Cult of Mac favorite: Flight Control (iPhone game)

Craig Grannell ()

flight-control-1

What it is: A simplified air-traffic control game. You drag paths for aircraft to direct them to designated landing zones. The number of aircraft on-screen rapidly increases, making it harder to avoid a collision. One collision and the game ends.

Why it’s good: It’s an original concept, perfectly suited to the iPhone touchscreen, and utterly compelling. At first, it seems like the game will be a breeze, but the difficulty curve is steep, and after only 20 or so landings, you’ll find the screen full of aircraft to deal with. The game also has a great sense of humor in its presentation (including twee aircraft ‘muzak’), and, for those moments where it all gets a bit much, a handy pause button. Like Tetris, it’s a simple game that you’ll return to regularly.

Where to get it: Flight Control’s available on the App Store, and is at the time of writing on sale for $0.99. More information about the game can be found on the Flight Control website.

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flight-control-2

41 comments »

About the author

Craig Grannell

Craig Grannell is Cult of Mac's designer and an occasional contributor. He also runs iPhoneTiny.com, a Twitter-driven reviews site for iPhone apps and games. Follow Craig on Twitter @CraigGrannell and visit his website, Snub Communications.

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Posted in Gaming, iPhone, iPod Touch, Reviews, Top stories |

  • AndyM

    Agreed! This game is a lot of fun. Highly recommended. Each game is quick enough making you want to go back for more.

  • http://www.iloveflycasual.com thelottery

    Definitely – this is a fantastic game, and I’m not really much of a gamer. It’s along the lines of Field Runners, IMO.

  • JonA

    Anybody remember Tracon? Ran under DOS, was written by the guy that developed the training software for air traffic controllers…

  • JD

    Have to agree this game is one of the great ones. I hope they put in a global high score someday. Would be a good motivator to see how others are doing. I’ve made it to 75 landed and been stuck there for days.

    As mentioned above, FieldRunners is another great one. These two games will stay on my iPhone for a long time to come. I am finding the new Let’s Golf to be alot of fun as well, great graphics and gameplay. I’ve always enjoyed golf though so this may only attract a more specific user. Good fun in all three games though.

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    So how’s everyone here getting on? I’ve managed a 47 so far.

  • Church of Apple

    “(including twee aircraft ‘musak’)”

    Is that even English?

  • http://www.joaocoutinho.net João Coutinho
  • alec walker

    took me about 4 days to break 70… up to 116 so far… but i’ll be honest, might be weeks before i break that!

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    @Church of Apple. It’s just a typo. You may have seen them elsewhere. They’re often served with a side helping of shame, a dash of distress and a sprinkle of I CAN’T TAKE ANYMORE!

    *plummets to grizzly death*

    *actually—decides to play another game of Flight Control instead*

  • Crag

    This game is awesome…can’t wait for updates/etc… I’d gladly pay a few more dollars for more levels/expanded play.

  • Rudi

    I can’t do more than 35. Can anybody post some strategies? Thanks!

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    @alec walker—116? Good grief. When I got my 47, things were going crazy mad on-screen, so I can’t imagine what happens when you approach 100. Any tips, high-scorers?

  • Stephanie

    I’m at 87 and my trick is to make paths and make the planes follow eachother.

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    I’m on 72 now, and my plan is largely to get into a huge panic around 60 and watch as the planes smack into each other.

    Prior to that, I’ve found that dragging a path to landing immediately is always the best thing to do, because you can easily update them later. And @Stephanie’s path suggestion is sound, although I’m clearly not quite as good at doing that, judging by our respective scores!

  • http://www.frontrowfigures.com Brad

    My high is 79! This game is very fun, but also very frustrating… I get so mad when something from off screen hits something, then I have to play again to get the bad taste out…. wish there were levels, or more than 1 ‘life’ per game… very fun.. Been looking for a desktop version!

    The ‘paths’ technique works until a point… after you get 10-12 aircraft on the screen, the path technique is pretty much out the window…

  • VJ in Atlanta

    Very compelling game. Just hit 119 landings and I dont know how… :) Can’t go beyond 80s now.

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    I managed 86, but seem to average around 40, with maybe one in five games going higher. It seems the difficulty spikes come in waves, kind of like Defender, giving you a short amount of breathing space that you absolutely have to take advantage of. However, around 70 planes, it’s just too much for my brain to take in, and even making a few planes circle while I deal with the others doesn’t seem to help much!

