Archive for February, 2008

All About N-Gage Reviews Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep

In one of the most thorough reviews (3,000 words!) of an original N-Gage game that I’ve ever seen, All About N-Gage puts Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep to the test and comes up very much liking the game.

Here is a snippet:

“…(O)ne of the best phone games out there, it has great gameplay which suits long and short playing sessions, it has wonderful graphics, it has depth and longevity, the controls are simple and intuitive, and it brings a new kind of game to phones too. At 10 euros this is really good value for money, there’s so much to discover in HO:COTD that it will keep you going for a long, long time.”

A shout out to Tzer2 for doing such a thorough review. With so many games in the market, mobile games sometimes get lost in the shuffle. It’s always a good sign, the more reviews and previews a platform gets. Even if they aren’t all favorable.

Anyway, even if you don’t read game reviews (like if you already have the game), it’s worth it just to look at his game tips and hints. For example:

“If you want to use the rumble feature, as well as switching it on in the options menu you also have to have vibrating alert switched on in the phone profile you’re currently using. For example, if you have the phone in offline mode, you’ll have to activate vibrating alert in the “offline” profile for the rumble feature to work in the game. You can usually find the profiles icon in the “Tools” folder on the main menu screen.”

Here’s that link again.

Jaakko Kaidesoja, head of the Nokia’s games unit, is interviewed by Pocket Gamer again, this time at an N-Gage event being held up in Lapland.

In it, he speaks candidly about the First Access program, the upcoming rollout of the full N-Gage service, the game lineup, and the set of launch devices expected to be ready on that date.

Give it a click.

Block Breaker Deluxe 78/100

All About N-Gage has posted its first review of N-Gage game, this time Block Breaker Deluxe. They give it a 78/100 overall, noting:

“Block Breaker Deluxe is one of the cheaper games available on N-Gage, and at 7 euros it’s not going to break anyone’s bank. If you enjoy Breakout/Arkanoid then you will definitely enjoy Block Breaker Deluxe. It’s also a very casual game, with a nice relaxing feel to it.”

They weren’t able to help me past this one boss level I’m stuck on though

Tetris 8/10

Next up, Pocket Gamer turns its attention to Tetris:

“The reason to shell out £6 on N-Gage Tetris isn’t the game modes. It’s the connected aspect, which sees you posting your scores to N-Gage Arena, then finding out how you compare to the world. It’s a simple feature, but one that will double your compulsion to play this already super-addictive puzzler.”

System Rush: Evolution 8/10

We end today’s trio with another review from Pocket Gamer, this one about the breakneck racer System Rush: Evolution:

“Superb, strongly structured racer that looks incredible, sounds great, and works seamlessly online. Many will wish it were a bit easier, though.”

 

So that’s what they think. Now it’s your turn, how would you rate these games?

Taking advantage of the Game Developer’s Conference, the lads over at Pocket Gamer sat down and interviewed Jaakko Kaidesoja, our head of games, about the current state of N-Gage and what’s still to come.

Naturally, one question they asked is the one that’s on everyone’s mind (and which gets asked several times a day on this blog and our forums!

Pocket Gamer: What’s the timeline for the commercial launch?

Kaidesoja: I think I made a mistake in the second half of 2007 announcing launch dates and then we missed them as we discovered some surprisingly difficult things. The commercial launch will be in the coming weeks. It’s not far away.

He also spoke with candidly about N-Gage and the questions about 3D graphics and Open GL, ending on this salient point:

“We need to create new concepts that are not riding purely on the graphics paradigm because people are used to the graphics paradigm. I believe our competitive advantage is to focus on the differentiation of N-Gage compared to consoles.”

I hate to end every post with “must read”, but if you care about N-Gage, it’s a must read!

Ewan Spence over at AllAboutSymbian.com has published an interesting and well thought-out piece about N-Gage, Ovi, and new paradigms for gaming.  He reflects on some of our past efforts and statements, things put out at the recent Game Developer’s Conferences, and draws his own conclusions about possible future directions for the platform.

Here are a few snippets. From his analysis of Anssi Vanjoki’s keynote speech:

It managed to use all the regular Nokia buzz-words and phrases, “the fourth screen”, “one billion consumers with Nokia devices”, “powerful multimedia computers”, etc. but, like any good Nokia presentation, the really new and intriguing stuff was hidden slap bang in the middle, with no massive emphasis.

“Contextual games.”

Later, he talks about how Ovi could play a part in that:

Ovi will allow entire communities to interact, and potentially be pulled into games - with hooks into networks such as MySpace and Facebook on the horizon, the lines between the networks, services and software will start to blur for the benefit of the players.

