May 13, 2013  Yes I know. I'm 10 months late, but there's still people in forums asking questions so here's a video. Download Pocket Planes - Airline Management and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. ‎From the creators of Tiny Tower comes Pocket Planes, a casual airline sim that fits right in your pocket! - Manage and grow your fleet of planes as they fly interesting people and cargo to over 250 cities around the map.

Casual flight

NimbleBit, the pocket-sized development studio behind both Pocket Frogs and the equally addictive Tiny Tower, has recently released its brand-new iPhone and iPad title: Pocket Planes.

If you've already played all three titles, you'll know that the most recent game is a darn sight trickier to get to grips with than its predecessors, simply because there are more options to alter, tweak, and fiddle with.

Fear not, though: Pocket Gamer has your back.

The basics

You begin Pocket Planes with a handful of different aircrafts, a few airports, and one mission: create a busting and extremely profitable airline.

This is done, naturally, by gradually increasing the size of your fleet of birds, buying and upgrading airports across some of the worlds most popular tourist locations, and, well, increasing the size of your fleet a little bit more.

Pocket Planes is a free-to-play title, which basically means it's chocked full of in-app purchases that will speed up your progression should you be feeling a little lazy. Thankfully, much like in the company's past attempts at App Store domination, these are far from essential.

So, there are two types of currency to think about in this title. The most common of these, coins, can be earned in large amounts throughout play, and can be spent on a range of different things, such as building airports in new cities.

The game's rarer currency, Bux, can be earned in smaller amounts as you progress, or purchased for real-world cash. These are used to instantly complete a flight, buy new parts for your crafts, and much more.

Your planes

In Pocket Planes, you start with four small aircraft - all of which can carry either passengers or cargo. You earn coins by ferrying these to a variety of different airports.

Naturally, your up-and-coming airline won't get very far with just these, so you'll have to increase the number of planes in your fleet. This is done by clicking the game's menu button and heading into the in-game market.

From here, you can either buy a new plane outright or purchase a plane's separate parts (should they be available) - both of which cost Bux. The latter method, however, is slightly cheaper, so we suggest you take that route whenever you can.

The planes that you own can also be upgraded, increasing the size of their fuel tanks, improving their maximum distance, and decreasing their weight. Although this is beneficial later on in the game, we would suggest that you don't spend too much time (or your hard-earned Bux) doing this until you've established a reasonably sized company.

Don't spend your premium currency to speed-up your flights, either, as it's a waste. Be patient, wait for the flights to end, and focus on increasing the size of your fleet.

Airports are similar in that you only start with a handful. You can purchase additional airports by tapping the small map icon next to this game's menu button, and then tapping on one of the locations that are displayed on the map.

These cost coins, not Bux, by the way.

Now, when you first begin to expand your airline, you'll be tempted to build airports in faraway locations and glamourous hotspots. Instead, snap up the locations that surround the airports you already own, as this will ensure your early planes can make the journey and result in shorter flight times.

If any of your planes can simultaneously carry more than one passenger or piece of cargo, always stock them with items that are travelling to a single location. You'll earn a bunch of extra coins, thanks to a tasty 25 per cent bonus, for doing so.

For those really intent on maximising profits (and want a bit more complication to the gameplay), you can also deliberately drop off cargo and passengers at the wrong airport, creating a 'layover'.

These layovers can then be picked up with another passenger/bit of cargo going to the same airport, thereby activating that sweet bonus payment in the process.

Other tips

It's important that you play Pocket Planes around your current lifestyle. For example, if you can afford to visit the game every five minutes, send your planes on small journeys. The more journeys you make, the more money you make, naturally. Zomg zufall.

If, on the other hand, you can't grab your iPhone every time you get a notification, long trips are the way to go. There are no penalties for not returning quickly enough after one of your flights touches down on the tarmac, so don't worry about that.

Finally, don't send your aircrafts packing and instantly shutdown Pocket Planes. If you watch one of your planes make its journey, you'll be able to collect extra coins (and occasionally even Bux), which float past at random intervals.

RELATED STORIES

Game Introduction – Pocket Planes

Oh, hello. I didn’t see you there! I was too busy building airports and being captivated by the cuteness of all these Bitizens. I suppose we should get started on this breakdown of Pocket Planes, an airline management game from the likes of NimbleBit. Players are tasked with operating and expanding an airline all their own, a feat that’s both enjoyable and well within reach. Gamezebo’s quick start strategy guide will provide you with detailed images, tips, information, and hints on how to play your best game.

Quick Start Guide

Getting Started:

• Pocket Planes begins with a brief tutorial on the basics. To start, you must load a passenger and some cargo onto your first plane. Tap the plane icon on the bottom left (glowing orange), and you’ll be taken to the loading area.

• Once there, choose the “load” option on the right side (glowing orange). Next, choose the icon in the bottom center with a plane and an arrow.

• Once you’ve chosen it, you’ll be taken to a map featuring different key areas. Choose the destination of the cargo/passengers (glowing orange). After that, tap the green ‘fly!’ icon.
• Speaking of the map, you’re free to look at it any time. Just press the map icon on the bottom right of the screen, and you’re there. You’re able to zoom in and out, which is a great way to get a feel for the steps you need to take to build the greatest airline there ever was.

