Astro Busters is a sci-fi shooter inspired by the classics, now on iOS and Android
Any Asteroids, Gravity Force or X-Pilot fans?
- Sci-fi shooter with realistic physics and responsive controls
- Currently in Early Access on iOS and Android with PC cross-platform
- Three single-player levels with more PvP and co-op modes
If you read my coverage from earlier today, you’ll know Katana Dragon borrows its shape from Zelda. Astro Busters, on the other hand, reaches further back, to the era where space shooters were less about spectacle and more about whether you could survive your own mistakes.
This is an Asteroids-descended shooter that takes physics personally. Thrust has weight. Turns carry consequences. Drift is something you manage, not something the screen politely corrects for you. When things fall apart, it’s usually because you pushed too hard or trusted the wrong gap.
The mobile Early Access build doesn’t try to overwhelm you. You get a small run of three solo missions to get your bearings, then things loosen up in multiplayer, where co-op survival and PvP quickly reveal how differently everyone handles momentum. Cross-platform means you can take on PC players at any time too.
Upgrades follow the same logic. Coins aren’t just something you collect and forget about - they let you take bigger risks. A new weapon or ship tweak doesn’t just hit harder either - it changes how close you’re willing to skim past danger before backing off. Don’t be disheartened if you warp out of a bad spot though; treat it like using a get-out-of-jail card instead.
Astro Busters also understands restraint. The screen stays readable even when it’s hostile, which matters once larger ships enter the mix and fights stop respecting neat boundaries. Synth-heavy audio and clean effects keep the focus on positioning and timing, not decoration.
There’s more coming next year, including smarter enemies, additional modes, and procedural levels that should suit the physics-first attitude. But the current version already says enough. This isn’t chasing retro aesthetics for comfort. It’s chasing the tension those older shooters created when control was earned, not granted.
If that kind of high-risk spacefaring still appeals, you might want to look through our picks for the top sci-fi games on iOS.
