SimplePlanes

Lore & Background

SimplePlanes followed the release of SimplePhysics and SimpleRockets and preceded Juno: New Origins (formerly SimpleRockets 2) and SimplePlanes VR. The game received mixed reviews from users and reviewers, with common criticisms including slippery controls and graphical design. Despite this, it built an online community attracted to its versatility. From 2014 until 2023, the game received 12 major updates and numerous bug fixes and patches, with the latest version, v1.12.206, released in May 2025. The game's website, SimplePlanes.com, functions as a social network where players upload, rate, and discuss creations, with at least 500,000 registered users and almost 1 million aircraft created.

The game's map is an archipelago with five islands (four on iOS or Android), each with unique biomes and features including airports, boats, bridges, and convoys. Challenge modes range from tutorials like "Take-Off Tutorial" to advanced scenarios like "SAM Evasion" and "Trench Run." Modding is supported on Windows, MacOS, and Linux via a Unity plugin, with some mods hosted on Steam Workshop. The Android version lost official mod support due to Play Store regulations requiring 64-bit support, forcing a switch to the IL2CPP backend.

SimplePlanes VR, a separate game for virtual reality headsets, was released on 17 December 2021 and supports most PC-compatible VR headsets. It does not allow building or editing aircraft, limiting players to downloading VR-friendly crafts from the website. Website curators designate VR-compatible crafts, which receive 30 points per upvote instead of 15. SimplePlanes 2, the continuation of the franchise, entered early access on April 23 after shifting from an initial April 28 date due to another sandbox game's release, offering a 10 percent discount for the first 14 days.

Reader's Guide

SimplePlanes holds significance as a sandbox simulation that emphasizes player creativity through its part customization, XML-based craft files, and the Funky Trees scripting language. Its physics simulation, which accounts for fuel depletion and altitude effects, provides a realistic foundation for experimentation. The game's online community, centered on SimplePlanes.com, has generated nearly one million aircraft, demonstrating its appeal to builders and modders. The mixed reception regarding controls and graphics did not prevent the game from sustaining a dedicated user base and receiving over a decade of updates. The introduction of SimplePlanes VR expanded the franchise into virtual reality, though with limited building capabilities. SimplePlanes 2 builds on the original with features like hole carving, underwater parts, in-game characters, official multiplayer, and an upgraded physics engine. The game's modding support, particularly on PC, allowed advanced users to create custom parts, levels, and challenges, with two popular utility mods integrated into the base game. The transition from Gumroad to Steam sales and the handling of platform-specific limitations (such as iOS frame rate caps and Android modding restrictions) reflect the challenges of maintaining a cross-platform indie title. Overall, SimplePlanes is notable for its longevity, community-driven content, and role as a stepping stone to more complex entries in the series.

Did You Know?

• SimplePlanes was developed by Jundroo LLC, the same studio behind SimplePhysics and SimpleRockets.
• The game's scripting language, Funky Trees, has been used to recreate the 1993 video game Doom within SimplePlanes.
• SimplePlanes VR, released on 17 December 2021, does not allow players to build or edit aircraft.
• The game's map includes five islands, with Maywar Island and the Kraken easter egg exclusive to the PC version.