Pocket Gamer Guide to Mobile Games / Issue 12 / Three Edition

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Issue 12 September 09

M ag az in e

FR EE

35 games t o play

now!

A chip off the old block?

Strategy Special!

The games that’ll get your brain back in gear

WIN!

Two Kramer Focus VT-211S ‘Fatboy’ electric guitars!

Inside:

Pac-Man Championship Edition Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Star Trek The Sims 3 Go! Go! Rescue Squad Crash Bandicoot: Mutant Island Moto GP 09 Bubble Bash 2

Now available to read online!

H E A C ion t edi A LLY IS TOT

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Issue 12 September 09

Inside:

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M Ag Az IN e

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Issue 10 Mar 2009

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Find MORE news & reviews at

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Inside:

Super Street Fighter II Metal Slug Mobile 4 Chuck Norris Gangstar 2 Far Cry 2 Wolfenstein RPG Rolling with Katamari Lemmings Tribes Prince of Persia Zero

A new case begins…

WIN!

+ Luxor: The King’s Collection

Which music game rocks hardest?

+ Luxor: The King’s Collection

Which music game rocks hardest?

WIN!

Strategy Special!

A new case begins…

Prince of Persia Zero Lemmings Tribes Rolling with Katamari Wolfenstein RPG Far Cry 2 Gangstar 2 Chuck Norris Metal Slug Mobile 4 Super Street Fighter II

WIN!

The games that’ll get your brain back in gear

Two Kramer Focus VT-211S ‘Fatboy’ electric guitars!

your brain back in gear The games that’ll get

electric guitars!

VT-211S ‘Fatboy’ Two Kramer Focus

Strategy Special!

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£500 widescreen TV up for grabs

GAMES TO PLAY

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Inside: inside Hot games

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Play time!

Welcome to issue 12 of Pocket Gamer’s guide to mobile games, from the expert gang at www.pocketgamer.co.uk.

There’s a theme this month: strategy. Townsmen 6 may be the cover star, but you’ll find Civilization IV and Railroad Tycoon Mobile in the news section, too. This is followed by a feature that highlights a selection of games we feel will help anyone struggling to get back into work mode after enjoying a relaxing summer break.

Given the dreadful weather we’ve recently experienced in the UK, a better tactic next year may be to fly abroad.

João Diniz Sanches

r Focus A Krame‘F atboy’ 1S 21 VTuitar g c ri ct le e p26

Moto GP 09

p18 >>

6 Townsmen

REVIEWS IN THIS ISSUE… Bubble Bash 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Crash Bandicoot: Mutant Island . .

Go! Go! Rescue Squad . . . . . . . . . . .

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Moto GP 09 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pac-Man Championship Edition .

Red Faction: Guerilla . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Robinson Crusoe: Shipwrecked . .

21 21 19 19 18 16 22 22

Sky Sports 2-for-1 Cricket Pack 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sonic Unleashed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Star Trek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Terminator Salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Sims 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Townsmen 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

X-Men Origins: Wolverine . . . . . . . .

20 22 18 20 17 17 22

04 Introducing mobile games

FEATURE

06 6 mobile games to try now

FEATURE

12 Strategy Special

FEATURE

Your entry into the world of mobile gaming, with some great gaming recommendations to get you started

Spoiled with choice over what to play on your mobile phone?

We present five brilliant games you ought to check out

The games that will best get your brain back in gear and ease you into work following that ‘forget it all’ summer holiday

So you like…

Strategy Games

Editor | Pocket Gamer

Watch out!

This icon means there is more related content on the Net. Just click on it to go straight to the site!

24 Win a Kramer guitar!

COMPETITION

Enter our Hard Rock Casino Collection competition to win one of two rawktastic Kramer Focus VT-211S ‘Fatboy’ electric guitars!

Your Guide To Mobile Games is published by Steel Media Ltd. For advertising or other enquiries relating to the magazine contact Chris James – chris@steelmedia.co.uk All information is correct at time of going to press. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission of Steel Media Ltd. No responsibility will be accepted for any errors or omissions, or comments made by the writers. Views expressed are not necessarily the views of Three. ©2009 Steel Media Ltd.

SEPTEMBER 2009

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

3

Why mobile games?

Hours of gaming action, whenever and wherever you want it, for the price of a coffee.

Here’s why it’s time you tried mobile games…

Play where you like, when you like You don’t have to monopolise the TV to get your game on

4

In association with

Bite-sized fun From Quick that won’t hurt sudoku to and simple your wallet shoot’-em-ups Downloading a At less than a fiver, mobile games are marvellous value

www.three.co.uk

Whatever kind of game you like, you’ll find it on mobile

game to your phone is a painless process

The short codes provided in this E-Zine are for Three network only – Customers on other networks should access their appropriate games portal to download.

