Combat Aces (Beta) is that classic 16-bit dogfighting itch you didn’t know you needed scratched. The second you boot it up, you’re thrown into a pixel-perfect sky—no tutorials, just throttle up and go. The controls feel tight, like an old-school arcade cabinet, but with just enough weight to make banking turns satisfying.

First mission? A simple "shoot down three bombers" warm-up… until enemy fighters swarm in from all sides. The screen fills with bullets, and suddenly you’re weaving through flak like it’s Top Gun on a CRT. I messed up my first run by overshooting turns—turns out the P-38 handles way different than the Spitfire.

What really got me was the little details: the way your engine sputters when damaged, or how clouds briefly obscure targets. It’s got that "one more try" energy where you swear you’ll dodge better next time. If you’ve ever wasted quarters on After Burner or just miss the days of sitting cross-legged in front of a Genesis, this one’s a no-brainer.