Aerobiz (エアーマネジメント 大空に賭ける, Air Management: Ouzora ni Kakeru, subtitle translated as "Betting on the Sky") is a business simulator where players assume the role of a CEO managing a new international airline. It is a part of Koei's Executive Series.
Taku Iwasaki served as the game's composer.
Gameplay
The goal of the game is to outperform three other airlines financially within a given period of time. This is done by linking all 22 cities and carrying a specific number of passengers (determined by difficulty level), all while keeping profits high.
If the player racks profit losses for a year, their company will go bankrupt and the game ends. A similar result occurs if no airline fulfills the winning requirements after 32 years.
There are two different scenarios to choose from.
- Scenario 1 (1963~1995) - Recommended for beginners, this scenario follows historical events that see the rise and struggles of air travel. Players start with less resources and capital to work with, giving them a better grasp of the game's various mechanics without being too overwhelmed.
- Scenario 2 (1983~2015) - With the advent of the supersonic airplane comes the value of long-distance travel in this scenario. Airlines gain access to superior aircrafts and resources which in turn lead to greater challenges with one another.
Once a scenario has been selected, players must pick the location of their main headquarters, the number of competitors controlled by human or AI, and difficulty level (ranging from beginner to pro). Depending on what combination of choices are made, the game will either be easy or challenging. Alternatively, one can simply observe a demo play to be able to understand the gameplay more.
Players are given the freedom to decide how their airline should expand, what investments to make, which routes to fly to, etc. Success lies in properly managing airports to produce efficient planes and opening different routes to begin business. Results are then compared between the three other competitors quarterly and annually. Any profits made get added to capital.
Success depends on how attractive the airline is to passengers. By investing in maintenance, advertisements, and special services, more people are likely to become customers for the player. Cheaper prices also have an impact when two or more airlines compete for the same route. Note that airlines cannot have more than 30 routes.
Side businesses like hotels provide players a means to gain extra money from their customers. Investing in stock from charters is also another way to gain funds so long as the player observes the behavior of the stock market each month.
If players are unsure of how to go about with their turn, they may choose to hold a meeting with their managers to discuss feasible options in making their airline successful through various recommended tasks.
A hidden sound test option is unlocked by pressing select on the new game screen.
Differences between ports
- Both PC and console versions have different graphics and sound quality.
Expansions/Spin-offs
- Air Management '96 (エアーマネジメント'96) - A remake made specifically for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn, it has overhauled graphics, improved audio, and new cutscenes. The world map is replaced by a rotatable globe while new events exclusive to this title are added.
Related Media
A handbook for the game was released on October 1992.
Gallery
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North American Sega Genesis cover
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Japanese cover
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'96 remake cover
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English ad flyer
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Japanese ad flyer
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