Casual classics to start playing NOW! You might not think you’re a gamer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy mobile games. There’s something for everyone, whatever their experience

Try THESE!

Puzzle Bobble Evolution Publisher: EA Mobile

We’ve encountered the series before but that doesn’t detract from the great effort that’s gone into deconstructing Taito’s classic game and reforming it in new and exciting ways.

An extremely accomplished mobile title that offers accessibility, variety and longevity.

BUY IT NOW Text BOBBLE to 34263

UNO

Publisher: Gameloft Who doesn’t love UNO? Gameloft’s ode to this crazy card game is a never-ending stream of challenges, targets and rule twists that really spice up play to attract newcomers and those who’ve not picked up those primary coloured cards in years. It’s the family favourite redesigned for the Pokémon generation.

BUY IT NOW Text UNO to 34263

Luxor Quest Publisher: I-play

Superb and addictive puzzle game that betters previous titles of this enthralling series with more polished play and great looking levels. If you’re going to have a puzzle game on your mobile – and it’s almost a legal requirement to have at least one – this should be it.

BUY IT NOW Text QUEST to 34263

California Gold Rush Publisher: Digital Chocolate

Much like the process of gold digging itself, California Gold Rush gives you a taste of the good stuff yet, brilliantly, never quite enough.

Part puzzler, part adventure, it looks cute and cuddly but is also engaging – you won’t need to dig deep to uncover its golden moments.

BUY IT NOW Text GOLD to 34263

SEPTEMBER 2009

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

5

6

One

Great Games

To play now

One

Two

Zombie Infection

Mystery Mania

Publisher: Gameloft Developer: Gameloft

Publisher: Progressive Media Developer: Electronic Arts

A superb rollercoaster of undead action, packed with as many thrills as it has severed heads. Working from an isometric perspective, you control a number of team members as the story requires. Along the way you encounter civilians that need your help against the relentless shuffling wave of the undead. Zombie Infection grabs the chainsaw, kicks the door down and claims its place alongside the finest zombie yarns – both film and game – that we've seen in years.

BUY IT NOW!

Text ZOMBIE to

6

34263

In association with

Three

An amnesiac robot sleuth isn't the most obvious lead character choice when constructing a point-and-click puzzler, perhaps, but it epitomises all that's great about Mystery Mania.

Because it doesn't take long while negotiating F8 (as your avatar is known) through a deserted mansion's trap-filled rooms and solving its many clever puzzles to realise this is a stylish and unique mobile masterpiece that exudes personality and confidence.

BUY IT NOW!

Text MYSTERY to

www.three.co.uk

34263

Fast and Furious Publisher: Firemint Developer: I-Play

If you ain't out of control, you ain't in control, goes the saying. Quite. The thing is, control in Fast and Furious – adaptation of the most recent Hollywood outing for the franchise – is everything. It needs to be if you're going to make it round a bend at silly speeds while the backend threatens to overtake the front. The competition may be tough in the mobile racing circuit but great visuals and varied play put this ahead of the chasing pack.

BUY IT NOW!

Text FAST to

34263

The short codes provided in this E-Zine are for Three network only – Customers on other networks should access their appropriate games portal to download.

6 Great Games Two Two

Three

Six

Four

Games cost either £3 or £5 and you will be advised of price before purchase. Full Terms & conditions are on page 14

Five

Four

FIve

Six

Mafia Wars: Chuck New York Norris

BurgerTime Delight

Publisher: Sumea Developer: Digital Chocolate

Publisher: Gameloft Developer: Gameloft

Fancy taking the Mafia down a peg or two? Right this way. By stepping into the shoes of undercover FBI agent Vincent Paladino and climbing the crime syndicate ladder you should gather the evidence you need to bring the Cosa Nostra to justice. No pressure. Thankfully the great car-driving segments and gunplay are expertly delivered – this addition to the franchise builds on gameplay while adding a great storyline for a film-quality thriller.

Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain is excellent. Which is a relief because who would want to go and tell the martial arts legend that the game bearing his name isn't up to much?

Actually, he must be a good sort because Bring on the Pain is a spectacular, self-parodying send up.

A wonderfully ridiculous scenario – POWs in a jungle needing rescuing – sets up an intense, action-packed shooter and a first class beat-'em-up packed full of hard-hitting humour.

BUY IT NOW!

