- Price$9.99
- CategoryGames
- SubgenreStrategy
- First releasedMarch 12, 2015
- Versions1 archived
- Installable1 of 1
- AvailabilityRemoved from the App Store
- SellerSlitherine
- Bundle IDcom.Slitherine.SpaceProgManager
RequirementsCompatible with iPad. Requires iOS 6.0 or later.
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Report an issueBuzz Aldrin's Space Program Manager (SPM) Road to the Moon is the ultimate game of space exploration.
It is the mid 1950s and the race for dominance between the US and the Soviet Union is about to move into a new dimension: space. Take charge of the US or Soviet space agencies - your duty is be the first to the moon. Carefully manage your budget by opening programs, spending R&D funds on improving the hardware, recruiting personnel and launching space missions in this realistic turn based strategy game.
Road to the Moon features the race to the Moon, the historical event that started in the early 1960s and that ended in July 1969, after the successful completion of the Apollo 11 mission.
The game features both a campaign and a sandbox mode. In campaign mode, you will be able to play as the Director of either NASA or the Soviet Space Agency in order to beat the other side to be the first on the Moon. You can also lead the Global Space Agency (GSA), a fictional space agency that combines programs from all the major space agencies in the world. In the GSA campaign, you will need to address the requests and short-term goals issued by government, and is geared towards those players who prefer a game experience focused on exploration instead of competition. Alternatively, all three space agencies feature a Sandbox mode, which provides a more open-ended experience and allows you to try out different approaches without any political pressure.
You will be able to develop dozens of programs. Some examples include the X-15 and the PKA space planes, the Sputnik satellite, the Mercury, Voskhod, Apollo and Soyuz manned spacecraft and the Mars Viking probe.
• Three different campaign modes: play as NASA or the Soviet space agency in order to be the first to the Moon or play as the Global Space Agency (GSA) and deal with the short-term objectives issued by politicians. • Manage all aspects of your space agencies from their inception in the 1950's through to the manned lunar landing missions • Play the race to the Moon campaign mode against other players using Slitherine’s cross platform PBEM system. • The Sandbox mode allows you to play as any of the three space agencies and removes all competition restrictions. • Create space programs and launch missions inspired by real programs such as the X-15 Space plane, the Sputnik satellite, the Gemini, Vostok and Apollo manned spacecraft and a lot more! • Research and develop dozens of mission components from several program categories. • Develop your facility with advanced structures and upgrades including the Vehicle Assembly Building and the Mission Control Centre. • Recruit and train astronaut candidates and assign them to missions. • Assemble an elite team of Scientists, Engineers, Technicians (SET), Flight Controllers and Flight Crews for the best chance of success." • Manage your agency's budget. • Mission components have an associated reliability factor and can cause catastrophic failures. • Vast amounts of historical research ensure that the game's huge database features missions that launched and many more that never left the drawing board! • A vast array of components built in 3D and rendered out in exquisite detail allow you to follow the progress of your missions via animated sequences.
Designed in consultation with Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot and the second human being to set foot on the Moon.
Ratings Over Time
| Date | Version | Rating | Ratings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2023 | 1.6.25 | ★ 4.2 | 18 | $9.99 |
From archived App Store listing data, captured by the Wayback Machine.
Archived Reviews
8 of 15I enjoyed playing this game, but don't expect much replay-ability after your third game.
When I was a kid my favourite game was Buzz Aldrin's race into space. This game is just as wonderful, it's a different take however it still involves those nail biting moments hoping your mission is a success. Lovely artwork, great use of animated stills. Five stars!
I would utilise Metal to add better, more fluid animation to all missions, not the antiquated stills used currently. Addition of fully rendered 3D models of all rockets, satellites, and spacecraft would be really educational. Maybe even 3D interior models too. Using the 3D models during mission sequences would improve the realism. The addition of customisable missions would be welcome as well.
Love you guys. Thank you for keeping my mind sharp and trained. It transfers over to real life skills. I know it’s NOT slithering updating this game, that’s just the publisher. Love you Polar Motion Studios. Tip: Look into how you can create a more, faster version of this game, keep the same challenges, add more animated graphics, basically more sizzle for the visuals, and bring it over to Nintendo Switch... hot cakes that system right now! Go investigate.
There really should be more modern missions the to attempt but first stability needs to be improved. The game is crippled by freezes, crashes and game-ending glitched buttons.
For an armchair general or manager, a truly fun game in the era when turn based strategy has all but disappeared. The game requires management of funding, personnel, time, and (most challenging) risk. For a space fan or a management program nerd, a real treat. That said, I do have 2 criticisms. 1) The game could use a little more animation (the vintage space race audio is cool and all, but this is the 21st century). 2) The game simulates the challenges of many real (and proposed) space missions. The game could easily be adapted (or expanded) to include the Skylab program, Apollo-Soyuz, or the early Space Shuttle missions (and the related challenges of those programs) that fall in the timeframe of the game.
Very fun game, I like how you race against the computer. I really hope the developers think about updating this and putting in like a race to build a moon base or even Mars and beyond! Lots of update potential to expand the game and keep your customer base playing! Would even buy expansions as an In game app purchase this is so addicting and fun to play!
I read reviews about this locking up, but I hoped after the update it would be better. It locks up during the tutorial at the part to select the X15 project. I think I'm done buying games this expensive, too much of a gamble, even though I would rather pay once and have no IAP. I'm just tired of bugs, patches that make more bugs, then the excuses. iPad Air 2 using iOS 8.
Period reviews recovered from Apple's customer-review feeds via the Wayback Machine.