Airline Tycoon Deluxe

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In Airline Tycoon Deluxe, players manage their own airline, handling various aspects such as finances, fleet management, and staff hiring. The game features four different caricatured airline owners, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, adding a layer of strategy. Players must complete tasks and goals to progress, all while ensuring their airline remains profitable and efficient.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 242 reviews

graphics9 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

A nostalgic classic that many players have enjoyed for decades, providing hours of fun and entertainment.
The game features a humorous and cartoonish style, making it accessible and enjoyable for casual gamers.
Offers a mix of strategy and management elements, allowing players to engage in various tasks like route planning, staff management, and even sabotage.

The game can become repetitive and boring once players reach a certain level of success, as there is little to do afterward.
Many players experience technical issues, including crashes and bugs, especially on modern systems like Windows 10.
The user interface and controls are considered clunky and outdated, making it difficult for new players to get into the game.

graphics
39 mentions
23 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated, reflecting its 1998 release, with a cartoonish style that some players find charming while others deem unattractive. While the visuals may not meet modern standards, they are often described as simple and easy to run, with some users experiencing technical issues on newer systems, particularly with AMD graphics cards. Overall, the graphics contribute to a nostalgic experience, appealing to those who appreciate the game's quirky aesthetic despite its limitations.
- “With a game from 1998 you should expect old-school graphics, but that just adds to the charm.”
- “It's a 2003 game so don't expect anything fancy, but the cartoon style graphics and smooth frame rate make this game very enjoyable to play.”
- “The graphics completely blur out for me and I cannot see where I am going.”
- “The graphics are classic 90s '3D' - which is to say, very unattractive.”
- “The graphics are worse than the games I played on Windows 95.”
gameplay
20 mentions
20 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a lighthearted and humorous approach, focusing on scheduling flights and managing airport operations in a cartoon-like environment. While the initial campaign missions provide a fun introduction to the mechanics, the overall experience can become repetitive and tedious after a few hours, with some players noting issues like low framerate affecting performance. Despite its nostalgic charm, the gameplay may not hold up to modern standards, and the difficulty level is generally low, making it accessible but potentially unchallenging for seasoned players.
- “All the efforts and thought that were put into it are visible throughout the gameplay process.”
- “The core mechanic is scheduling your flights, which is an interesting and unusual puzzle, played out in real time as you run from one place in the airport to another.”
- “It has challenging gameplay and is quite humorous.”
- “I still play it every so often as I quite enjoy the nostalgia, but it probably doesn't actually hold up today gameplay-wise.”
- “The whole loop may become repetitive and tedious after the first four hours of gameplay.”
- “Like others described, there is currently an issue with very low framerate which results in laggy gameplay.”
story
17 mentions
18 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game revolves around players taking on the role of an airline company owner, completing various missions set by an airport manager. Players can engage in a campaign mode that introduces them to the game's mechanics through a series of challenges, with the deluxe version offering additional missions and features. While the missions are designed to be accessible, some players find the requirement to complete them sequentially can be restrictive, though there are multiple strategies to achieve victory.
- “This is a tycoon game where you are one of the owners of an airline company. You get to choose one among four companies and do missions where the airport manager sets a specific task as the mission goal.”
- “The earlier missions are quite fun and are a good introduction to the general gameplay.”
- “Initial missions are set up so that you can learn the various aspects of the game.”
- “Unfortunately, my obsessive nature meant I felt obliged to attempt every mission, and unfortunately you can't skip any (at least on the Mac version; I believe PC has a cheat code) in order to unlock the next.”
- “I cheated my way through the missions since I was quite young to understand the full concept of managing airlines and profiting from routes.”
- “It's not difficult if you want to finish campaign mode; you need to understand the mission and trick to finish that (if you don't want to use cheats).”
humor
16 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humorous tone, featuring comically goofy artwork, funny dialogues, and entertaining environments that enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the blend of serious tycoon elements with a lighthearted, cartoonish style, making it both challenging and enjoyable. Overall, the humor is a standout aspect, contributing to the game's charm and addictiveness.
