Pocket Gamer Guide to Mobile Games / Issue 14

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Issue 14 May 2010º

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The tower defence phenomenon marches onto mobile!

Inside:

Earthworm Jim 24: Jack Bauer Go! Go! Island Rescue Bloons Vancouver 2010 Crazy Taxi Jewel Quest III Puzzled?

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www.pocketgamer.co.uk/magazine.asp 2 May 2010º Issue 14

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Fun time!

Welcome to issue 14 of the Pocket Gamer guide to mobile games, brought to you by the team of experts at www.pocketgamer.co.uk.

This month, we kick off the reviews section with beat-’em-up classic Tekken but there’s plenty of content elsewhere that’ll make you see stars. Take our lowdown on the latest Android operating system, Éclair, and how it’s set to improve the experience of Android-phone users. And while we’re on the subject, we’ve also updated our now regular Android content, with another selection of apps we strongly urge you to check out. So get downloading…

João Diniz Sanches Editor | Pocket Gamer

g A Samsuonrtal Galaxy Pa es m + 5 top g p30

p25 >>

Tekken

Pizza Shop Mania

REVIEWS IN THIS ISSUE… Animal Circus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Army Men: Mobile Ops . . . .

Avalanche Snowboarding .

Car Crash Racing . . . . . . . . . . .

Neon Runner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pizza Shop Mania . . . . . . . . . .

25 21 24 23 22 25

Silent Hill Mobile 3 . . . . . . . . .

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tattoo Tycoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tekken Mobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Worms 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

04 6 mobile games to try now

22 21 23 20 24

FEATURE

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

You really ought to check out these six brilliant games, then

07 News

news

Find out the latest, most interesting and exciting games due to make their way onto your handset in the very near future

10 Android Éclair

FEATURE

The new Android operating system is here. What is it, what does it do and what does it mean for your Android mobile?

Get the latest on...

Android Our dedicated section covers the Market and the apps to download

Turn to page 26 >>

12 So you like... Boardgames

FEATURE

Who needs a table to have traditional game-related fun? Get to play some classics without having to carry a load of boxes around

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 Samsung, T-Mobile, Vodafone or 3. ©2010 Steel Media Ltd. Printed by AST Print Group Ltd.

MAY 2010

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

3

6

One

Great Games

To play now

One

Earthworm Jim Developer: Gameloft Publisher: Gameloft

You've got to love those rare moments when a game takes you by surprise. But that’s exactly what you’ll feel if you thought it would be impossible to work the intricacies of Earthworm Jim’s controls into a mobile without the need to possess five thumbs. The classic action platformer is renowned for its difficulty but by carefully tweaking the mechanics of play the mobile’s keypad controls Jim beautifully. This is a pixel-perfect recreation, with all the sound effects, levels, bonus rounds and, crucially, all the humour of the original game.

4

In association with

Two

24: Jack Bauer Developer: Digital Chocolate Publisher: Digital Chocolate

The world’s most stressed counter terrorism expert returns for another gripping mobile adventure. Here, Jack's working as an unwilling chaperone for a visiting Eastern European PM who’s having trouble from the Russians attempting to install a communist government in his country. It happens. The strong espionage plot means this isn’t so much a game of speed as a game of wits. Barge in and you’ll bring down more firepower than you can handle, but dally too much and the leads dry up. It’s an excellent balance.

Three

Vancouver 2010 Developer: Mr Goodliving Publisher: RealNetworks

The Winter Olympics may have melted into memory but why not rewrite history by bringing home more than a solitary gold medal? Mobile sportsguy extraordinaire Playman takes you through five fun-filled, dangerously addictive events. Although this game carries the official Vancouver 2010 licence, beneath the snow lies the thumb-crushingly good gameplay and excellent production values of the Playman games. It’s that deceptive, clever gameplay that'll keep dragging you back for one more record attempt.

6 Great Games Three Two

Four

Two

Five

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

Six

Four

Six

Five Go! Go! Island Rescue Bloons

Buzz! Quiz World

Developer: Connect2Media Publisher: Connect2Media

Developer: Jump Games Publisher: I-play

Developer: Typhon Mobile Publisher: Arvato

What do you do with a sequel when the game you’re following up was pretty damn hot in the first place?

Well, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. But then again, if the game you don’t need to fix happens to be on fire, what do you do then? In Go! Go! Rescue Island’s case, though, fire isn’t a bad thing. Play hands you the care of a series of firefighters and charges you with escorting everyone else on the map to safety, pointing them in the direction of some trickily placed doors. It’s a compulsive, mindbending and essential action puzzler.

Sometimes the less you know, the better. In Bloons you’re a monkey armed with darks, and you like to hang around various formations of balloons. Your only concern is popping a requisite number of these air-filled spheres with however many darts you happen to hold for each level – a simple concept but very addictive. Bloons is proof of the importance of an easy, accessible and entertaining user interface and the essential must-play nature of this strategic puzzler means you’ll never be able to leave a level unfinished.

