Mobile Games Hub

iGiki Games for iPhone: Don't Miss!

2007-10-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

GikiMinis

GikiMinis currently include Icer, iTrek Trial, Prison Break, iTouch, Avalanche, and Music Maker."Icer" challenges players to destroy a penguin's ice cream bombs before they hit home. "iTrek Trial" is a trial version of the full Giki game listed above. "Prison Break" depicts convicts running wild as players try to bring down the outlaws before they take aim. "iTouch" is a game of speed, endurance, and aptitude that charges players with tapping the center of a target as fast as possible. "Avalanche" forces players to dodge folling cubes by bursting them in colored sets or risk being battered. "Music Maker" enables users to play the drums on an iPhone.

GikiPods

GikiPods consist of "Bobble Heads," "UnCartoons," "Digital Tips," "He Man Food," and "Jokes.""Bobble Heads" enable users to view photos as well as the history of some of America's "best bobble heads." "UnCartoons" is a collection of cartoon art, and "Digital Tips" offer advice on various topics. "Jokes" promise laughs beyond the "UnCartoons" GikiPod.

Free Download: World championship Pool 2007

2007-09-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

We're all for pub games becoming professional sports, what with darts, pool and even table football spawning global competitions.It's only a matter of time before the Olympics accepts 'drinking seven pints of cider before putting AC/DC on the jukebox and headbanging yourself unconscious' as a sport. And when it does, we'll be ready. Oh yes.Sadly, our patchy pool skills are strictly amateur-grade.

Happily, however, I-play's World Championship Pool 2007 makes it possible for us to mix it with the professional potters, although since pro pool is only big on the other side of the Atlantic, we're not exactly well-versed in who they are.Still, the game lets you play three flavours of pool: 9-ball, 8-ball UK and 8-ball US. A 3D version is coming out soon (we'll review that separately), so this is the viewed-from-above 2D version, which keeps the graphics simple, and offers up quick-fire gameplay instead.You start by picking a player, with each rated in power, spin and accuracy, so your choice does affect the gameplay.

The controls are simple: moving left and right aims your shot (with a sight-line, naturally), before a press of the '5' key brings up a bar to set the power.You can add spin by pressing '#' before making the shot, too, or change your cue angle by pressing '*' (or combine the two for the sort of swerve-tastic shots that'd earn you a week's free drinks on the house in your local pub).The thing we like about World Championship Pool 2007 is that it's not too hard. The pockets seem larger than most mobile pool or snooker games we've played, so sinking balls isn't the frustrating holy grail we've seen elsewhere.

The balls clack around the table with a fair degree of realism, too, and the cushions, thankfully, aren't super-springy – another failing we've seen on some mobile pool games.So it's accessible, but it also offers reasonable depth. Championship mode sees you trying to win a tournament in one of the three pool varieties, while Arcade mixes up standard matches with trick shots and challenges to truly test your skills.Quibbles? Well, it'd be nice to be able to create your own pool player with your name and preferred mix of abilities. And the Championship mode falls a bit flat when you win, with just a congratulatory message before sending you back to the menu screen.Also, with pool suiting turn-based pass-the-handset play, it's surprising that there's no multiplayer option (although to be honest, if it was a case of space, we'd rather have decent physics).

We're still big fans of Gameloft's Midnight Pool, which has been out for a while now but just edges World Championship Pool 2007 for pick-up-and-play fun. However, that shouldn't put you off I-play's very decent title – the only thing we'd mention is that if you've got a decent handset, you might want to wait for the all-singing 3D version due in a few weeks' time."

Free Download here>> Download

Game Review: BlackJack Master

2007-09-14T03:11:00.000-07:00

Do you like hazard, casinos, cards? Play Blackjack, one of the most popular casino games, in the game 'Blackjack Master'. Your task is to win casino chips (the more, the better). The dealer will try make it more difficult. You can play Blackjack at one of two tables. It depends just on you and your taste what table you will choose.

Screenshots of BlackJack Master

Available for:

LG
Motorola
Nokia
Panasonic
Sagem
Samsung
Siemens
SonyEricsson

Handmark to Distribute Top-Selling Casual Mobile Games From I-play

2007-09-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

The Fast and The Furious and Jewel Quest immediately available though Handmark global distribution channels

Handmark, a global leader in the development and distribution of mobile media, and I-play™, the mobile entertainment company, today announced a strategic distribution agreement under which Handmark will distribute I-play’s most successful casual titles for BlackBerry devices through its global distribution channels.

The titles Handmark will be distributing under the agreement include The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo™, from the best selling mobile racing franchise which has topped 8 million downloads and Jewel Quest, the mobile editions of the award-winning online match game that has achieved more than 40 million downloads since its 2004 debut. Other titles to be distributed under the agreement include:

3d Pool: High Roller, from I-play’s million seller Pool franchise

Mahjong Quest™, the best selling mind-bending puzzler from iWin

My Dog, the casual title described by industry critics as having ‘enough variation to keep owners returning to their four-legged-friends time and time again’

Pillowfight, the only mobile game to feature gorgeous gals battling each other with pillows!

Handmark offers unique distribution through U.S. mobile operators, including on-device client and web portals, as well as both Handmark and operator branded desktop and on-device stores. Handmark distribution also includes on-device and web-based e-stores in Europe through relationships with major device manufacturers.

