Nokia giving away a game? Yes that's right, for those of you living under a rock, the N-Gage Signature Game is here. Ewan's been addicted to Snakes since it arrived in the Offices early last week. Read the first review on the internet on All About N-Gage. If you believed the spin that the N-Gage was dead, then let Snakes make you think again.
The Ideaworks3D game for the N-gage previously dubbed "Super Future Racer" has now officially emerged into the light as System Rush (reports GameSpot). Ideaworks3D are best known for their supremely excellent N-gage ports of Colin McRae 2005 and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, with System Rush being their first fully original title. The brilliance of Colin McRae on N-gage bodes well for this bizarre new Wipeout-style racer which involves driving and flying through 3D tracks representing global computer networks.
Well it's the 25th, and the Snakes Outbreak is here... and everyone at All About N-Gage is watching the Snakes site go up and down like a yo-yo. We can't help feel the design of a TV station, and navigating through a Teletext/Ceefax system is a bit too ambitious, but there you go. We'll try to get a direct link to the Snakes download for you as soon as possible. In the meantime, why not refresh your memory about Snakes with our Interview with the Producer. Me, I'm just getting some screenshots to finish the review.
With the release of Snakes in only a few days, Nokia are previewing their next title, due out in Q3 2005 (reports IGN). Pit Runner is a cross between Interstate 76 and Carmageddon, with you driving your futuristi car against other opponents in the 3-D Field of Battle. More details when we get them.
Fathammer's X-Forge driven race, Stunt Car Extreme arrives for Series 60. This is racing, the ultimate daredevil sport, with high powered cars, hundreds of feet off the ground, racing round tracks of diabolical ingenuity. Formula 1 this isn't. An almost essential demo to download.
But who are they? The stark page on the n-Gage website has only one clue... the URL... http://www.n-gage.com/snakes/. Time to note the 25th January into the Calendar application!
In a rare indication of sales figures, the president of Vir2L Studios (the developers of Elder Scrolls: Shadowkey on the N-Gage) has posted on the official Elder Scrolls message boards that the estimated userbase of the N-Gage is 1.5 million. The post (explaining why Vir2L chose the N-Gage format instead of Symbian) coupled with Nokia's "1 million N-gages" statement last September shows solid albeit unspectacular growth for the format. It also indicates that the QD has sold more units and much more quickly than the original model, which shipped around 500,000 before being discontinued. The QD was a step in the right direction, it seems.
Activisions First Person, World War Two Shooter, is a strong franchise on the home consoles. But is it any good on the N-Gage? Ewan reviews Call of Duty and wonders just how bad it can get.
UK Retail Charts organisation ELSPA will no longer report weekly retail sales of N-Gage games and units (reports Spong.com). Nokia are pointing out that the N-Gage is still being counted in exactly the same way as previously, and will still feature in the monthly charts and reports. There may be mitigating circumstances (such as "does this chart include Mobile Phone Stores or just Gaming stores?") but this will not inspire confidence in the marketplace - which is something the N-Gage family needs in abundance.
Congratualtions to Platycus for winning An N-Gage Christmas. He walks away with the N-Gage QD and 7 Top MMC titles. Runners up are HPJ545 and Lonewolf who win some N-Gage merchandising and 512mb MMC cards. Thanks to Allack, N-Gage User and Nokia for their support. We'll have another prize competition in the next few weeks.
Now the final article is posted, you can all enter our festive competition to win an unlocked N-Gage QD, along with seven of the latest MMC Games (including Asphalt: Urban GT and Colin McRae Rally 2005. The entry form, links to the articles and more details are on the An N-Gage Christmas Homepage. Thanks to Allack, N-Gage User and Nokia for their support. We'll draw the winner on the 5th January 2005.
The final part of our N-Gage Christmas (and yes we know it's a bit late... blame the festivities!) is Ewan's 5 Point Plan for 2005. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the N-Gage? Can it survive the DS and PSP onslaught? Ewan thinks so, as long as nothing goes wrong.
Nokia are really happy with Pocket Kingdom, their 'massive' multi player online roleplaying game. Ewan's not so sure, and you can find out why in his review. It's a strong genre game, but is that enough to appeal to everyone? (part of An N-Gage Christmas)
