Aerobiz Supersonic

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  • Aerobiz Supersonic
  • Air Management II

AerobizSupersonic MDTitleScreen.png

AirManagementII MD title.png

Aerobiz Supersonic
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Koei
Developer:
Original system(s): JP Home Computers
Genre: Simulation[1]

















Number of players: 1-4
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
¥12,800 (13,184)12,800e[2] T-76143
Sega Mega Drive
US
T-76136
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Non-Sega versions

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Air Management II: Koukuuou o Mezase (エアーマネジメントII 航空王をめざせ) is an airline business simulator by Koei and the sequel to Aerobiz, which are both part of their Executive Series. It was first released in 1993 on the PC-98 before being ported to a variety of platforms, including to the Sega Mega Drive in 1994. Western releases called the game Aerobiz Supersonic.

Gameplay

In Aerobiz Supersonic, players take control of an commercial airline and attempt to maximize profits until the end of the scenario. Players can bid for airline slots in selected cities, purchase aircraft, open up regional headquarters, set up lines between countries, purchase revenues and adjust adversitement and other budgets.

Each scenario takes about 20 years. Each turn takes 3 months in game time. Players must establish superiority in their own home region and also become best airline in several other locations, depending on the difficulty level.

City selected for the main headquarters also determines player's home country. Based on the real-life diplomatic relationships between countries, this will ultimately affect your business relations with country which the desired city belongs to.

For example, picking Tokyo as headquarters will make your company a Japanese airline. Since Japan is a close US ally, players will have better chance of acquiring slots in US and Western European cities and buy planes cheaper from US and EU companies.

Events

Olympics: Summer olympics can be held in every 4 years. This will increase demands for travel to the city the games are taking place.

Tourism Boom: A random city will have more demand in travel.

Wars and Natural Disasters: Historical wars and other disasers can occur during the game, such as Suez Crisis, Sao-Paulo Earthquake, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 or Yom-Kippur War of 1973. Wars and disasters severely reduce demand for the cities they are taking place.

Government Changes: Revolutions can change the attitude of the country towards your company in either war. Examples would be Communist take over of Cuba, Singapore's secession from Malaysia or the transfer of ownership of Hong Kong from UK to PRC.

Historical Events: An example would be the Oil Crisis of 1973 which will severely increase maintenance costs for the aircraft in the game.

Expansion of EU: Happens only in Scenario 3 and 4, Ukraine, Belarus, Switzerland and even Russia will join EU.

Supersonic Aircraft: Two aircraft, Concorde and Tu-144 will be only avaiable in the Scenario 2. However they will be removed from service almost immidiately due to the extremely high maintenance costs. (So don't buy any of them.)

Locations and Aircraft Manufacturers

Maximum 12 aircraft can be purchased from a company in one turn. Defending on the relationship between you and the manufacturer's country, it can take between 1 to 3 turns to receive purchased aircraft. If relationships are particularly bad, company will not sell any aircraft at all.

North America

United States enjoys highest tourism rates until Scenario 4. With no wars, it is an ideal location for the beginners.

McDonnell-Douglas (MDC) is avaiable in every scenario. Lockheed Martin only provides two aircraft and will not be avaiable in Scenario 3 and 4. (In real life, Lockheed left civilian aircraft business in late 1970 to focus solely on military aircraft.) Boeing, which will be avaiable starting 1958 will remain as a potent manufacturer in all scenarios.

Aircraft produced by American companies are while expensive, they are all reliable and useful for most routes.

Best starting locations: Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver (Maybe)

Western Europe

NATO member or neutral counties will be able to purchase decent aircraft from US and EU.

Vickers only produces Viscount and leaves civilian aircraft market. Sud company only produces Caravelle between 59 and 72. Both of these companies do not show up after Scenario 1.

Aerospatiale only produces famous but short-lived Concorde aircraft between 76 and 79.

Airbus becomes main European aircraft manufacturer with great quality of planes starting 75.