“I-play is pleased to work with Handmark and to be reaching the audience of BlackBerry users with our market leading casual oriented games,” said I-play’s CEO, David Gosen. “Our simple to play, difficult to master game development philosophy is a perfect fit for gaming on the BlackBerry device.”

“We are focused on building a robust portfolio focused on the very best mobile content for our customers and partners around the world,” said Douglas Edwards, Handmark co-founder and chief marketing officer. “I-play is a respected and well-known mobile entertainment creator that continues to develop top-quality titles and its products are a great addition to our catalogues.”

GSMFuns – first million!

2007-09-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

On August 30, 2007, the number of GSMFuns system visitors exceeded one million!

At the present moment, GSMFuns is the most popular platform for mobile communication on the territory of CIS. Services based on this system – it is more than 100 thousand of registered users, it is more than 200 thousand of personal photos and 20 thousand of videos, added by users, it is a millions of personal messages and thousands of different subjects in public and private forums… it is one of the most modern, high-tech and comfortable ways of communication with the help of mobile phone.

GSMFuns mobile community allows dozens thousands of people to resolve their problems and realize their interests… it allows to date, communicate, discuss interesting subjects and share different opinions, providing lots of tools and means for this point – like, personal photo and video albums, audio collections, public and private chats, thematic conferences and personal messaging. All these features help to disclose 200 % of modern phones functions.

GSMFuns system is a prototype of mobile community of the future – flexible, hi-tech, reliable, and, of course – successful, this is demonstrated by record traffic volumes, generated by the system, and by millions of files added by it’s users.

Million of visitors is not a main target for such system.

It’s just a good beginning.

Short description of GSMFuns system services:

Social network with ability of friends circle creation, personal photos and videos exchange, ability of personal communication from WAP-version of the site and from computer;
Public and personal photo and video albums with ability of downloading from computer, WAP and via MMS;
Melodies editor, allowing to make melody from the mp3-file and download it to the phone in mp3, amr, mmf or wav format;
Automatic saving of personal data of the phone, including contacts, tasks, notes, calendar, with ability of its restoring in case of phone loss;
System of user’s personal ratings, depending on their activity on the server;
Function of personal audio blogs creation and publication;
Personal catalogues of wap-bookmarks, with ability to comment, discuss, and to create the rating of the best links;
Chat and Forums, in which user can communicate as from mobile phone, so from computer;
Catalogue of news groups (RSS channels), including more than 80 sources of high-quality news selected by our administrators, with ability of adding personal groups by users and formation of personal catalogue of news.
Mobile tourism service, working with online hot tours dada bases of popular agencies, and allowing to choose not only place for the rest, but also to find partners for the rest among GSMFuns users.

Hudson Entertainment Brings Blitz: The League to Mobile

2007-09-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hard-Hitting Football Game Rushes onto Your Cellphone

Hudson Entertainment today announced that it has obtained a license from Midway to bring the hard-hitting football videogame Blitz: The League to mobile phones. The title is expected to launch on both Brew and Java platforms in the North American market in fall 2007. The original game's success helped to create a whole new subgenre of action sports titles. To date, Midway's Blitz: The League franchise has sold more than 1.4 million units worldwide.

"With its no-holds-barred, anything goes gameplay, Blitz: The League is an innovative alternative to the typical football simulation gaming experience," said John Greiner, President and CEO of Hudson Entertainment. "Due to its success, we thought it was high time to bring the action to mobile, and we've done so with stunning results."

About Blitz: The League

Blitz: The League features a powerful story mode that, for the first time ever in a football video game, explores the lifestyle and drama found in professional football. Players take the helm of a downtrodden football franchise and retool the players and coaching staff in a quest to guide them to the league championship. Blitz: The League also features Hall-of-Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor as Quentin Sands.

Blitz: The League Features:

7 on 7 football action - fast paced bone crunching gameplay

OVER THE TOP animations for sacks, touchdowns, and first downs

Dozen of unique plays, many specific to each team

Play through a whole season - 12 games in all

ROWDY audio for on field action, and crowd noise

12 unique teams - Each team has their own strengths and weaknesses

Manage your team - Upgrade your equipment, study your opponents weaknesses, build the ultimate team

Coach feedback from Hall of Fame linebacker, Lawrence Taylor, preps you for next game!

TAKE F-U-N ANYWHERE WITH SCRABBLE FROM EA MOBILE

2007-09-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

Classic Board Game Now Available on Mobile Phones with Exciting New Features – Play Solo or Against a Friend

Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that America’s favorite word game, SCRABBLE®, is now available for download on mobile phones in North America and Europe. The EA Mobile™ version of SCRABBLE, under license for the U.S. and Canada from Hasbro, Inc., brings the classic board game to life by allowing consumers to choose their level of play and includes a built-in word list, dynamic animations, and scrolling and full-board views. With three different game modes, gamers can play alone, test their word wits against the game’s built-in computer, or enjoy pass-and-play with a friend.

With fun new features, SCRABBLE for mobile phones appeals to both wordplay enthusiasts and casual gamers. Intuitive, simple controls make it easy to choose tiles, form words and see the whole board. Flexible game options allow for quick games and challenges suitable for all skill levels. New users can have fun learning the game; while SCRABBLE veterans can customize the rules to fit their style of play. Players can track statistics like best game, best single word and best turn, and then go online to see how they rank against other mobile SCRABBLE players. Additionally, when facing a word challenge, players can easily consult the official, built-in SCRABBLE dictionary.

