Take one glance at the Nintendo Switch eShop and you’ll see it awash with mobile ports. Some of these titles - such as the recently reviewed Warp Shift from Fishlabs - work well whether they’re on a smartphone screen or a handheld console, but then there are some that are so well suited to Switch it’s a wonder they were ever conceived with pure touchscreen controls in mind.
Such is the thought that comes to mind when playing Seed Interactive’s Skies Of Fury DX. Known as Ace Academy: Skies Of Fury on iOS and Android, this WW1-set arcade dogfighter feels refreshed and revitalised on Nintendo Switch. Free of all the negative tropes associated with mobile gaming, you get a simple yet rewarding title that can finally swoop, shoot and loop-the-loop to its full potential.
Liberated from the awkward touchscreen and tilt-based control schemes of its previous platform, Skies Of Fury DX suits the dual analog sticks of Switch to a tee. With the throttle/yaw controlled with the left stick and pitch/roll controlled with the right, you can now chase down fellow biplanes and blow them out of the sky with practiced accuracy, rather than simply relying on good fortune to bring you victory. With a slight aim assist in place, you never feel like you’re wrestling with a flying tank.
Its comic book-style look also survives the flight from phone to Switch, and it’s just as eye-grabbingly attractive as it was before. The cel-shaded design makes it reminiscent of classic PS2 shooter XIII or racing brawler Cel Damage, an aesthetic that makes every plane stand out nice and clear against the cartoon landscape below and the impressive lighting model that shines during every battle or assault course. There are even some comic book style story scenes you can unlock after clearing each chapter’s sub-campaign.
Missions in the single-player campaign mode are split into three types - a deathmatch-style showdown where you’ll need to shoot down all the planes in the enemy’s squadron, an escort setup where you’ll need to protect a set of allies as they follow a flight path, and a time trial-esque assault course where passing through coloured rings and shooting targets keeps the clock ticking. The game effectively repeats these three setups throughout its 100 missions, splitting them between the use of German and British aircraft.
Despite this lack of creativity when it comes to mission structure, there’s no denying just how inherently rewarding its core gameplay truly is. You can perform manoeuvres with the D-pad, enabling you to swoop away from enemy fire, while a special ability (which you can charge up by shooting down enemy planes) gives you a temporary boost of extra firepower and reduced damage. There’s a dynamic tactical feel to these battles, too, thanks to the presence of cloud. Yes, these humble blobs of aerial moisture serve as a form of cover, enabling you to both evade enemy planes and ambush them. They also reduce your speed drastically, providing a risk/reward balance that will force you to use them carefully.
Frustratingly, there aren’t any on-screen markers to identify which direction enemy planes are flying in when they’ve moved out of view. To get around this, developer Seed Interactive has included a camera targeting system (activated by pressing ‘L’+’R’) that slows time and automatically pulls you around to face the nearest enemy. It’s not the most intuitive system - especially when you’re fighting through the tougher opponents of its latter five chapters - but the smoothness of its controls and the use of cloud cover helps negate the issue somewhat.
With its free-to-play model removed, Skies Of Fury DX's in-game loot boxes are now unlocked by levelling up. These crates contain either paint jobs for any of the game’s German and British models or unique crosshair designs. Frustratingly, a majority of the skins we unlocked during our play-through are for planes unlocked at the highest ranks, but considering just how inventive the designs are, they’re a feature that consistently tempts you to keep playing (and beat previous high scores) without the looming and unclean shadow of microtransactions.
New planes are unlocked as you reach certain rank milestones, but you won’t be left wanting in terms of improved stats since levelling up also brings skill points that can be spent in a classic skill tree. From decreasing reload speeds to increased damage when your health is low, these buffs are persistent across either campaign and will make all the difference when the difficulty ramps up in final two to three chapters.
There’s also support for local multiplayer (with up to three of other players via split-screen), with support for split Joy-Cons and Pro Controller combinations as standard. It’s definitely something you’ll want to play in TV mode, but its slick controls and moreish gameplay make for an addictive couch play combo. There’s also a Survival mode - which can be played in single-player with a bot or in four-player co-op - with upgrades and buffs unlocked as you shoot down planes and clear increasingly tougher waves of enemies.
It’s an addictive premise, but you can’t help wishing the developer had included an online multiplayer option as well. Considering how enjoyable Skies Of Fury DX’s core gameplay is, and just how great online death matches can be on Nintendo Switch (hello, DOOM), its omission reminds you this really is a mobile port rather than an arcade dogfighter made with a console in mind.
