Assault Android Cactus

Assault Android Cactus is a twin-stick shooter from the Australian studio Witch Beam, which arrived on Wii U via the eShop after a successful debut on PC and other consoles. The player picks from a colorful cast of android heroines, each with her own weapon and special ability, and fights through waves of robotic enemies aboard a spaceship gripped by an AI uprising. The characters differ markedly in firing style, from rapid-fire weapons to large-area projectiles, which motivates players to try them all repeatedly.

A key gameplay element is a battery system instead of the classic life count - a character doesn't die instantly on being hit, but her energy drains gradually, forcing the player into constant movement and collecting power cells dropped by defeated enemies. The game supports co-op for up to four players at once and offers several difficulty levels and special modes for both solo and group play, including an endless enemy wave for chasing the highest score. On Wii U the game ran smoothly and used the GamePad as an alternate screen, while its colorful, comic-book visual style with striking neon effects stood out on the big TV screen.

Assault Android Cactus received very positive reception from critics and players alike thanks to its brisk pace, clear arena design, and an addictive progression system that rewards skill rather than long grinding. Within the genre of modern twin-stick shooters it still ranks among the best-rated, and even years later it feels like an energetic, well-tuned experience for both quick sessions and longer co-op sessions with friends, where the competition for the best score keeps the pace up throughout, and unlockable characters give a reason to return to the arenas repeatedly even after finishing the main campaign, since each heroine offers a different feel to the shooting and a different approach to a given level.

Why play it: For fans of brisk twin-stick shooters and a group of friends on the couch, this is one of the best-rated games of the genre, where distinct heroines and the chase for a high score invite repeated play.