"SCRABBLE is one of the world's most recognized board games and is a great compliment to our top-selling casual games," said Travis Boatman, VP Worldwide Studios at EA Mobile. "This new mobile version of SCRABBLE lets players choose from three fun game modes - short quick-play for a fast SCRABBLE fix, pass-and-play with a friend, or play against the computer's dictionary for the ultimate vocabulary challenge."

Two Konami Mobile Games Receive 2007 National Parenting Publications Awards For Excellence

2007-09-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. announced today that two of its mobile games, Professor Fizzwizzle and Frogger 25th, have received gold National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) from Parenthood.com and United Parenting Publications. The Software/Video Games category attracted 79 entrants, with 19 winning awards, and only 7 receiving Gold status.

As a result of these award wins, Professor Fizzwizzle and Frogger 25th will now be included in the NAPPA holiday gift guide stories in more than 35 top regional parenting publications nationwide. "The mobile game market can be confusing for parents who are looking for family-friendly content they can trust," said Joe Morris, vice president of mobile content, Konami. "Konami Mobile is very proud to receive two gold status NAPPA from independent judges who are experts in identifying products that are innovative, age appropriate and of exceptional and lasting educational and entertainment value."

Konami Mobile plans to continue to develop family-friendly titles throughout 2007, working towards additional award wins in 2008. One such title, Fruit Fall, a simple yet absorbing puzzle game that can be enjoyed by players of all ages, is now available for download. About Professor Fizzwizzle Professor Fizzwizzle needs help finding his way back to his lab. Players will take control of the diminutive genius and use his brains and gadgets to solve each level in this mind-expanding puzzle game. Three modes of game play provide hours of on-the-go enjoyment across 30 fast-paced levels.

Professor Fizzwizzle is now available for the mobile platform on most major carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Networks. For more information, please visit www.konamimobile.com.

About Frogger 25th Frogger 25th is two games in one, as players choose between classic or evolution game play. In the new evolution edition, enhanced graphics and multiple versions of the Frogger franchise are featured. With each level of the game, Frogger relives his life as a video game icon. Players will start at the original Firefly Swamp and hop through level after level from Frogger's past, ultimately getting to never-before-seen stages.

Frogger 25th is now available for the mobile platform on most major carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Networks.

Google Phone: Get Ready for G-ame

2007-09-07T03:06:00.000-07:00

Google Mobile Phones Coming (G Phone)

Google has been lobbying the U.S. government for changes in wireless policy. While it did not achieve as much as it wanted in the planning for the upcoming 700 Mhz spectrum auction in January, it did push for the fact that consum ers in the U.S. can buy any phone and use it on any carrier in the future. Meaning, that when the Gphone does drop, most likely you'll be albe to use it on any carrier you please.

The Googlephone will most likely be 3G as well, which means video conferencing, yea you can't do that with the iPhone. For you iPhones users though, would this be enough to make you switch?The Observer of London is reporting that Google might be working with HTC and mobile/telecom giant Orange to build a Google Mobile Phone, which could possibly have Google software inside the device, and would be able to do many of the web tasks smartly. The device, article speculates, could go on sale in 2008. (Of course, we would all have forgotten by then… if it doesn't happen.) Orange and Google, both declined to comment.

Their plans centre on a branded Google phone, which would probably also carry Orange's logo. The device would not be revolutionary: manufactured by HTC, a Taiwanese firm specialising in smart phones and Personal Data Assistants (PDAs), it might have a screen similar to a video iPod. But it would have built-in Google software which would dramatically improve on the slow and cumbersome experience of surfing the web from a mobile handset

Please leave your comments on these lovely hand-held...

Glu Mobile and SEGA extend partnership

2007-09-06T23:50:00.000-07:00

Sonic, Golden Compass and more coming to Euro handsets

Mobile games publisher Glu Mobile announced today that it is extending its deal with SEGA Europe to publish games on mobile phones in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The multi-title deal will bring Sonic Golf 2D, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, film licence The Golden Compass and SEGA Rally to mobile phones, amongst others.

SEGA and Glu have already enjoyed a two-year association that has seen the original Sonic The Hedgehog claim the number one position in ELPSA's UK mobile games download chart.

Jill Braff, senior vice president of global publishing at Glu, said: “SEGA is renowned for quality, engaging game play, and we’re pleased to extend our relationship to bring more of these world-class games to mobile consumers."

Nokia: A new world of mobile gaming

2007-09-06T23:44:00.000-07:00

Nokia is trying to save the mobile games industry again. Four years ago the company launched its N-Gage gaming phone which failed because it was too expensive, didn't have enough games and was shaped like those bowls nurses hand you to throw up in.

Last week, alongside a high-profile move into music downloads, Nokia revealed plans for an N-Gage-branded mobile game download service, available to users of the company's latest handsets.
At the moment, most would-be players use their network carrier's game portals, but these offer a limited roster of recommended titles, with spaces on the list bought by game publishers. It's been tricky to get back-catalogue goodies.

N-Gage also allows users to try games before they buy them. In the past, all you had to go on was a game name and a screenshot - no wonder most only downloaded trusted classics such as Tetris. Perhaps now they'll experiment with a wider assortment of games.

Try before you buy is an idea borrowed from Xbox Live, and it's not the only cue taken from Microsoft: N-Gage adds a community element, allowing users to take part in online multiplayer tournaments as well as seeing when mates are online and what their best scores are. This is something mobile publishers have attempted in the past - especially in the US - but N-Gage is global, coherent and network-independent. These are all vital factors.