  • scouti

    215…. but it´s also my daily job :-)

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    @scouti: There’s no way you can lay claim to a score like that and not also provide some tips, so cough up. And, no, “I’m an air traffic controller, and so I have the skills” isn’t going to cut it!

  • Fearless Fred

    This is a beaut of a game! I’m only up to 52 so far, but it’s so addictive so I’m sure I’ll increase that :-)

  • scouti

    he craig,
    actually i would like to show you a screenshot of my highscore to proof it, but i´m on duty and i have no time to do it… maybe in the next days.
    but my score is not any more “the highscore” amongst my colleagues. the new one is 251!!!! for real! and today i´ll try to fix this :-)

    for the tips how to score this way hight… hmmm… first the difficulty of the runs are different!!! that means that you have to start a good one. there are not fewer aircraft in a “good” run but they come in a easier constellation, wich means they are easier to seperate! next thing you have to survive the “big run” between the 35-70. there after it is almost the same high (but not too high) level until your concentration is fading away… so keep the concentration up high and you will score 100+ – and of course you need to practise!!!!!!!!

    good luck

    bye scouti

    ps: land the very fast ones first!!!!

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    @scouti: Anyone with a score of 251 must surely be slowing down time or be able to concentrate on about 50 things at once. I’m still rooted around 80, at which point I end up ‘juggling’ a dozen or so red planes.

    Good tip regarding landing the fast planes first – that’s what I’ve realised in recent games. I’m also trying to figure out the best route for landing different types of craft (swinging the yellow ones to the left of the runway first, the sweep providing ‘space’ for ones to queue-jump).

  • Astro

    I was stuck in the 80s for a while, broke 100 with a score of 152 on day four and now, on day six of playing I’m on 271. Beating 300 will take me another few days but it’s not that difficult once you learn the basic strategy:
    1) Land large, fast planes first
    2) Don’t be afraid to draw tiny circular spiral flight plans to keep planes in one place while landing others
    3) Use ALL of the screen, I started by neglecting the far right but remember that only the beginning of the red runway is used
    4) As long as two craft are traveling at the same speed don’t be afraid to run them in very very close together
    5) Learn to judge speeds. Two helicopters moving slowly towards the pad from different directions can very easily have a jumbo fly close between them
    6) Draw straight lines to the runways where possible, big curving flight paths lose time
    7) The priority is to get to everything off the screen as quickly as you can

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    Some great tips there (and a scary high score). Another I’d add: get all craft away from the edges as soon as possible once you’re over 30 or so landings.

    I’m now up to 101, and so it’s definitely a game mere mortals can progress with, given enough practice.

  • David Pryke

    Finding this game very addictive – can’t get past 37. Thanks for recommending – anything else I should have ?

  • scouti

    just hit 314!!!!!! and it was realy easy from 150 to 300.

  • Perry

    My current stats:
    High Score: 260
    Average: 68
    Most aircraft on screen: 14
    Total aircraft landed: 13,091

    My roommate got me into this game. We are both really competitive so we have been going back and forth w/our high scores. He is currently at 325 and we always take screenshots to prove each other wrong…This game is really addictive

    Some tips:
    1. Stay away from the edges of the screen.
    2. You can land airplanes heading the wrong way on the runway if you do an abrupt U-turn at the front of the runway. All you need to make sure you do is cross the lines at the front of the runway.
    3. Land the faster jets if possible.
    4. Take direct lines when landing. Take the shortest routes!
    5. Take advantage of the fact that planes can stop and turn on a dime.
    6. You do not need to come into the runway head on, come from the sides and backwards.
    7. Land all aircraft as quickly as possible.
    8. Don’t be afraid to anticipate that an airplane will land. You have to take chances, and understand how close the aircraft can get to one another in order to be successful.
    9. Create landing patterns. Make all aircraft fly the same pattern if coming from the same side of the screen. Don’t be afraid to change the direction more than once.
    10. Create landing orders.
    *Have larger jets land one after the other. Then all the small jets.
    *Or if the time calls for it and if you are skilled and have the timing, land a large jet then small jet, and continue that pattern.
    *Also land aircraft simultaneously from both directions on the runway. Land one coming up the runway followed by an airplane coming down the runway.
    ALL OF THESE PATTERN WORK WELL IF YOU CAN PULL THEM OFF.

