The Howling Aces Strategy

Master The Howling Aces in Cuphead with this strategy guide. Learn to counter their aerial attacks and the unique wind mechanic for victory.

The Howling Aces, found in Inkwell Isle Four, present a formidable aerial challenge that demands precise movement, keen awareness, and strategic parrying. This multi-phase boss fight is characterized by its unique wind mechanic and a constant barrage of projectiles from a squadron of canine pilots. Mastering this encounter requires understanding each dog’s attack patterns and exploiting parry opportunities to maximize your EX meter.

Recommended Loadout:

• Weapon: For plane levels, your weapon choice is fixed. Focus on maximizing damage with your standard shot and utilizing EX attacks strategically.
• Charm: Heart Ring is almost mandatory for its parry-based health regeneration, which is invaluable in a fight with numerous parry opportunities. Alternatively, Divine Relic (if unlocked) offers a powerful all-around boost, but the health regeneration from Heart Ring is often more beneficial for survival. Another strong contender is the Smoke Bomb, offering invincibility frames during dashes, which can be critical for dodging tight bullet patterns, especially in later phases.
• Super Art: Energy Beam is a solid choice for its high damage output, especially against the larger targets in Phase 2 and 3. For a more defensive approach, Invincible Dash (the charm, not a Super Art) can be a life-saver during frantic moments, allowing you to pass through projectiles unharmed. If you prefer a Super Art for damage, Energy Beam remains the top pick for its concentrated burst damage.

Phase 1: The Canine Squadron

This initial phase introduces you to the four individual dog pilots, each with their own distinct attack pattern. The key here is to manage the chaos and prioritize targets while navigating the unique wind mechanic.

Mechanics:

• Wind Mechanic: Throughout this phase, a strong wind will periodically blow across the screen, pushing your plane either left or right. Pay close attention to the wind direction (indicated by visual cues like swirling air) and adjust your movement accordingly. This wind can make dodging attacks more challenging or, conversely, help you line up shots. Mastering movement against the wind is crucial for survival.
• Dog Whistle: One of the four dogs will occasionally blow a dog whistle, summoning a small, pink, parryable bone. Parrying this bone is crucial for building your EX meter and triggering the Heart Ring's health regeneration. Always prioritize parrying these.

Enemies and Attacks:

• Bulldog (Top Left): This burly dog will launch a series of three large, arcing bones. These bones are relatively slow but cover a wide area. Dodge by moving into the gaps between them. Their trajectory is predictable, allowing for precise weaving.
• Poodle (Top Right): The elegant poodle drops a cluster of three bombs that explode into smaller projectiles upon impact with the top of the screen. The initial bombs are not parryable, but the smaller explosions can be tricky to navigate. Stay clear of the explosion radius. The explosion pattern is a consistent spread.
• Dachshund (Bottom Left): This long dog will fire a rapid stream of small, non-parryable bullets in a straight line. These are fast and require quick reflexes to dodge. The Dachshund will often track your horizontal position, so continuous vertical adjustments are necessary to avoid its sustained fire.
• Terrier (Bottom Right): The terrier is the source of the parryable bone. It will occasionally blow a whistle, summoning a single pink bone that flies across the screen. Prioritize parrying this bone whenever it appears, as it's your main source of EX and health.

Strategy:

• Prioritize the Terrier: Always be on the lookout for the terrier's whistle and the subsequent pink bone. Parrying these is your primary source of EX meter and health. Missing these opportunities will significantly increase the difficulty.
• Constant Movement: The combination of dog attacks and the wind mechanic necessitates constant, fluid movement. Don't stay in one place for too long. Utilize small, precise movements rather than large, sweeping ones to maintain control.
• Targeting: While you can damage any of the dogs, focusing fire on one at a time can help reduce the number of active threats. The Bulldog or Poodle are often good initial targets due to their more predictable attack patterns and larger hitboxes. Eliminating one dog early simplifies the bullet hell.
• EX Attacks: Use your EX attacks (like the Energy Beam) when you have a clear shot at one or more dogs, especially when they are clustered together. Avoid wasting EX shots on single, distant targets if multiple are present.
• Wind Awareness: Use the wind to your advantage where possible. If the wind is pushing you towards an enemy, you can sometimes maintain fire more easily. Conversely, be prepared to fight against it when dodging.

Phase 2: The Giant Dog

Once all four individual dogs are defeated, they combine into a single, massive canine pilot. This phase shifts the focus to a larger target with more direct, powerful attacks.

Mechanics:

• No Wind Mechanic: The wind mechanic from Phase 1 is absent in this phase, allowing for more stable movement and precise dodging. This is a welcome reprieve.
• Dog Whistle (Modified): The giant dog will still occasionally blow a whistle, but instead of a single bone, it summons a small pack of three smaller, pink, parryable dogs that fly across the screen. These are a fantastic source of EX meter and health. They often appear in a wave, providing multiple parry opportunities.

