Dandy Ace

Lore & Background

Dandy Ace is a flamboyant magician trapped inside a cursed magic mirror by his jealous rival, Lele, the self-styled Green-Eyed Illusionist. Along with his assistants, Dandy Ace must explore the mirror's procedurally generated labyrinthine pathways to find an exit. Each run challenges the player to defeat Lele's forces using a customized collection of up to four slotted magic cards, each of which can also be used as an upgrade for an existing card ability. Cards are acquired through in-universe store purchases or as randomly generated loot from slain enemies and treasure chests. The game world is divided into levels connected by teleporters that allow quick warping to explored locations. When Dandy Ace loses all hit points, the run ends and players must rebuild their card collection, using accumulated in-game currency to improve attributes and trinkets for subsequent attempts. The game also features a Twitch mode that allows live-streaming players to request aid from viewers.

Reader's Guide

Dandy Ace was met with generally positive critical reception, with many commentators comparing it to Hades due to similarities in design and gameplay. Review aggregator Metacritic rated the Windows and Xbox One versions as generally favorable, while OpenCritic reported that 100% of critics recommended the game. Donovan Erskine from Shacknews praised the art style, sense of humor, and use of color, noting the versatility of the card combat system and the freedom it offers in customizing card loadouts. CD-Action lauded the roguelike gameplay, appealing aesthetic, and combat system. Nicola Armondi from Multiplayer.it highlighted the emphasis on skill management as a core mechanic, appealing to fans of the rogue-lite subgenre. Virginia Paravani from Eurogamer Italy noted interesting gameplay that suffers from poor narration, drawing an unfavorable comparison to Hades and Dead Cells. The game was developed by Mad Mimic, a Brazilian independent studio based in São Paulo, and released on Windows and macOS in March 2021, with console ports following later that year.

Did You Know?

• Dandy Ace was developed by Mad Mimic, a Brazilian independent game studio based in São Paulo.
• The game was first announced in February 2021 for a March 25, 2021 launch on Windows and macOS.
• A playable demo was made available on the game’s Steam page.
• The PlayStation 4 version was released on November 15, 2021.