New N-Gage is out!

[ConraDargo]

Edit: Forget about the "First Access" that I'm talking about in this post - the application has now gone gold and is available @ N-Gage.com as of April 3rd!

Wewt - everyone owning a Nokia N81 may now download the new N-Gage platform/application to get an exclusive "first access" to Nokia's anticipated follow-up of their mediocre N-Gage devices! Good thing is that this pre-release has been hacked and reported working on other N-models as well - such as 95 and 73

And before anyone starts trashing the former N-Gage models - this is nothing like that at all! Again, N-Gage is now a downloadable application and service working on multiple cell-phone models from Nokia's N-series. Once installed and run, you'll be greeted by this nifty interface

That's the Home screen from where you can start the last game played, look at your current N-Gage points, see how many friends you've got and who's online atm, go to the "Showroom" where available games and trials are ready for download, and see if you have any new messages waiting. Also available is a list of currently installed games (full and trial versions), a Friend-list, and your profile where you may look at your achievements, change your personal settings, choose an avatar and more.

Here's a good (though silent) video preview of what it all looks like.

As far as the games goes - you're able to pay for and download them directly to your cell-phone through this interface. There's also information regarding each title's size, cost, the number of players it supports, estimated download time, and a trial/demo also available for direct download to your phone. You can even read about what other users have to say about each specific game and see how they rated it on a scale of 1-5!

So to summon up: Nokia is really going all out on this one with support for multiple phones rather than a specific gaming device (though the N81 is being marketed as their "gaming model" because of its two dedicated gaming buttons), as well as a kind of Live-service thing that offers downloadable games, demo versions and other gaming content - plus instant messaging and achievements to unlock.

Good job Nokia and keep up the good work! Things are looking great, really

 

[noONE]

Hmm, looks quite good.
but it all depends on the price, if it will be succesfull or not.
(is there any protection or something, or can you just put in "roms" to play?)

 

[xalphax]

i got the original n-gage and its one of my all time favorite cellphones.

but now i got a motorola krazr so i cant try this out :-(

 

[ConraDargo]

Well the application itself is free, naturally

The games though cost around 6-10 Euro or 10-15 bucks. At least from what I've seen so far.

And you can bet your ass on that they're gonna be cracking the games soon enough, lol ^^ After all - the first generation N-Gage games could be downloaded.

Edit: Sorry to hear about you switching to Motorola, alpha. This new thing that Nokia's got going is really sweet.

 

[chilko]

here are the instructions for using it with all n-series devices and not only n81 - http://finestfones.blogspot.com/2008/02/ng...on-n95-8gb.html

 

[ConraDargo]

Meh I honestly expected this subject to get a little more attention than this, even though I know that N-Gage wasn't exactly a huge success...

Anyway - I'mma ramble some about this shit now that I've played some games, whether you like it or not. Who knows, maybe it'll catch your interest (and if you do own a compatible Nokia device then it really should catch your interest!):

Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep

So this was the first game I tried out after hearing so much praise about it. But seriously, how fun can a game about fishing be? Well it all depends on what you do with it and I have to admit that this particular fishing-game had me surprised to the grade where I'm actually liking it. Earlier today I was even like "just one more fish and then I'll quit playing" for fifteen minutes before I was finally able to put down my phone

What makes it so great is that rather than just being a simulator, it also has a few RPG-elements like how every fish caught earns you XP (as does many other things), thus meaning that you eventually go up a level - leading to new equipment that can be purchased for free, new locations to visit by going to the airport, and a few other things as well. There are also quests to undertake, given to you by the inhabitants of Costa Rica where you do all your fishing (until you're on a high level enough to take a plane somewhere else). So far I've only done the usual "fetch me this, will ya?" type of quests - ranging from finding a lost anchor to just any random fish. Most quests earns you XP it seems but completing one of them provided me with some valuable information on where to find a named shark. Catching this fellow will most likely earn me a ton of XP - and maybe even an achievement (as these new N-Gage games has that too)?

Which reminds me that before I shut up about this game, I should just quickly comment on that first screenshot. That's what the game looks like when you're not fishing; you steer around with your motorboat choosing where to set anchor and yes - this affects not only the background scenery but what fish you'll be able to catch as well. Now on to the next title...

System Rush: Evolution

Alright - my favorite game!

At first I didn't enjoy it all that much because of how tricky two of the three different game modes were. The story is that you're some sort of a hacker who resorts to a new form of experimental technology that lets you become a part of the network which you're trying to hack. The downside is that if something goes wrong - then your body is fucked (i.e. you're killed, you perverts). So why are you doing this? Well it had something to do with a corrupt government, I can't really remember

Let's just put the story aside and focus on gameplay, mkay?

