Hopping into a gunner’s turret could make even the most lay man feel like Luke Skywalker, nestling into a seat on the Millennium Falcon. There is just something about this genre of game that brings out the heroic feelings in the pit of the stomach. Turret Commander looks to bank in on these good vibes and deliver an addicting experience to boot. Does the game manage to lift off, or are players left stranded on the tarmac?

Take most gamers, place them behind the controls of a gigantic gun, and most likely they will be able to find a way to amuse themselves for hours. Luckily for them, Turret Commander is more than happy to keep throwing waves upon waves of planes in their general direction, all in the name of making things go “Boom!” As long as players have a steady aim, there will be enough fun to keep them occupied for quite some time.

The one cumbersome aspect of the control scheme is actually understanding how to aim. Instead of using the full 360 degree range of motion to determine what direction to aim the turret, the gyro is only used to control the pitch of the weapon. In order to rotate left or right, the player must tilt their device. Initially this takes some getting used to, but it makes more sense when considering that this now allows the game to be played while still remaining in a stationary sitting position.

Throughout the combat, players will earn experience which is applied towards their military ranking. As they climb in prestige, more stages are unlocked. Also, players can apply cash earned over the course of missions towards upgrading their arsenal with new weapons and boost stats. Both types of accruing points can also be earned in Turret Commander‘s Endless mode, which just keeps throwing wave after wave at the player until they are turned into a fiery inferno of aerial pollution.

While simple in premise, Turret Commander is a fun mindless way to burn away a few hours. It may not provide the most variety or impress visually, but there is just something about the addicting mechanics that will keep you coming back, round after round. This is ninety nine cents well worth spending. Watch out Red Barron, we’re gunning for you!