Nokia N-Gage
Before mobile phone
gaming became a world wide phenomenon, Nokia created the very first
mobile phone that was designed for gaming. It was aptly named the
“N-Gage” which allowed the user to play games, listen to music and
of course use the device as a phone.
Unfortunately the
market was not ready for this innovation and it fell by the wayside,
however Nokia have kept the dream going by revitalizing the N-Gage
market which now has a collection of games targeting a variety of
different mobile phones.
The best part of the N-Gage experience is
that users can download games for free in order try before they buy.
If you do like the game, you need to pay a small fee in order to
unlock the game and play the full version, however the costs are
quite minimal.
At present, there are a variety of different N-Gage games available
that include classics such as Tetris, World Series of Poker Pro
Challenge and Café Solitaire. Apart from the classics, the N-Gage
series also contains a variety of modern titles that include Star
Wars: The Force Unleashed, Dogz and even Fifa 09 which are
graphically quite impressive.
Gamers who love
first person shooters will be pleased to know that Ubisoft’s
Brothers in Arms is also available and for those that enjoy a round
of golf, what not try Pro Series Golf.
With a bright
future,
the N-Gage has some of the world’s most popular publishers producing
software for this platform which include Capcom, Electronic Arts,
Gameloft, Glu, THQ and Vivendi Games Mobiles, ensuring that you will
see a variety of your favourite games appearing and even new ones.
Currently, there are a variety of mobile phones which support the
N-Gage application which include the Nokia N79, Nokia N95, Nokia
N81, Nokia N95 8GB, Nokia N81 8GB, Nokia N96, Nokia N82, 5320
XpressMusic and the Nokia N85. In relation to compatibility, Nokia
are always expanding the N-Gage application and what mobile phones
they will run on.
We tested Fifa 09 on the N-Gage platform which had exceptional
graphics and played quite well on our Nokia mobile. Although the
gameplay has been subdued for the mobile market, the essence of the
soccer game is still there as are a variety of the maneuvers of this
game.
Unlike previous
games which displayed the game in portrait mode, the N-Gage platform
allows you to play games in landscape, ensuring more screen space
for your games. Fifa 09 was one of the these titles. With
exceptionally good graphics, Fifa 09 was complimented with realistic
sound effects that really assisted in immersing you into this
portable gaming platform.
Another game we tested was Asphalt 3: Street Rules which is similar
to the Need for Speed series and is a great car racing title.
Graphically, the title looks almost as good as the original
PlayStation. Asphalt 3: Street Rules had exceptional controls and
handling and is really great while you are waiting.
One of the
latest releases on the platform since this review is the One which
only costs $16AUD and is a brilliant fighting game that is
reminiscent of Tekken, Virtua Fighter and Dead or Alive.
In the One,
gamers challenge a variety of fighters from around the world in
order to become “The One”. With some of the best graphics that I
have seen on this system, realistic sound effects and a good control
system, this game is definitely recommended to fans of the fighting
genre. It also supports 2-players via Bluetooth.
My favourite aspect of the N-Gage is the N-Gage Arena which allows
you to play against players from around the world and even chat with
them through the system. The N-Gage Arena also keeps track of your
scores and achievements with the larger community which does give
this community a sense of ownership to the players. The N-Gage Arena
has a great user review system so if you are in doubt of a title,
log onto the arena and see what others have wrote.
Want more information? Why not log onto the official Nokia N-Gage
website at:
http://www.n-gage.com/ngi/ngage/web/au/en/home.html
In conclusion, the
N-Gage is definitely a very powerful gaming format for mobile phones
that will only get bigger and better. Why not give it a go!
