Archive for the ‘News’ Category

• Snakes Subsonic is now available for download through the N-Gage application on your device. It should appear on the Website showroom shortly. If you have trouble getting it to show up, be sure to clear your phone’s browser cache (explained here).

• Pocket Gamer has posted an interview with Jaakko Kaidesoja regarding the N-Gage launch and the first month of the program.

• NokNoki has reviewed Creatures of the Deep in video form. “This N-Gage fishing sim has tons of depth and gorgeous graphics.”

As you may have heard, we’ve announced that Konami will be publishing mobile games for the N-Gage platform, with Metal Gear Solid Mobile first out the gate.

Here’s the word from the official press release:

“Nokia and KONAMI, a leading global developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties, today announced that KONAMI mobile titles will be added to the N-Gage mobile games platform. The mobile version of the award-winning METAL GEAR SOLID® will be the first title in the games line-up. METAL GEAR SOLID® MOBILE has received top honours at the 2007 International Mobile Gaming Awards (IMGA), taking both the Grand Prix and Operator’s Choice Awards.”

It goes on to say that the new version will feature original content, 3D art and camera works, an in-game camouflage system, and additional controls specific for mobile devices.

Pretty good news, don’t you think? Chime in!

The most iconic mobile game in history is coming back!

Got some good news as we head into the weekend: Snakes Subsonic is scheduled for a release in the middle of next week. We don’t have an exact time yet, but we are shooting for Wednesday, although of course all releases are subject to change.

For more on Snakes, be sure to hit the official game page.

Also worth mentioning…

• Hunt Hits reviews the new N-Gage experience and is impressed
• Andrew Currie evalutates the N-Gage offering while blogging about his N82
• Just a reminder: there will be some service outages this weekend

Important update: this weekend our N-Gage service will have some short service breaks while we do some maintenance on our systems. Here’s the schedule:

First Break

May 17, 21.00 through May 18, 02.00 (GMT+3): Two 10-minute service breaks during this period, not the whole five hours.

Second Break

May 18. 09.00 - 11.00 (GMT+3): There will be a two hour service break during this period.

There may be occasional rare, unscheduled breaks over the weekend as well. We apologize for any inconvenience in advance.

Congratulatons to the Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep team, for winning the Mobile Entertainment Forum, or “Meffy” Award, for best mobile game. Creatures of the Deep beat out three other nominees to take top honors in the games category.

Rimma Perelmuter, MEF Executive Director, said: “A focus on discoverability, interactivity, usability and affordability were the common strands shared by this year’s winners. Above all, the companies selected by the Meffys judges clearly focused on putting the consumer first; attracting and entertaining subscribers though a variety of appealing offerings including innovative new ad-supported, communities and subscription-based models.”

The Games Award

Winner:
Nokia — Hooked on: Creatures of he Deep

Runner-ups:
Hands-On Mobile — World Poker Tour: Texas Hold ‘Em 2
Konami Digital Entertainment — Metal Gear Solid Mobile
Konami Digital Entertainment — Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Player X — Hollywood Hospital

Mile High Pinball has only been available in our Showroom for a short while, but the first reviews and previews are starting to appear on the Web.

N-Gation Review

First up, the N-Gation blog offers up this review of Mile High Pinball, noting:

“Overall the game is fantastic, Hardly any mistakes – It’s fun, and offers and challenge with the inclusion of online multiplayer makes this a very deep game to play, so buy it now – You won’t regret it.”

All About N-Gage Review

Next up, All About N-Gage offers this thorough very positive review.  Here’s a quote:

“Mile High Pinball is very original, and perfectly suited to a mobile phone’s screen and key layout. As you make your way up the table the puzzle and strategy elements become more prominent, and the game starts to become very addictive. This reviewer played through the entire game in two multi-hour sessions, not because there was a deadline to meet but simply because MHP has such a strong ‘Just one more go’ factor.”

 They end up giving the game 85% and their “All About N-Gage Recommended” logo.

Hands On with Mile High

Finally, Pocket Gamer offers up their first impressions of this pinball hit, promising a full review still to come:

“Score mode is great fun. You see your opponent’s score mounting onscreen, although you don’t see their ball. Your victories and defeats are then tracked on the N-Gage Arena community. This could be the thing that keeps you playing for weeks, beyond the single-player mode.”

Don’t forget, you can offer your own review of the game either here in the comments, on the forums, or of course on the application itself, where you can give it a star rating and write a short review that will appear on the Web game page.

And for those of you who participated in First Access and completed our survey in full, be sure to read this status message from redrum regarding your Mile High Pinball Activation Code.

Great Gameloft Giveaway

Congratulations to Sir_Jibi, our second winner in the Great Gameloft Giveaway! He joins Week One Winner Vlart on the wall of esteemed champions.

Be sure to enter yourself for your chance at a new Nokia device, a stylish N-Gage backpack, and other great prizes.

Speaking of the prizes, here are pics of some of them. What  you are looking at is a Block Breaker Deluxe lamp, an N-Gage backpack, and a grey N-Gage sweatshirt.

This month’s issue of EDGE Magazine is now going out to subscribers, who are getting their first look at Reset Generation, the game which you have come to know and love under its code name Project White Rock.

Details from the magazine article have surfaced on Pocket Gamer, Develop, Tech Digest, and All About N-Gage. And yes, there will be a press event tonight in San Francisco, where even more of the game will be revealed to the world. So I won’t say much more about it just yet.

I’d like to add on a personal note, I am really excited about this one, because I did get to play a small role in its development over these last couple years, being responsible for the story and dialogue.

It was a great privilege to work with Scott Foe, Scott Howard and all the guys over at RedLynx. I think you guys are going to have a lot of fun with this game. It’s exceptional and just a lot of fun to play. It is a blast.

• Ewan Spence over at All About N-Gage takes a look at recent reviews of FIFA 2008, then wades into the discussion on how Nokia should be marketing its games via free offers. He feels Nokia should be giving away Snakes Subsonic.

• Meanwhile Stuart Dredge over at Pocket Gamer takes aim at the issue of global leader boards, bemoaning the fact that pretty soon people better than you blow you off the boards. He suggest the future is local rankings.

• Definitely not N-Gage related, but for those of you Francophones with Nseries devices, we have just opened the Nokia Music Store in France.
 

A news blast from the mothership this morning announced a new device that we’re planning on making N-Gage compatible. Called the Nokia 5320 XpressMusic, it is a music-oriented entertainment device, and the first that is not an Nseries device. From the official word:

The full featured Internet browser, access to Ovi and Nokia Search 4.1 allow users to find and share media content and information with ease.  In addition, dedicated N-Gage gaming keys and landscape view deliver a true gaming experience, while HSDPA provides fast access to N-Gage, which will be available for download. The Nokia 5320 XpressMusic is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008 with an estimated retail price of 220 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

Welcome to the family, Nokia 5320 XpressMusic. And before you guys ask, no I am sorry I do not have an update on the N73 and N93 support for you at this time.