Archive for the ‘Reviews’ 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.”

Pocket Gamer have chimed in with their review of Mile High Pinball for the N-Gage platform. They give a good overview of the different play modes and the power-ups. Here’s a snip:

“Power-ups are plentiful and varied. Some simply boost your points, cash or the damage caused by your ball, while others trigger slow-motion, turn your ball into a rocket that shoots up, block the bottom of the screen to stop your ball falling down, make a shop appear on demand, and a host of other effects.”

Go ahead and read the rest. Did you agree or disagree with the review? Let us know what you think of the game.

The team over at NokNok has put together a review of Brain Challenge, the mental exercise game for the N-Gage platform.

What’s different about this review is that it’s a nice, quick video review, so you can enjoy gameplay footage and commentary while seeing what the game really looks like.

Take a look here.
 

Reviewing the N-Gage Experience

A site called Trusted Reviews has put up their impressions of the overall N-Gage experience. Here’s a taste:

“This strategy will give Nokia a foothold in the games market and gamers a good reason to opt for a Nokia handset, without forcing anyone to go for some peculiar specialist gaming handset just because they want to join in.”

Read the whole thing here.

Reset Buzz

There have been plenty of stories about Reset Generation online, since the big press unveiling last Friday. IGN Wireless has a write-up of the Reset Generation game as well as an archive of the music files for you to download.

1up.com has also posted their story from the event.

Mile High Pinball Review

NokNok is the next site to take a look at the latest game in the N-Gage Showroom.

“We reckon this is one of the better “cheap” games currently available via N-Gage (it’s £6 rather than £8): it’s a snap to pick up and play, endlessly challenging and the simple controls mean it’s not too taxing on the digits.”

As usual, if you find any more links or stories, post ‘em in the comments!
 

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.

Hello everybody. A little birdy tells me Mile High Pinball will likely be released into the Showroom over the next 24 hours, or at the latest, by Monday. For those of you fully completed your First Access survey and are looking forward to getting your N-Gage points and a complimentary Activation Code, be sure to read this message from our Community Manager, redrum.

Now onto today’s links of interest:

N-Gage First Impressions

Ben Smith of SMS Text News takes a look at the Ovi suite of software services on his new Nseries, including the N-Gage experience:

“N-Gage immediately feels like a well polished product. From within a single well-presented client I’m able to create my profile to utilise the social features and browse a catalogue of games.”

More First Impressions

Mark Wilcox over on Forum Nokia also offers up his first impressions of the new N-Gage service:

“Teething problems aside, these are the best games I’ve ever seen on a phone and they are generally very playable and they all have a free trial.”

Space Impact Review

Mobile technology site Net 9 takes a look at Space Impact Kappa Base in this new review. They like the game, giving it four out of five stars and noting:

“The graphics are astounding with the whole 2D mixed with 3D thing going on. Overall, this game rocks, and in it I see much promise of success for the new N-Gage platform.”

Nok Nok Reviews Brain Challenge

Here’s another N-Gage game review, this time it’s Nok Nok taking on Brain Challenge:

“It won’t dazzle you with stunning graphics buts it simple and addictive game play that will keep you occupied for hours and hopefully improve your IQ in the process.”

Personally, I really enjoy this game too. I like to do my morning mind exercises while my Nokia laptop slowly, slowly boots up.
Project White Rock Unveiling

And finally, All About N-Gage reminds us that Project White Rock will finally be revealed at a press event being held tomorrow evening:

“All we do know is it probably has something to do with classic retro gaming and is being made by RedLynx, the people who made Pathway To Glory and High Seize (so we are assuming PWR is a strategy game).”

Maybe next week I can start using the game’s real name.

Great Gameloft Giveaway: Week One Winner
Congratulations to Vlart, our first winner in the Great Gameloft Giveaway! Be sure to enter yourself for your chance at a new Nokia device, a stylish N-Gage backpack, and other great prizes.

Brain Challenge Review
Pocket Gamer gives their noggins a workout with this review of Brain Challenge.  Read the whole thing here.

Another Music Store
Nokia’s keeping it busy with the other services too. This time, we’ve opened another music store, this one in Singapore.

Mobile Game FAQs takes a look at the commercial launch version of Space Impact Kappa Base in this new review. They like the game for the most part and give it a score of 86%.

They also note that the version currently available has had some major improvements since the version released during N-Gage First Access:

Unlike some of the other First Access titles, Space Impact has slightly changed. The background graphics appear far more detailed and crisp and it seems to play a little faster (the shots from the yellow bee-like enemies seem quicker if nothing else). It seems that the first couple of levels have had the most re-working but things soon fall back into place after that.

Read the full review here. And for more on Space Impact, don’t forget to check out this peculiar blog from Space Impact researcher Dr. Mordecai Egan.

Hello gamers, it’s a beautiful day for play, and for rounding up N-Gage news.

• First up the “official” N-Gage news. I have received a mysterious tip that a certain Dr. Mordecai Egan has quite an extensive blog regarding alien abductions and visitations. Normally such matters are handled by Nokia’s Crashed Saucer Recovery Unit, and not the N-Gage Blog, but I’m told the man is associated with the Space Impact project in some manner, so perhaps this requires further investigation on your part.

• In other news, The Great Gameloft Giveaway is still in full swing this week, so jump on in and play a Gameloft game for your chance to enter fantastic prizes. Operators are standing by.

• Next up, Tzer2 on All About N-Gage has posted up some N-Gage related videos, including the Human Snake viral, the Making of the Human Snake Viral, and what looks like (and I’m only guessing, first time I’ve seen it) an N-Gage tribute from our test department.

• All About Symbian wants to know what N-Gage games you’re looking forward to, so they have a new poll up. With close to 200 votes already in, Star Wars and ONE are in the lead. No sign of Project White Rock on the list, although it will be unveiled at a press event this Friday.

• Symbian Guru has posted a two-piece post about Nokia, the N95, and some of its competitors: “What are the next challenges for Nokia? Software, software, software, that is the first and biggest challenge.” Check out parts I & II here.

• And finally, N-Gation has posted up its review of Electronic Arts’ Tetris for the N-Gage platform, nothing: “My first impressions for the game were great nother Tetris game? Soon as that downloaded and installed – My mind was completely changed. It’s a fantastic game.”  

Fast and furious, here we go… 

• Tzer2 over at All About N-Gage has put up a new editorial about the full potential of N-Gage. I thought that this was a good article because it serves as a reminder that we are still in the early stages of N-Gage, with only a handful of games as of yet, and no devices with the application pre-installed. Read the rest here.

• Andrew Podolsky over at 1up.com has posted his first impressions of the new N-Gage platform. He notes: “However, the N-Gage is clearly attempting to become the new standard-bearer for mobile gaming, and from what we’ve seen and played, we’re hopeful that it will find an audience this time around.” Have a read.

• And finally, I’ve been tipped off about a new blog (new to me, at least) covering the N-Gage scence. Called N-Gation, it’s put together by hOAx, whos is tossing up videos, reviews, and previews of N-Gage games as fast as he can get his hands on ‘em. Looks like good stuff so far, go ahead and give it a click.

Here are his reviews so far:

• Asphalt 3
• Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep
• System Rush: Evolution
• Brain Challenge
• FIFA 2008
• Space Impact Kappa Base

Have a great weekend everybody!