iOS (iPhone/iPad) User Reviews

Space Agency is a reimagining of games like Kerbal Space Program (though, admittedly, there aren't many games like KSP!) designed to place the ability to run your own space program within the reach of people who don't know or care to know huge amounts of physics. Essentially, Space Agency has two modes: a mission-based mode that gives the player several objectives to complete within set budgetary and/or time limits; and a sandbox mode that lets the player do as he or she likes. On the positive side, Space Agency takes the freeform space program game and puts it in the hands of the general public. For all of its outstanding qualities, Kerbal Space Program requires a fair bit of investment by players to learn the physics of spacecraft, orbital, and transfer dynamics. That's daunting to a lot of people. Space Agency solved this problem by simplifying the whole situation: you operate in a 2D environment rather than a 3D one, and all of the nitty-gritty of delta-V and orbital physics have been smoothed out into simpler bar-graph style variables that are far more accessible to the general public. Just like KSP, players design their own spacecraft, but without many of the wide-sky options of KSP: Space Agency uses snap-together ship designs that offer limited design options, but the game tells you when things won't work. Now, to be fair, Space Agency has faults: physics are very simple, as are vehicle mechanics, so don't expect to pull off any fancy maneuvering (forget things like Hohmann Transfers, folks!), and yes, lateral thrust is considered "fancy." The physics model has some errors, some minor and some pretty grievous: a small vehicle contacting a large orbital structure shouldn't put it in substantial motion, but it can (and the case of "when" seems to be somewhat variable). Some missions are extremely difficult due to time constraints, so some extra play-balancing and testing probably would've been a good idea. Overall, though, if you want to build space stations and explore planets without having to learn a ton of physics, then Space Agency is an ideal game!