Text MAFIA to

34263

Publisher: Namco Bandai Developer: Namco Bandai

BUY IT NOW!

Text CHUCK to

34263

SEPTEMBER 2009

Step into the hectic BurgerTime Delight kitchen, the scene of an inspired re-imagining of Namco's popular 1980s arcade title. The rules are simple: playing on four levels linked with ladders you must walk across burger components and knock them down level after level until they compile at the bottom of the screen to form the perfect burger. It's simple, old-skool stuff but brilliantly done. If only all burger joints would adopt a similar system…

BUY IT NOW!

Text BURGER to

34263

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

7

Invasion nation Civilization IV: War of Two Cities Connect2Media

Conquering its way onto mobile It’s a sign of how confidently mobile gaming is evolving that developers are increasingly looking at the hugely complex experiences found on the most advanced and versatile platforms – such as the PC – and thinking of ways to adapt them on the mobile, arguably the simplest of all the gaming hardware.

Take the Civilization series.

Gargantuan masters of strategy in which you effectively get to rewrite history as you see fit, its games have been at the forefront of this dangerously engrossing genre for years, each new instalment setting

an impressive new chapter for others to follow. To its credit, the humble mobile has been keeping up, with its own line of simplified – yet no less essential – versions.

The latest on the horizon is Civilization IV: War of Two Cities.

The core concept of leading your empire to glory remains unaffected and each mission occurs on a horizontally scrolling 2D map. At either end of this expanse are located your and your enemy’s bases and the aim is to get your infantry units into your opponent’s fortifications. This, it won’t surprise you to learn, is where the strategy kicks in.

You see, your fight is also one to take control of farms and mines spread around the countryside as these enable the speedy production of more troops or increase the rate of fire.

The thinking behind the mobile conceptualisation of this immense franchise is promising. If everything falls into place, War of Two Cities should deliver an all-conquering lesson in portable strategy.

BUY IT NOW! Text CIVILIZATION to 34263

SEPTEMBER 2009

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

9

Fight Night Round 4 EA Mobile

Kings of the ring It’s a knockout Already wowing the console crowd, EA’s premier boxing series hasn’t forgotten to do a few rounds on mobile.

The first sign that Fight Night Round 4 is likely to punch above its weight are the sharp 3D visuals and great animation, but a revised control system – which splits punches into high and low blows, as well as jabs, powerful hooks and counterpunches – should ensure the action is worthy of the main event.

The game structure has also been in training, with new tutorial and career modes stepping into the ring to offer crucial levels of depth and rounding off an impressive fighting package. Create your boxer and go from hopeless rookie to title contender. Seconds out, get punching!

BU Y

! Text IT NOW

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34263

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NitroStreet Racing 2 Gameloft

Turbo boost Start revving your engine

Who says racing games and the Mafia don’t mix? NitroStreet Racing 2 looks set to challenge that perception by offering a racing extravaganza that’s been boosted with a criminal storyline.

What this means from a gaming point is a number of different types of racing, so that whether you’re going up against a rival gang or in a one-on-one duel to help you gain the big boss’s trust, the road and objectives are rarely the same.

We’ll soon know if it’s so good it should be locked up.

10

In association with

www.three.co.uk

The short codes provided in this E-Zine are for Three network only – Customers on other networks should access their appropriate games portal to download.

CHART

Sid Meier’s Railroad Tycoon Mobile Connect2Media

GET THE LATEST CHART FROM PLANET 3 ON YOUR PHONE

Riding the simulation train success

THREe’s Top 10

Pac-Man Remastered Watch out, Pac-Man’s about! Namco’s classic returns in newly updated form.

Text PAC2 to 34263

Bejeweled Twist

Top puzzling fun – you’ll be twisting this summer and the next with this one.

Text NEWTWIST to 34263

Guitar Hero World Tour Mobile Rawk like a hurricane!

Text GUITAR to 34263

Brain Tester 24-Pack: Vol 2

Time to find out how clever you really are.

Text BRAIN2 to 34263

Pro Golf 2010 World Tour

Never to busy to hit the virtual greens.

Text GOLF10 to 34263

Hard Rock Casino Collection You can bet on this.

Games cost either £3 or £5 and you will be advised of price before purchase.

Full Terms & conditions are on page 14

Text CASINO to 34263

Championship Manager ‘09

Your chance to show ‘em how it’s done.

Text MANAGER09 to 34263

Family Guy: Uncensored

Dysfunctionality at its finest.

Text GUY to 34263

Puzzle Bobble Evolution Balloon-busting fun!

Text PUZZLE to 34263

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

All aboard!

