Mobile Phone Games World

Nokia have today released more information on the eagerly awaited N-Gage application. The expected release date is now set for November 2007 although some new N series phones will come prepackaged with a demo of the software.

Also announced today are details of phones that will initially be compatible with the N-Gage software and these are:

• Nokia N73
• Nokia N81
• Nokia N81 8GB
• Nokia N93
• Nokia N93i
• Nokia N95
• Nokia N95 8GB

To herald the new launch, the N-Gage website has also been redesigned.

Games that will initially be available are set to include:

• Hooked on: Creatures of the Deep
• Asphalt 3: Street rules
• Snakes Subsonic
• Mile High Pinball
• Brothers in Arms
• The Sims 2: Pets
• Midnight Pool 3D
• Pros Series Golf
• Space Impact Kappa Base
• Dogz
• World Series of poker
• ONE
• Block Breaker Deluxe
• Brain Challenge
• System Rush:evolution
• Bounce Boing Voyage

Nokia have announced today that a new range of games is to be produced by Mobile Phone Game developer, Digital Chocolate. Whilst there has been little news to excite existing N-Gage owners, this suggests that the Nokia bandwagon may be gearing up to deliver on their relaunch with a new model in the pipeline for later this year, in addition to the N-Gage software platform release that is due to roll out to existing and new N Series phones.

The games are expected to be released around Autumn time, and will be a selection of card and puzzle games, with built in networking and interactivity features.

Marketwatch hint at rumors that Appel are soon to enter the mobile phone market in China. Not much information, but Apple traditionally are innovators, and a new product from them should shake up the handset market.

Woemen are casual gamers, and as such love mobile phone games, so says a report produced by US firm Telephia.

Strategy and puzzels are what most appeal, with games such as Tetris and Bejeweled very popular.

So much for wanting modern cutting edge games then!

And ladies out there want to comment?

The new N Gage game that is not for the N Gage?

Nokia have announced a new all singing, all dancing fishing game and posted details on their N Gage portal, however it would appear that the game will not play on the N-gage!

Good news for all other N Series owners, but possibly the game that heralds the demise of the N-Gage…..

Other details are sketchy at the moment, basically lots of fish and some good looking graphics, but no expected release date.

Hutchison 3G UK have announced that their customers downloaded over 1 million music traks and videos over the last month, representing 17% of the music download market.

The 3.5 million customers that 3 have are spending an average of US$65.40 per month on communications, entertainment and information services.

The Philippines are considering a tax on SMS messages reports the Manila Standard although this may be linited to text based gaming and surveys.

This is on an estimated 165 million text messages sent each day by the 33 million mobile phone subscribers.

If there is a game that would seem perfect for a portable device, and by default, a mobile phone, then Civilization would be it.

And so it is good news that it is now released for the N-Gage, even though it is by now a very old game (over ten years since it was first released), the game play fits neatly onto the small screen. And as a strategy game you can pick it up and put it down as and when you have the time, without being confined to a PC or console.

The age of the original may make it more attractive to current game playing consumers who did not experience the original first time around, but like many ports to mobile phones, there is little, if anything new in this version.

Pocket Gamer is offering a free mobile game, skipping stone, if you sign up to a range of up to their news service. The game retails for £5, but they have up to the minute news on a wide range of portable games machines, including mobile phones.

And while you’re at it, check out this link, also featured on pocketgamer, to get free sonic goodies for your mobile phone.

Nokia have anounced their plans for their next generation mobile gaming platform. This includes both the developer tools and the consumer interfaces that will alow the purchase and management of mobile phone games, although new handsets are not expected until 2007.

in Nokias eyes this will help:

Strengthening Nokia’s games developer support within a common
framework for Nokia’s next generation mobile gaming will add impetus
to the growth of mobile gaming development, increase business
opportunities … and attract new developers to
Nokia’s mobile gaming ecosystem.

All in all it may lead to new games and new gaming features in handset, although these details are some way off.