Bloodied and bruised, Nokia return with new N-Gage

Mike Bantick
Thursday, 30 August 2007 12:08

Your IT - Entertainment

Being resurrected as a service rather than an electronic taco, Nokia engage the N-Gage gaming service.

Back in March at the San Francisco GDC, it was hinted at, now launch details are here for the Nokia N-Gage gaming service.

After two ill-fated and ill-directed attempts to provide a hand held gaming gadget, Nokia have decided to launch N-Gage as a game download service globally in November.

Compatible Nokia devices - N73, N81, N81 8GB, N93, N93i, N95, and N95 8GB – will be able to grab the N-Gage software via the internet.  From November the compatible devices will come preloaded with the service.

Mobile versions of The Sims 2: Pets, FIFA 08, Crash Bandicoot and Tetris will be available from between 6 to 10 Euros ( AU$10 to AU$17 ) and be added to the phone bill.

Other titles coming to the service are Asphalt 3 from Gameloft along with System Rush: Evolution and Snakes Subsonic from Nokia itself.

How the new service stacks up against current hand-held incumbents Sony with the PlayStaion Portable and Nintendo with the DS, as well as the myriad of mobile gaming services out already will be interesting.  As usual, it will come down to consumer choice based on price and content.