Sid Meier must be a busy man. It’s not just that his name appears on a number of games every so often – it’s also the fact those games tend to be huge beasts of unimaginable length and complexity.

In fairness, Railroad Tycoon Mobile has been deliberately squeezed onto mobile but don’t go thinking it’s turned into Thomas the Tank Engine. A tutorial suggests this remains an impressively coherent railroad simulation in which you must make the money to build, manage and capitalise upon your network.

The controls have been kept simple and together with contextual menus work towards distilling the huge PC experience into your pocket. Keep an eye out for it rolling into the mobile station!

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BUY IT

Empire Fighter 3D Shamrock Games

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Striking back Classical shooting action

There’s nothing quite as liberating as a quick-fix blast on your favourite shmup – that’s shoot-‘em-up for the uninitiated. It’s a wonderful release and works wonders in clearing the stress before that big important business meeting.

Looking to join the ranks of those remarkably therapeutic experiences is Empire Fighter 3D and on first impressions it seems to fit the bill. It looks nice – beautiful sprites drawn on top of three-dimensional backgrounds – includes a substance-friendly upgrade system and plays very much in the classical sense of the genre.

Better add this one to your shooting – sorry, shopping – list.

Clawing its way onto your phone.

Text WOLVERINE to 34263

SEPTEMBER 2009

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

11

SimCity Metropolis Publisher: EA Mobile

A casual take on a classic and universally loved strategy game that retains the original’s best elements whilst remaining entirely at home on your handset. This is mobile city-building at its finest.

BUY IT NOW Text METROPOLIS to 34263

Strategy Games Something to get you in a thinking mood If, like most people, you’ve enjoyed your summer holiday and are now gearing up to face the inevitable return to reality – either in the form of school or work – it’s not uncommon to find your brain doesn’t always want to play ball.

It’s enjoyed the break and doesn’t see the need to rush into things.

Trouble is modern life doesn’t allow for such relaxed attitudes.

You need to get back in the zone, and you need to do it quickly. What better way to kick those synapses into action, then, than engaging in deep strategic thinking, courtesy of your mobile?

12

In association with

www.three.co.uk

Onlookers may assume that complex strategy ventures are only the realm of the PC, but the humble mobile has for some time delivered exceptionally wellrounded examples of this captivating genre. We’ve picked three enduring favourites to illustrate the point.

First up, SimCity Metropolis, shouldn’t need an introduction.

Based on the series that effortlessly turned every gamer into budding town planner, this wisely steers away from trying to re-invent the wheel but it does tweak the concept in order to make it work

The short codes provided in this E-Zine are for Three network only – Customers on other networks should access their appropriate games portal to download.

Lemmings Tribes Publisher: Glu

Brilliantly converted, smart looking version of classic and immensely popular puzzler Lemmings, which comes with three different styles of play and lots of levels to dig, jump and dive your lemming troops through.

BUY IT NOW Text TRIBES to 34263

Real Football Manager 2009 Games cost either £3 or £5 and you will be advised of price before purchase. Full Terms & conditions are on page 14

Publisher: Gameloft

An all-encompassing football management sim which fits in your pocket and also comes with a nifty in-game engine that puts many of its rivals to shame. This really is the manager’s special!

BUY IT NOW Text REAL09 to 34263

for mobile. So when you start building your metropolis, you’ll find the road network has already been established – all you have to do is add the buildings. These are split into three main categories. There are residential buildings to house your residents, industrial blocks for them to work in and amenities to make your city a nicer place.

Each building affects several of the stats that your city is judged by and therein lies the genius – you’ve got a limited space to work in and must balance those stats in order to complete each level’s objectives.

If that sounds a little too industrial, how about delving into the more rural world of Lemmings Tribes? The hazardprone critters have needed

players’ assistance for over two decades now, and this instalment is no different. Yet the task of leading a group of lemmings through threatening levels and getting as many of them out has limitless appeal.

With Tribes you get three distinctly different lemmings types to play with – Classic, Space and Medieval – meaning there’s plenty of variation and lots of game. Guaranteed hours of fun.

Don’t fancy edifices or animals?

Okay, here’s something a little more traditional, then. Real Football Manager 2009 continues to be a favourite of mobile footy sim fans and with reason. The game’s ability to pair up an entirely fluid recreation of the game with manageable menus really pushes it ahead of most of

SEPTEMBER 2009

its competitors. That’s because Gameloft has sectioned off general options to do with the physical management and direction of your team – from match day and post match messages, where emails from your club’s directors are delivered and you keeping a track of income from tickets and offers for your players from rival clubs.

