It’s rare to have a genuinely new game on any platform, let alone one that’s just launched. What you need is to give out an air of confidence in the platform by getting in comfortable names that people recognise, to say that this platform can handle the titles that every one expects to see. And that’s what Sims 3 HD on the N8 is. But does it live up to expectations? Just about!
Galaxy on Fire is such a rubbish name for a great game. I’d go so far as to say that even Roger Corman would reject it (and he ended up with “Battle Beyond the Stars” once). Get past the hokey name, and you have a wonderful mobile version of the sprawling space trading games that used to be religiously popular when having Mode 7 on your computer was cutting edge.
And now to the Symbian^3 'HD' games. Continuing our N8 coverage, it’s time to turn to the gaming possibilites on the new Symbian devices, and in pole position for the reviews is GT Racing: Motor Academy HD from Gameloft. I came to GT Racing with high hopes, after Steve and Rafe both praised the driving game in our editorial meetings. While it’s a step up from the majority of automotive games on previous Symbian platforms, GT Racing rather falls in the gap between “arcade” and “realistic simulation” and, as such, fails to excel at either.
We’ve already had the rise of the marble maze game on your mobile handset, and these will continue to flourish, but now it’s time to flip the dimension and go vertical! Or start playing Revolve, which has much the same effect. Fluid Pixel's latest title is now up for review, below.
Time to have a look at the second of Nokia’s recent self-published game releases on the Ovi Store. After Ovi Maps Challenge targeted the single player experience, Bounce Boing Battle storms into view for a two player arcade challenge. But there's not much more to the game than the 'two players over Bluetooth' mode, and that feels like a missed opportunity to extend the Bounce franchise.
Is this a game or a marketing exercise? That’s the question that Rafe asked in his news posting on the release of Ovi Maps Challenge by Nokia. Personally, I think that this is clearly a game, but if you look back at the design remit, the team promoting Ovi Maps as a package may well have made an appearance. After that, though, it looks like they’ve left well alone. Let's explain why in the Ovi Maps Challenge review.
Ewan, with beard and a full head of hair to match, seemed perfect to set sail on virtual seas and go a-plundering for the day in a new S60 5th Edition virtual reality game, AR Pirates - out on the patio. If the thought of blasting ships off Caribbean islands in err... Edinburgh seems a lot to take in, then read the review for Ewan's explanation.
It's Snake, but with levels, power ups and something of a complete overhaul (though staying in 2D) and it's out now in the Ovi Store, with a trial version. At which point I look through my review archives to find a suitable review - and I don't have to look any further than Mr Snake himself, Ewan Spence. Here's his full Ovi Gaming review of Snake Revolution.
David Gilson reviews a retro title from the Ovi Store in our Ovi Gaming review of Treasure Arm. With all the bells, whistles and game modes of a modern title, Treasure Arm only really disappoints because of a lazy display and control system. Still arcade puzzlers might still want to give this a try.