Attacks:

• Bone Barrage: The giant dog will launch a volley of large, non-parryable bones that spread out in a fan-like pattern. These cover a wide area and require careful weaving to avoid. The spread can be wide or narrow depending on the boss's position, so anticipate the trajectory.
• Bomb Drop: It will drop a series of large bombs that explode on impact with the top of the screen, similar to the Poodle's attack in Phase 1, but on a larger scale. The explosion radius is significant, so give them a wide berth.
• Mini-Dog Summon: As mentioned, the dog whistle will summon three small, pink, parryable dogs. These are your primary source of health and EX in this phase. They fly in a predictable pattern, making them easy to parry.

Strategy:

• Focus Fire: The giant dog is your sole target. Keep your shots locked on it. Its large hitbox makes it easy to hit consistently.
• Parry the Mini-Dogs: Just like in Phase 1, parrying the pink mini-dogs is crucial for maintaining your EX meter and health. They appear in groups of three, offering multiple parry opportunities. Don't get greedy; parry one or two and dodge the rest if necessary.
• Dodge and Weave: The bone barrages and bomb drops require precise dodging. Utilize the full screen to avoid incoming projectiles. Pay attention to the gaps in the bone spread and move quickly to exploit them.
• EX Attack Usage: This is a great phase to unleash your Super Art or multiple EX attacks due to the large, stationary target. An Energy Beam can deal significant damage here, pushing you closer to the final phase.
• Maintain Distance: While you want to hit the boss, keeping a moderate distance allows you more reaction time for the bone barrages and bomb drops.

Phase 3: The Plane Transformation

After taking enough damage, the giant dog will retreat, and the fight transitions to the final phase where the dog pilot transforms its plane into a more aggressive, weaponized form. This phase is often considered the most challenging due to the combination of speed, tracking projectiles, and the return of the wind.

Mechanics:

• Return of Wind Mechanic: The wind mechanic from Phase 1 returns, adding another layer of complexity to dodging. Be prepared for sudden shifts in your movement.
• No Parry Opportunities: There are no parryable elements in this phase, making health management more critical if you haven't conserved enough from previous phases. This means your EX meter will only build from hitting the boss, making Super Arts less frequent unless you entered with a full meter.

Attacks:

• Missile Volley: The plane will fire a rapid succession of homing missiles. These missiles track your position and require constant movement and quick turns to avoid. They can be destroyed with your regular shots. Prioritize shooting these down immediately.
• Dog Bombs: The plane will drop small, non-parryable dog-shaped bombs that fall straight down. These are relatively easy to avoid if you stay out of their direct path, but the wind can make them harder to predict.
• Laser Beam: The plane will occasionally charge up and fire a wide, horizontal laser beam across the screen. This attack has a clear wind-up animation (the plane glows and makes a distinct sound), giving you a brief window to position yourself above or below the beam. The beam covers a significant portion of the screen.

Strategy:

• Prioritize Missiles: The homing missiles are the biggest threat. Shoot them down as quickly as possible to clear your path. If too many accumulate, they can box you in, especially with the wind.
• Anticipate the Laser: Watch for the plane's charging animation to prepare for the laser beam. Position yourself safely before it fires. A quick dash (especially with Smoke Bomb) can help you get into position.
• Constant Evasion: With the return of the wind and the constant barrage of projectiles, continuous movement and evasive maneuvers are paramount. Utilize the full screen, but be mindful of the edges.
• Last-Ditch EX Attacks: If you have any EX meter remaining, unleash your Super Art or EX attacks to finish off the boss quickly. Since there are no parry opportunities, saving EX for damage is the best approach. An Energy Beam here can shorten this frantic phase considerably.
• Stay Centered (Generally): While you need to move, trying to stay somewhat in the middle of the screen gives you more room to react to both the wind and incoming projectiles.

Common Pitfalls & Tips:

• Ignoring Parry Opportunities: Failing to parry the pink bones and mini-dogs in Phases 1 and 2 will severely limit your EX meter and health regeneration, making the fight much harder, especially in the parry-less Phase 3.
• Static Movement: Staying in one spot, especially during the wind phases, will quickly lead to being overwhelmed. Embrace constant, fluid movement and small, controlled adjustments.
• Underestimating the Wind: The wind mechanic can push you into projectiles or off-screen if you're not paying attention. Always be aware of its direction and adjust your movement proactively. It's not just an annoyance; it's a core mechanic to manage.
• Patience: This is a longer boss fight with multiple distinct phases. Don't rush; focus on consistent damage and survival. Learning each phase's rhythm is key.
• Practice Each Phase: If you're struggling with a specific phase, try to practice it individually. Understanding the attack patterns and optimal dodging routes is key to success. Don't be afraid to restart if a phase goes poorly.
• Charm Choice Matters: While Heart Ring is excellent, if you find yourself consistently taking damage despite parrying, consider Smoke Bomb for the extra invincibility frames during dashes, which can save you from otherwise unavoidable hits.