Protect Emojis

Protect Emojis is a tower defense and resource management video game developed by EmojiSoft Interactive and released in 2023 for mobile platforms and personal computers. The game is set within a digital communication interface where a collection of emoji characters, representing various emotions and objects, are under threat from a hostile force known as the "Glitch Virus." The primary objective is to defend a central emoji hub from waves of corrupted, monochrome emoji entities that attempt to delete or overwrite the protected emojis. The game features a grid-based map divided into lanes, with the player’s base located at one end. Each level introduces new emoji defenders, each possessing unique abilities based on their real-world meaning, such as the "Fire Emoji" dealing area damage or the "Shield Emoji" providing temporary invulnerability. Resources are generated by successfully repelling glitch attacks and by collecting "Data Fragments" that appear on the map. The game includes a progression system where players unlock additional emoji types and upgrade their defensive capabilities through experience points earned per level. The visual style mimics a chat interface, with health bars represented as loading indicators and attack animations as digital pixelation effects. The game does not include a narrative campaign; instead, it offers a series of increasingly difficult survival levels and an endless mode.

Gameplay and controls are structured around a point-and-click or tap interface. The player begins each level by selecting a set of emoji defenders from a roster, limited by a "Memory Capacity" meter. During gameplay, the player places defenders onto designated grid tiles along the lanes leading to the emoji hub. Each defender has a specific placement cost in Data Fragments, which are collected by tapping or clicking on fragments that appear after defeating glitch enemies. Defenders automatically attack any glitch emoji within their range, which is indicated by a circular radius when selected. The player can upgrade a defender by tapping or clicking on it and selecting an upgrade option, which increases its damage, range, or special ability effectiveness at a cost of additional Data Fragments. The player can also sell a defender to reclaim a portion of its cost. The glitch virus waves are announced at the start of each round, with a timer indicating the next wave. The player can manually trigger the next wave early by pressing a "Send Wave" button. The game pauses automatically when the player is placing or upgrading defenders, but resumes during active combat. The player loses a level if any glitch entity reaches the emoji hub and depletes its health bar, represented as a percentage of total emoji integrity. Controls are optimized for touch screens with drag-and-drop placement, while keyboard shortcuts are available on PC for quick selection and upgrade commands.