Conclusion
Despite that glaring lack of online multiplayer - and a slightly awkward off-screen targeting system - Skies Of Fury DX brings a new slice of fun, fast and furious dogfighting to Nintendo Switch. Whether you’re playing on your own through its 100 campaign missions or shooting your friend’s biplane to smithereens in local multiplayer, it’s one of the best new additions to Switch’s digital library and further proof - if any were needed - that Nintendo’s handheld is the best portable platform there is.
Comments (31)
As a huge Ace Combat series fan I am really looking forward to this. Glad to hear this is a mobile port done right. Our very first Switch 'arcade flight sim' is a winner!
I’m up for this for sure.... looks great. Love the look they have gone for
Reminds me of Wings on GBA and Amiga. Loved that game. Played GBA version just last week.
@cmk8 Good ol Wings... they don't make them like that any more.
I will most definetly get this game. Looks to be a lot of fun. Can’t wait to get a little multiplayer dog fight action with my kids.
It's quite a fun game, but can get pretty repetitive if you sit with it for awhile. Loved the dogfights though. Probably wouldve went with a 7 instead of 8 due to limited variety of missions. Absolutely worth your change though.
Sounds interesting, whats the price?
Glad it has 3 axis motion but disappointed they went with right analogue stick of rudder and throttle. The Switch has 4 shoulder buttons. Right analogue stick is needed for free viewing.
@Shiryu @cmk8 You guys know there's a recent remake of Wings that is quite faithful?
@LemonSlice I do indeed, but it was mobile only if my memory serves me right. Now then, if only we could get Cinemaware to port it to the eshop...
This looks very interesting, I love the cel shaded style.
But the controls really turn me off.
I really doubt it but I hope this game has some alternative control layouts. It would be grand if I can use shoulder buttons as throttle+yaw, left stick as pitch/roll, and right stick as camera, for true Ace Combat control scheme!
@Shiryu
https://www.gog.com/game/wings_remastered
(for Mac on the Mac app store)
EDIT: gog link is for the Windows version
Nice on Android with Ipega, but nothing special and kinda boring. 6/10 for me.
@LemonSlice Yep.. nothing Aplle in my home. :x
Liking the look of this one.
@LemonSlice I bought the recent Wings game for PC and got over it pretty quick. The repetition of the levels got really mundane... That was actually my first concern in starting to read this review, that there were three mission types spread over 100 levels; but the review makes it sound like it has a bit of variety. In the new Wings, every single dogfight starts you and the enemy in the exact same spots.
Like the look of this one. Hope they expand on the premise with more variety type missions in updates/dlc.
@Shiryu The link is for the Windows version, I just wrote that the Mac version is available on the app store for Mac.
@LemonSlice Ah, excellent! Now I'm tempted...
Tempted if only to have another genre to experience.
Did I miss how much it costs?
It's listed at 20 Dollars USD on the e-shop. In pre-sale until Thursday..
This is free on iPhone (1.99 to get rid of ads)... It is OK - gets repetitive - not worth $20 dollars and no way 8/10.
Try on your phone/ipad first.
Wish they make a new Snoopy Vs the red Baron or SkyGunner
$20 for a $2 game. I guess we are paying to get rid of loot boxes.
Still, it looks good. I’d be in for $10, and I’ll probably get it on sale.
This game really came out of nowhere, looks great though.
Excellent reviews for this and that Daryl game... Two that I was pretty intrigued by. Looks like I'll be getting both now.
Tried the iPhone version and I'm tempted now. Will probably get it.
So they ruined it by turning it into a dual-stick shooter, huh? Why couldn't they just put pitch and yaw on the left stick and use some combination of the triggers for the throttle and to activate rolling (in combination with the left stick) like a normal flight shooter?! At the very least, give us the option to reconfigure the controls as such!
EDIT: Oh wait, so there's a Joy-con based motion controlled scheme? Well, how well does that work, and why the heck did you only give it a passing mention in the paragraph about local multiplayer?!
Leaning towards getting this.... reminds me of a game on the Atari Lynx that I enjoyed.
Seems pretty fun but I think I will be waiting for a discount on this one.
Bought it and its fun. I agree that switching the functions of the left en right stick would make it better. But for now an 8 is a good score. If they adapt the controls an 8.5. It’s fun, has lots of options and I already played it for 3 hours straight. It’s certainly worth the asking price for me.
I'm enjoying it, it's a very well polished game IMO !
@cmk8 I remember wings, it was a great game. I was thinking the same when I saw the screenshots.
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