Saturday, May 31, 2008

123play.com launches: Free games not bad at all!

The ad-funded mobile games portal 123play.com just launched, with a decent selection of modern (though not quite top tier) Java games, I've been looking at half a dozen of these below the break, so read on. Anyone downloading a 123play.com game before June 17th also gets entered into a draw to win a Nokia N81 8GB, so there's double interest here.

We've seen ad-funded games before, in Nokia's own MOSH Sponsored Games, but these are of higher quality and greater currency, even if they're not quite up to cutting edge titles from the really big mobile game publishers.

As with Nokia's MOSH effort, the idea is that you are forced to click through a couple of static image advertisements before and after each game session. The game 'in the middle' is totally free, but unless you're guaranteed to be on Wi-Fi or flat rate data, then there may be data charges to take into account because the ads themselves are loaded from the 123play.com servers. One ray of light is that the ads seem to be cached, so you don't have to keep paying and waiting for the same ads over and over again.

Source: http://www.allaboutsymbian.com
Posted by Jimmy at 09:27:40 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, May 30, 2008

Ozura Launches Badminton Mobile Game in MaxGames

Singapore, May 31, 2008 - Ozura Mobile, a leading international publisher and developer of mobile entertainment today announced the launch of its latest game - Counter Smash on MaxGames, Maxis' community based mobile gaming portal which runs on Ozura's FunlogiXTM platform.

“Counter Smash on mobile delivers nostalgic, engaging and addictive game play that mobile gamers can have in the palm of their hand. This game provides hours of entertainment and will make a great companion piece for anyone passionate about badminton game.” Said H.E. Mah, Ozura's Vice President of Marketing.

Counter Smash is one of the greatest global sport leagues with tremendous popularity spanning from Europe to Asia, and Ozura is thrilled to have the opportunity to develop badminton mobile games. It is an exhilarating sport game featuring Lin Done, embodied with darkness has turned the World Cup Badminton into a reign of anarchy. Many have been injured during the tournament. Players will take on the role of Max Morales to counter smash and fight his way through Lin Done’s followers to put an end to the abusive tournament.

“Our game is aiming to be the pinnacle of mobile badminton game, the game promises to bring the most extravagant experience that have never before been seen on mobile phone devices.” As stated by Mah.

Look for Counter Smash in June! Counter Smash will be launched simultaneously on Maxis' MaxGames mobile gaming community portal with the tournament expected to run for a period of two consecutive months. To download and play this new tournament game, visit MaxGames.

Source: http://www.mpogd.com
Posted by Jimmy at 09:27:36 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Japan to Launch Initiative to Limit Teen Cell Phone Use

The Japanese government has approved an initiative that warns parents to limit the use of cell phones by children, who officials fear are becoming addicted to the Internet-linked mobile devices.  

The program was established amid concerns that elementary and junior high school students are spending long hours exchanging mobile email, surfing the Web and even being lured into cyber crimes, said Masaharu Kuba, who leads the program.   
 
The Japanese education ministry says about one in three Japanese sixth graders have mobile phones, while 60 percent of ninth graders have them. Most mobile phones in Japan are sophisticated devices that provide high-speed Internet access called 3G, for "third-generation”."Japanese parents are giving cell phones to their children without giving it enough thought," he told the Associated Press

"In Japan, cell phones have become an expensive toy."The recommendations were established by an education reform panel, and then submitted to Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's administration, which approved the measures this week.

The panel is also requesting Japanese cell phone makers to develop mobile devices with only the talking function and global positioning system (GPS), a satellite-navigation feature with safety applications.  The panel also said better Internet filtering is required to protect children.

Some children spend hours each day emailing their friends. Indeed, a current trend among children is the “30 minute rule”, in which children who don’t reply to e-mail within 30 minutes are targeted for ridicule by classmates.

And although Japan has a relatively low crime rate compared to other industrialized nations, Kuba said other children have become the victims of cyber crimes.   He recalled one case in which children had sent pictures of themselves to a Web site and later received threats for money.

Cell phones tend to be more personal tools than computers, Kuba said, and parents increasingly struggle to monitor how their children are using the devices. Typically, parents pay about 4,000 yen ($39) per child each month for mobile phone service. Some parents rely on cell phones to keep in constant communication with their children as they commute long distances to school by bus or train.

Source: http://www.redorbit.com
Posted by Jimmy at 07:53:45 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Mobile-game market on solid ground

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Glu Mobile CEO Greg Ballard made a strong case for the mobile games business during his keynote here at the Games and Mobile Forum last Thursday.

Calling the business “underappreciated and unfairly criticized,” he took the audience through a history of the market and why he thinks it will continue to grow thanks to a series of major players that are introducing entirely new platforms that bring new capabilities into play.