Simplicity of control is key throughout, and this is achieved not by cutting back the options or serving up a half-baked management sim, but by taking ideas already penned by football management titles on PC and translating them here. Buying new players, selling your own, and managing how you team gels are all dealt with here – nothing is left out.

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

13

Download a game from Step 1: Go to Planet 3

Step 2: Browse Games menu It’s free to browse.

Scroll down to find the games icon, which takes you to the portal’s main games page. There, you’ll be able to access to hundreds of games from as little as 99p including the latest new games, top 10 games, top deals, as well as a direct link to games split by genre (puzzle, action, retro, etc…). Games are updated on Thursdays, so it’s worth checking back every week.

If you’re looking to download mobile games, the first step is to go to the Planet 3 portal. This depends on your phone; some have a dedicated Planet 3 button on the handset itself, others require pressing one of the keys under the screen. Once there, you’ll see the portal’s homepage.

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Head along to www.pocketgamer.co.uk to get loads more ‘How to’ guides for your mobile

In association with

www.three.co.uk

Step 4: Time to pay Clicking on a game’s ‘more info’ link takes you through to its dedicated page, where you’ll find more screenshots of the game, and information on what it is about.

Clicking on ‘Buy Game’ pays for the game, either taking the money from your account balance (if you’re Pay As You Go) or adding it to your monthly bill.

The short codes provided in this E-Zine are for Three network only – Customers on other networks should access their appropriate games portal to download.

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Step 3: Check out games Clicking on one of the links takes you to a list of games in that category, showing a picture (usually of the title screen), a price, and a link to get more information.

This is a good way to get a quick overview of what’s available and how much it might cost, especially if you’re browsing by genre.

Get your game via SMS The step-by-step guide to the left shows how you go about downloading games from Three’s game portal, but that’s by no means the only way to get the latest games on your phone.

You can also buy games by sending a plain old-fashioned text message using the special codes we’ve printed in this magazine. It won’t cost you more and it might save time.

1. Create a new text message

Chances are you’ve already sent a few of these, but if not, look for the envelope icon or message/messaging service on your phone (the exact location differs from handset to handset but it should be prominent in your phone’s main menu) and select the option to write a new message.

2. Type the game code Step 5: Download your game Once payment has gone through, it’s time to download the game.

The exact method varies from phone to phone, but usually you’ll be asked to confirm that you want to download the game.

You may be asked where you want to save your game – in Games or Applications is usually the best choice.

There are special short codes printed alongside or below pretty much all of the games featured in this magazine. Just look for the green bars that say ‘Buy It Now’.

Simply enter the exact code supplied on the page and then press Continue or Confirm.

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3. Send your message to 34263

You’ll then be asked to enter a number to send the text to, in this case it will always be 34263. Once you’ve entered that, just select Send.

4. Wait for a text to come back

After a few seconds you should receive a text back from Three with further information about the game, including a link that asks you to click in order to buy the game. You won’t be charged for the game until you press this link and the price of the game will be added to your monthly bill. If you’re a Pay-As-You-Go customer make sure you’ve got enough credit left on your account to pay for it before sending the text, to avoid frustration.

5. Download and Play!

All that remains is to follow the instructions onscreen to download and save the game (it will usually be saved in either the Games or Applications folder of your phone). Now you’re ready to play, so click on the game’s icon to start, and have fun!

SEPTEMBER 2009

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

15

Reviews mobile Rounding up the hottest games available now

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i Networks mco Banda a N : er h lis b Pu dai Namco Ban Developer: aking a

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Reviews

The Sims

Games cost either £3 or £5 and you will be advised of price before purchase. Full Terms & conditions are on page 14

Townsmen 6 Viva La Revolution

Developer: IronMonkey Publisher: EA Mobile

Developer: HandyGames Publisher: Glu

Domestic bliss

In the world of movies, the higher the number following a film’s title, the worse it’s likely to be. Take Police Academy 6 or Rocky V, for instance. However, with video games the opposite is usually – and wonderfully – true. Welcome Townsmen 6 with open arms, then, because the latest instalment in HandyGames’s long-running empire-building franchise manages to outshine its predecessors, despite the astonishingly high standard set by the previous entries.

Making a new instalment of one of the most popular games on the planet must be a mixed blessing.

On the one hand, a lot of people will buy it whether it’s good or not, and everyone will sit up and take notice of it just because they’ve heard of it. On the other hand, it gets increasingly difficult to impress your audience.

For The Sims it must be particularly tough. After all, this is a game about real life – about getting a job, cooking meals and making friends. There’s only so much you can change before you start making the game less real and destroying the whole reason The Sims is so immensely popular.