MAY 2010

General knowledge quiz games are generally quite sombre, considered and intellectual affairs. Kind of like the TV equivalent of doing a crossword. What Buzz! does for the genre is to give it a more arcade-like make-over. Which means fun. You have three different types of quiz to choose from and they’re all about firing off quick and accurate answers to questions from a choice of different categories. Anyone who likes a good pub quiz will find this one to be the multiple choice companion that stays on the phone.

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

5

Maranello madness Ferrari GT 2: Revolution Gameloft

Prancing in the rain

Clear your virtual garage because the sequel to Gameloft’s Ferrari GT Evolution is revving its way onto mobile, bringing with it improved graphics, dynamic weather, and even the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia, which is sure to get fans of the very red, very Italian supercars salivating.

Promising considerably more horsepower and torque than its predecessor, Ferrari GT 2: Revolution speeds in with its boot’s designer luggage crammed with over 50

challenges spread across ten major cities in the world, including new locations like Monaco and Tokyo.

Don’t expect to just aimlessly burn expensive rubber at these international locations, though, as the events have been meticulously organised to include standard races, checkpoint-based affairs, elimination events and even bonus additions that include special races focusing on skilled driving.

It’s not just content, either, with the promise of ‘improved AI’ for rival racers that gives your opponents – five of them in the appropriate race events – unique personalities.

One of the

most interesting features is the inclusion of a dynamic day/ night cycle and weather system that can alter the conditions mid-race, making it easier to spin off in a sudden downpour, visibly damage your shiny red Ferrari, and gently weep on the pavement as you contemplate the insurance claim.

Well, that would be the real-world equivalent. In the game, thankfully, a restart is just a few button presses away. And from the claimed improvements (not to mention the already gorgeous look of the game), time spent at the wheel of this exciting racer is something all virtual racers will want to maximise…

MAY 2010

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

7

Age of Empires 3: Asian Dynasties Glu Mobile

Invasion nation Great Buddha wonder Prepare to have your life taken over.

Marching onto mobile and based on the Microsoft PC licence expansion, Asian Dynasties is a themed version of the main Age of Empire 3 game.

Of course, you get to choose between the short Skirmish or long Campaign modes, with the action taking place across China, Japan, and India.

Each civilisation has its own unique units, buildings and wonders, which you choose between to optimise your gameplay style.

To test our your strategic skills, within Skirmish you can also play challenges such as Regicide, which places a king unit on the map, whom you have to find and kill.

Similarly, King of the Hill takes place on a map with a central fortress, where players are in constant struggle to take control of the stronghold and defend it until the timer runs out.

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It’s become something of a trend for successful games on other formats to make the short hop over to mobile. Now, it’s the turn of another classic: iBomber.

It’s a simple case of aiming and dropping a whole heap of explosive ordnance from your aircraft onto… well, anything that moves on the ground below. As it’s set in the Pacific theatre of WWII, that means battleships, aircraft carriers, submarines, gun turrets, airfields, and so on.

We’re told that the mobile version features 14 missions, multiple bomb types and “super smooth gameplay”. Keep an eye out for our review to see if that is indeed the case.

8

In association with

CHART

Fido Bowling Jump Games

TOP 10

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Mystery Mania

A unique and drop-dead gorgeous point-and-click puzzler that’s full of personality and charm. Essential.

Pac-Man CE

Nope, it’s nothing to do with dogs. Fido Bowling features pencil-drawn star of the ‘90s, Fido Dido. You may have seen him on a can of 7up near you.

Tetris Revolution

Fido Bowling sees the king of cool engaged in ten-pin bowling set in outer space, where challenges see you saving planets by scoring a certain number of points. Dastardly aliens turn up to zap your lane, creating hazards that must be negotiated.

Gish Mobile

And why not? Still, despite the unorthodox premise, there is great potential in Fido Bowling for immersing yourself in a floating world of pins, power-ups and, er, extraterrestrials.

We’ll give it a roll next issue.

Finally, a retro remake that pays sincere homage to the original game – Pac-Man Championship Edition is a must-own.

Tetris Revolution isn’t a revolution. It is, however, one of the finest versions of Tetris ever made. No small achievement.

About as perfect a platform game as you’ll find for your mobile. Bags of personality and a superlative adventure.

Zombie Infection

A superb rollercoaster of undead action packed with as many thrills as it is severed heads.

Edge

Oozing quality from every pixel, an excellent mobile puzzle game without a single notable chink in its armour.

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

Full Terms & conditions are on page 14

Galactic pins

The Sims 3

Enhances everything the previous games already had and implements brave new elements for brilliant fun.

