May
27

The First N-Gage Access Games

Still don’t know the latest news about the N-Gage the future of gaming? Here are the first access Games:

1. Space Impact: Kappa Base

Like most of the first access games, Space Impact is solidly in the middle of its target genre. A down-scrolling shoot-em-up in classic style, it features frantic blasting action against enemy spaceships, ground stations and “boss” ships, all of which put out more firepower per second than the USS Enterprise. The action is overwhelming, and many players may be put off in the first minute or two. But perseverance shows up enough variations in armament and startegy to make this a viable long-term game investment.

2. Block Breaker Deluxe

Yet another classic game genre covered, in garish ‘neon’ fashion. All the trimmings of classic Breakout clones are here, from drop-down rewards (eg. an unstoppable ball) to penalties (eg. a smaller bat). There is a tacked-on ’story mode’ but we can’t see many people bothering to read through all the extra text when there are blocks to be knocked down.

3. System Rush Evolution

Famous as being the graphical demo on every Nseries from the N93 onwards, System Rush Evolution has not really, evolved much. It is still a multi coloured multimedia arcade rush through 3D mazes, trying to avoid nasties and collect powerups. Addictive in its own way, but perhaps more for the younger gamer.

4. World Series of Poker: Pro Challenge

There are not any cutting edge graphics in this poker sim, but the core AI is good enough to make up the difference. If you love poker then you will love this. the opponent players are apparantly animated with specific “tells”, to give you a clue as to their hands although you would have to play the game an awful lot in order to work out which movement is which.

5. Tetris

Tetris is Tetris, of course. No introduction necessary. Except to say that there is an ‘Ultra’ mode, in which case you are given two minutes to score as many points as possible. And a ‘Challenge’ mode, in which you can pass your phone to a friend and see him or her given exactly the same block selection, to see if they can get a higher score. of all these games, Tetris is the least interesting but possibly the most addictive, especially in light of the way you can post high scores through the N-Gage servers.

6. Creatures of the Deep

The joker in the N-Gage first access pack, this is a fishing simulation. No, really it is dressed up with a story mode, an interactive map and lots of nice in-game water animations and digital sounds, but this is, essentially, fishing on your smartphone. It is a novelty at first, but then after sitting there lookingg at your screen for a couple of minutes, waiting for a bite, you start to question your own sanity. Gloriously implemented, gloriously pretty and ultimatly gloriously boring.