Entries for September 2008

By goyami @ Thursday, September 25, 2008 :: 3534 Views :: Racing

Woo Hoo! As soon as that maniacal marsupial Crash Bandicoot spins onto your mobile screen with his trademark theme song you know you’re in for a wild and woolly ride. Vivendi Games Mobile and Polarbit have brought Crash and his cohorts to 3D life on your mobile device in Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D and in the process have sent a warning shot across the bow of Nintendo.

With more and more kids at a younger age walking around with more powerful cell phones with bigger and better screens the market is expanding exponentially for better 3D mobile games. One lap around N-Sanity Island will convince you that while Nintendo may lead the pack in casual on-the-go gaming, mobile devices have closed the gap and are poised for a strong second lap.

MotoGP 2008

By goyami @ Friday, September 19, 2008 :: 2290 Views :: Racing

I-Play has taken over the saddle from THQ Wireless for this seasons officially licensed MotoGP mobile racing game and added their own brand of hi-octane to this motorcycle franchise. Taking a high speed motorbike around a turn at 120 mph with only your kneecap and two credit card size pieces of rubber touching the ground has to be a hair-raising experience. MotoGP 08 seeks to simulate this on your mobile device and as such it does a remarkable job.

Modeling the actual riders, bikes and tracks from the 2008 GP international circuit, MotoGP 08 lets you race the entire 18 race championship. As you progress through the races the announcer tracks your accomplishments and disappointments giving you a real sense of connection to this hi-speed championship. The fact that the race tracks are faithful recreations of the actual layouts minus some elevation changes enhances and further draws you into the world of MotoGP.

The Fast and the Furious: Pink Slip 3D

By goyami @ Friday, September 19, 2008 :: 4320 Views :: Racing

The Fast and the Furious franchise, with 13 million copies sold, has unveiled its lasted model in The Fast and the Furious: Pink Slip 3D (also known as The Fast and the Furious Streets). I-Play has engaged Firemint to develop this edition and they have come up with the best looking Fast and Furious game to date.

Pink Slip does a good job of capturing the underground street racing scene as most of these races take place at night or in the early morning hours on the streets of Los Angeles, Miami and Tokyo. There are two modes of play, quick race and arcade or career where you bet your pink slip against other racers and unlock cars, tracks and four different types of races (street racing, drag racing, drifting and cop chase). Pretty simple. Unfortunately, unlike The Fast and the Furious: Fugitive, there is no story to propel you through the game. Pink Slip is a stripped down racer that concentrates on racing.

Asphalt 4 - Elite Racing

By goyami @ Friday, September 19, 2008 :: 2370 Views :: Racing

What does the hottest 3D mobile racing franchise do after its lapped the field of contenders? It puts the pedal to the metal and tries to get further out of sight! The Asphalt series from Gameloft has never lost the lead in high-speed mobile racing and with the recent release of Asphalt 4 Elite Racing it unveils its latest road beast.

If you’ve played Asphalt 3 Street Rules you know what to expect. Gorgeous graphics, possibly the best ever seen on a mobile device, coupled with great sound FX and game play that combines the best of the Need for Speed and the Burnout series’ for consoles. All this being shoehorned into a multi-functional handheld cell phone amounts to a pretty impressive achievement.

Unbelievably, Asphalt 4 looks a little better than 3. The modeling of the cars appears smoother and more detailed and by the time you unlock the awesome Bugatti and Shanghai you’ll have to say your cell never looked better. Besides which, Asphalt 4 gives you a better way to enjoy this graphical goodness - a landscape mode! All mobile games need to offer this option to narrow the gap with the PSP.

Assassins Creed HD

By goyami @ Friday, September 19, 2008 :: 2076 Views :: Action

We are in the mist of exciting times in the development of 3D mobile gaming. Game makers are probing at the capabilities of the newer mobile devices and creating richer more involving 3D game worlds. Gameloft, at the forefront of this movement, now offers you Assassins Creed HD joining their stable of other cutting edge 3D titles like the Asphalt Series and Brothers in Arms/Earned in Blood.

If you played the original Assassins Creed released late last year, you know that it was an enjoyable 2D platform romp similar to many others found on mobile devices. Once you play Assassins Creed HD however, you’ll know that HD can only mean one thing - huge difference! Altair has gone 3D in a big way. As the rotating camera sucks you into this world of sheiks, swords, harems and kings you will soon forget you were supposed to be boiling water or looking for your train stop.