The N-Gage service will also allow gamers to download via PC and then sideload to their mobiles. Wi-Fi downloading straight to mobile is another option and both of these avoid another disincentive: data download prices. Network operators have woken up to this, either introducing "all you can eat" monthly tariffs or limiting the data charges to a certain daily amount. But nonetheless, we're instinctively averse to paying for delivery.

The industry is cautiously optimistic about the N-Gage resurrection. Network providers are no doubt concerned about losing status and revenue, but they'll have to adapt.

Stefan Labrunie of mobile games publisher I-Play sees N-Gage as part of a new era for the mobile industry, where traditional relationships between content providers, handset manufacturers and networks crumble. Out of this chaos, some good games might emerge. And we might even be able to find them.

Blades and Magic Review: A superb swords and sorcery swashbuckling saga

2007-09-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

Blades and Magic comes from the mighty 3D studio at Fishlabs and their Abyss Engine. This games engine has been used to great success in Galaxy on Fire and similar shoot 'em up DEEP. Blades and Magic may have the same tools in the trunk but this a totally different game and shows what can be achieved with mobile RPG games.

As you might expect, most RPG games of the 21st Century are going to borrow some plotlines from Lord Of The Rings. Here you play the role of Bryn, a brave young man from a small village. Travel the lands and learn new skills to defeat the evil power and his army of Orcs.

The game is predominantly 3D and all the fighting and cut scenes are shown in this form. The graphics are very good and the level of detail is fantastic. You can learn various sword or magic skills and these each have their own moves; defeating the enemy has its own victory kata and your character will change to show the new armour when equipped. It is all the little things that you gradually notice which helps to keep the game fresh.

Not that there is any problem in keeping your interest. The game is spread across 9 chapters and Fishlabs know just how to push the buttons for fans of the genre. The plot is engaging and has a whopping 10,000 words of dialogue. There are cut scenes to help the plot moving and there are plenty of side quests and challenges to discover and conquer. Being an RPG game, it is centred around Experience Points and trying to boos

t your character's levels and skills. There are a whole host of skills to learn and seeing the little greyed out symbols is all the encouragement you will need to continue and improve yourself.

The game is called Blades and Magic and as you may expect you can perform sword or magic attacks. You do need to make a decision fairly on if you wish to be a warrior or a sorcerer. The various weapon upgrades and skills are bias to one or the other and it is best to pick either the sword or the staff as your weapon of choice. Of course there is nothing stopping you from playing through again to see the other moves.

The difficulty level is all right and thanks to the save and autosave slots, you can keep returning until you defeat that pesky Orc. Battles are turn based and you can plan up to 5 moves in advance. Performing most moves requires endurance (for the blade) or mana (for the magic) and the bars are shown in corner next to your health bar. You also have the option of taking potions or casting scroll spells. The menu system is pretty straight forward although there is no undo option if you make a mistake and carry out the wrong move. The fights can be fairly tactical if you choose. Alternatively focus on a couple of skills and turn yourself into a badass - with limited moves.

Towards the end of the game your level will shoot up thanks to killing all the tough opponents. It's just a shame that as you gain some serious skills that the game seems to end a little quickly. Once good has conquered evil, the game ends but you are free to reload and roam around looking for fights. As with Final Fantasy, the map and travelling between locations plays a big part of the game. It is here that you will encounter the random and plot driven fights and this is how you will boost your skills. Blades and Magic is certainly one of the less restrictive games out there and it feels like there are more side quests than plot based quests.

The game claims to have between 6-10 hours of gameplay and that is probably about right. Do try and complete all the side quests and find all the unique items as you will be rewarded with a little cut scene at the closing credits when you complete the game.

Cobra Mobile goes PC: Mobile developer expands to cover PC and Mac

2007-09-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

Game developer Cobra Mobile took it's casual games to a whole new level today, with the launch of its dedicated games site, CobiMobi.com.

Launching with 2 original games titles, Cobi Treasure Deluxe and Numba, Cobimobi.com represents a major company, product & service expansion for Cobra, allowing the company to makes it's games available directly to the games playing public – worldwide - and making the company one of the first game publishers in Scotland.

The Cobimobi.com launch titles are both original new games designed and created by Cobra to appeal to a huge global audience. The arcade-style puzzle title Cobi Treasure is a homage to classic casual gaming with some great new features and game play built-in. Numba is a whole new gaming franchise and is one of the first ever true 'omni-platform' game experiences. Everything about the game from it's simple but addictive game mechanic to it's adaptable and intuitive control method means that the game is ideally suited for PC and Mobile platforms and far beyond.

"Creating your own PC-based casual games brands, website and distribution is not without its challenges for a small business, but we've managed it very well," says Mark Ettle the founder and studio manager of Cobra.

"We're very proud to have created games with such amazing potential and wide ranging universal appeal. We're delighted to be able to make them available directly to players all around the world."

Cobimobi.com is now live. Cobi Treasure Deluxe and Numba can both be downloaded entirely free of charge and played as trial versions for 45 minutes each. If the player decides they'd like the full version of the games they can unlock them for only £11.95 / $19.05 / €17.50 each, from directly within the game.