Definitely worth a read! By the way, what are all your guys’ favorite mobile or N-Gage-related web sites to visit (apart from the official blog of course, which should be your home page;)  I think I know most of them, but perhaps some of you have some new links I’m not aware of.

Here’s a GDC video podcast with some members of our games management team, who took time out of their busy GDC schedules to answer your questions.

Featured in the interview are Jaakko Kaidesoja, Gregg Sauter, and Dr. Mark Ollila. The questions are moderated by Matthew Kumar of Gamesondeck.com. It is about ten minutes long.

Click the thumbnail below to view on your PC.

The video is being hosted on share.ovi.com, a new service from Nokia that lets you easily share your content. And here’s the link to the Mobile Games Innovation Challenge that Mark references at the end of part two.

Hey all, we’re working on getting our vodcast posted. In the mean time here are a bunch of new articles about Nokia and N-Gage stemming from our presence at the Game Developer’s Conference:

* The BBC has put up a video interview with Jaakko Kaidesoja, heads of Nokia’s Games unit

* Gamasutra has an interesting write-up of Anssi Vanjoki’s keynote address

* Another good take on Anssi’s talk comes from Mobile Entertainment

* All About N-Gage has put up videos (by way of Project Next) showing off Creebies gameplay footage and a mini-documentary on the Making of ONE

* MoDoJo has posted a quick talk with N-Gage head of production Dan Scott; so does Joystiq

* Pocket Gamer talks to Jaakko Kaidesoja about First Access

* Pocket Gamer also gives its take on Anssi Vanjoki’s keynote address

* One more from Pocket Gamer: a hands-on preview of Bounce Boing Voyage

If you have more links, drop them in the comments!

This review actually came out a few days ago but I missed it, however here it is now for you to enjoy. Project NeXt has reviewed Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep and given it a great review and a 96/100 score!

Here’s a snippet from the review:

“So, are you looking for a long lasting cellphone game? Are you either a casual player or love long lasting challenges? Do You have a “N-Gage 2.0″ compatible phone, and are looking for the best game in the whole wide world regarding to graphics, sound and longevity? Well then don’t hesitate, give “Hooked on: Creatures of the Deep” more than a short look. You will find yourself fascinated by the world Infinite Dreams has packed on your screen, and soon enough, you won’t find the 10 Euros too much to spend on such a masterpiece!

Just go and buy it.. not only is it worth every single cent, but also worthy of being awarded the Very First “Ultimate Award™ of Excellence” from ProjectNeXt!”

So again, congratulations to the Creatures of the Deep team! Read the full review here on Project NeXt.

One of the first reviews of a next generation N-Gage game has been posted over on Pocket Gamer. They have put Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep through its paces and found it good, awarding it a 9/10 score and their coveted ‘Gold’ level award.

Here’s a snippet:

“Even in a review rapidly approaching its word count limit, we’ve only scratched the surface of this game’s charms. The graphics are excellent, with the fixed view from your boat allowing some sumptuous scenery — particularly the sunsets. It also showcases the N-Gage’s landscape gaming mode, not least because you can use the soft-keys above your N81’s screen to play, clutching the phone like a mini PSP.”

Congratulations to Mike Smith, Brandon Crick, and the whole team over at Infinite Dreams for a job well done!

Read the full review here.

The second and final day of GDC Mobile was kicked off in style this morning by Nokia’s own Anssi Vanjoki, the executive vice president of the markets unit. He gave an interesting and informative keynote address entitled “Play with Anybody Everywhere: Context, the New Paradigm for Game Play.”

Speaking before several hundred game developers and other industry figures, he sketched out Nokia’s vision of a connected world, reminding everyone that an astounding one billion of our mobile devices are in people’s hands today.

He went on to say about 200 million of those device owners are technology leaders, for whom voice usage is only part of their overall interaction with the device. Technology leaders want and do more with their devices, things Nokia is working hard to innovate and provide.

Among some of the tools we can use in the future to create a more personal, pervasive connected experience with your gaming device are maps and GPS, TV out, motion sensors, metadata attached to user-generated content, and more.

And finally, regarding the First Access program, he said, “The feedback we are getting is music to my ears.” So keep up the good work everyone!

Footage of Vanjoki’s talk should be available through the official GDC website within a week or so; we will post a link when it’s up.

One additional programming note: we did record a video podcast today featuring members of our games management team, answering your questions from the Forums. We should have the link to it here on this blog some time tomorrow.