Trolls vs Vikings: Reborn rips the dust off the lane‑defense formula and rebuilds it with snarling personality and Norse fury. Released March 7, 2025 by Megapop, Reborn preserves the familiar lane‑based structure but transforms passive placement into an active, pulse‑quickening contest: swap and reposition Trolls mid‑battle, chain time‑sensitive spells, and react to emergent threats with split‑second decisions.
The result is a tactile, hands‑on TD that rewards tactical improvisation as much as long‑term planning. Visually bold and sonically thunderous, Reborn leans into mythic humor and weighty animation while offering deeper loadout customization and a punishing difficulty curve that separates casual skirmishes from true mastery. If you loved the retro TD loop but wanted more agency, chaos, and unapologetic trollish swagger, this is the rebirth you’ve been waiting for.
Core gameplay
• Active lane defense: This isn’t a “place‑and‑wait” tower game. You still deploy Trolls into lanes, but you also swap units on the fly, cast time‑sensitive spells, and reposition key defenders as battles erupt. Every second matters; success hinges on juggling resources, reacting to threats, and making split‑second tactical calls.
• Unit interactivity: Trolls are flexible, some can be moved mid‑match, others trigger area effects or combo with spells. That interactivity turns each stage into a small tactical puzzle rather than a static placement exercise.
• Spells and tools: Spells are more than fireworks; they’re timing windows. Use slows, stuns, and burst damage to turn the tide, but manage cooldowns and mana carefully, wasteful casting is punished.
• Difficulty tuning: Normal, Hard, and Brutal modes scale enemy numbers, AI aggression, and resource scarcity. For players who want endless pressure, Endless Valhalla pushes the loop into a survival test of endurance and optimization.
Progression and meta
• Loadout customization: Before each battle you can swap Trolls, tweak spells, and tailor totems and runes to match the map or your playstyle. This pre‑match layer rewards experimentation and creates meaningful choices beyond simply unlocking stronger units.
• Rewards and upgrades: Progression hands you runes and totems that modify stats and abilities, letting you specialize a roster for crowd control, single‑target damage, or utility. The system is straightforward but deep enough to support distinct strategies.
• No pay‑to‑win: Reborn removes microtransaction pressure; progression is earned through play. That design choice keeps the focus on skill and planning rather than wallets.
Presentation
Art and animation: The game looks great: bold, cartoonish art with weighty, expressive animations that make every troll bash and Viking charge feel impactful. Environments, from mossy forests to scorched battlefields, are packed with Nordic flavor and small visual jokes that amplify charm.
Sound and score: A new orchestral and choral score by Aleksandar Dimitrijević gives battles a cinematic punch; layered percussion and choir motifs make the battlefield feel mythic. Sound design is crisp, hits land with satisfying thuds and spells crackle with presence.
Strengths and caveats
• Strengths: Fast, tactile lane defense that rewards active play; deep pre‑match customization; excellent presentation and soundtrack; fair, skill‑based progression without microtransactions.
• Caveats: The core loop will feel familiar to anyone who’s played Plants vs. Zombies, Trolls vs Vikings: Reborn is a strong evolution rather than a wholly original concept. The learning curve can be steep on higher difficulties, and the frantic pace may overwhelm players who prefer a purely methodical TD experience.
Final Verdict
Trolls vs Vikings: Reborn is a triumphant, modernized take on lane defense that preserves the addictive core loop while amplifying it with hands‑on interactivity, deeper tactical choices, and a riotous personality that makes every clash memorable.
Reborn turns passive placement into active combat, swap and reposition units mid‑fight, chain time‑sensitive spells, and react to emergent threats, so success rewards both long‑term planning and split‑second reflexes.
With a thunderous soundtrack, weighty animations, and a progression system that favors skill over paywalls, it’s essential for players who miss the bite of old‑school tower defense but want fresh innovations and no monetization headaches.
Watch and Wishlist
• Why wishlist: Get notified about updates, balance patches, seasonal events, and new modes (Endless Valhalla or special missions); be first in line for discounts and DLC drops.
• Platforms to track: PC (Steam) and Steam Deck support; watch for possible console ports (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox) and storefront announcements.
• How to stay informed: Wishlist the Steam page, follow Megapop on social channels (Twitter/X), join the official Discord, and enable store notifications for patch notes and sale alerts.
• Price perspective: $5.99, a low entry price for a robust, no‑microtransaction TD experience; excellent value, and likely to see deeper discounts during seasonal sales.
Key Takeaways
• Active lane defense: Reborn turns passive placement into hands‑on combat; swap, reposition, and cast in real time so every match rewards quick decisions and tactical reflexes.
• Tactile unit design: Trolls feel weighty and expressive; animations and interactivity make each deployment and collision satisfying.
• Meaningful customization: Pre‑match loadouts, runes, and totems let you tailor strategies rather than simply chasing raw power.
• Brutal but fair difficulty: Normal, Hard, and Brutal modes plus Endless Valhalla offer escalating challenges that emphasize skill over shortcuts.
• No pay‑to‑win: Progression is earned through play, with microtransactions removed to keep the focus on mastery.
• Mythic presentation: Bold art, punchy animations, and a cinematic Nordic score elevate the comedy and combat into a memorable package.
• Replayability: Deep unit synergies and Endless Valhalla mode create long‑term goals for players who love optimization and leaderboard endurance.
• Accessible entry, steep mastery: Easy to pick up for casual sessions, but the higher difficulties demand precise timing and resource juggling for true mastery.
Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Megapop
Platforms: PC (reviewed)
Release Date: March 7, 2025
Score: 7.5 / 10
Trolls vs Vikings: Reborn is a spirited, well‑crafted lane‑defense revival that delivers satisfying, hands‑on combat, a thunderous soundtrack, and charming presentation.
Its active unit control and deep loadout options make matches feel dynamic and rewarding, but the game’s roots in the PvZ formula and a steep difficulty spike on higher settings hold it back from true greatness.
Great value for players who crave tactical TD action without microtransactions, though perfectionists may find the learning curve and familiar framework limiting.
“7.5 / 10 - A rowdy, strategic love letter to lane defense, brutal when it needs to be, brilliantly playful when it doesn’t.”