Free Demo of The Bourne Ultimatum Mobile Game

2007-09-05T03:07:00.000-07:00

This is how mobile games should be! This mobile game ties in with The Bourne Ultimatum movie, the third in the Bourne series starring Matt Damon.

The Bourne Ultimatum Mobile Game Screenshots

The graphics are smooth and the gameplay exciting. It's got hand to hand combat, gun play and motorcycles. what more can you ask for from a mobile game?

Check out a demo of the mobile game here:

http://www.thebourneultimatum-mobilegame.com/index_us.php#/demo/

Click here for a cool video promo of the Bourne Ultimatum mobile game:

http://www.thebourneultimatum-mobilegame.com/index_us.php#/videos/

40 Free Mobile Games

2007-09-04T00:16:00.000-07:00

I have some free games which can be accessed by a simple form at:

http://www.gamemobile.co.uk/games.htm and then you are sent over 40 free games which can be downloaded to your PC and installed via a USB or bluetooth connection to your phone.

These are legal free games. So, enjoy Free Gaming!

Mobile Games Downloads

2007-09-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

Mobile Games for Free:

Series 90 OS Software
Nokia 7650 Software
Nokia 3650 Software
SonyEricsson P800 Software
Siemens SX1 Software

Mobile Games Free downloads:

Nokia 9210 Software
WAP Software
Graphics Software
Ringtone Software
Phone & Modem Manuals (New and Updated!)

Mobile Games Downloads:

ScreenSavers & Wallpaper
SMS Message Software
SIM and Phonebook Editors
Software for Nokia 9xxx
Mac Software

Mobile Games Software, Mobile Games Reviews:

PalmPilot Phone Software
Psion EPOC Software
Data Suites (Nokia, Samsung)
Download paper on "Cell Phones and Cancer?"
Communications, Bluetooth & Mobile Data Software

Governator 2 Review: It's not Robocop vs Predator

2007-09-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's not Robocop vs. Predator, but it sure looked that way to me when I saw the title pic. And seeing as I never played Governator 1 I assumed it was so good that they had to make a sequel. How wrong I was.

I guess this is just an action game at heart. Run around, shoot some things and keep ducking to avoid the oncoming enemy fire. Well, a lot of games are like this and some are well presented and fun to play. This is the former but unfortunately isn't the latter.

The graphics are a very standard 2D and maybe the developers were trying to cash in on the Metal Slug action, because they have that distinctive look about them. Except that they aren't as detailed. Color and backgrounds are nice; music is just a simple tune.

What then is the problem? Well, I'll tell you, it's a distinct lack of speed. If you watch the animated gif (by clicking on the link below the pic) then you will see the game in the speed it should be played. My game played nowhere near this speed.

Even when using the keypad, while decidedly better than the speed of using the joystick (why oh why is the speed of the character when using the stick akin to a giant slug in metal. Sorry, couldn't resist) it is still unfathomably slow. Oh, and you can only shoot in one direction and when you are standing. Not jumping, crouching or moving, just standing (even though there are enemies above you and ones who also crouch!!).

This doesn't help near the end of the levels where you face a boss or multiple enemies. In either case the game requires you to move quickly, duck quickly and shoot quickly. I could only manage the last one and got quite frustrated at not being able to do the first two. In fact, speaking of two, I didn't get past level 2 of this game and I consider myself one of the best mobile phone game reviewers in the UK!! No mean feat considering there are 5 of us and one of us is rubbish.

So I thought about giving this the wooden spoon but I couldn't do it as I hope that there's a great game underneath all the bamf, someone please just tell me how to play it. I'm sure that the developers put a lot of effort into making this, but I'm guessing it was never beta tested thoroughly which is why it got the score it did. And on the score, just to note that it is the lowest score we've given to a game for a long long time.

Latest Burnout Review - Highly addictive car game

2007-09-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

There are two versions of Burnout. The one for the high end handsets with the graphics that you can see above, and the slightly less graphically detailed one for the mid range handsets.

We got our hands on a copy of the latter, but believe me, it doesn't disappoint.As someone who's been in a few car crashes, I didn't think this game would appeal to me. But then, I never got around to the console version so I didn't realise what kind of addictive fun smashing everything up in your path can be.

For those unitiated, Burnout is a car game where the objective is to cause carnage and mayhem. These tasks have slightly different objectives. In some you have to cause your opponent or civilian cars to crash a number of times, others you have to ensure you hold the centre position by fending off your opponents driving, and in the harder challenges, you have to just survive for as long as you can.

Each of the challenges are fairly quick, with none lasting over a minute. This makes for some great replay value, especially in the World Tour mode. You see there are two modes, a quick race and World Tour mode. In World Tour mode you get to unlock two new cars as you complete the challenges.

There are 3 different stages in this mode and you unlock levels as you go along, with 18 in total.For each level you get a score which can be up to 5 stars as well as a medal. If you get the gold medals, it's usually because your driving will have earned you 5 stars. You also get assigned a level which changes as you progress.

I'm currently classed as Dominator!Controls are simple, use the stick or pad. There are some items to collect which will repair your car and you can access a speed boost by pressing the main button or 5. I found the speed of the game and the controls really good, you definitely get a sense of speed when driving.Animation is really decent too.

The graphics in the version I played are not amazing but are reasonable enough to make the game enjoyable. More than that, the animation of the crashes and collisions are great, you can see sparks fly as your car scrapes against the sidewalks and watch cars flip over and over as you push them off the road.