You’re dropped into revolutionary France and must assist your downtrodden kinsmen in their struggle to escape the yoke of monarchic rule.

Thankfully the game ignores the less appealing aspects of this infamous uprising (no beheadings take place) to focus on the vital task at hand creating a prosperous country packed with happy and contented Townies.

But The Sims 3 manages it. By enhancing everything the game already had and implementing similar systems to those in the new PC game of the same name (life goals, wishes and random moral decisions), it not only improves the experience, but makes it feel like an entirely new game rather than a mere update to The Sims 2.

It’s impossible to adequately describe the sheer depth of the game in a review of this size, but suffice to say that Townsmen 6 is a complete triumph of strategy brilliance and ranks as one of the most arresting mobile phone games we’ve yet encountered. That such depth and complexity can be found in a mobile phone game is incredible.

Townsmen 6 POSSESSES a level of depth that puts to shame many full-priced console releases

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Brilliant mobile version of the latest Sims game which introduces new goals and activities to make it pure fun

10

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Reviews

Moto GP 09 Star Trek Developer: EA Mobile Publisher: EA Mobile

Developer: I-play Publisher: I-play Loco-Moto

Phasers set to fun

Racing cars is all well and good, but for unbeatable motorsport action, you’ve got to lose two wheels. At heart, Moto GP 09 is what you’d expect, letting you race as one of your MotoGP heroes across a 17-track championship that sees you automatically upgrading your bike as the races pass and the hunt for the title heats up.

Based on the well-received J.J. Abrams re-envisioned Star Trek, EA’s own trek across the universe takes the form of a scrolling shooter, yet despite this format, it still manages to retain one crucial element – a sense of fun.

As you might expect, there’s whole legion of ships to shoot down and asteroids to avoid, but Star Trek keeps you plodding on by dropping power-ups and health boosts throughout space that you can pick up with your tractor beam.

Like its predecessor, it presents you with a set of varied courses that all encourage you to spring from tight corners into long, wide straights. This isn’t a game that penalises you for one dodgy corner or lets you off the hook as soon as you slip into the lead. This is tight, tense arcade racing, and whether you’re slumping at the back or tussling at the front, nothing is won or lost until the finish line.

With phasers set to auto-fire (they latch on to the nearest foe and shoot until they’re obliterated), you take charge of the torpedoes, tapping the ‘5’ key to fire them off in a straight line. Most of the enemies fly past in bursts and it’s not actually necessary to take them all out, but doing so does eliminate a large portion of the ammunition headed your way.

It’s a style of play that is unapologetic in its determination to proffer fun over overt authenticity. For the majority Moto GP 09 is the most accessible way to thrash about on a track without worrying about being left frustrated and fuming at the back of the grid.

Moto GP 09’s full-on action and polished championship make it the ideal purchase for fans and casual gamers alike

Not the most difficult shooter you’ll face, but Star Trek does serve up a true space adventure, where predictability and sterility have no place.

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Star Trek comes with bags full of variety and a steady sense of progression to do Captain Kirk and his crew full justice

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Go! Go! Rescue Squad Developer: Connect2Medi a Publisher: Connect2Medi a It’s on fire

Everybody likes to play the hero every now and then. Go! Go! Rescue Squad makes you a fireman but isn’t a realistic representation of the heroic job.

Fans will be spellbound No Nimbus 2000 for guessing The Half-Blood Prince is the game of the film of the book.

It’s split up into several selfcontained chapters and although this isn’t necessarily a game where your high score is an issue, you’re nevertheless graded on how swiftly you complete each one.

An excellent job of matching the tone of the film, but could have spent a little longer in the cauldron.

The result is a truly inspired, fun, original game you’ll be playing for weeks.

BUY IT NOW Text RESCUE to 34263

Developer: EA Mobile Publisher: EA Mobile

The highly-detailed 2D visuals are gorgeous and do a wonderful job of recreating the mystical ambience of the films.

Likewise, the character sprites themselves animate brilliantly, with Harry’s contortions during his spell casting particularly worthy of praise.

In some levels you control a firefighter, while in others there are several scattered around the level that you can switch to at any point. Doing so introduces a whole new level of strategy into a level, since you can throw Darwins and fire extinguishers to another firefighter to catch.

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and the Half-Blood Prince

During the course of this adventure you’ll find that most of your time is spent fetching items from one part of Hogwarts and taking them to another. In fact, this form of gameplay makes up a large portion of the action. But you also take part in wizarding duels, both with fellow students and Voldemort’s cronies.

