First off, we hope you’ll love this game as much as we loved making it! Trolls vs Vikings was born from our passion for tower defense games (yes, including a certain plant-based classic). I, as Game Director, played every tower defense game I could get my hands on—until finally the idea came. What if we made our own, infused with Norwegian mythology?
And so, Trolls vs Vikings was born! Unlike most lore, we made the Trolls the good guys, defending their homeland against a Viking invasion.
The game originally launched on mobile, but that was mainly because it was the go-to platform at the time. Soon after, we brought it to Windows PC via the Windows Store, and despite my initial doubts about mouse (and partly) keyboard controls, the player response was overwhelmingly positive. 1.3 million players later, we know that many of you had a great time with Trolls.
But even as the years passed, the Trolls legacy never faded. New players kept discovering it, despite no major updates. Still, I always felt there was so much more we could have done—and, more strongly, that the free-to-play model held the game back.
A True Premium Tower Defense Experience
As a developer, I’ve seen how free-to-play models often dilute great gameplay—designed more for monetization than pure fun. I get why it happens, but this time, with Trolls vs Vikings: Reborn, we’ve had the absolute freedom to focus entirely on player satisfaction. Just pure, strategic, moment-to-moment gameplay.
Early in 2024, the opportunity to return to Trolls finally came. While most of the original team had moved on, I was able to put together a small but dedicated crew to rebuild it with me.
Our goal was clear:
Make the game even more gameplay-focused
Add brutal new difficulties and missions
Remove all the free-to-play clutter
Revamp the upgrade, spell, and evolution systems
Upgrade all the graphics, make all new Vikings and improve animations
I wanted to create something I’d love playing myself—a game that delivers the intensity and challenge that modern tower defenses often lack. That sounds quite narcissistic, but sometimes as a developer you are your own best target audience.
What’s New in Reborn?
If you played the original, you’ll recognize many of the characters and story elements—but we’ve made some huge improvements:
- New music & sound design
- Revamped art & all-new Viking models/animations
- Brutal difficulty modefor hardcore strategists
- Overhauled UI, spell system, and core mechanics
- Speed-up button for faster-paced action
- More moment-to-moment tactical decisions
That last part is important—this version is built for a dedicated Steam audience.
The Brutal mode in particular is no joke. I’m sure most players will struggle to beat all the levels, but that’s the point! It’s designed to push you to experiment with strategy, spells, and upgrades—to give that “just one more try” feeling that makes great strategy games so addicting.
(And yes, I personally tested them all over and over and over in multiple configurations. They are tough, but 100% beatable. )
We Want to Hear From You!
That’s enough words for today, but we’ll be back with more posts as we get closer to launch on March 7th!
In the meantime—we’d love to hear from you!
Have you tried the demo? What’s your favorite part so far?
Got feedback? Let us know in the comments!
See you in battle!
Jørgen Tharaldsen
Game Director, Trolls vs Vikings: Reborn