Best starting locations: London, Paris

Eastern Europe

Russia and Warsaw Pact members will have a tough time due to the fact that they are stuck with Ilyushin and Tupolev. Situation somehow gets better in Scenario 3 and 4 as most of these countries, including Russia becomes EU member and have access to better aircraft.

Soviet and later Russian companies Tupolev and Ilyushin produce airplanes for the Eastern Bloc. These planes, while cheap, has poor range and very cost inefficent. Quality of these two companies' plane get somewhat better in Scenario 4.

Best starting location: None. Maybe Moscow in Scenario 4.

South America

South America is more or less stable except some recurring civil wars and military interventions. Not a great place to start but not too bad either.

Best starting location: Mexico City

Africa

Only for those who want a challenge. Incessant wars in the Northern Africa will make things very complicated.

Best starting location: Cairo

Middle East

Another difficult locations. Wars between Iraq and Iran, India and Pakistan will make this location hard to beat.

Best starting location: There is no "best location" here. You are screwed either way so maybe New Delhi?

South East Asia

Political landscape of SE Asia changes from Scenario to Scenario. Japan based companies will not have an easy time due to the fact that majority of the countries in the area dislike them. Although they can still enjoy great relations with US and EU.

China will be the toughest country to play in all except Scenario 4. They are not in great relations with either West or East and stuck with Russian heaps of junk. Russia's admission to EU makes things a bit easier for them.

Best starting locations: Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong (Maybe)

Australia and New Zealand

Not many people want to travel to a desert continent inhabited by giant spiders, hostile non-flying avian creatures that almost defeated Australian Military and other dangers that can kill you but there might be some who want to experience what "down under" can offer, i suppose.

Best starting locations: None. Australia is a hell on Earth. Canberra.

Versions

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English (US) Aerobiz Supersonic Aerobiz Supersonic
Japanese エアーマネジメントII 航空王をめざせ Air Management II: Koukuuou o Mezase

Magazine articles

Main article: Aerobiz Supersonic/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #68: "March 1995" (1995-0x-xx)
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Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1994-02: "February 1994" (1994-01-08)
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Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
80
[4]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
70
[5]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
66
[6]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 5 (RU)
70
[7]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
60
[8]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
70
[9]
Igry Sega Luchshiye iz luchshikh. Vypusk 2 (RU)
56
[10]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U
83
[11]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
74
[12]
Next Generation (US) NTSC-U
50
[13]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
79
[14]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
62
[15]
Sega Mega Drive
68
Based on
12 reviews

Aerobiz Supersonic

Mega Drive, JP
AerobizSupersonic MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
AirManagement2 MD JP CartTop.jpg
AerobizSupersonic MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Airmanagementii md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US
AerobizSupersonic MD US Box.jpg
Cover
AerobizSupersonic MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Aerobiz Supersonic MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
AerobizSupersonic MD US Poster.jpg
Poster
AerobizSupersonic MD US pcb.jpg
PCB

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 9377f1b5
MD5 1269f44e846a88a2de945de082428b39
SHA-1 f29b148c052f50a89e3b877ce027a0d5aaa387d1
1MB 1994-12 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 4582817b
MD5 461d82d8c84d61738c8de2dbbb543ccd
SHA-1 6ed89fc3302023bc95c2bba0d45fe1d30e1c5d86
1MB 1993-11 Cartridge (JP)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
  2. File:AerobizSupersonic MD JP Box.jpg
  3. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 312
  4. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 29
  5. Beep! MegaDrive, "March 1994" (JP; 1994-02-08), page 19
  6. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 40
  7. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 5, "" (RU; 200x-xx-xx), page 68
  8. Famitsu, "1994-02-25" (JP; 1994-02-10), page 1
  9. Hippon Super, "February 1994" (JP; 1994-01-06), page 43
  10. Igry Sega Luchshiye iz luchshikh. Vypusk 2, "" (RU; 2001-08-27), page 11
  11. Mega Fun, "04/95" (DE; 1995-03-22), page 80
  12. Mega Play, "June/July 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 46
  13. Next Generation, "July 1995" (US; 1995-06-20), page 79
  14. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  15. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 7
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