• Congratulations! You’ve achieved flight. Pat yourself on the back and get ready to make a big decision: Where you want to start your airplane empire. My advice is to choose the location closest to you, as seeing the names of locations you’re familiar with really enhances the experience. Or, if you want to be bold, begin somewhere like Asia. There’s really no wrong answer!

How to Play:

• Hey there, newly-minted pilot. How does it feel? Pretty good, I presume. It’s time to get started on delivering people and cargo, and expanding your reach in the process.
• Progression is linked to a leveling system, and your level is always shown at the bottom of the screen. Levels are gained from consistently making deliveries, and leveling up affords you the ability to build airports in new locations.

• Just as you were shown in the tutorial, you must load up your planes (you’ll start with four), and get them flying. I recommend getting all of them up in the air immediately, as it will lead to you leveling up faster.

• Of course, you’ll be able to purchase a single new airport before you hit level 2. I understand the urge to build one somewhere far away and exotic, but it’s important to build one within the range of the planes in your arsenal. These airports vary in price, but you’ll have enough to purchase one in your vicinity from the start.
• Some planes can only carry cargo; others can only carry passengers. Because of this – amongst other factors – there won’t always be jobs available. The game will inform you when new jobs are available, and it’s never a bad idea to check for them on a regular basis.
• As you carry on with sending planes into the massive skies above, you’ll eventually hit level 2. It’s at this point you’re ready to purchase yet another airport. This exact process will be repeated throughout your time with Pocket Planes, the endgame being to build up the most far-reaching airplane empire out there.

Speaking the lingo:

• In Pocket Planes, there are two types of currency: Bux and Coins. With Bux, you can do things like update the range, speed and weight of your planes, purchase parts to build planes, purchase entire planes, and cause your plane to immediately arrive at its destination. With coins, you can build new airports, upgrade pre-existing airports and advertise travel to increase demand. The game will provide you with 15 Bux and a few thousand coins at the start, and you can always swap Bux for more coins whenever you have them (more on that soon).

Menu:

• There’s a lot going on in the menus of Pocket Planes, but it takes very little time to understand it all.
• Stats – A breakdown of your airline value, number of airports, and other such info. It’s a great way to keep tabs on your progress, as well as learn a thing or two about how you’re running your airline.

• Events – A list of events currently going on, as well as the duration they’re going on for.
• Bank – Here you’ll be able to swap Bux for coins. The more Bux you swap, the better the transfer rate between them.
• Airpedia – Shows what planes you currently have, as well as the ones you’re capable of unlocking. I won’t spoil anything, but believe me when I say there are some pretty amazing ones.
• Logs – Informs you of what your planes are currently up to, including how long it will take for them to arrive to their destinations. If they’re currently lazing about on the floor of an airport, well, it will remind you of that too.
• Market – Where you go to purchase new planes and new parts. When you have all the parts required to build a new plane, you can do so under the ‘parts’ section of the menu.
• Flight Crew – Where you go to establish a crew. By using the same crew name, you can see what your friends are up to as well as current rank.

• Get Bux – Okay, so the name kind of speaks for itself, but here is where you go to purchase Bux. The more you buy, the better the rate you get them at.
• Scores – Where you go to check your leaderboard status, along with where you rank amongst friends.
• Awards – Allows you to check what achievements you’ve earned, as well as the ones you need to earn.
• Settings – Here you can toggle how frequently the game will send you notifications, as well as turn off sounds. You can also reset the game, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

• Bitbook – This is one of my favorite sections of the game. In it, you can read entertaining quips from various Bitizens. I’ve lost count of how many have put a smile on my face.
• Free Games – takes you to an App Store listing of NimbleBit’s other games. Like Sky Burger!

The planes:

• There’s a lot of variety in the planes. Some of them have better range, can hold more passengers/cargo, move faster, and have less weight. You can learn more about each of them in the Airpedia section, and I recommend spending some time there before purchasing or building any.

Bringing it home:

• And with that, I’m confident you’re now equipped to be a bona fide Captain of the Skies. Expand your airline, keep those planes in the air as much as you possibly can, and most of all, enjoy yourself! If you find yourself in need of a little more guidance, the list of tips below should do the trick.

Tips:

• Put a lot of thought into where you want to place airports. The better the placement, the quicker you can expand your airline.
• The game allows you to name your planes. Doing so will help you better remember which is which.
• Extra money is awarded when you take more than one person or item to a single place.
• Micromanaging your planes at first will enable you to create an empire you don’t have to tend to as much. Level up as much as you can right off the bat.
• Don’t get distracted by the cuteness of the Bitizens. Not even when they yawn.
• Coins and bux will occasionally float by the planes while they’re up in the air. If you tap them, they’re added to your funds.
• Bux are best spent on range at first, as delivering people and items to faraway places will help you streamline the expansion of your franchise.
• Let your real-life schedule dictate how you play. If you have a lot of free time, send your planes out on short-distance excursions. When time is more of a factor, indulge in some longer journeys and return to the game later.