Now up to v1.15, Domi Hugo's essential Series 60 file manager continues to blaze a trail for freeware applications. Changes in this version include better cursor control, more error checking for free RAM, progress bars and improvements to the hex editor. Download available at www.gosymbian.com.
Only launched a couple of days ago, Steve snatched the review copy of Virtual Pool Mobile out of Ewan's jet-lagged hands and has been up all night trying to beat the pool hall bosses. Here's the full review. Summary: great physics, this is as real as it gets, though more work is needed on the sound effects.
While off exploring the Brave New World himself, Ewan's had time to fire in this enthusiastic review of Settlers of Catan, an N-Gage conversion of a cult strategy board game. Summary: steep learning curve, but totally worth it.
Nokia has now shipped Asphalt: Urban GT 2, the sequel to the fantasy racing game, and Pathway to Glory Ikusa Islands, both on the N-Gage platform. Fans of Asphalt can also try before they buy, with a free downloadable demo available from the N-Gage Arena. PtG Ikusa Islands also has it's own new dedicated section on the Pathway to Glory mini-site.
Macromedia have made the runtime available for FlashLite on both Series 60 and UIQ available to anyone who wants it - just nip over to their website, pop in your IMEI and away you go. If you're looking for applciations that use it, then Macromedia's FlashLite Exchange is a good a place as any to start looking (Update: It appears the free promotion is now over. Pity).
Ewan gives Jewelrumble a good workout in his review and finds a Bejewelled clone that's well implemented, has some bonus features and is compatible with a large number of Symbian smartphones.
Nokia's latest N-Gage game, One, is more than a simple beat 'em up. It's got connectivity galore, and is a massive connected prize fight. But can it take the punishment of an All About review?
Nokia are continuing what can only be seen as a successful strategy of releasing demo versions of the big MMC Game Card titles - following the System Rush demo, fans of Rifts: Promise of Power can now download the first few levels of the full game from the N-Gage Arena. Rifts is expected to be released to the world in the next few weeks.
High Seize, the pirate based strategy adventure has set sail from Finalnd and should be in retail stores early this week. Can you find the treasure, save the girl and rescue your father? And what will you do as you travel between islands? Well you could nudge your memories with Asteroids, Battlezone, Black Widow, Millipede, Missile Command, Red Baron, Lunar Lander and Super Breakout. They're all part of Atari Masterpieces (vol 1) - both titles should now be available for purchase in your local N-Gage Emporium. If not, make them walk the plank.
It's finally here. Sure it's a beat em up, but the fact that this one looks so absolutely gorgeous, plays as smooth as it does (30 frames per second) and it's running on a mobile... One is pretty much a flagship title, and deservedly so. And that's before you consider global rankings, arena functionality, a massive customisation of your characters looks, and the sheer scale of combos makes it a perfect genre title that is exactly what you'd expect on a full sized console.
One clear message from Nokia's 'N-Gage in Barcelona' is that there will be no new N-Gage hardware in the near future (ie first half of 2006). The continuing push on mobile gaming, and driving the N-Gage brand onto other Series 60 devices in the next few years means that any new unit development would drain too many resources. Given some of the titles that have broken cover for 2006, and the plans laid out by Gerard Weiner and Nokia, I think it's a good decision. More news and commentary from Barcelona is going to be forthcoming.
Although exact information from the Barcelona N-Gage & Next Gen gaming event is scarce right now, a few facts have filtered through, including the announcement by Nokia of two new games developed exclusively for N-Gage: Habbo Islands (which will allow existing and new members of the extremely popular Habbo Hotel community to interact in an N-gage-exclusive area of the Habbo world filled with tasks and mini-games), and Shadow-Born (a very very bizarre-sounding game which uses all aspects of your N-Gage or smartphone, including text messages, the to-do list, the calendar etc).
A downloadable demo of Catan for N-Gage has just been made available on N-Gage.com. Catan, pubilshed by Capcom, is a strategy game based on the extremely popular German board game "Siedler Von Catan" which has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. The full Catan N-Gage game went on sale earlier this month.
Crystaix's puzzle game, JewelRumble for Series 60, has had a minor update to version 1.2.1. Internet high score tables and addictive modes of gameplay mean it's worth having a look at this java title.
