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Airline Tycoon
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WHY fly the friendly skies when you could own them? That's the goal of Spellbound Software's Airline Tycoon, one of the latest empire-building games. While not the best game of its type, Airline Tycoon does offer a lighthearted business simulation with a decent amount of challenge.
Each tycoon wanna-be starts off with the same amount of operating capital and no distinct advantages. Playing as the head of one of four airlines, you have an office, assistants, and access to the various resources in the airport, such as the Travel Agency, Rick's Cafe, the Ad Agency, the Newsstand, and the Duty-Free Shop. One thing you will learn quick is that running an airline involves quite a bit of micromanagement--and this might be a turnoff for people who don't want that in a game. Among other things to do, there's planning routes, setting ticket prices, upgrading your fleet and staff, getting orders for flights, and even carrying freight across the world. These tasks will keep you busy, but if things get out of hand, you can hire advisors to help you manage oil prices, orders, finances, and security.
Each day begins with a briefing in which challenges are issued. Fortunately, your personal assistant Belinda will appear from time to time to offer advice and tips on the best ways to play the game. Briefings update you on your progress, and while the graphics aren't terrific, they do have a certain charm to them. Most of the game involves managing your budget and expanding your endeavors, and thankfully, lots of information and helpful hints are readily available.
If you like other games in this genre, you may want to check out Airline Tycoon. It is far from the best example of a business-themed game, but what flaws it does have are not horrendous. It's a fun diversion in which what you see is what you get.
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