iOS or Switch games for long plane flight?

July 30, 2018 7:49 AM

I have a couple of long (10+ hour) flights coming up. I can bring a Switch along, or just travel with an iOS device... hence my questions about good travel games:

- what's your favorite iOS game to pass the time on a long flight?

- if I *also* bring a Nintendo Switch, is there a must-play Switch game? (I've already finished Zelda BOTW - something other than that?)

Thanks, mefites!

posted by mark7570 to Technology (23 answers total)

Best answer: iOS:
Old Man’s Journey - beautiful and fun but not that long
Two Dots- nearly endless classic puzzle game, free
You Must Build a Boat- another good puzzle/rpg

Wayward Souls: 2D overhead action RPG wth procedural elements. Offers very good swipe controls in addition to virtual dpad/buttons

Pathos: iOS fork of Nethack, so not for everyone but some can spend hours on it. Also free. If RL are your bag, see also WazHack.

Punch Quest: surprisingly good basher/runner. Also free.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:07 AM on July 30, 2018

Response by poster: Great picks, SaltySalticid, thanks! Would you recommend larger-screen (i.e., iPad) for these?

Also, dumb question, what is RL?
posted by mark7570 at 8:15 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: If you have an iPad, also consider Synth One, a free (and open source) high quality audio synthesizer that came out recently. Even if you’ve never tried anything like it, you may enjoy twiddling knobs and making weird bleeps and bloops.
On preview- RL is the RogueLike subgenre. Bigger screen is nice for many (esp Wayward Souls) but not really required.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:15 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: If you like word based games, I really like W.E.L.D.E.R. for iOS.
Also Monument and Monument 2, especially with headphones.
My husband loved Super Mario Odyssey for the Switch, but as an observer I think it was a little bit "hand wavy" so it may depend on how big your seat space is and who your travelling companions are. I personally didn't mind but he's my husband and I like him a lot.
posted by like_neon at 8:19 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Oh wait, PixelDungeon is a much better intro to roguelike gaming, easy to pick up, hard to win, definitely worth checking out. One of the few games souse and I have both loved and beaten— albeit after investing dozens of hours failing (sorry for scattered thoughts and few links I am traveling at present, feel free to MeMail me if you want to discuss more later)
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:22 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: 80 Days is some really excellent interactive fiction, I highly recommend it. It's beautiful and really well written.

There are some good digital versions of popular board games on iOS; I really like the version of Carcassone available. There's a solitaire "puzzle" mode in the game which I like a lot.

FTL is also on iOS and is a phenomenal game.
posted by backseatpilot at 8:26 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: Came to say FTL. I almost always play a game or two of FTL on my iPad on a long flight.

Alto's Odyssey seems like it would be great. I recently bought it for this purpose, but ended up just playing FTL again.
posted by umber vowel at 8:30 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A long-haul flight lets you get good at Rymdkapsel. I played a lot of Train Conductor World but I'm four at heart. My son played Battleheart Legacy. I liked Flipflop, an interesting take on Solitaire.
posted by firstdrop at 8:31 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: I love Mini Metro for iOS. If micromanagement of little subway riders' routes sounds fun to you, it might just occupy your whole flight!
posted by sydnius at 8:32 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Mario Odyssey is great... for some odd reason, it's the only game I've really played on flights on the Switch, and it's perfect. I guess maybe I hadn't flown between when I bought the Switch and beat Zelda? Anyway, highly recommended.

Also 2nding FTL and You Must Build a Boat for some variety.
posted by Grither at 8:51 AM on July 30, 2018

Response by poster: Of course, RL = roguelike! shoulda known that - I must need more coffee. Thanks.

Great suggestions, everyone, thanks! Seeming like iOS is the best bet. Let me know if any other Switch games come to mind...
posted by mark7570 at 9:00 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: I've been playing Hollow Knight, which got released on Switch back in February. It's a Metroid-vania type dungeon crawler with a huge map, some Dark Souls/Bloodborne like elements, and a fantastic aesthetic. If you are into side-scrolling adventures, I really highly recommend it - and it's pretty cheap!
posted by voiceofreason at 9:11 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker are must-haves on Switch.
posted by porn in the woods at 9:13 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: Your Switch won't last all that long, but there are a ton of great games for flights on it. You don't say what kind of things you like, but right now Hollow Knight and Enter the Gugeon are my obsessions.

Hollow Knight is hauntingly beautiful, insanely difficult Metroidvania; Gungeon is a hilarious take on a classic Roguelite that until recently was too hard to play, but the free update that dropped last week made it substantially more forgiving and more fun.
posted by The Bellman at 9:20 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: Also seconding Mario Odyssey and Captain Toad -- both great if you want something a little lighter and less punishing.
posted by The Bellman at 9:22 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: Stardew Valley was recently released for the Switch! If I had a Switch, I would play Stardew Valley on every flight until they physically had to remind me we've arrived and carried me off the plane.
posted by theatro at 9:26 AM on July 30, 2018 [6 favorites]

Best answer: I've loved Celeste and Mario Odyssey on the Switch, and I've recently started playing Darkest Dungeon after a friend recommended it to me (he plays on long car rides). Darkest Dungeon is a roguelike RPG, and pretty challenging.
posted by zoetrope at 10:26 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: definitely stardew valley! so soothing, so fun.

if you haven't played skyrim, that's also an option on the switch.
posted by kerning at 10:54 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: Came here to also recommend Stardew Valley, super fun and relaxing to play on a flight and isn’t too huge of a battery suck. Love that game!
posted by caitcadieux at 11:39 AM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: Switch:
- Hollow Knight (hard)
- Stardew Valley (chill)
- Steamworld Dig 2 (challenging but not too hard)
posted by Ragged Richard at 12:01 PM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: I love the indie game Defend the Cake, but currently I'm addicted to hole.io. It has surprising replayability.
posted by wnissen at 3:27 PM on July 30, 2018

Best answer: A Switch will last indefinitely on a plane, as long as you have an outlet (common on international flights) or a battery pack. I often use my Switch on 10-12 hour flights with no issues.

Switch games I really enjoy/enjoyed:
Mario Odyssey
Octopath Traveler (if you like JRPGs)
Hollow Knight
Mario + Rabbids (if you like strategy games)
Snipperclips
posted by thefoxgod at 4:08 PM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I've been getting a lot of mileage out of Yonder: the Cloud Chronicles right now. There's a lot of restful running across pretty environments and it's easy to pick it up/put it back down again when you're on the go. Since there's no combat you don't have to worry about pausing as you transfer trains or anything either.
posted by storytam at 11:54 PM on July 30, 2018