Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Free game hopes to save gorillas

Campaigners hoping to preserve Rwanda's endangered mountain gorilla are attempting to raise awareness of its plight by making a game simulating the lives of the animals free to mobile phone users.

The game Silverback, in which the player guides a gorilla through life in its natural habitat in northern Rwanda's Virunga National Park, was first created in 2003.

Now it has been tweaked and re-released as a free download for web-enabled mobile phones, in the hope of highlighting the ongoing plight of the gorillas.

"We had to make sure the game was rooted in some kind of reality," Ken Banks, who designed the game in association with campaign group Flora And Fauna International (FFI), told BBC World Service's Digital Planet programme.

"We didn't want a Donkey Kong style game, or a game where gorillas are chasing people or doing bad things."

Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk

Posted by Jimmy at 05:29:08 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Gameloft to release Wimbledon 2008 tennis mobile game

Tennis Open 2007 is still one of the best mobile sports games, so the announcement that its publisher Gameloft has bagged the official licence to make a mobile game based on this year's Wimbledon tournament is great news.

The logically-named Wimbledon 2008 will be out in time for the championship (June we're guessing), and sounds like a beefed-up version of the previous game.

So, there's a Career mode that lets you train, play tournaments around the world and increase your ranking, with the aim of setting Centre Court at Wimbledon alight with your skills.

The game will include singles and doubles modes on clay, grass and synthetic surfaces, and there's five training mini-games to buff up your groundstrokes, serves and volleys.

Plus, with this being an official licence, there's an extra Wimbledon Championships history section, which'll give you all manner of trivia from tournaments past.

Click 'Track It' for a 110mph alert with extra topspin as soon as we review the game.


Source:http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk
Posted by Jimmy at 05:54:23 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, April 25, 2008

UK: Beta test a games service - get free games!

I think it's important to point out that (a) there are the data costs from your operator of downloading the game still to pay for, and (b) if you click to go "online" from an Ad, then obviously data charges are incurred there too (plus anything you might buy!). I would also encourage to read the T+C's before inputting your info - but that is something I would recommend with any online service!

My personal favourite game is the 3D crazy golf - a fantastic pick up and put down game that you can return to, and works super-well on a Mobile - I've also been enjoying the delights of Garfield's Day Out this evening!

Overall, this seems to be a pretty cool service, from a cool new entrant in to the Mobile Ads space - the website is well-designed (clean, not over-cluttered), as is the wapsite. They have some good games, and dare I say some big-name advertisers (NME and eBay were the Ads I saw). If you are a UK reader, why not have an investigate and see if you find something you like - again, I reckon Crazy Golf 3D is the winner.

Source:http://www.intomobile.com
Posted by Jimmy at 07:50:09 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday, April 24, 2008

New York Nights 2 mobile game unveiled

Gameloft's series of Nights mobile games has won a devoted fanbase, so expect dancing in the streets (maybe) at news of a new title.

New York Nights 2: Friends for Life is the follow-up to New York Nights: Success in the City - the game that kicked the series off way back in 2005, before being followed by versions in Miami and Las Vegas.

The gameplay is the same mixture of social advancement and Sims-style graphics, which sees you hobnobbing with all manner of Manhattanites.

You'll be trying to find true love (or just some sex in the city), while living in a shared apartment where you get to choose your ideal housemates.

Judging by the lengthy comment threads for the last two games on this site, New York Nights 2 should present a lasting challenge. Click 'Track It!' for an alert when we review it.

Source:http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk
Posted by Jimmy at 06:38:32 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Burger King and Mobliss Dial into Mobile Gaming with BK CITY

Catering to the mobile gamers’ appetite for new and improved games, Burger King Corp. has introduced BK CITY, a new mobile multi-level game with three distinct worlds and 12 dynamic, progressively challenging mini-games developed and released by Mobliss, a licensee of Burger King Corp.
Available exclusively for download by texting “KING” to 90210, the BK CITY game is supported by a variety of national carriers and is part of an exclusive licensing agreement with Mobliss.
 
BK CITY provides something for all ages with a variety of games such as puzzle, arcade, trading, action and more. The game package is compatible with nearly 200 different cellular phone models and includes features community offerings including leader boards, user profiles, buddy lists and user-to-user text messaging to challenge friends and family.
 
Offering attractive variations of classic puzzle favorites, the downloadable mobile game features an engaging range of gameplay from one-of-a-kind mobile concepts. By progressing through a series of challenges within each virtual world, players try to earn a place in the King’s exclusive entourage. Gamers navigate through the King’s three favorite hangouts – a Burger King restaurant, the King’s mansion and BK CITY, to earn points and unlock advanced levels.
 
Burger King Corp. has been offering games to gamers all across U.S. including the development of three branded XBOX games as well as the integration of Burger King branded content into top-selling, video games like “Fight Night”, “Need For Speed” and “NFL Street.”
 
“We are dedicated to constantly evolving our mobile platform to provide original and creative programs that reflect the BURGER KING brand, engage our guests and offer value for the money. The licensing agreement with Mobliss supports our efforts in this important area,” said Brian Gies, vice president of marketing impact, Burger King Corp. “The games offer a chance to engage with the King in a new way and we’re confident that BK CITY™ offers a gaming world unlike any other available to mobile users today.”

Source:http://www.tmcnet.com

Posted by Jimmy at 06:35:58 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Mystic Meg gets mobile game

Want to know the real reason why the BBC brought Doctor Who back? They needed something new to scare kids behind the sofa on a Saturday night since Mystic Meg stopped doing the National Lottery show.

