I am an Air Traffic Controller – AIRPORT HERO HANEDA review

The best air simulation on Switch doesn’t let you in the cockpit

What is the concept? Following in the contrails of Sonic Powered’s 3DS-based air traffic simulations, I Am an Air Traffic Controller AIRPORT HERO HANEDA tasks players with the management of both a busy airspace and ground-way. Like its predecessor, Haneda doesn’t put players in the role of a solitary air traffic controller employee. Instead, gamers oversee every part of the flight control process, as they strive to avoid collisions and maintain a punctual flight schedule.

The 3DS-based Airport Hero titles made effective use of the hardware’s dual screens. The top display toggled through three different perspectives, while the bottom screen displayed arrivals and departures, neatly stacking flight data as each craft makes radio contact with air traffic control. Obviously, that’s modified, with the widescreen ratio of the Switch offering all the critical information across translucent overlays on the periphery of the touchscreen.

For arrivals, inbound aircraft are guided by a cycle of five systems, with Approach, Tower, Ground, Delivery, and Departure control each issuing instruction before handing over command to the next agency. Managing a single aircraft is problem-free, with players approving planes to enter airspace, clearing landings, selecting runways, and taxing route-  all before selecting a gate. Naturally, departures are handled in reverse order, employing the same system of confirmations and optional holds, before handing off duties to the control team. Of course, when multiple birds are on the ground and in the air, Haneda turns unbelievably hectic, as the potential of near-miss can bring an hour-long stage to a crashing halt.

What are the game’s strengths? While the game’s tutorials cover the basics of overseeing arrivals and departures, Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero’s collection of stages offers a restrained learning curve, gradually increasing the frequency of flights. As such, the real-time pace of the game allows players to explore Haneda’s nuances- allowing gamers to absorb the complex system of take-offs and landings. While air control can become both complicated and chaotic when traffic increases, the user interface helps to make the simulation manageable, with color-coded warnings and a command process that’s never more complex than a selection from one of six possible options.

Although there’s plenty of downtime at the start of each stage, as planes travel inbound or begin to make radio contact once they’re filled with passengers (a fast-forward option would have helped here), Haneda attempts to make the most out of these moments. Radio chatter endows the game with a sense of realism as sampled pilot voices fill the frequency for requests and flight attendants can be heard issuing instructions to passengers. Since English is the international language of aviation, stateside players will be able to appreciate the level of detail that went into Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero’s conversations.

Visually, I am an Air Traffic Controller is an expected powerhouse, offering some of the best aircraft renders found on the Switch. If you played any of the 3DS versions in the series, Haneda reflects a monumental increase in fidelity, with only a bit of shadowing keeping things grounded. I was often astonished by the attention to detail here, whether it was a cargo ship floating across Tokyo Bay or the meticulously modeled intake of landing gear into the belly of a 787 Dreamliner. And yes, you can catch a glimpse of the mighty Fuji-san.

What are the game’s weaknesses? Quite simply, pilot AI is non-existent. Once authorizations are issued, pilots demonstrate no autonomy and will crash their taxing jet right into another craft. Understandably, giving captains independence would have siphoned fun right out of Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero, but losing an hour-long session due to an obvious and avoidable lapse is equally as frustrating. While pilots can be told to hold their position and routinely stop before continuing, once a command has been issued, there’s no ability to change the order, so even something as simple as switching gates is impossible in Haneda. Alas, the developers want you to earn the title of Airport Hero– so again, liberties were taken.

Sadly, the 3DS-centric functionality is missing. This allowed the use of the camera to scan QR codes, generating randomized variable weather, times, flights, and scoring conditions. Seemingly, this has been replaced with five-dollar DLC, which adds five challenges to the base game’s selection of sixteen stages. Sonic Powered’s rail simulations offer some compelling virtual tourism, detailing historical and cultural details at most of the stops. Given Haneda’s richness, with its Edo-Koji shopping area and the exquisite curvature of terminal 3’s roof, you might wish Airport Hero extended some unlockable ancillaries.

But the game’s biggest hurdle might be its niche subject matter and protected execution. Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero is nothing like the frothy fun exhibited by most air combat simulations. Instead, it’s much closer to staunch simulation, with its hard-boiled execution offering little room for error. Levels can move at a very protracted pace, often with sixty-second stretches where there’s little to do but monitor and strategize. As such, players hoping for a flashy flight management game will have to look elsewhere.

Is it worth the money? At $49.99, I Am an Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero – AIRPORT HERO HANEDA is undoubtedly a premium offering. But you’re getting a comprehensive visual upgrade over the 3DS series. As such, curious gamers will want to try the demo, which gives a proper vertical slice of Haneda’s full campaign. For those, like myself, who are fascinated by transportation-based titles set outside the U.S., Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero’s extended playtime and carefully crafted context might just warrant the expenditure.

I am an Air Traffic Controller – AIRPORT HERO HANEDA was
played on Switch with review code provided by the publisher.