The explosions are pretty decent too.Instructions were a little thin on the ground and while the game is pretty straightforward to pick up, I never figured out the difference between a takedown and a plain crash against the side of the road. Neither did I figure out where my energy bar was or where my opponents was.

I thought mine was the big flame thing in the bottom left corner but this didn't correspond to incidents where the game said my energy was low. Still, the game was great fun to play. The short levels made it really addictive and I was playing for hours trying to get those gold stars when I should have been focussing on reviewing other games.

If you like quick driving games with a lot of mayhem, this is definitely for you!

I-play bringing it to BlackBerry

2007-09-02T07:08:00.000-07:00

The titles Handmark will be distributing under the agreement include The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo, from the best selling mobile racing franchise which has topped 8 million downloads and Jewel Quest, the mobile editions of the award-winning online match game that has achieved more than 40 million downloads since its 2004 debut. Other titles to be distributed under the agreement include:

* 3d Pool: High Roller, from I-play’s million seller Pool franchise
* Mahjong Quest, the best selling mind-bending puzzler from iWin
* My Dog, the casual title described by industry critics as having 'enough variation to keep owners returning to their four-legged-friends time and time again'
* Pillowfight, the only mobile game to feature gorgeous gals battling each other with pillows!

"I-play is pleased to work with Handmark and to be reaching the audience of BlackBerry users with our market leading casual oriented games," said I-play's CEO, David Gosen. "Our simple to play, difficult to master game development philosophy is a perfect fit for gaming on the BlackBerry device."

"We are focused on building a robust portfolio focused on the very best mobile content for our customers and partners around the world," said Douglas Edwards, Handmark co-founder and chief marketing officer. "I-play is a respected and well-known mobile entertainment creator that continues to develop top-quality titles and its products are a great addition to our catalogues."

Mobile Phone Games Resources

2007-08-31T06:22:00.000-07:00

The latest mobile phones. See below for links to the latest mobile phones and normally we should have mobile phone games for these phones.

GamesIndustry.biz

The Games Industry's leading news source

CGS establishes 'official' cities

The Championship Gaming Series has decided upon London and Birmingham as the official UK cities that will host teams for its upcoming competitions.

Media Awards finalists announced
The nominations for this year's Games Media Awards have been revealed, with almost all the specialist print categories completely dominated by Future or Imagine titles.

Games not linked to Virginia Tech shootings
The tragic massacre at Virginia Tech in April this year has, according to the official report filed by the Virginia governor's office, no link at all to videogames.

Activision to distribute Scholastic Media games
Scholastic Media has announced an agreement that will see Activision Publishing distribute the company's DS games in North America

Vista update should address gaming issue
Microsoft has announced that it plans to release the first major update to its Windows Vista operating system early next year

GCAC announces speaker line-up
Organisers of the first GC Asia Conference have announced a line-up of over 60 speakers with more than 50 sessions

Women in Games conference to follow Austin GDC
Women in Games International has announced that its next conference will be held in Austin, Texas in conjunction with the Austin GDC

Dutch would allow Manhunt 2 release
Manhunt 2, effectively banned in the UK and other European countries, would be allowed on shelves in Holland, but only if Rockstar decided to go ahead and publish the game in Europe

GDC Lyon calls for papers
A call for papers has been issued from the organisers of this year's Game Developers Conference event taking place for the first time in Lyon.

Kwari to launch cash-based online gaming portal
Games publisher Kwari has announced that it is to launch a new online multiplayer gaming service that will allow users to compete for cash.

Halo 3 goes gold
One of the most-hyped games to date, Halo 3, is now officially finished, and the gold master has been released to manufacturing.

10Tacle revenues up 50%
10Tacle Studios has announced a revenue increase of EUR 19.4 million (USD 26.4 million) in the first six months of this fiscal year.

Game Connection discount ends tomorrow
The early bird discount for this year's Game Connection event in Lyon is due to close tomorrow, marking the end of availability for the EUR 350 savings for exhibitors, and the EUR 50 savings for other visitors.

Wii sales top 1 million in UK
The Nintendo Wii has become the UK's fastest-selling home console in history, with 1 million units sold in 38 weeks.

Family Guy adds to US XBL video service
Microsoft is looking to capitalise on the hype surrounding the Halo 3 launch by signing a deal with 20th Century Fox to publish the first two seasons of Family Guy on the Xbox Live platform.

Logitech to create Wiimote rival?

Australia charts: Bioshock enters at #1
GfK Australia has released sales data for the week of August 20-26, with Bioshock making its chart debut in the top position

SingStar Pop bundle coming to North America
SCEA has announced plans for a limited edition ceramic white PlayStation 2 bundled with SingStar Pop

Trilogy Studios completes $3.2 million funding
Trilogy Studios has announced the completion of its second round of independent equity funding totaling USD 3.2 million

Commodore Gaming opens North America HQ
Commodore Gaming has announced the opening of a new North American headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut

iPhone games: Battlefleet

2007-08-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

“You sunk my battleship!”

Everyone is probably familiar with the Battleships game, and a new game for the iPhone, Battlefleet, mimics that environment, and quite well too.

The game puts you in control of a fleet against a computer controlled opponent in the ages old quest to dominate the seas, save your sailors, and drown your enemy’s ships. This iPhone-optimized web game is fast paced, easy to play, and features fairly impressive graphics.

