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In what could be considered one of the most entertaining ways to recycle the world’s trashed cardboard, War in a Box: Paper Tanks takes the humble tower defense game in some interesting new directions. Even as a somewhat ironic combination of the peaceful art of origami and intense military combat, this game is super entertaining on so many fronts. Classic tower defense tactics abound in this title, but players familiar with the genre will still find some welcome surprises. There are some small hiccups in the touch controls that can cause some frustration, but these are infinitesimally small issues when compared to the overall polish of the game.

In each War in a Box level, players must strategically place various turrets at predetermined spots on the map in order to destroy waves of incoming enemies. There are machine gun turrets, cannon turrets, and even artillery and flack turrets. The varying types of turrets compliment the varying types of enemies. There are speedy buggies and slow moving armored tanks, and there are also various planes and blimps that take the onslaught to the air. Some of the player’s turrets can attack only ground targets, some can attack only air targets, some can attack both. This adds to the need for serious strategy when conquering each level.

The whole game is constructed in paper craft fashion, with maps, hills, turrets, enemies, trees, buildings and terrain all made to look like they were folded out of paper and cardboard. To add to the effect, each level takes place on what looks to be a table in a larger room that can be just barely glimpsed in the background. The extent to which this design is taken is astonishing and an array of small but significant details add volumes to the game’s atmosphere. As an added bonus, the ability to enter a first-person view of each placed turret also give the player an interesting way to enjoy some of these finer details.

As a tower defense game War in a Box: Paper Tanks is incredibly fun; both challenging and well balanced. Its design is inspired and each graphic element is as charming as it is intricate. This title has so many great elements that it would truly be a shame to miss it.