Pocket Planes

Pocket Planes
Pocket Planes icon
Developer(s) NimbleBit
Publisher(s) NimbleBit
Platform(s) iOS
Android (until September 2015)
Release June 14, 2012 (iOS)
September 22, 2012 (Android)
Genre(s) Simulation
Mode(s) Single player

Pocket Planes is a business simulation video game developed by NimbleBit for iOS. It was initially released on June 14, 2012. In October 2012, the game became available on the Mac App Store. An Android version, ported and published by Mobage, was released on September 22, 2012. The game was removed on September 24, 2015 from the Google Play Store but is still available on iOS App Store. The app has also been removed from the U.K. iOS App Store but is still available on the U.S App Store.

Gameplay

A screenshot depicting a plane that has landed at an airport.
A screenshot depicting a plane that has landed at an airport.

In Pocket Planes, players assume the role of an airline CEO. Starting with a few airports and small planes, players transport small amounts of cargo and passengers short distances. As they slowly gain profit from their flights, they then build more airports, buy better planes, and expand their airline internationally.[1]

A formula determines how much profit will be earned from a flight, depending on the distance, speed and the weight of the plane used on the route. Filling a plane with items or people going to the same destination will net a 25% bonus on each item. Players can also complete events that involve flying special items and people to a designated destination. After completing these events, players are awarded Bux, which are used to buy planes and purchase other perks such as upgrades and the ability to speed up flights.

Shutdown for Android

On September 24, 2015, the company that ported the game to Android, Mobage, shut down their game servers for Pocket Planes and other NimbleBit games including Pocket Frogs and Tiny Tower, and subsequently removed these downloads from the Google Play Store. There are no plans to bring it back, and the data from the Android game cannot be transferred to the iOS version. NimbleBit has announced that future sequels or a major update may see a re-release for the game to Android.[2][3]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic78%[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Pocket Gamer9/10[5]
TouchArcade[6]
Jay Is Games[7]
Gamezebo[8]

The game was viewed favourably by reviewers. It holds a 78/100 score on the aggregate Metacritic, categorising it as "Generally favorable reviews" based on 17 reviewers.[4] Gamezebo.com rated it 4.5 stars out of 5, stating "Nimblebit has once again dropped you in the middle of a universe that feels like it was built just for you, and filled it with a deeper, more compelling mission".[8]

However, Ryan Rigney of Wired wrote that the player's success did not correlate with skill, and criticises it for a lack of compelling gameplay.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Rigney, Ryan. "Review: Pocket Planes' Airy Gameplay Doesn't Fly". Wired: Game|Life. Wired.com. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  2. ↑ "Android Version Shutdown". NimbleBit Support Center. 4 October 2015. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "Where Did Pocket Planes for Android Go?". NimbleBit Support Center.
  4. 1 2 "Pocket Planes for iPhone/iPad reviews". Metacritic.
  5. ↑ Slater, Harry (14 June 2012). "Pocket Planes review". PocketGamer.
  6. ↑ Nicholson, Brad (13 June 2012). "'Pocket Planes' Review - Now Boarding for NimbleBit's Next Classic". TouchArcade.
  7. ↑ "Pocket Planes Review". Jay Is Games. 15 June 2012.
  8. 1 2 Cymet, Eli (14 June 2012). "Pocket Planes Review". Gamezebo. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
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