New n-gagements

N-Gage has become more interactive,allowing users to organise and manage content in the N-Gage Arena.

The next time you are waiting for someone at a coffee shop or taking a long bus ride home,you will have something to 8220;N-gage8221; yourself with,thanks to the changes Nokia has brought to its high-end gaming feature.

For starters,N-Gage has become more interactive,allowing users to organise and manage content in the N-Gage Arena. Interestingly,once registered,users can use the arena to meet friends,find others to play multiplayer games,discuss topics,and participate in tournaments and hosted events. However,all the levels of a particular game will not be available in the trial session and users will have to resort to the 8216;Try-and-Buy8217;.

Adding a new dimension to the N-Gage experience,is the points system which allows users to score points in multiplayer games and community activities. However,N-Gage and its multiple feature will have to wait for full-fledged 3G connectivity to unleash its true potential.

The Sunday Express takes a look what8217;s new on offer from N-Gage.
Café Sudoku: Now Sudoku and Kakuro lovers can have unlimited number-crunching sessions using Cafe Sudoku. While there is a tutorial on the basic principles of the number game,there is also the option of increasing the difficulty level. What is missing is the ability to scribble hints.

Asphalt 4-Elite Racing: The much-awaited Asphalt 4 is almost identical to its predecessor. Except the tracks and the cars,there is nothing new about the game. What is new is the Bluetooth multiplayer which lets you race against another player with a compatible phone within a 10-metre radius. However,the graphics,already a pretty jerky,seems even more glaring on Bluetooth.

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D: Having dealt with Asphalt 4,Bandicoot was a great relief. The game revolves around six cartoon characters racing across a 3D cartoon landscape. The courses are rather spectacular for a phone game,but sadly there is no multiplayer option. However,the graphics tend to lose sheen on a bigger screen,so stay away from the TV output option.

Boom Blox: The hallmark of a puzzle game is that it should be addictive,exactly what this game fails to do. The game was partially designed by Steven Spielberg,with over 300 levels available for people to play through,alongside 100 levels especially designed for cooperative or competitive multiplayer gaming. The N-Gage version has the same design base,but with just 40 levels for solo play,and a level editor that lets you construct and test levels that others can play,which you cannot share or upload.

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Dogz: This game is for those who miss those Japanese electronic pets,you could feed and play with? Just as the name implies,you get to control a digital pet dog in your mobile phone,and get to do all sorts of things with it as if it was real. You8217;ll get to play with it,feed it,take it out on walks,and even clean up the mess it leaves behind. The gameplay of Dogz is simple enough,and consists of many small mini games within the main game.

Bounce: This game is a 3D sequel to the original Bounce games found in older Nokia phones. The game has nice bright colours and well-designed scenery,with a fast and smooth 3D engine that never slows down even when the ball is moving at a high speed. There is a good variety of scenery and objects,and even relatively small sections can seem large thanks to the careful level design. The three Arena-based levels can be unlocked by collecting enough spheres from the main levels.
_Shawan Sen