Line a winding path with three kinds of turrets on a hex map and keep ten waves of rolling enemies from escaping.
Hex Formation is a tower defense game laid out on six-sided tiles. Green, spinning enemies spill from a starting cell and trace a twisting gray road to the exit. Your job is to place turrets on the dark tiles beside that road to destroy them before they slip through.
Resources are tight. You get ten lives, three turret types and ten waves to survive. Because every hexagon touches up to six others, a well-placed turret can cover more of a winding path than you might expect.
Getting started
First, choose a map. The three options are called alternating, zig-zag and loopback, and each has a differently shaped path. Your opening budget is 100 cash, along with 10 lives.
Pick a tower type from the panel at the side, and click a solid dark cell near the road to build. Lighter gray cells are the path itself, and the striped border cells can’t be used. Hit Start Game, and enemies begin rolling out at two per second.
The three turrets
The Standard tower costs 50 and fires slow single shots. Rapid Fire sprays a quick stream of small shots but has short range. The Laser Beam costs 120 and holds a constant beam on a single enemy. It has the longest reach and never misses.
Click any tower you’ve built to see its range, upgrade it or sell it. Each upgrade boosts both damage and range, and dots on the tower show its level. Selecting an existing tower also cancels the type you had chosen, so pick a type from the panel again before placing the next one.
How the waves work
Each enemy you destroy pays out cash worth twice its starting health. Enemies get tougher as you go, starting with 3 health in wave one and reaching 40 by wave ten. The current value appears in the bottom corner.
A new wave starts by itself once the last one is cleared. If you’re feeling confident, press Next Wave after every enemy in the current wave has entered the map to send the next group early.
Strategy notes
Bends are your best friend. A turret sitting where the road doubles back can hit two or three sections at once. Rapid Fire works best tucked into a sharp turn, since enemies linger within its short reach.
With your starting 100, two Standard towers give you the most firepower for wave one. After that, try saving for a Laser Beam. It’s also smart to upgrade a few strong towers before spreading cash thin across many weak ones.
Controls
| Action | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Choose a tower type to build | Click Standard, Rapid Fire or Laser Beam in the side panel | Tap a tower type in the side panel |
| Build the chosen tower | Click an empty dark hexagon next to the path | Tap an empty dark hexagon |
| Select a built tower (shows its range) | Click the tower | Tap the tower |
| Upgrade or sell the selected tower | Click "Upgrade" or "Sell" | Tap "Upgrade" or "Sell" |
| Start the first wave, or call the next one early | Click "Start Game", then "Next Wave" | Tap "Start Game", then "Next Wave" |
| Pause, resume or quit | Click "Pause", "Resume" or "End Game" | Tap the same buttons |
Hex Formation FAQ
Can I play Hex Formation on a phone or Chromebook?
A Chromebook or computer with a mouse is the best fit. Tapping works for building and selecting towers, but the screen is laid out for desktops and simply scales down, so text and buttons get small on a phone. A tablet held sideways is a better choice.
How do I win?
Survive all ten waves before losing your ten lives. You lose one life each time an enemy reaches the exit. When you clear the last wave, your score is worked out from remaining lives, leftover cash and how many enemies fell.
Does the game save my best score?
Yes. Each of the three maps keeps its own best winning score in your browser, so you can try to beat your record on every layout.
Is it a single-player game?
Yes. You defend the path on your own, choosing where to build and when to upgrade. You can pause at any time, which helps if you need to step away mid-wave.
