Why we test every game in airplane mode

People ask why our list is smaller than other sites'. The answer is simple: we cut anything that can't survive airplane mode. If a game freezes without a connection, it doesn't belong on a site about offline play.

We've all been burned by a game that looked offline but secretly needed a server for something trivial. You board a plane, open it, and hit a spinning loading icon. That's the exact frustration we're trying to spare you.

The test is easy to run yourself. Turn off wifi and data, launch the game, and play through the core loop. If it works fully, great. If it nags you to reconnect, uninstall.

This rule also keeps our reviews honest. We can't recommend something we haven't actually confirmed works the way it claims. It's a small thing, but it's the whole reason this site exists.