Building is no longer something you do before a run. It's part of the run.
Runs are now split into waves. A wave ends when the last enemy falls rather than when a timer expires. Between waves you get an untimed build phase: open the chests you earned, spend banked level-ups, and rebuild and extend your tower. Sound the horn when you're ready.
Chests are now your main source of blocks, so your tower grows in response to what's actually threatening it, instead of being locked in before the first wave.
ALSO IN THIS UPDATE
• Six starter towers (Jupiter, Neptune, Vulcan, Mars, Minerva and Venus), each with a distinct layout and signature skill
• New players learn the game inside a real run, which then continues as their first attempt
• Dash charges can be banked and chained
• Eternal Fire: Mars grants an extra chest per build phase, Neptune an extra dash charge
• Altars are free, and colour-coded to the powerup they grant
• Minions and charmed enemies are no longer caught by time freezes
• Performance improvements for large late-game swarms
This changes the pacing of the game a lot, and pacing needs real players to get right. Let us know how it feels.