Glu Mobile holds a 14% market share of the mobile games business, ranking second overall, he said, adding that the company ports 10 games to 10 different handset across the world every minute. “We sell games somewhere in the world every second,” he said.

“For those of us who’ve gotten to the top of the business, we think it’s a great business,” Ballard said.Many people say mobile games aren’t mass marketed yet because they only penetrate as little as 5% of all cellphones, he said, and even assuming it’s only reached that number, that still calculates to 165 million mobile gamers worldwide.

“The most recent data that I saw showed the number at 7 or 8%,” he said.“If you look just at that as an installed base for a platform you have to be pretty impressed,” Ballard continued. “We think it’s a very big business and we think it’s only going to get bigger.”

Major companies that have proven innovative prowess before, such as Google Inc., Nokia Corp., and Apple Inc., have all entered the market in the last several months, he said.“We think it’s going to change everything to be honest.”

Plenty of exciting new opportunities are going to come about quickly because of these new players, he said. The result will be nothing short of the “next wave of growth in the mobile business,” he added.

Source: http://rcrnews.com
Posted by Jimmy at 09:01:25 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Monday, May 26, 2008

Snack Armies Wage War in Mobile Game

Japanese snack maker Tohato is making its customers choose product sides in a mobile multiplayer online battle.

To help market two of its new spicy snacks, "Tyrant Habanero Burning Hell Hot" and "Satan Jorquia Bazooka Deadly Hot," the company has launched a mobile game that pits two armies -- Habanero Evil Army against Satan Jorquia Evil Army -- in a war to decide which flavor will rule them all.

To participate, you scan the barcode found on the bags with your mobile phone -- pretty much all mobile phones in Japan are equipped with barcode readers these days -- which then puts you in the army of your snack. Then, you can recruit others (helps you gain ranks), face off in various battlefields -- "Ouch, the City of Anal Torture" anyone? -- and receive SMS news alerts informing you of the latest wartime developments.

Although I haven't tasted these particular flavors, I've had some of their past snacks -- they're sort of like Ringalos -- and yes, they're pretty damn hot.

Source: http://blog.wired.com

Posted by Jimmy at 07:07:55 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, May 23, 2008

Metal Gear Solid Coming to N-Gage

Mobile game titles from Konami will now be added to the Nokia N-Gage platform, Nokia and Konami have announced. With the mobile version of "Metal Gear Solid" to be the first to feature in the games line-up.

The mobile version of the game is claimed to have original content exclusive to the mobile platform. Konami claims it features never-before-seen 3D art displays and camera work. The detailed in-game graphics create a depth that draws the player completely into the game, according to Konami. Besides, in-game camouflage draws on color from real-world scenery. Additional controls have been introduced especially for mobile devices.

"It is my sincere hope that global Nokia N-Gage users will experience the appeal of "Metal Gear" that has been brought to the mobile platform in the form of Metal Gear Solid Mobile," said Hideo Kojima, executive producer of Kojima Productions and corporate officer of Konami Digital Entertainment.

Source: http://www.techtree.com
Posted by Jimmy at 07:32:14 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Top brands back ad-funded mobile game service

Key brands including Britvic, Ebay, The Sun and NME have signed up to a new mobile gaming service.

123play.com offers mobile users top games for free in return for receiving two short adverts both before and after the game. All advertising will be short, punchy and relevant to men and women of all ages.

Mobile users will also be able to visit the advertiser’s website on their phones, but have the option to skip this option if they wish, before the game starts.Games publishers providing content include THQ Wireless, RealArcade, Digital Chocolate, Hands-On Mobile, Vivendi Games Mobile, PlayerX, Indiagames and Progressive Media

Markus Råmark, CEO and founder of 123play.com said the service had had had a massive response since its Beta launch in March. “The variety of games on offer means advertisers get access to a broad audience, and consumers get quality games in seconds for perfect mobile entertainment,” he added.

Advertising on ad-funded free games services is an increasingly popular way for brands to reach young traditionally difficult to reach consumers.Real Networks recently revealed that 90 per cent of casual gamers will watch in-game streaming video ads in exchange for free game play, survey findings from have revealed.

Additionally, 34 per cent of the 1500 respondents said they take further action and click on in-game advertisements to learn more about the advertised product or service.

Source: http://www.utalkmarketing.com

Posted by Jimmy at 09:35:31 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Tip: Smartphone - Some Sources for Mobile Game Downloads

If some industry watchers have it right, mobile gaming may be the next place to watch for explosive new options. For now, beyond the games your carrier offers, here are some options for downloads you can play while standing in line at the post office or riding the subway.

