Your airplane-mode game checklist

Nothing's worse than boarding a long flight, opening your carefully chosen game, and hitting a 'please connect to the internet' screen. Here's how to avoid that every single time.

Before you travel, flip your phone to airplane mode at home and open each game you plan to bring. If it loads straight to the menu and lets you start playing, it passes. If it hangs or shows an error, it stays behind.

Mix your genres. A long trip is more enjoyable with options: something quick like Coin Strike for restless moments, something deep like an RPG for the long haul, and a gentle puzzle for when you're half asleep.

Finally, check your storage and battery habits. Download everything the night before on Wi-Fi, charge fully, and dim the screen in flight. A graphically heavy racer will drain you fast, so save those for when you've got juice to spare.