Download Aerobiz Supersonic (Genesis)

One of the very few business simulations released for the Super Nintendo (the version for SEGA Genesis was also made), Aerobiz Supersonic from KOEI is a fun airline management game that is not as complex (in terms of the economic model) as Airlines, but is still quite challenging and realistic.

The game is an improved version of Aerobiz, based on the same engine, but adds better graphics, more planes, and more scenarios you can play, including two hypothetical scenarios, one of which is a fun stipulation of supersonic travel in the 21st century. As CEO of a budding airline, your job is to grow the business into every region of the world, and become the market leader in 4 of those regions within 20 years. Although you start the game with a large sum of money, you will quickly run down because initial investments (buying new planes, etc.) are very expensive. KOEI is famous for challenging-yet-accessible simulations, and Aerobiz Supersonic is no exception. In addition to making day-to-day business decisions such as planning routes and spending money on advertising, you also have to keep a close eye on world events and how they affect your business. For example, in one scenario that spans the Cold War, U.S. carriers cannot buy planes made in Russia, nor can Russian carriers buy U.S. planes. Similar to Railroad Tycoon II, you can buy businesses that complement the airline business, such as hotels and bus services. It’s details like this that makes Aerobiz Supersonic a lot of fun, and quite replayable because each of the four scenarios has unique events, planes, and companies. The user interface is very easy to learn and use (it would have to be, given the limited number of buttons on the SNES gamepad), and the graphics are pleasant.

Overall, if you enjoy business simulations, Aerobiz Supersonic will keep you entertained for hours. If you think console games are all simple because of hardware limitations, Aerobiz Supersonic will help change that perception. There is a greater range of planes in the game than in most similar PC titles (such as Air Bucks), and the range of decisions you can make is excellent. Highly recommended for this underdog that you can easily load in an SNES emulator for PC (I recommend ZSNES).

Review By HOTUD