Super Slam Ping Pong

By goyami @ Friday, September 19, 2008 :: 1425 Views :: Sports

The ubiquitous cell phone seems to be the perfect breeding ground for the marketing of the casual game industry, that game type characterized by its easy accessibility, basic controls and simple yet addictive gameplay, not to mention the cheap download. When done well, adding 3D to this mix can appeal to the hardcore as well as the occasional mobile gamer. Top it off with a sense of humor and you have the makings of an all-around winner.

POWERBOAT CHALLENGE

By goyami @ Friday, September 19, 2008 :: 1581 Views :: Racing, Sports

Fishlabs of Germany, the maker of such ambitious and well-regarded titles as Deep 3D and Galaxy on Fire, have taken the plunge into new waters with another unique 3D experience for your mobile phone in Powerboat Challenge.

The feel in racing a powerboat thru a turn is different than a car. Momentum, buoyancy and build are all factors that come into play. Fishlabs models this feel nicely as your boat carves through the turns. You start by choosing from 4 racers and their boats each with unique handling, size and weight. One is short with a round bottom for turning another is long and sleek for top speed. There’s one that’s short and jet-like with low stability and finally a heavy, bulky one with good power. The boats can be upgraded as you progress through 4 distinct islands which gives the game a nice hook.

TURBO JET SKI 3D

By goyami @ Friday, September 19, 2008 :: 1391 Views :: Sports

As the summer stretches out and thoughts start to drift toward long lazy vacation days, here’s a game that will get you through those final weeks before the fun begins. From the bright colorful graphics and upbeat music to girls in bikinis racing jet skis and dolphins in exotic locations you’ll hope your vacation is this much fun!

Gameloft’s Turbo Jet Ski 3D for your mobile phone is a fun-filled splash on a hot summers day. After the opening happy times music and intro you can dive into one of three modes, quick play where your rider and jet ski are chosen for you, career, or World Cup where you compete in a series of 4 races in different locales. The locales are Miami with cruise ships docked in the harbor, fabulous Rio, the canals of Venice, Alaska, and Shanghai at night. Winning races in one location unlocks any number of goodies like new locations, new and better jet skis, new types of races and new swinsuits! Among the many types of races you can unlock are rescue, crashing boats, racing dolphins and awesome ramp jumping.

ASPHALT 2 URBAN GT

By goyami @ Friday, September 19, 2008 :: 1395 Views :: Racing

There are a ton of racing titles available for your mobile phone. From motorcycles to monster trucks, go-karts to jet skis, on-road to off-road, outer space to inner space, top-down to upside-down you name it. But there’s only one that’s been polished to such a high sheen that one can see the future of 3D mobile gaming in its reflection. Namely - Asphalt 2 Urban GT.

The people at Gameloft didn’t cut any corners when they made this high speed racer. Their attention to detail extends to all facets of this title to make a great gaming experience that would stand up well on a console much less a mobile phone.

Graphically, it is stunning. Whether you’re flying past the Eiffel Tower in Paris or dodging Cable Cars on the streets of San Francisco you’ll find it hard not to slow down and check out the sights. When you do you’ll probably be sent crashing through road barriers and knocking over garbage cans with sparks flying or simply left in the wake of an aggressive AI. One has to marvel at the optimization in this game as all this action occurs without a hint of slow-down or lag in control. Speed and control, the cornerstones of every great racer, are seen and felt as you hit the nitro and your car jumps ahead with a nice long exhaust burn or your motorbike wheelies out.

C2Doom - DOOM REBORN

By goyami @ Thursday, September 18, 2008 :: 2461 Views :: Action

In 1993 a small software company released a shareware game that kick started the entire multi-billion dollar video game industry. That game of course was the legendary Doom from Id. Today, thanks to Markus Mertana’s game engine C2Doom, mobile phone users can re-live that seminal classic in all its blazing 3D glory.

It’s strange that after spearheading the FPS genre 15 years ago Doom is once again at the forefront of 3D gaming on another platform - your cell phone. Amazingly, for a nominal fee, one can download Markus Mertana’s C2Doom which will allow you to play a large number of Doom wads, which you also need to download and install. Some of the wads that work with C2doom are the entire original Doom, Doom II, Ultimate Doom, Doom64, Heretic, Hexen, Duke Nukem (1st Level), DoomGoldeneye, and Counterstrike. That provides you with a LOT of levels on your pocket communicator. Not that you’ll be communicating much, for once you load this baby up you’ll be lost in a world of Imps, Barons and Bull Demons for months!