SimplePlanes

SimplePlanes
Developer(s) Jundroo LLC
Publisher(s) Jundroo LLC
Distributor(s) Google (Google Play Store), Apple Inc (App Store), Valve Corporation (Steam)
Platform(s) iOS, Android, OS X, Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)

iOS and Android

  • WW 2014

Steam

  • WW 17 December 2015
Genre(s) Simulation
Mode(s) Single-player

SimplePlanes is a simulation video game developed and published by Jundroo LLC. SimplePlanes followed the release of SimplePhysics and SimpleRockets. The game was first released on iOS and Android and was ported to Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows after. It was released onto Steam on 17 December 2015 after going through the Steam Greenlight process. The game gives the player the ability to build planes and finish challenges. The game was well received by critics, with the main downfalls mentioned the most being the "slippery controls" and the graphical design.

Gameplay

In SimplePlanes the player is tasked to build a plane using the materials and objects provided. Downloadable planes created by the community can also be downloaded. When the plane is finished, the player can fly it around the open-world physics-based map.[1] The game also has the ability to build cars and other mechanical objects. SimplePlanes contains challenges which the player can do. The challenges involve short tutorial-type activities such as the "take-off tutorial" and the "landing tutorial" but can get more advanced with missions such as "SAM Evasion" and "Trench Run".[2]

Development

Following the release of popular games SimpleRockets and SimplePhysics,[3] Jundroo LLC released SimplePlanes on iOS and Android before being ported onto Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. The ports were first sold off Gumroad[4][5] but when SimplePlanes was released onto Valve Corporation's Steam on 17 December 2015 after going through the Steam Greenlight process, all sales were moved there.[6] All purchasers from Gumroad received a free Steam key. Mac copies were also sold via the Mac App Store. The people who purchased the game through this method had to email the receipt to get the Steam key.[7]

Reception

SimplePlanes received mostly positive reviews for both its mobile and PC versions with the biggest issue people had was the process of building. Nadia Oxford, a writer for Gamezebo gave SimplePlanes a 4/5 for it's realistic flight challenges, sandbox mode and the amount of building options. The review was weighed down by the lack of tutorials and how "getting pieces to fit together doesn't always go as planned".[1] Jordan Minor from 148Apps criticised the game for it's "slippery controls" and he noted the environment was "ugly, muddy and blocky". He compared the graphics to "a poor man's Wii Sports resort" and said the planes looked like small wooden toys with the best compliment he could give the game was; "who knows if the aerodynamic knowledge players learn from SimplePlanes can actually transfer over into the real world? But, gameplay and visual gripes aside, the fact that it at least feels like it can is probably the best compliment this game can get".[2] Ben Schwan, a writer for the German website Heise Online also expressed his critisim with the building mechanics.[8] Mark Steighner, a writer for Hardcore Gamer did not criticise the controls but instead commented on the lack of charisma that games like Kerbal Space Program have. He also addressed the novelty issue and how after a while the game can get boring.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Oxford, Nadia (17 December 2014). "SimplePlanes Review: For Beginners, Sort Of". Gamezebo. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 Minor, Jordan (8 January 2015). "SimplePlanes Review". 148Apps. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  3. ↑ Priestman, Chris (12 December 2014). "SimplePlanes lets you build, fly, crash, and share your very own plane designs". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "SimplePlanes OSX". Gumroad. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "SimplePlanes PC". Gumroad. Archived from the original on 14 March 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Steam Greenlight - SimplePlanes". Steam. Valve Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 January 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "SimplePlanes is now on Steam". Jundroo LLC. 17 December 2015. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  8. ↑ Schwan, Ben (23 February 2015). ""Simple Planes": Flugzeuge konstruieren und fliegen unter iOS". Heise Online (in Dutch). Heinz Heise. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  9. ↑ Steighner, Mark (6 January 2016). "Review: SimplePlanes". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
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