EA Mobile Games offers categories that include Puzzle & Strategy, Card & Casino, Action, Sports and Leisure Sports. Tetris, Yahtzee, SimCity and other familiar titles are sold in the Puzzle & Strategy group. Action has Need for Speed ProStreet, The Simpsons: Minutes to Meltdown and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Prices vary and we saw a range from $1.50 to $4 per download.

Gamespot Mobile organizes by New Releases, Top Games and All Mobile. They'll tantalize you with what's available and reviewed, but finding a game that's actually available for your phone today could prove challenging.

GameJump lets you download games for free in exchange for your registration info. Among the categories are Guy Games, Racing, Hollywood, One Thumb and Mobile Pets. That last one is a throw back to the inanimate pet craze of the 90s and let's you plant, water and nurture a flower in the hope that a butterfly will come along. Juxtaposes nicely with the "shoot 'em up" genre.

Get in touch with your carrier for quick downloading options. Some games are available on Verizon phones using the Get It Now direct shopping feature, for example. On AT&T phones, use AT&T Mall to purchase games.

Source: http://www.pdastreet.com
Posted by Jimmy at 07:33:06 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Monday, May 19, 2008

Speed Racer game for Mobile launched by Glu

Speed Racer mobile game has been released onto mobile by Glu; Speed Racer is based on the new Warner Bros movie. The movie is highly anticipated as it has been directed by the directors of the hit movie The Matrix.

Speed Racer for mobile is a 3D high speed racing game with an abundance of sliding, drifting, jumping, and all round driving fun which apparently incorporates “unique racing courses with slaloms and banks providing a brand-new type of racing experience”.

Director of Warner Bros wireless sales development digital distribution, Anthony Campagna says: “The team at Glu has done a remarkable job of delivering all the fast action of SPEED RACER onto the mobile phone. This game provides hours of entertainment and will make a great companion piece for anyone passionate about SPEED RACER.”

The Speed Racer gamer‘s aim is to become the ultimate Grand Prix champion while driving a Mach 6. The mobile gamer uses the art of “Car-Fu” which is “an artful driving skill and sense of oneness with the car” to slide, jump, drift and defensively drive. Gamers are required to navigate extreme tracks against obstacles and fierce competition to get to the finish line.

Glu senior vice president of global publishing, Jill Braff says “We’re really proud of the job our studio has done to develop a white-knuckle racing game on par with the level of quality that the Wachowski brothers expect. We’re excited to be able to put this experience in the hands of consumers in anticipation of the film’s debut.”


Source: http://www.phonesreview.co.uk

Posted by Jimmy at 07:20:56 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Mountain Dew's 'Willy the Hillbilly' Goes Mobile

"Willy the Hillbilly" is now a widget. The ornery looking character from Mountain Dew’s 1950’s ad campaign has been re-imagined for a mobile game that launched this week on the Zumobi platform.

Zumobi, formerly known as Zen-Zui, is a mobile technology company based in Seattle that was spun off from Microsoft three years ago. It allows consumers to organize their favorite mobile widgets. The current Zumobi platform is free to download on any mobile phone that uses Windows Mobile 5.0 or greater.Thanks to a deal it has struck with Microsoft, in which it will preload the technology on new smart phones using Windows Mobile 6.1 and above, Zumobi expects up to 2 million active users by year's end.

The Willy the Hillbilly widget, created by Tribal DDB, Dallas, is the most recent brand-centric application to exclusively appear on Zumobi. It comes in the form of a casual game where the objective is to sweep away conniving thieves trying to steal Willy’s Mountain Dew. Willy uses his broom to hack his way through levels that get progressively harder.Throughout the game Willy also entertains with catch phrases like "Yahooooo Mountain Dew" and "Mountain Dew disappeared faster than my wife on laundry day."

"We had a first look at the product late last year and felt the interface and creative opportunity was very unique," said John Vail, director of the interactive marketing group at Pepsi-Cola North America, Purchase, N.Y. "Looking for mobile innovation that was agnostic, this was a perfect way to continue to experiment with mobile by using Mountain Dew, tap into the heritage of our brand and one of our platforms, gaming, now for the third screen."

Mobile gaming is expected to be a $6 billion industry by 2011, according to U.K.-based consultancy Understanding & Solutions.Mountain Dew joins Capital One, Amazon.com and MTV, all of which already have created widgets for the platform. Banner ads can be served within these applications, like an Associated Press news feed, as well. The average user spends 22 minutes a day using Zumobi, per the company.

These applications function as more than just being a simple ad for the brands, said Ken Willner, Zumobi's vp-marketing development. "They engage the consumer and deliver utility and entertainment."

Source: http://www.brandweek.com
Posted by Jimmy at 06:51:41 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |
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