Aireo Flight Simulator Switch Review

A lifetime ago, I was an Airman with a passion for aviation both civilian and Military. While the role I was training for was firmly set on the ground, I was always fascinated with flying, and racked up hundreds of hours on the subliminal Flight Simulator game for the Series X. Aireo Flight Simulator promises to provide a similar experience to the big boys, albeit in a handheld format. So does Aireo Flight Simulator soar above the clouds? or skid off the tarmac? I’m Joshua, your Captain for this review, let’s fasten those seatbelts, keep your tray in the upright position, and join me at cruising altitude to find out…

Aireo Flight Simulator uses a similar Maps technology to Flight Simulator meaning you can fly anywhere in the world by selecting an airport on a world map, or putting a pin wherever you like if you want to have a quick flyover of your house. Yes, this means you do need to have a constant connection to the internet, but it also means that you can fly from Brisbane to Sydney, or London to Paris if you’re that way inclined, the sky is the limit for where you can go in Aireo Flight Simulator, and it’s quite impressive to think that you could go anywhere in the world while lazing on the couch at home.

There’s a small selection of aircraft, consisting of 1 commercial airliner, a private jet, 4 smaller Cessna-type aircraft, and a jet loosely based on the Phantom. Each aircraft has its own handling and feel, and it’s quite enjoyable cruising in a commercial Airliner running from Brisbane to Sydney… until it becomes time to land… but more on that later. It’s a very solid flight sim all things considered.

There are compromises, however, on both graphics and the sim aspects…

Graphically, the game looks best when in the sky, flying over the Gold Coast (my home city and top tourist destination here in Australia) looks fantastic and I could point out my old apartment and local landmarks. Unlike Flight Simulator, these buildings and landmarks are completely flat, meaning the closer to the ground you get, the less immersive the game can be. Due to the hardware limitations of the Switch, this is an understandable compromise and natural landmarks like Ularu and mountain ranges like the Swiss Alps have elevation and depth due to being 3D rendered. Airports, despite their size and function, consist of a few rendered towers and strangely elevated runways. Sometimes, these runways can cause significant problems, as I was faced with an insurmountable wall while taking off from Sydney International Airport. On a positive note, Aircraft models look great, and despite some minor graphical issues, interior renderings of the cockpit are detailed with all the switches and toggles you would expect to see in an aircraft.

This is where the second major compromise comes in, despite the details of the instruments, there’s no interaction with them whatsoever, and your flight controls are limited to flaps, trim, landing gear, and the usual controls like pitch, throttle, and rudders. The flight model works well for the most part, and physics feel polished while cruising at altitude and gently banking as you explore the world. The major issues come into play when attempting to land, as airspeed reduction doesn’t seem to be as responsive as one had hoped despite deploying flaps, reducing throttle, or killing the engine entirely. I’m not sure why this kept happening in the game as the tutorial succinctly allows you to take off and land, managing airspeed and approach rather well, and hopefully it can be addressed in a future update.

Another glaring issue is the complete lack of options available for both gameplay and accessibility. The only option you can really control is volume, which means smaller text like airspeed can be difficult to read in handheld mode, and the camera is oddly stuck on inverted left/right controls, as well as being overly sensitive. Sometimes, half the battle is fighting the camera.

These problems aside, Aireo Flight Simulator is a solid flight sim for enthusiasts, and I was very impressed with how the technology behind the game was handled. Despite some graphical errors, control issues, and lack of options, there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had flying over places you have been or always wanted to see. While it may not suit the hardcore flight enthusiast, those looking to scratch that Flight Simulator itch will find Aireo Flight Simulator more than satisfactory. The depth of simulation certainly makes it a bit easier to play than its larger counterparts, and with future support from the developer, Aireo Flight Simulator could soar with the eagles.

So What’s it Like?

Aireo Flight Simulator is like a light version of Microsoft Flight Simulator.