ACECRAFT

You know that feeling when a game's art style hits you so hard you forgive it for trying to pickpocket you? That's ACECRAFT. I booted this up expecting another mobile shooter with a cartoon filter slapped on, and instead I got what looks like a lost 1930s cartoon reel that learned how to shoot back. Every frame is hand-drawn — the rubber-hose planes, the bosses with actual personality, the whole floating world of Cloudia. It's the closest thing to playing Cuphead on your phone without, you know, playing Cuphead on your phone. Then the bullets start. It's a vertical shoot 'em up, and a proper one — dense pink barrages, tight dodges, the works. But here's the twist that sold me: you don't just dodge the pink bullets. You EAT them. Absorb a pink projectile and it charges your counterattack, so the game turns the oldest bullet-hell rule on its head — the thing trying to kill you is also your ammo. First time I pulled it off I laughed out loud on the bus. It's from Vizta Games — that's Moonton's studio, the Mobile Legends people, with Skystone Games publishing worldwide — and it's built for two players. Grab a friend, pick from eight Ace Pilots, stack roguelike skills into increasingly stupid combinations, and go punch the Nightmare Legion in its stupid face together. Now the part where I keep it real with you: this game wants your money. You can absolutely play free and have a blast. Just go in with your wallet guarded and your eyes on the pretty.

The good stuff

Every frame is hand-drawn in a 1930s rubber-hose style — it genuinely looks like a cartoon from 1932, except this one shoots back. The pink-bullet absorb mechanic is the real deal: dodge the storm, eat the pink ones, and turn the boss's own barrage into your counterattack. Two-player co-op that actually matters — plotting routes through bullet storms with a friend in real time is the best version of this game. Eight Ace Pilots with their own skills, customizable Wingmen, and roguelike skill combos that make every run feel different.

Your first few moves

1. Stop dodging everything — learn which pink bullets you can absorb and fly INTO them on purpose. That's your damage.
2. Pick one pilot and learn their kit before chasing the gacha roster. A pilot you understand beats a shiny one you don't.
3. In co-op, split the sky: one of you takes the left half, one takes the right. You'll cover twice the bullets and revive each other faster.

Before you jump in

The monetization is the boss fight nobody asked for — aggressive gacha, endless claim screens, and a big first download. It's free and fun without paying, but set your expectations: the game will try to sell you things constantly. It's around 175MB plus extra downloads, so grab Wi-Fi first.