Every new Acecraft pilot spends their first few runs dodging everything that moves. That’s a perfectly natural instinct, and it’s also leaving half your damage on the table. The pink projectiles enemies fire aren’t just a threat: they’re the fuel for your pilot’s Stunt.
This guide covers exactly how absorption works, why the input feels backwards at first, and how to build your play around it. Take it at your own pace; this is one of those skills that clicks all at once.
What Pink Projectiles Are
Most enemy fire in Acecraft just hurts. Pink projectiles are the exception. They glow a warm pink against Cloudia’s hand-drawn backgrounds, and your plane can soak them up instead of taking damage. Regular enemies sprinkle them through waves, while bosses throw them in big, readable patterns.
The game’s own description sums up the idea: dodge the dense bullet storm, absorb the pink shots, and turn the enemy’s attacks into your own arsenal. Every pilot in the roster is built around that loop.
How to Absorb: Lift Your Finger
Here’s the part that trips everyone up. Acecraft’s controls are built around touching and letting go:
- Finger on the screen: your plane moves with your finger and fires its Main Cannon automatically.
- Finger off the screen: your plane stops in place, stops firing, and absorbs pink projectiles that reach it.
- Each absorb triggers your Stunt: you don’t press a separate button. Soak a pink shot and your pilot’s Stunt fires on its own.
Every other shooter teaches you never to let go, so expect the first few stages to feel strange. One more thing before you move on: while your finger is up, you’re parked. Normal bullets still hit you, so only lift when pink shots are what’s actually coming your way.
The Absorb Rhythm, Step by Step
- Fly and fire with your finger down, reading the incoming pattern.
- Line up under a pink shot, clear of normal bullets.
- Lift your finger just before it reaches you. The plane stops and soaks it up.
- Watch the Stunt fire, then put your finger back down to move and shoot again.
Practice this on early Adventure stages, where the patterns are gentle. Within a few runs it becomes rhythm rather than a decision.
Every Pilot’s Stunt Is Different
All pilots absorb the same way, but what the Stunt does varies a lot. A few examples from the official pilot kits:
| Pilot | Stunt | What absorbing does |
|---|---|---|
| Ekko | Spitfire | Shoots flames that track the nearest enemy |
| Elsa | Frenzy Barrage | Briefly enhances her Main Cannon with penetrating projectiles |
| Pris | Predator Signal | Fires a barrage of Tracking Missiles while her laser keeps going |
| Sylas | Small Hat, Big Surprise | Releases 2 Whimcaps that explode on enemies |
| Vivienne | Mirror’s Lure | Summons 2 Crystal Mirrors that fire Starlight Beams |
| Blazewing Ekko | Fury Ray | Fires a Fury Ray forward that lasts for 2 seconds |
Some pilots go further and build their Passive around absorbing. Elsa fires two crossing Flanking projectiles after absorbing enough pink shots, and Jerry turns absorbed pinks into Fruit Projectiles that refill his Ultimate. For the record, those absorb-hungry pilots feel slow until you master the timing, then they feel unstoppable. Our Acecraft tier list shows who’s strongest right now.
Boss Fights: Where Absorbing Pays Off Most
Bosses are the best practice ground because their pink waves are bigger and easier to read. Each phase tends to have its own pink moment.
- Learn the phase first: spend one attempt watching where the pink shots come from.
- Absorb during the pattern: every soak is a Stunt hit while you’re otherwise just dodging.
- Save your Ultimate for danger: most Ultimates clear projectiles, so they’re your panic button when a pattern gets too dense to soak safely.
Our boss strategies guide walks through specific fights, and the same habits carry straight into Nemeses’ Return and Boss Rush.
Absorbing in Co-op
Two pilots means twice the Stunts, and the official tips for co-op modes lean on absorbing. In Rogue Riders, the developers suggest hugging the Tornado (while dodging its spread shots) to collect more pink projectiles, and keeping both pilots close together against the red jars so the tracking flame pinks bunch up and are easier to soak.
Talk to your partner about who soaks which side of the screen. You’d be surprised how much faster a boss melts when both of you are lifting at the right moments. Our Co-Pilot mode guide has more duo tips.
Pink Projectile FAQ
How do you absorb pink projectiles in Acecraft?
Lift your finger off the screen. Your plane stops, stops firing and absorbs pink shots that reach it. Holding your finger down moves the plane and auto-fires.
Do I need to press a button to use my Stunt?
No. Each pilot’s Stunt triggers automatically when you absorb a pink projectile.
Can I get hit while absorbing?
Yes. Only pink projectiles are absorbed. Normal bullets still damage you while your plane is stopped, so lift only when the path is clear.
Which pilots benefit most from absorbing?
Pilots whose Passive also feeds on absorbs, like Elsa and Jerry, get the most out of it, but every pilot’s Stunt depends on it.
Take Your Time: absorbing is a habit, not a trick. Practice the lift on easy stages, learn your pilot’s Stunt, and soon you’ll be steering into pink storms instead of away from them. For more fundamentals, our beginner guide is a good next stop.