The point here is to rescue all the people, the Darwins, from each level.

You do this by getting them to one of the exit doors in the level – a process hindered by flames sprouting all over the place, and also by ladders, sheer drops and other hazards.

Go! Go! Rescue Squad has it all – devilishly difficult puzzles, originality and playability galore

Harry Potter

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Mouth-watering presentation and engaging gameplay are slightly cursed by the lack of long-term challenge

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Sky Sports

2-for-1 Cricket Pack 2009 Developer: Player One Publisher: Player One

Terminator Salvation Developer: Gameloft Pub lisher: Gameloft

Cricket is king again. And what better to enjoy the action than with the double whammy of Sky Sports 2-for-1 Cricket Pack 2009.

The two games offer very different takes on the sport. Michael Vaughan’s Pro Cricket ‘08 is – like the man himself – fairly straight, offering up every form of cricket imaginable (one day internationals, the brand-spanking new 20-20 variation, triangular series match ups and your own, custom, tournaments) and giving it a solid base on which to be played.

It all acts as the perfect counterweight to Flintoff’s Power Play Cricket, which introduces a far more arcadey take on the sport – the ability to score more than six points a shot and the delicate tapping of certain objects around the arena that add bonus points can swing a match in your favour in just a couple of hits.

Whether you want to feel every shot and every run, playing out your own dream tournament, or just thwack that ball after filling up your ‘power bar’, Cricket Pack 2009 has the game for you.

Cricket Pack 2009 offers top quality cricket that’s both realistic and wild

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No need to Bale (‘bail’) out Taking on a licence the size of Terminator Salvation on mobile can be as daunting as facing up to Skynet’s terrifying, relentless metal monsters.

Thankfully Gameloft hasn’t attempted to cram something too adventurous into our phones, opting instead for a good old fashioned, pick-up-and-play action game. Terminators run at you, so you shoot them down – simple and effective, just like the original movie.

You follow John Connor through the pseudo-3D, post-apocalyptic world blasting most anything you meet by putting it between your crosshairs and hitting it with the biggest gun available.

Worth mentioning are the moments the game switches to something of a platformer or gives you futuristic vehicles to pilot. It adds a different flavour to something that won’t last forever, but delivers plenty of non-stop action.

A well-crafted shooter – the action is solid and breaks up the monotony with changes in pace

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Freddie Flintoff fantastic

Reviews

Crash Bandicoot:

Mutant Island

Bubble Bash 2

Developer: Vivendi Games Mobile Publisher: Glu

Developer: Gameloft Publisher: Gameloft

Crash recovery

Effervescent

Being a console icon from the 1990s is a bit like being a pop star from the 1990s.

Once seen as young, fresh and cuttingedge, you’re now reduced to releasing mediocre cash-ins to an ever-dwindling fan-base.

What is the fascination with bubbles? Whatever it is, it’s lead to their ubiquity in video games.

Bubble Bash 2 is the latest in a long line of puzzlers to have the floaty baubles at it its core.

Not so, says Crash Bandicoot, one-time pin-up for the mighty Sony PlayStation brand. Crash Bandicoot: Mutant Island is a return to the form and genre that gave the orange marsupial his initial bout of success.

Its system of pinging coloured bubbles into a cluster to try and match three or more isn’t new, of course. When you achieve this the cluster disappears, taking you one step closer to the ultimate goal of a total clearance.

This is old-skool platforming, plain and simple.

You run around twisty levels, leaping from vines, sliding down slopes and collecting lots and lots of arbitrary knick-knacks. In fact it’s easy to be underwhelmed based on your first few minutes with the game. Give it enough time, though, and its charms will soon emerge.

Where Bubble Bash 2 advances the formula is in the neat implementation of physics.

Here, the central clusters are often attached to a helium-filled balloon, so changing the load affects the height and movement of the whole bunch.

It controls beautifully, looks great, has excellent level design, with a nicely judged ebb and flow to each stage, and stands as a very impressive, very enjoyable rehabilitation for Crash.

Excellent level design and tight controls combine to make Mutant Island one of the best mobile platformers in recent times BUY IT NOW Text MUTANT to 34263

It’s a twist that guarantees this game plays differently enough to warrant a purchase, regardless of how many bubbles you’ve popped in the past.

