Games for Managers

Sim City Deluxe
It has been more than two decades since Will Wright wowed the world with Sim City. A game in which you took over as Mayor and City Planner of a city and met challenges that varied from deciding whether to build shopping malls or hospitals to saving the city from crises like earthquakes and alien attacks.

Even now, Sim City remains as popular as ever. And it now also has a very good mobile avatar. The challenge remains very much the same: You have to build a city from scratch and make sure that it runs smoothly.

Because if you do not, the people will simply trickle out of your city, leaving you with nothing but a ghost town and a ‘Game Over’ sign. And, just like in real life projects, you will find that the money at your disposal is never quite enough.

Real Football Manager 2010
For most people, the manager of a football club is a figure who is seen hopping on the touchlines of a football match, shouting encouragement (and often abuse) to his players on the pitch. But the fact is that there is more to a football manager's life than just a lot of frothing at the mouth.

One has to work out tactics, decide what formation to play, negotiate deals with players and agents, manage and massage all those egos in the dressing room, keep an eye on the rival camp, oversee training, talk to the media, and make sure that you are on the right side of your club's chairman (and if not, keep a look out for a new job), among other things.

This game brings almost all of this to your handset. It would help if you know football, but even those who do not know the sport can have a blast with this game.

The Settlers
You and your friends set sail on a voyage of exploration and thanks to a storm, get stuck on an island. Having no other choice, you settle down and build your own world there. Unfortunately, there are no happily-ever-after scenarios here as the age-old problem of limited resources with alternative uses exists at its brilliant best (or worst, depending on your inclination) here. Decisions, decisions...and a few of them are easy ones. Remind you of work?

Age of Empires 3: The Asian Dynasties
The original Age of Empires launched a whole new era in the world of gaming on the PC, allowing the gamer to participate in and sometimes even manipulate historical events. Well, the third edition of the series has brought that experience to the handset and this variation of it with its stress on India, China and Japan, allow you to choose a nation and lead it to supremacy, once again marshaling resources skillfully and negotiating deals and treaties with rivals.

Air Traffic Controller 4.0
For those who prefer action to planning, this is definitely the game to play.  You play the role of an air traffic controller who is directing a number of aircraft to different locations, ensuring that each lands safely and of course, that they avoid each other.
You have to keep your eyes peeled at your cellphone’s screen, watching the progress of different aircraft in a host of weather conditions, and work out routes to ensure that they all reach safely. Strategic thinking on your toes never got better than this.