TIDEHOLMTIDEHOLM
Keep the light. Read the tide. A free lane tower defense on a tidal beach: sea creatures crawl out of the surf, you build cannons, walls and lanterns on the sand, collect coins and hold the shore.
A tower defense where the beach changes under you
The beach is five lanes and seven tiles deep. On high-tide waves the sea floods the front rows: walls get wet, eels get fast and storm buoys come alive. Plan for the tide, not just the next crab.
15 defenders × 5 levels
Every upgrade is a new look and a new ability: the cannon goes from one ball to grapeshot to a Thunderball that tears through the whole lane.
The tide is a weapon
High tide floods the front of the beach. Build for both: flooded flats double your pearl clams, but they drown the wrong walls.
15 levels, 3 bosses
From Holm Beach to the Storm Coast: The Drowned Bell, the King Crab and the Leviathan. Then Free mode: survive the long night.
Coins, pearls, workshop
Collect coins in battle to build and upgrade. Win pearls and buy permanent upgrades in the Workshop between levels.
Made for one hand
Portrait, tap-to-build, swipe to collect coins. Works with a mouse too. Light graphics mode keeps older phones smooth.
Daily & weekly tides
A new daily challenge with a streak and pearl rewards, and a Weekly Tide with a twist (fire only, double speed, boss rush…) that pays 1.5× pearls.
Play together
Co-op on two phones: host a game, your friend scans the QR code or types the 4-digit code, and you defend the same beach with shared coins and your own cards.
Challenge a friend
Send a link: your friend plays the exact same tide with your defenders and upgrades. Beat my wave 23? 35 achievements to collect.
Never lose a run
Your progress and even an unfinished battle are saved in your browser. Export a save code to move to another device.
Screenshots
How to play
Stop every sea creature before it reaches the village at the bottom. Each lane has one lighthouse lamp: the first enemy that gets through lights it and the beam clears the lane. If another gets through the same lane, the shore falls. ★ win · ★★ at most one lamp used · ★★★ no lamp used.
| Action | Phone / mouse | Keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Build a defender | Tap a card in the tray, then a sand tile (or drag the card onto the tile) | – |
| Collect coins | Tap a coin, or keep your finger down and swipe over coins | – |
| Upgrade or sell | Tap a defender: the panel shows the next level and its price | – |
| Card info | Long-press a card | – |
| Speed 1× / 2× | Button top right | 1 2 |
| Pause, restart, sound | Pause button top right | Esc or P |
Tips: start every level with two or three Pearl Clams, they pay for everything else. Coins on the sand fade after 10 seconds. Spend pearls in the Workshop: upgrades last forever. Level 1 teaches the basics in two minutes.
Ready to hold the shore?
Starts in under a second. Your progress stays in this browser.
Play Tideholm freeFAQ
Is Tideholm free?
Yes. The game is free and supported by occasional ads between levels and optional "watch an ad" buttons (bonus pearls, or a second chance after you lose). You never have to pay or watch an ad to progress, and nothing plays unless you tap it.
Do I need an account or a download?
No. Press Play and the game starts in under a second: the whole game is under 1 MB. There are no accounts.
Which devices work?
Current Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox on iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux and Chromebooks. Tideholm is plain HTML5 (no WebGL, no download), so it also runs smoothly on older iPhones. On slow devices it lowers its resolution by itself, or choose Light graphics in Settings.
Where is my progress saved?
In your browser's storage on this device, automatically and after every wave. Clearing your browser data deletes it, so use Settings → Save & backup to export a save code or file. You can import it on another device.
Is it like Plants vs. Zombies?
It's a lane defense in that spirit: enemies walk straight down five lanes and you build on a grid. Tideholm adds the tide, which floods the front rows on some waves, five upgrade levels per defender and lighthouse lamps as a last line of defense.
What is the daily challenge and the Weekly Tide?
Every day there is a new challenge: hold a few waves of the day's tide to win pearls and grow your streak (a new one at 00:00 UTC). The Weekly Tide is Free mode with a twist that changes every Monday and pays 1.5× pearls. Records are kept on your device.
Can I play with a friend?
Yes, on two phones (or a phone and a computer). Tap Play together, host a game and let your friend scan the QR code or type the 4-digit code. You share the coins, each has your own cards, and a win unlocks the level for both. Only your room code and display name pass through our relay server; nothing is stored. There are no ads in co-op.
What is in a challenge link?
Only game settings: the mode, the tide's seed, the score to beat and the defenders and upgrades used. No name, no account, nothing personal.
Something doesn't work
Reload the page first; your progress is saved. If the game feels slow, choose Light graphics in Settings. Otherwise write to us via the contact page with your device and browser.