|platforms = iOS
Android
Nintendo DSi (DSiWare)
PlayStation Portable
PlayStation 3
mobile phone
Roku
Gametree TV
Chrome Web Store
PC
macOS
Linux{{cite web |url=https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/fieldrunners/ |title=Fieldrunners – Ubuntu Apps Directory |publisher=Apps.ubuntu.com |date=2011-09-16 |accessdate=2013-08-17 |archive-date=13 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113171839/https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/fieldrunners/ |url-status=live}}

}}

Fieldrunners is a tower defense video game developed for several platforms. Originally released on 1 October 2008 as an exclusive iOS title, the game was later ported to Nintendo DSi, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, and mobile phones. It was released on the Android platform in July 2011, on the Amazon Appstore and Android Market, then on 25 October, where it was ported to HTML5 by Gradient Studios and Bocoup{{cite web |url=http://weblog.bocoup.com/fieldrunners-webgl-particle-system-demo/ |title=Fieldrunners WebGL Particle System Demo |author=Kazemi, Darius |date=2011-07-27 |publisher=Bocoup |accessdate=2012-08-02 |archive-date=10 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910174847/http://weblog.bocoup.com/fieldrunners-webgl-particle-system-demo/ |url-status=live}} and released on the Chrome Web Store with the first level, Grasslands, playable for free. It is the first release of developer Subatomic Studios.

Gameplay

Unlike in other tower defense games, turrets can be placed anywhere and the enemies will go around them, forcing them to walk along any path the player makes. It is not possible to block the path however. Fieldrunners offers three types of gameplay: Classic, Extended and Endless. Playing in Classic and Extended modes limits the number of rounds in which the player must defend to 100. Classic only lets players build the original four towers, Gatling, Goo, Missile, and Tesla (except Skyway which substitutes Laser for Tesla and Frostbite which substitutes Ice for Goo). Extended mode adds the two new towers, Flame Tower and Mortar Tower (except Skyway which adds Tesla instead of Mortar). In Endless mode, the player may defend indefinitely. In any mode, the player may play in Easy, Medium, or Hard mode.

=Maps=

Maps were released over a course of updates. Only Grasslands was present during the initial release, featuring an open field in which enemies enter from the left and exit to the right. Crossroads was later released, also featuring an open field but enemies cross from top to bottom in addition from left to right. Drylands later followed, featuring an open field with three entry points, two from left to right and one from top to bottom. Two maps were included as in-app purchases, Skyway and Frostbite. Skyway features a field containing obstacles and with one leftmost entrance. Frostbite has four entrances on each side of the map which all converge in the center. Another update introduced a free map, Crystal Caves, and two in-app purchase maps, MudSlide, and LavaFlow. Crystal Caves features an open field with one entrance encircled by an additional train route. Mudslide features a field containing obstacles, a left entrance and an intersecting train route. Lavaflow features a field with two intersecting train routes and one left entrance.

Reception

Fieldrunners has received generally positive reviews, with the PSP version scoring 81% at the review aggregate website Metacritic.{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/psp/fieldrunners?q=Fieldrunners|title=Fieldrunners (psp) reviews at Metacritic.com|publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=2010-07-07}} IGN gave the game an eight out of ten rating, and highly recommended it.{{cite web |url=http://wireless.ign.com/articles/933/933080p1.html |title=Fieldrunners Review |author=Buchanan, Levi |date=2008-11-24 |publisher=IGN |accessdate=2010-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306015230/http://wireless.ign.com/articles/933/933080p1.html |archive-date=6 March 2012 |url-status=dead}} Select Star Media was highly critical of the PC port, but expressed enjoyment of the mobile releases.[http://selectstartmedia.net/2012/07/18/fieldrunners/ Select Start Media] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721203120/http://selectstartmedia.net/2012/07/18/fieldrunners/|date=21 July 2012}}

Of the iPhone version, Stuart Dredge of Pocket Gamer noted its "clever controls and cartoony visuals", calling it "the best Tower Defense game on iPhone so far".{{cite web|url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Fieldrunners+%28iPhone%29/review.asp?c=9945|title=Fieldrunners Review|author=Stuart Dredge|work=PocketGamer.co.uk|date=2008-11-12|accessdate=2012-12-18|archive-date=14 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214141631/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Fieldrunners+%28iPhone%29/review.asp?c=9945|url-status=live}}

The PSP version of Fieldrunners scored a high 81/100 on Metacritic.{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/psp/fieldrunners |title=Fieldrunners for PSP Reviews |publisher=Metacritic |date=2009-10-01 |accessdate=2013-08-17 |archive-date=4 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304000359/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/psp/fieldrunners |url-status=live}} Reviews for the iPad Fieldrunners HD version have been positive.{{cite web |url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPad/Fieldrunners+for+iPad/news.asp?c=19488 |title=Fieldrunners marches onto iPad at launch | Fieldrunners for iPad news | iPad |publisher=Pocket Gamer |date=2010-03-29 |accessdate=2013-08-17 |archive-date=11 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011181113/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPad/Fieldrunners+for+iPad/news.asp?c=19488 |url-status=live}}

Although having positive reviews, ratings on the game have been relatively lower than other games due to the fact it is a paid game that has IAP (in app purchases) for the full game and the high crash rate for some players.{{cite web | url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fieldrunners/id292421271 | title=Fieldrunners | website=iTunes}}