November 3, 2026, Super Monkey Studio and publisher Develup Games today released a free demo for SKULD, the Norse mythology action tower defense where you don't watch the battle from above, you fight in it. The demo is available now on Steam.
The demo offers the first hands-on look at SKULD’s fight to hold back the darkness spreading across the Nine Realms after Ragnarök. Players can cut through waves of Hela's corrupted creatures with fast melee combos, place and upgrade their first turrets and get a feel for the mix of real-time action and strategy that defines the full game.
In most tower defense games, players watch from above. In SKULD, they are part of the defense. In fast third-person combat, players dodge, strike and unleash divine powers while placing and upgrading turrets around them, as some enemies go for the defenses and others come straight for SKULD. Before each battle, players pick a deck of towers and shape SKULD’s abilities, building for the blade or for the base.
The story moves on after every run. Between battles, SKULD returns to Valhalla, where choices made with Odin, Loki and the other gods decide where the campaign goes next. Set after Ragnarök, SKULD follows the only figure in Norse myth who is both a Norn of fate and a Valkyrie. Her fate is written. Her choices are not. Every texture is hand-painted and an original soundtrack gives each realm its own sound.
“We started SKULD as students making our very first game and the genre changed more than once along the way. What never changed was SKULD,” said Hugo Maldonado, Co-Founder at Super Monkey Studio. “We wanted a game where you don't just plan the defense, you fight on the front line of it. After funding on Kickstarter thanks to our backers, the demo is the first time everyone can pick up the sword and hold the gate themselves.”
KEY FEATURES
- You Fight in It: In most tower defense games, you watch from above. In SKULD, you stand on the front line and defend the gate with your own blade.
- Build It, Then Hold It: Place and upgrade turrets in real time while you dodge, strike and unleash divine powers in fast third-person combat.
- Blade or Base: Before each battle, pick your deck of towers and shape Skuld’s abilities. Hold the line yourself or build a fortress and let it do the work.
- Her Fate Is Written. Her Choices Are Not: Between battles, Odin, Loki and the other gods all want something from Skuld and your choices decide where the campaign goes next.
- After Ragnarök: An original story set across the Nine Realms, brought to life with hand-painted comic-book art and an original soundtrack for every realm.
AVAILABILITY
The free SKULD demo is available now on Steam. Players can wishlist SKULD on Steam and follow Super Monkey Studio on Instagram, X, TikTok and LinkedIn for the latest from the Nine Realms.
ABOUT SUPER MONKEY STUDIO
Super Monkey Studio is an independent game studio founded by a group of students setting out to make their very first game. Through genre pivots and hard production lessons, the team kept one vision: telling Skuld's story. In 2026, the studio ran its first Kickstarter campaign for SKULD, funding it at 140% and earning a Kickstarter “Project We Love” pick. SKULD is the studio's debut title.