Airline Tycoon lets you manage your own airline in a way that sets it apart from other "tycoon" games.
User Rating: 7 | Airline Tycoon PC
It has a cartoonish atmosphere that is fun and inviting, at least that is what I think of it. I liked this game because it offers a lot. It is a bit misleading for those individuals who don’t give it a real chance because underneath that cute exterior is a serious strategy game. You have to learn how to make money while competing with other computer or real life players (if you can get the multiplayer working). Basically you are the president of your own airline. You have to learn how to manage not only your airplanes, but also your staff and routes while turning a profit since that is initially the goal of the game. You’ll spend your time setting ticket prices, researching oil, investing in new airplanes, bidding on routes, setting your flight schedules, and more. This is what Airline Tycoon is all about. The gameplay is great, if you like management games. There is a lot to do and it does take a bit to get used to, but shouldn’t be difficult for anyone. Even though it has a humorous cartoonish look, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a serious strategy game. Look beneath that cartoon exterior and you’ll see a lot of potential here. There are even a few scenarios thrown in for people who like a bit more structure. The sound is fun, but nothing spectacular. I liked hearing the airport announcements and the voices from the crowds when things got busy. The graphics are cute and some might call childish, but hey I thought it was a fun element to the game and liked it. If you are lucky you might even get the multiplayer working, but it is buggy to say the least. However, this was improved in the sequel Airline Tycoon Evolution. If you do manage to get it working, which I have a few times, it is fun to compete with real life people because you can sabotage and tease your opponents. However, the times I did get it working the game didn’t last long. On average it was about an hour and half in when the game would crash. But I did manage to have one or two games that lasted longer. Overall I found this game a lot of fun. There is a new version out, Airline Tycoon Evolution, that lets you design your own airplanes. Multiplayer is also improved in this version and there are more scenarios for people who like that sort of thing. I would rank the new version at a 7.3. If you like management games and can get past the cartoon exterior then you may enjoy this game. I liked how it looked and loved the strategy behind it; for me this game sits on my favorites shelf at home. 
--