Skyharbor Tycoon

Skyharbor Tycoon is comfort food. You start with one runway and a couple of gates, then slowly build up terminals, hire staff, and juggle flight schedules. It's a management game that never gets stressful, which suits a phone perfectly — you dip in, make a few decisions, and put it down.

The systems are approachable without being shallow. Passenger happiness, staff fatigue, and gate scheduling all interact, and finding a smooth rhythm is quietly satisfying. Numbers go up, planes land on time, and I felt weirdly proud of my little airport.

It does eventually run out of new things to throw at you, and the late game is more maintenance than growth. But for a laid-back builder to poke at over a week, it does the job well.

What we liked

• Relaxing, no-pressure loop
• Approachable management systems
• Great for short sessions