Why You Can Trust CNET Amazon flies into mobile games with Air Patriots
The Kindle maker opens a new front in the app wars, launching its first-ever mobile game. Air Patriots is cleared for takeoff into both the Android and the iOS realms.
Amazon has kicked off its first mobile game, and one that can be played on both Android and iOS devices.
Taking to the skies today, Air Patriots lets you command a squad of planes by moving your finger around the screen. Drawing paths on the screen manuevers the planes to the right spots to defend your territory and battle the enemy.
You can outfit your fleet with 13 different types of planes. The game offers 28 levels and 7 different maps (the first 3 maps are free). The more victories you score, the more gears you collect, which can unlock more battlefields and airplanes. Rack up enough points, and Amazon says you can win a medal of honor on the rookie, pro, and veteran levels of each map to unlock even more challenges.
iOS users can download Air Patriots directly from the App Store. The game supports the Retina Display built into the latest iPhones and iPads.
Android users can grab it from Google Play. Amazon didn't indicate which Android devices the game supports, but it's not compatible with Google's Nexus 7.
Kindle Fire owners will find it on Amazon's Appstore. Users of Kindle tablets can also take advantage of Amazon's Whispersync technology to save the progress of the game in the cloud.
Air Patriots is designed by Amazon Game Studios, a unit set up by the retail giant in August to develop games. The studio's first effort was a Facebook game called Living Classics.
"When we created Air Patriots we wanted to make a game that was easy and engaging, and the simplicity of drawing paths for planes was something we thought would appeal to players," Ernie Ramirez, executive producer at Amazon Game Studios, said in a statement. "We think customers will find Air Patriots both familiar and fresh, with a degree of challenge that keeps them engaged and enthused to play more."