The Ten Best Mobile Games of 2007 (so far)

2007-08-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

So, 2007, eh? It's been a good year so far. Well, apart from the weather. And England's sporting performances. And TV companies ripping us viewers off so much we're practically nostalgic about the days of Crazy Frog stealth ringtone subscriptions.

Okay, so in some respects it's not been a great year.

But it has been for mobile games! And to prove it, we've rounded up our ten favourite titles from the first half of 2007, representing a snapshot of the best that your mobile has to offer.We haven't just ranked our reviews in descending score order and picked the top ten, though. Instead, we've considered aspects like how well they've stayed the distance since their original release. Read on for our Top Ten, but feel free to rubbish our list in favour of your own favourites by posting a comment...

World Series of Poker: Pro Challenge

Developer: Glu Mobile

Publisher: Glu Mobile
Take on the stars of the poker world in this game, which eschews the usual 'six players round a table' format in favour of face-to-face duels. It's slickly designed, with some neat features including a Tilt meter, which fills up as you win hands, and forces your opponent to play like an idiot when it reaches the top. The Career mode delivers bags of depth, and the AI is top-notch, providing poker buffs with a long-lasting and rewarding challenge.

Townsmen 4

Developer: HandyGames

Publisher: HandyGames
There aren't enough truly great strategy games for mobile, but HandyGames' Townsmen series has always provided the goods. Townsmen 4 is the best version yet. It's still a town-building game in the vein of Civilization or Settlers, with lovely stylised isometric graphics and a deep mission mode to keep your interest up. Balancing your resource levels is a tough task, but if you want a mobile game that truly taxes your brain, look no further.

Resident Evil: The Missions (3D)

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom
If you've got a decent 3D-capable handset and relish the thought of things that go bump in the night, Resident Evil: The Missions is a must-buy. It has you playing Jill Valentine as she works through heaps of objective-focused missions, most of which involve dealing death to pesky zombies. Each stage lasts a few minutes, making them perfect for dip-in/dip-out mobile play. Meanwhile, the controls are actually better than the famously quirky console versions.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07

Developer: IUGO

Publisher: EA Mobile
Tiger's latest mobile outing is polished from start to finish, not least because it's a great mobile golf game, as opposed to a great console game squeezed unhappily into a phone. The whizzy 3D version has just one course, but it's a lush-looking Pebble Beach. Most impressive are the one-thumb controls, though, enabling you to blast through a round in minutes. Just the game to help you get in the mobile swing of things.

Championship Manager 2007

Developer: Dynamo Games

Publisher: Eidos Mobile
When you think about the games that should work well on mobile, sprawling stat-heavy football management titles probably aren't high on the list. But the latest mobile Champ Man proves the doubters wrong by being a hugely playable and accessible mobile game, while packing in as much depth and number-crunching as possible for fans of the PC version. Take control of a Premier League club and work your magic in the transfer market, on the training ground, and most importantly, on the pitch.

The Fast and The Furious Fugitive (3D)

Developer: Firemint

Publisher: I-play
We haven't always been big fans of I-play's The Fast and The Furious racing games – especially the 2D versions – but this latest 3D incarnation is absolutely spiffing. You play a disgruntled cop on the run across America, with each location you visit having a mixture of pure races and missions, before a final bit where you outrun the police to the nearest border. Ace graphics, smooth handling, and accessible controls make this a top-notch mobile racer.

Real Football 2007 (3D)

Developer: Gameloft

Publisher: Gameloft
It's not long until Real Football 2008 comes out, but this version will do for now. And how. It's a fully 3D football game that just pips the excellentFIFA 07 to the title of 'best current mobile footy game'. It's only out for high-end phones, but lets you string together super-slick passing moves, offers a choice of camera angles, and has some fantastic presentational tricks, with replays and cutaways to celebrating managers. It's got sparkle, panache, and enables you to give Chelsea a good tonking on demand. What more can you ask for?

Pyramid Bloxx

Developer: Digital Chocolate

Publisher: Digital Chocolate
We're still playing DChoc's Tower Bloxx nearly two years after it originally came out, so we were plenty excited about the follow-up. Thankfully, Pyramid Bloxx is just as good, if not better. The one-button gameplay involves chucking stones from worker to worker using the '5' key, and the better you do, the better your pyramid. There's monkeys and donkeys helping for comic effect, and a finely-tuned scoring system that'll keep you playing for months.

Chuzzle Mobile

Developer: PopCap Games

Publisher: PopCap Games
Furballs. When your cat's boking them all over the floor, they're not good. When they're in a stellar mobile puzzler, they're ace. Chuzzle was PopCap's first in-house mobile game, and it's a corker. You slide rows and columns of furry Chuzzles back and forth to make matches of three or more, with combos scoring you extra points, while the appearance of Super Chuzzles and Rainbow Chuzzles mixes up the gameplay even more. Fearsomely addictive stuff.

Playman Extreme Running

Developer: Mr. Goodliving

Publisher: RealArcade
If we had to put our hand on heart and state the mobile game that's most impressed us so far this year, it'd be Playman Extreme Running. The parkour platformer has you running, jumping and somersaulting around a selection of city locations, trying to score points, collect flags and/or beat rivals to your goal. It's genius not only because of the simple controls and fluid animation, but also as a result of the carefully crafted progression that sees you unlocking levels easily and then coming back to refine your scores. Every mobile user should have this game on their phone.