Perhaps it's that sort of notoriety that's seen AMA, the application arm of the Guillemot brothers' gaming empire (Ubisoft, Gameloft, Guillemot etc) snapping up the licence to make a 'mobile gaming application' based on the astrologer's psychic work. It's called Mystic Meg's Palm Reader, and it really is part-game and part-application.

So, you get the Palm Reader bit, which gives you a personal palm reading based on your palm lines, mounts, hand shapes, finger types and thumbs (I'm not sure how this works, but it doesn't seem to be doing clever camera stuff).

There's a Tell A Friend section, which lets you share your new-found expertise with mates. Then there's a Coffee Reader section where you get to interpret signs and symbols in a virtual coffee cup, and Bocca della Verita, a daily fortune-telling tool giving you quickfire predictions about your luck, love and money.

Finally, the Puzzle mode is the most gamelike section, offering four picture-puzzles to rearrange at three difficulty levels.

Of course, without Meg's powers, we can't foretell the success or otherwise of the software, but we're sure one middle-aged English psychic will do alright out of the deal.

Source:http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk
Posted by Jimmy at 05:35:54 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Monday, April 21, 2008

China Mobile to avail TD-SCDMA gear for Olympics

China Mobile will donate 15,000 TD-SCDMA mobile phones to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) for use during the Olympics in August, according to its CEO Wang Jianzhou.

Wang said at a press conference that China Mobile will serve the Beijing Olympic Games with its TD-SCDMA network, and will also donate UCIM (Universal Communications Integrated Module) cards to the BOCOG.

China Mobile began testing from April 1 its TD-SCDMA network which is known as the third-generation mobile communications standard of China in eight Chinese cities. Wang says that China Mobile will release the detailed information regarding the testing and the commercial use of TD-SCDMA soon.

The eight Chinese cities are Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Qinhuangdao. Users in these cities can subscribe to the 3G service by purchasing a mobile phone number prefixed with 157. The fee for local outgoing calls is RMB0.4 per minute and it is free for answering incoming calls. China Mobile said that it would offer users 50 percent discount for the service during the trial commercial period.

WJ Communications, a supplier of radio frequency products and solutions for the wireless infrastructure and radio frequency identification reader markets, announced it will start shipping TD-SCDMA multi-chip module chipsets to China in the first quarter of 2008. Additional deliveries are anticipated later in 2008 to support China's TD-SCDMA roll-out.

Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access is a 3G mobile telecommunications standard used in China. In addition to the semi-custom TD-SCDMA MCM, WJ has various devices ideal for the TD-SCDMA platform including WJ's small signal solutions consisting of Mixers, 5V Drivers, and 28V Power Amplifiers.

Source:http://www.zdnetasia.com

Posted by Jimmy at 10:38:47 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Digital Chocolate Ports Mobile Games to Web

Digital Chocolate, the mobile game company created by EA Games and 3DO founder Trip Hawkins, has begun moving its library of titles online this week in an effort to reach web-centric gamers. Currently, only four titles are available to play and purchase online, but Digital Chocolate is seeking to bring that number up to 50 games by the end of this year.

The games are available as a free trial version on the website, with upgraded graphics and a decent number of initial levels. You can also buy the full web version for $9.99, or send the game directly to your cellphone through the website.

The four games currently available to try online are Rollercoaster Rush, Pyramid Bloxx, Diamond Islands, and Wordking Spelltris. However, we're most eagerly anticipating online versions of Crazy Penguin Catapult and 3D Tower Bloxx Deluxe, two of Digital Chocolate's finest mobile games.

Digital Chocolate isn't the only mobile company to make a shift towards multiplatform in recent months. Id Mobile brought its cellphone RPG Orcs & Elves to the Nintendo DS late last year, and Gameloft has recently released Prince of Persia Classic and Brain Challenge for both cellphones and Xbox Live Arcade.

Source:http://www.1up.com
Posted by Jimmy at 05:28:52 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, April 18, 2008

Mobile game to help save embattled gorillas in the Congo

For mobile users a new mobile game hopes to raise awareness of the plight of the mountain gorilla and funds for their conservation. Silverback takes gamers through eight levels, following the life-span of a gorilla from childhood to adult.

The game was originally developed in 2003 by Fauna & Flora International. Ken Banks, creator of www.kiwanja.net, helped develop the game. In 2006 the game was taken off-line where as Banks says it "sat on a virtual shelf, gathering virtual dust". He has now brought the game back in the hope that it will renew interest, and awareness, in the plight of the mountain gorilla.

It was the recent tragic events in Virunga National Park that led Banks to resurrect the game. The park lies in the embattled Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC has suffered two civil wars in two decades.

The last war ended in 2003, yet instability and sporadic fighting continues in the country. Rebels have taken refuge from the government in the park. In 2007 rebels shot five gorillas execution-style to intimidate both park wardens and the DRC government. They left the bodies where they were shot, making it clear that the killings were not done by poachers—who would have sold the bodies for food. Endangered gorillas have not been the only targets by the rebel groups, rangers have also been killed.

Source:http://news.mongabay.com
Posted by Jimmy at 05:58:59 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Square Enix Announces Mobile MMO, Ellark

Japanese developer and publisher Square Enix has announced its plans to release a new "mobile mail MMO" titled Ellark in Japan.

Famous for its console RPG series, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, Square Enix intends to debut Ellark in the middle of June. Though specifics on the game's mechanic s have yet to be revealed, the MMO is considered to be a "Mail Play Game," according to Siliconera.

Ellark will be hosted by three of Japan's major mobile operators. While the game will be free for users to download and play, Ellark will feature microtransactions using Square Enix's new "Mobicoin" currency, virtual tokens purchasable with a credit card.


Source:http://www.gamesondeck.com
Posted by Jimmy at 05:40:33 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |
1 2 3