What is Aerial_Knight’s Dropshot

Aerial_Knight’s journey into game development is reflected in his titles. Dropshot is his latest offering and is a stark contrast to his previous work. Previous tiles were runners, and now we have a shooter, but without a gun. However, instead of running and gunning, you are dropped from a drop ship and gun with your fingertips (yes, you read that right). Dropshot won’t reinvent the wheel, but what it does offer is a decent and concise experience that is a fun palette cleanser. 

Developer & Publisher // Aerial Knight
Platforms // PC, PlayStation 5, Google Play, Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass
MSRP & Release Date // $19.99, February 17th, 2026
Reviewed On // Xbox Series X

Bullets Sold Separately

• Rely on unique finger-gun abilities and “free” melee attacks to clear enemies in fast-paced dropship levels.
• Master short, intense levels by dodging spinning lasers and barrels, while strategically hunting for inconsistent ammo balloons where a single mistake can force a total restart.

Similar to Aerial_Knight’s other titles, Never Yield and We Never Yield, the game is a straightforward setup. Players assume the role of Smoke Wallace, a hero gifted with bullet-shooting finger tips. These powers were bestowed by a bite from a radioactive dragon.

The story beats come through brief cutscenes before and after some of the levels, similar to old arcade games. Conversely, I was surprised to read that the game is an homage to Aerial’s friend and collaborator. 

At its core, the story tells a tale of Wallace’s revenge against the same radioactive dragon that devoured his family and bestowed his powers. Smoke jumps out of planes to take out mercenaries and dragons, seeking his revenge on the same radioactive dragon that devoured his family. Its nothing too profound, but does enough to setup the context of the game.

Aerial_Knight’s Dropshot Level Design

• Conquer 50 levels across diverse stages, featuring intense parachute-tank boss battles and high-speed races that break up the traditional shooting action.

Each level has Wallace jumping f from a drop ship and has to take out all the enemies in a level while avoiding being hit. You shoot with your fingers and punch, the latter of which is a “free” attack. Players replenish their ammo by shooting yellow balloons. Their placement can be inconsistent at times. Sometimes, you’ll have multiple balloons in a single section of drop, while other times, they will be so scarce that seeing one will elicit actual joy.

Levels also consist of barrels, spinning lasers, floating islands, and other obstacles that get in your way. Get hit twice or hit an obstacle, and you have to restart the levels. Levels are usually fairly short, clocking in at most a few minutes. If you lose a level, you will have two options: retry or yield—naturally, a nice nod if you played Aerial_Knight’s previous titles. 

In Dropshot, there are a total of 50 levels, five of which are boss stages. You have to at least complete all the levels, including the boss fight, to progress to the next drop (pun intended) of levels. One boss was a tank with parachutes. This required multiple hits to defeat and was quite enjoyable. While another boss fight was a race against an enemy with no shooting involved. It helped break Dropshot’s monotonous setting, and my favorite was no doubt the tank boss fight. 

Power Ups, New Shades & Replayability

• Shoot dragon eggs to unlock randomized power-ups like shields, auto-fire, and expanded shooting zones that provide a strategic edge during high-speed combat.
• Chase perfect S+++ ranks in a rewarding two/three-hour campaign built for completionists and high-score hunters.

You can acquire dragon power-ups by shooting eggs. Some of these power-ups include a shield, an auto shoot for a limited time, or a drastic increase to your shooting zone. However, there is no indication which power-up you’ll receive, as all the eggs look the same.

Completely taking out all the enemies will award you with a complete status that shines an opulent yellow to give you that dopamine hit you’re craving. But in all, it will take around 2 hours or a little more to “complete” the game. Replayability comes in the form of getting an S+++ rank or getting that yellow fill to cure your potential OCD. Furthermore, you can unlock new looks for Wallace. This comes in various styles of sunglasses and are purely cosmetic.

Reticle Spectacle

• Master a unique reticle system where a screen-center X signifies a confirmed hit, turning traditional shooting intuition into a rewarding hunt for precise “treasure” shots.

The reticle UI was somewhat confusing at first. An X would appear when your fingers are lined up with a target and signifies a hit. At first, I didn’t grasp that X meant a hit, and my brain automatically assumed that my shot would be nullified. Luckily, I learned quickly and always sought that X means treasure, or in this case, a direct shot. 

Graphics & Art Style

• Immerse yourself in a signature cel-shaded world defined by high-contrast purples and a stylized aesthetic that keeps your focus sharp during high-altitude drops.
• Experience a thematic nod to the series’ roots with the choice to “Retry” or “Yield” after every fall, maintaining the unique charm of the Aerial_Knight universe.

Similar to Aerial_Knight’s previous games, Dropshot employs a highly stylized cel-shaded look. Lots of high contrast colors and purple skin tones are front and center, which gives it a unique look and concise look. Though when dropped down from high, a lot of that color gets thrown in the backdrop as your eyes naturally gravitate towards your reticle.

Controls

• Experience a fully updated control scheme featuring newly patched-in inverted settings, catering to classic FPS players and ensuring a comfortable, modern flight experience.
• Benefit from responsive developer support.

When I first booted Aerial_Knight’s Dropshot, I was legitimately shocked by the lack of inverted controls. I’m an old timer and was raised with GoldenEye, so inverted remains my preferred setup. In fact, I was livid because shooting in the “normal” default setting was a major hindrance to me. Fortunately, as of writing, inverted controls were patched in, so kudos to Aerial_Knight for catering to us old inverted heads. This drastically improved my comfort level with the game’s controls. 

Dropshot Performance

• Experience smooth performance across most stages, with refined movement and shooting mechanics that reward tactical positioning.
• Master the boss-level combat by rotating and repositioning to find the perfect angle for that satisfying, hit-confirming “X” reticle.

The game performed admirably for the most part. However, there were some inconsistencies in the range of motion and shooting peripheries. More specifically, in the tank boss level, there were times my reticle would be lined up with the tank, but that dopamine-infested “X” that signifies a shot will land wouldn’t show up. However, if you changed your position and rotated yourself would produce that lovely X. 

Final Thoughts on Aerial_Knight’s Dropshot

Aerial_Knight’s Dropshot is a nice change of pace from his previous games. Though it is a simple setup, it is enjoyable for a couple of hours, especially if you want to beat your own records. Though keep expectations in check. The monotonous setting shows little variety, while the boss fights keep things fresh for a bit. All in all, Dropshot hit its X mark.

Score: 7 / 10

Note – A key was provided for the purpose of this review.

Pros

• Fun and Easy Gameplay Loop
• Tons of Levels and Rankings 
• Boss Fights Are Unique
• Inverted Controls Added in Later Update

Cons

• Lack of Level Variety
• Hard to Appreciate Art Style When Shooting From Afar
• Some Weird Movement Inconsistencies