    THE BEST TIP MY ROOMMATE AND I HAVE IS STAY ORGANIZED. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THIS GAME IS ALL ABOUT ORGANIZATION.

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    Thanks for the tips, Perry. I just had a mammoth game and scored, er, 415. My neck now really hurts, so no more Flight Control for me today.

  • Matt Williams

    Anyone know of a version of this or something similar which we can play in OS X?

  • Sri

    Bought a new iPhone after I lost mine recently. The first app I installed on the new phone was Flight Contol. I bettered my earlier record of 118 on the lost phone, I made 144….

  • bob123123

    Rubbish Craig!! I want proof of that! Take a screenshot of it (power button and home button together if you don’t know already) and upload it somewhere then post a link! Pfft, there’s always someone who has to bullsh*t!

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    Thanks for the trust, Bob. Sadly for you, it’s not bull, and my ‘typical’ game is now around 200, and I’ve been in the 300s a bunch of times. Anyway, proof below. (And, for what it’s worth, someone on Twitter claims a four-figure score.)

    Proof, not bull, of Flight Control score

  • happy guy

    i got 97 on my first try!!! (of course i have been looking at the advice above)

  • Astro

    Well, 9 posts have elapsed since I last claimed the title of highest score and, for this message board at least, I’m taking it back. I’ve finally broken 500 recording a 629 last night. I can also totally believe that someone somewhere has made 1000. Once you get into a good rhythm it’s not that hard to stack the hundreds and 1000 doesn’t look more than a couple of weeks way for me.
    My previous advice still stands, but I’ve relaxed landing fast planes first. That sometimes leaves too many small red planes circling. Sometimes it’s better to land three of them close together and keep a large plane waiting.
    I’ll post again at 1000. Anyone wants a screenshot as evidence email me at (sorry, you need Javascript to see this e-mail address)

  • Scott

    My record is only 322 and my friend got to 609. It’s really not that hard once you get to about 150. One of the things to remember is to prioritize the planes depending on the kind that they are. Don’t be afraid to try to hard maneuvers because you learn from your mistakes. It’s about practice and staying focused.

  • andy a

    I’m at 88, but too embarrased to tell you how many times i’ve played to get there. here are the best strateg(ies) that seem to make a diff:

    1. up to 50 planes, creating paths, and have all planes stay on them helps; after 50 it’s too chaotic to make a diff
    2. land the fast planes first, move slowers out of the way…put them on wider landing patterns; fast ones on short landing patterns (different from real life!)
    3. most important: land everything as FAST as possible, straight line to the runway…and then alter as needed. The faster you get planes on the ground, the fewer are in the air, thus fewer collisions that you weren’t paying attention to. this is common sense, but i realized i was spending too much time doing pretty landing patterns, keeping them all in line, etc (after about 50)
    4. after around 50, when it’s chaos, keep the landing planes as close together as possible; stack them up one behind another at the runway threshhold..it was surprising to me how closely you can land them, they don’t have to have any space in between at all.
    5. unlike real planes, you don’t need to be traveling in the same direction as the runway for a short distance prior to landing, you can parallel the runway (opposite direction from landing..called the downwind), then turn base to final right at the runway threshhold…do a complete 180 in a fraction of second).

    anyway, I’m still looking for better strategies. please tell me yours. I’m stuck at 88.

  • Veebs

    My son showed me the game and I am hooked, but seeing I don’t have a la di da phone is their a program for my PC?

  • Eli

    Is there a version of this (or similar) for Windows PC and/or Winows Mobile devices ?… Someone at a training course had one, and the whole class got hooked !
    Shame of it was that there was only one person with the iPhone !… Please help !

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    @Veebs—Flight Control is an iPhone/iPod touch exclusive and not available for any other platform. Given the speed the interface requires once you’ve landed a few dozen craft, I can’t see the game working on a non-touchscreen platform anyway—even a DS version would be iffy.

  • uwgoldenboy

    Current Stats:

    High Score 235
    Average Score 33
    Most Recent Score 21
    Most Aircraft on Screen 15
    Total Aircraft Landed 5186

    Great Game!!!

  • http://www.curiouscommunications.com CF

    You guys should check out the stats on your phone, then login to the online flight control centre. There’s a guy near Paris who’s high score is over 12,000!