Again, there are three different modes for each firewall that needs to be hacked (of which there are ten): Infiltrate (first screenshot), Shutdown (second screenshot), and Evacuation (third screenshot). So basically you first need to get into the system/firewall, then shut the thing down, and lastly make it out alive. These all play pretty different whereas Infiltrate is pretty much like WipEout where you try and survive a number of laps on a twisted track with your ship going at an insane speed while picking up power-ups and crossing over arrows that boost your speed even more, while at the same time dodging enemy ships and racing against the clock.
Next is Shutdown, which has the most action in it I'd say - seeing as how your ship is now capable of firing its weapons. It's kinda like a good old shoot 'em up, but in 3D and you can't move all around the place but are stuck hovering above ground. So going left and right is your only option here, but that's more than enough since the level is like this long tube - meaning you'll be hanging upside down at times. Once again you're pitched against enemy ships only this time around - they actually shoot back at you and there's even a boss at the end of the line. Luckily for you the power-ups gathered here are way more powerful than what dropped while you were infiltrating the place, and your primary weapon is on auto-fire too, so (the secondary weapon being a power bomb that wipes out every enemy on-screen).
Lastly, Evacuation is kinda dull but still tricky enough to keep you on your toes, though that mostly has to do with how hard it is to steer the bloody ship

Think Lylat Wars or Star Fox Command and you pretty much get the point. It's all in 3D this time but thankfully, you don't have to concentrate on incoming fire because no enemies are present (at least not on the level I was playing). There are plenty of obstacles, however, and rings to fly through in order to gain points and recover any lost shields. And that's how it goes right to the end where you hit this blue wall-thingy that disconnects you from the system that you were just hacking into (i.e. mission complete).

For each of these modes there are stars to collect and the number you get depends on 1. your score and 2. number of deaths/attempts to hack. Needless to say, this adds to the game's replay value as you'll want to go back to a previous firewall and hack it again just so that you can catch all the stars (that concept sounds familiar to you?). That's not the only reason though as picking up stars means upgrading your ship too! I don't know much about this yet though because to be honest with you - all information about the upgrades that I did get were kinda vague so, yeah I can't really say what good they were for

So there you have it. A small rundown of the two game's that I've been playing. Actually, I've also tried out Space Impact: Kappa Base which is a true shoot 'em up - but I don't have time to write about it now so I'll just leave you with this.

Cheers.

 

[ConraDargo]

WEWT! It's out! It's finally out

Well, on the N81, N82 and N95 at least... >< The rest will have to wait due to some memory issues

 

[Shelleeson]

WEWT! It's out! It's finally out

Well, on the N81, N82 and N95 at least... >< The rest will have to wait due to some memory issues

oh yey thanks for the heads up

 

[podunk1269]

I have a n81 8gb i will be putting on the trading forum as soon I get my 50 posts

8 gig , unlocked, mint condtion.

I only stopped using it cause I got a free pantech duo from my roomate and i wanted the full keyboard

 

[Westside]

I did't get what's the big deal with the old N-gage anyway. You looks like a moron who uses a taco for a phone.

 

[Ace Gunman]

I did't get what's the big deal with the old N-gage anyway. You looks like a moron who uses a taco for a phone.

Though I don't like the N-Gage, I've always found this to be an unfair comparison. House phones throughout the ages have been, up until recently, banana-shaped. So how is a taco any worse than that? Phones have always and will always come in odd shapes no matter how you spin it.

 

[podunk1269]

that is why i liked the n81 it is a normal slider. now you do know the new phone dont play the old games, right?

 

[Awdofgum]

i think the phone is cool but a little overpriced

 

[podunk1269]

I got mine wholesale from the place I work. Retail is out the ass and how i got mine, well not a penny came out of my pocket. I work for WVSU Bookstore and you can use your FA to get gift cards and what not. Well I had a 4 gig iphone, but AT&T kept saying i was going over my texts and shit ended up charging me like 200 extra per month. I am on my roomates plan and he got fucking livid, so I traded that for an Htc 8125 and then traded that for a gift card for $500 and then got the n81 8gb with the gift card. Well ATT kept fucking the bill up and after 5 days of argueing they admitted thier mistake, credited us $468, 900 rollover minutes and gave us the htc duo buy one get one.

so now I am parting with my N81 8gb, i know what i want for it and it i cant trade i am going to put it on ebay, then i wil have the $$$ to get what I want

 

[ConraDargo]

I did't get what's the big deal with the old N-gage anyway. You looks like a moron who uses a taco for a phone.
That's pretty much your own fault for not using the included headset

But yeah, the first N-Gage sure wasn't designed to look good. But that was five years ago so - lets just forgive and forget!

now you do know the new phone dont play the old games, right?
Oh I know it, and now everyone else here does too

i think the phone is cool but a little overpriced

Get something else then

We're no longer restricted to just one device here!

QUOTE(podunk1269 @ Apr 4 2008, 03:48 AM)

so now I am parting with my N81 8gb, i know what i want for it and it i cant trade i am going to put it on ebay, then i wil have the $$$ to get what I want

The N82 or N96 perhaps?

 

[podunk1269]

nah, I love my pantech duo, I has some ther stuff i want. it goes for $454 on ebay, i am thinking a wii and some games, or a modded psp and some otherstuff. Might be willing to trade for a 360 not too sure yet on thzt

 

[podunk1269]

so anyone interesting in trading for the phone?

 

[ConraDargo]

FIFA 08 is out now!

 

[ConraDargo]

N-Gage news! PocketGamer.co.uk just had an interview with Henri Roth - creative director on The Force Unleashed, has written a preview on FIFA 08, and reviewed Asphalt 3: Street Rules

 

[Artheido]

I don't see the point having great games on my mobile when I have my NDS and R4.

The memory of a mobile should go towards recorded videos, photos and music... and possibly some useful applications.