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introduces neat physicsbased spins on the old format, offering hours of bubble-popping action

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Reviews

Robinson Crus oe:

Sonic Unleashed Shipwrecked Developer: Gameloft Publisher: Gameloft

In Sonic Unleashed you alternate control between Sonic and his Werehog alter-ego. It’s an excellent start, with Sonic moving swiftly and smoothly through some beautifully twisting environments. But as the Werehog you find yourself in control of a lumbering oaf, who replaces Sonic’s agility with the ability to clobber enemies and rely on a kind of grappling hook. These sections add variety to the constant speed of Sonic, but such a change of pace really isn’t necessary. Still, it remains a very accomplished game.

A worthy purchase that suffers a little from a split personality BUT IS GREAT FUN

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X-Men Origins: has Based on the film, Logan his e hav to e tim had ely bar bones coated with the the indestructible metal, that platformer action kicks off.

Thankfully, Wolverine’s a , nimble fellow who can run b. jump, hack, slash and clim The fighting is very simple but it’s well executed and ably quick pace. Admittedly, the game moves at a suit the once you get the hang of n atio vari ch mu there isn’t these aspects h bot but , nics cha me platformer/fighting e. to easily support the gam are well rounded enough d. inte ppo Wolvie fans won’t be disa HOUT faults, Wolverine ISN’TaWIT Y decent VER s remain it but BRID platform/fighter HY

In association with

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Guerilla

Developer: EA Mobile Publisher: EA Mobile

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Based on Danie l De celebrated nove foe’s l, Shipwrecked is all ab surviving on a de out serted island. Viewed as to this generally inv p-down, olv wandering aroun es d the map, picking up any items you find and combi ning them to form more usef ul objects.

Sleep deprivatio n, hunger and th have their parts irst all to effect on all thre play, and each step you take ha e, meaning regu s an lar snacks have incorporated to to be sto game has a subt p Robinson dying of exhaustio n. le indulging in po charm that will keep those wh The int-and-click sty o like le adventures ve ry happy.

Slow but so lid, tHIS is a case of piec typical after puzzleing together puzzle to move forward 10 BUY IT NOW COMING Text X X XON X to 34263 SO

Red Faction:

Wolverine

NS to BUY IT NOW Text ORIGI

Developer: Exke e Publisher: I-play

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34263

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Developer: G5 Entertainment Publisher: THQ Focused on fighting the EDF across the surface of Mars, Red Faction: Guerilla delivers missions that require you to shoot anything that moves, whatever it might be. That’s not to say that such play is in any way mediocre or dull. Guerilla comes with some detailed visuals that really add a touch of finesse to proceedings, making exploration from one level to the next a real pleasure.

While it lasts, Red Faction’s return to the red planet is a notable step forward for the franchise.

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fits together various pieces of the action puzzle to serve up a solid shooteR COMINtoG34263 BUY IT NOW Text XXXX SOON

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Features Buyer’s Guide Want to know what’s coming next in mobile gaming? Our in-depth features and exclusive interviews will ensure you’re clued in.

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C 9t fo los h r e ing O n d ct tr a ob ie te er s i 20 s 09

Two Kramer Focus VT-211S ‘Fatboy’ electric guitars!

Casinos have a reputation for being glamorous, glitzy venues, full of Bond-like gentlemen flashing their cash to woo over the scores of women in sleek, tight fitting dresses.

Over here in Blighty, however, you’re more likely to find cigarette butts trodden into chintzy carpets, people throwing up in the toilets after a heavy night out and a vague musty smell you just can’t quite put your finger on.

Thankfully, EA Mobile’s Hard Rock Casino Collection is here to polish the casino’s veneer. It’s a well crafted and expertly presented set comprising four games – Blackjack, Roulette, Deuces Wild and Rock N’ Roll Slots – and does an excellent job of presenting a no-nonsense and colourful casino experience.

To celebrate the game’s rock theme, the publisher has teamed up with guitar maker Kramer (www.kramerguitars.com) to give two lucky readers the chance to win an electric guitar each. Just read on to rock out. Good luck!

To be in with a chance of getting your hands on one of two rawktastic Kramer Focus VT-221S ‘Fatboy’ electric guitars, check out the following question, and send your answer via email or post to the addresses below, by the closing deadline of Friday 9th October 2009.

Which of these would you associate with a guitar?

A) Sole B) Solo C) Solar

WHERE TO SEND YOUR ENTRY

If emailing, send your answer, name and address to casinocompo12@pocketgamer.co.uk with the subject heading ‘Pocket Gamer Hard Rock Casino competition’.

Or you can enter by postcard (include name, address and a contact number) to the following address: “Pocket Gamer Hard Rock Casino Competition” Steel Media Ltd The House Kelston Park, Kelston Bath BA1 9AE

Terms and conditions apply. Editor’s decision is final, and the competition is open to UK residents only.

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