Drop Troop: Blast Aliens On the Go with Retro-Inspired One-Handed Shooter

Drop Troop is a one-handed shooter inspired by the likes of Helldivers 2 and Desert Strike. Drop in, blast aliens, and escape with your limbs intact.

Helldivers 2 has been one of the big success stories of 2024, and for good reason. Four-player co-op has been getting stale for a while, and aside from some long-running success stories like Deep Rock Galactic, few have stood out. But have you ever wanted to get that quick rush of leaping in and blasting aliens before escaping without needing to boot up your desktop? Well, that's where the upcoming shooter Drop Troop comes in.

It doesn't take much longer than a glance to see that Drop Troop wears its inspiration on its sleeve. You drop in from orbit to a hostile location, complete objectives and then try to escape with your limbs intact. What it does offer is a throwback, retro take on the concept, with some interesting Desert Strike vibes.

Drop Troop: Blast Aliens On the Go with Retro-Inspired One-Handed Shooter

But, mechanically how does it work? Well, it's a one-handed shooter, similar to survivors-likes, where your character will start shooting enemies on their own, with you only needing to direct them. You can grab upgrades to help you out, different types of armor, and different weapons, all with unique abilities.

One element that is refreshingly different from other one-handed shooters is that you can swap out your weapon at any time. This isn't just a matter of aesthetics, either, as each weapon has its own unique abilities. The shotgun, for example, is great for close-quarters combat, while the assault rifle is more versatile and can be used at both close and long range.

In terms of upgrades, you can find these scattered throughout the levels, and they offer a variety of benefits, such as increased health, armor, or damage. There are also different types of armor that you can equip, each of which offers different resistances to different types of damage.

The levels in Drop Troop are relatively short, and they can be completed in a matter of minutes. This makes them perfect for quick bursts of gameplay, and it also helps to keep the action moving. The levels are also procedurally generated, so you'll never play the same level twice.

Overall, Drop Troop looks like a promising one-handed shooter. It has a great retro aesthetic, the gameplay is solid, and the levels are varied. If you're looking for a quick and easy way to blast some aliens, then Drop Troop is definitely worth checking out.

It occurs to us that once upon a time a game like Drop Troop would have been the erstwhile mobile spin-off of the main game (i.e., something like Helldivers 2), and it's truly interesting how much of the actual experience has been translated so faithfully while taking on so many limitations.

In the early days of mobile gaming, it was common for mobile games to be watered-down versions of their console and PC counterparts. However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend of mobile games that offer unique and innovative experiences that are not available on other platforms.

Drop Troop is a perfect example of this trend. It is a fully-fledged one-handed shooter that offers a unique and engaging experience that is not available on any other platform. It is a testament to the growing maturity of the mobile gaming market that games like Drop Troop are now possible.

In the meantime, if you want to see what other games have caught our eye, why not check out the latest entry in our regular feature of the top five new mobile games to try this week? And if that's not enough, go and have a gander at our other, constantly growing, list of the best mobile games of 2024 (so far)!