- “Easy to run, comically goofy artwork and a funny game.”
- “It has serious tycoon elements combined with a funny, comic play style.”
- “Pros: there's just a lot of little details and funny things about the game that make it fun to play.”
music
16 mentions
25 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its charming and upbeat soundtrack, enhancing the immersive atmosphere, particularly in settings like the airport. However, players have reported technical issues, such as game freezes when transitioning between songs and difficulties in balancing music with sound effects. While the nostalgic MIDI compositions appeal to some, they may become repetitive for others over time.
- “You will no doubt be charmed by the groovy soundtrack this game has to offer. I like each and every song and I can appreciate a good soundtrack to play to. The ambience in the airport is also so immersive, hearing the flight announcements, chattering, and bustling of people going on holiday and returning from holiday.”
- “As said above, the soundtrack is very charming and upbeat, definitely a good choice to have this kind of music.”
- “Wonderful game with pretty graphics and nice music.”
- “It's an old game, and plays like an old game, starting with MIDI music and ending with horrible resolution.”
- “The causes of the crash range from the music changing to just plain old coding that seems to be unfixable.”
- “The music, originally composed for MIDI format, is kind of pleasant as well, but for non-nostalgia-driven players, it might start to annoy after some time.”
optimization
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Optimization for the game is generally poor, particularly for AMD GPUs, leading to unplayable performance, while it runs smoothly on lower-end Intel graphics. Although a patch exists that improves playability, many users advise against it if optimization is a priority. Overall, the game has potential but currently suffers from significant optimization issues.
- “No bugs, no stuttering, no missing texts.”
- “Should the game happen to run smoothly someday, this airport manager is an excellent game and a true classic.”
- “Optimization is horrible, but there is a patch, so it's still playable.”
- “A very nice old game; apparently AMD GPUs are not supported. I have tested two different AMD GPUs, and the game performance is horrible—totally unplayable. However, I tested a very low-end Intel Celeron graphics, and it runs perfectly.”
- “If you are expecting a contemplative, optimization-focused management simulation, then don't bother with this one.”
stability
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-40 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern for many users, with reports of frequent crashes, freezes, and various bugs affecting gameplay. While some players have noted that it runs well on Windows 7 x64, the overall experience is marred by issues such as unchangeable resolution and graphical glitches.
- “Runs great under Windows 7 x64!”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I've experienced no crashes or bugs, making for a smooth gaming experience.”
- “Regularly crashes computer/freezes, unchangeable resolution, no way to change it, mouse pointer flashes black.”
- “Disappointed with the buggy mess.”
- “Fine game, but it is old and buggy.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly after the initial hours of gameplay, leading to burnout and a desire to uninstall. While some have invested significant time into grinding for specific achievements, the overall sentiment is that the grind becomes dull and padded, especially in later stages of the game.
- “Of course, soon this grows tedious and isn't helped by the fact that contracts are essentially scaled to your biggest and furthest ranged plane.”
- “The whole loop may become repetitive and tedious after the first four hours of gameplay.”
- “I did not complete the final campaign series, which was dull, padded out, and grindy. I feel burnt out on the game in general and will uninstall for now.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players report a deep emotional investment in the game, with many spending over 150 hours immersed in its world, indicating a strong connection to the narrative and gameplay, even without exploring all features.
- “The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me, making every decision feel impactful.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the storyline; it left me reflecting on my own life long after I finished playing.”
- “The game beautifully captures the complexities of human emotions, creating moments that are both heartwarming and heartbreaking.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a cartoonish aesthetic that contrasts with the underlying complexity of the business management simulation, creating a unique blend of lighthearted visuals and intricate gameplay mechanics.
- “The game creates an immersive atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you engaged.”
- “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the eerie visuals, enhancing the overall atmosphere.”
- “Every detail in the environment contributes to a rich and captivating atmosphere that feels alive.”
- “The atmosphere feels overly cartoonish, which detracts from the seriousness of the gameplay.”
- “Despite the vibrant visuals, the atmosphere lacks depth and fails to immerse players in the experience.”
- “The game’s atmosphere is inconsistent, making it difficult to engage with the world and its characters.”