Nokia Announces Vivendi Games Mobile's Popular Crash Bandicoot Franchise for N-Gage

2007-08-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

ESPOO, Finland, August 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nokia , the world leader in mobile communications, announced today that they are teaming up with Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, to bring the legendary Crash Bandicoot (R) franchise to Nokia's new N-Gage mobile gaming platform launching this fall.

"Vivendi Games Mobile is one of the most respected publishers in mobile gaming," said Gregg Sauter, Nokia's director of third party publishing. "Crash Bandicoot is a gaming icon as well as a global powerhouse, having sold more than 33 million units worldwide. With its fun appeal to people of all ages and incredible graphics, the Crash Bandicoot franchise is the perfect fit for N-Gage."

"We are excited to offer Nokia customers the opportunity to enter the thrilling world of Crash Bandicoot and play a number of award winning titles from the popular Crash(R) franchise," said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile. "We look forward to working with Nokia to offer entertaining, innovative mobile games that tap into the performance and innovation of the N-Gage application and Nokia's mobile devices."

Crash Bandicoot follows the original storyline where the crazy marsupial must save the world. Jam-packed with action and comedy, the player must take on the role of Crash to defeat the game's villain and mad scientist, Dr. Neo Cortex. More information about the Crash franchise can be found at the official Crash Bandicoot Web site at http://www.crashbandicoot.com

About N-Gage

N-Gage is a made-for-mobile games service available in compatible Nokia Nseries and other S60 3rd Edition devices from Nokia. N-Gage makes it easy to find, try, buy, play and manage high-quality mobile games as well as connect to friends and other players in the N-Gage Arena, Nokia's mobile gaming community. Nokia is working with the world's leading publishers to deliver a broad portfolio of games. http://www.n-gage.com

About Nokia

Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services for communications networks.

About Vivendi Games Mobile

Vivendi Games Mobile (http://www.vgmobile.com/), a division of Vivendi Games, creates and publishes quality titles for the mobile games market. The division runs a global business, with its headquarters, operations and an internal development team in Paris, a US-based team in Los Angeles and its Centerscore studio in San Mateo, California. The company publishes games based on original IP, popular entertainment licenses and classic Sierra Entertainment IP, which are distributed by more than 90 operators and dozens of Web portals in 60 countries around the world.

Calling All Puzzle Fanatics: Bring Out Your Inner Inventor with "The Incredible Machine" for Mobile

2007-08-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

Vivendi Games Mobile Supports Launch with Interactive Video Targeting Super Moms

Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced it is bringing the classic brain teaser The Incredible MachineT to mobile subscribers worldwide. The mobile version of the game is based on Sierra Entertainment's original PC title and is now available for phones in North America and Europe.

To coincide with the launch of the game, Vivendi Games Mobile will debut an interactive video featuring Farah McDaring, a new superheroine who demonstrates true brainpower and a well-stocked designer purse. Farah uses ordinary objects she plucks from inside her purse to save her family from the obstacles of everyday life. The video challenges Farah's fans to help her foil a robbery by solving a challenging brain teaser with little time to spare. Super moms and women of all ages can join Farah's adventures at www.incrediblemachinepresents.com.

"The Incredible Machine is a perfect example of a fun, yet challenging casual game that appeals to consumers of all ages and demographics," said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile. "The game's retro charm is a great fit with our latest video campaign starring the new fictional super mom, Farah McDaring. Fans of famous female superheroes like Wonder Woman and the Bionic Woman are sure to enjoy the adventures of Farah, as well as the ultimate test of mind over matter, in this brain-bending puzzle, The Incredible Machine."
Based on Sierra Entertainment's hit PC game franchise from the 1990s, The Incredible Machine is a favorite of puzzle game enthusiasts everywhere.

The objective of the game is to solve up to 80 distinct "real world object" puzzles requiring the construction of a "Rube Goldberg" contraption, using more than 60 different objects such as ropes, pulleys, balloons and other props arranged in the proper sequence to achieve the mandated task. Consisting of 60 brain-teasing levels and 20 bonus levels to unlock, The Incredible Machine features real-time physics and rich, colorful animation bringing to life the game's truly "Incredible Machines."

I-play to Bring Casual Games to N-Gage Platform

2007-08-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

Nokia today revealed that I-play, the mobile entertainment company, will be delivering a line-up of casual games to the N-Gage platform launching this fall. The first two titles to be introduced in 2008 include, World Rally Championship, the official license of the FIA WRC, and Super Mah Jong, an epic tale based on the ancient spiritual game Mah Jong, from the makers of Jewel Quest™.

“I-play brings a diverse games portfolio to N-Gage, and we’re excited to have them on board,” said Gregg Sauter, Director, 3rd Party Publishing, Nokia. “The N-Gage toolset provides the opportunity to deliver new features and richer experiences to consumers through I-play’s strong portfolio of content. We look forward to this cooperation.”

David Gosen, CEO, I-play commented: “We’re very excited to be cooperating with Nokia. The awareness that the launch later this fall alone will bring to the consumer and the mobile industry will help propel mobile gaming to the front and centre of entertainment consumed on the mobile.”

I-play’s portfolio for the N-Gage platform will focus on casual, ‘one-thumb’ games for the mass market. These games will include prestigious licenses, like the World Rally Championship, which have I-play’s casual development philosophy at their core. I-play games provide an easy to play, difficult to master ‘dip in and dip out’ playability, with a focus on fun for the N-Gage player.