Townsmen 6

The latest Townsmen possesses a level of strategic depth that puts to shame many full-priced console releases.

Go! Go! Rescue Squad

This has it all – devilishly difficult puzzles, originality and playability galore.

Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain

A spectacular game that’s packed with as much joviality as it is testosterone.

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Here’s a rather jolly Java entry to the mobile space. Candy Cane’s hit furry puzzler, Fling!, has been wowing players on other platforms for too long to be ignored.

The concept is extremely simple – you have to push all but one of your fuzzies off the screen by bumping them into one another, snooker style. As you can imagine, the puzzles get tougher and tougher as the required chain reactions get more elaborate.

Some of the simplest things in life are the best, which is just one reason Fling! should be on every mobile player’s radar. Expect more next issue.

MAY 2010

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

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At-a-glance: Android Éclair

Fast, compact, stylish and packed full of ground-breaking features, the Galaxy Portal (i7500) from Samsung was already one of the finest Android-powered devices on Still wondering why you need Éclair installed the market. Now, with the arrival of the on your handset? You’ll find some convincing Android operating system’s Éclair reasons below… update, it’s practically an essential purchase for those who demand Faster more from their phone than simply being able to call and text.

With Éclair, Google has honed the Android experience so The Galaxy Portal comes equipped with Layar, the augmented reality browser that allows you to see what’s on offer around you simply by pointing the handset’s camera at your surroundings. Thanks to the Android operating system, Layar even works along with Google Maps to offer detailed directions to the places it highlights.

As well as a general increase in speed, Android Éclair adds even more functionality to the Galaxy Portal. Not only does it increase the customisable home screen count to nine – allowing you to access your favourite apps (of which there are more than 20,000 available) more readily – but you’ll also benefit from improved multimedia performance and organisation.

that it’s considerably faster than before, whether you’re browsing the internet or watching a video.

Facebook The Facebook app now comes as standard with Android Éclair, enabling you to check on and post to your account wherever you are.

More home screens More home screens means more customisation. So you now have much more space to pin apps and widgets to the main screen of your Galaxy Portal.

With the latest update the content manager has been improved considerably, and thanks to Éclair you’ll now find it even easier to attach files and contacts to your email messages. Speaking of email, business users will be delighted to hear that Android Éclair features in-built Microsoft Exchange support.

Email improvements Emailing on the go is even more flexible, thanks to improved attachment facilities and support for multiple email accounts and Microsoft Exchange.

Layar improved Éclair also enhances Layar content on your Galaxy Portal. Expect 3D objects, auto-triggered actions, unlimited points of interest (POI) types, local layers, POI-to-POI capability and more.

Above all of these features, however, perhaps the most impressive thing that the Android Éclair operating system manages to achieve is to improve the already excellent Samsung Galaxy Portal experience.

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www.pocketgamer.co.uk

11

Board Game s You might argue that of all the things to try and cram into a mobile phone, boardgames are the silliest. The whole point of boardgames is to get you together in small groups, interacting and devising Machiavellian strategies to outwit your opponents. There’s also the considerable charm of manipulating physical playing pieces. Very little of this is possible to replicate on a small screen, and yet plenty try.

What’s more, plenty succeed.

There’s a lot to be said for having a whole elaborate boardgame, with all its rules and distinctive motifs, in the palm of your hands.

We all love Monopoly, but have you ever tried to whip it out for a quick game on the Tube? The best boardgame conversions manage to distil the look and feel of their subject matter into a condensed, convenient mobile experience.

Here, you’ll find three of the best.

Of all the games on this list, Jenga has the least right to work.

12

In association with

The tabletop game, after all, is wholly reliant on physical interaction. And yet this mobile conversion works very well indeed.

It’s a simple case of selecting which block from a stacked tower you wish to remove, then giving it a prod to see if it’ll go. Once you’ve decided, you have a crack at removing it from the pile.

While it’ll never match up to the original physical version, Jenga Mobile is a surprisingly absorbing way to while away the hours. The addition of special blocks, meanwhile, adds a unique twist that could only occur in a digital interpretation such as this.

Another boardgame that needs little enhancement is Scrabble, such is the range of tactical possibilities inherent in the seemingly simple ruleset. The challenge posed with a mobile conversion of this classic is how to get a clear view of the board and how to make laying down letters a seamless experience.

Mr Goodliving pulls this off with

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

Who needs a coffee table?

Jenga

great skill, squeezing in the entire board yet somehow managing to retain perfect clarity. Control, too, is an absolute joy, with no sense of ambiguity as you flit around the board. What lifts the game above many other boardgame conversions, though, is the implementation of several alternative modes that serve to make the game very playable for solo players.

But you can’t mention boardgames and not include this next entry. Monopoly is clearly the king of boardgames. If you’re the sort that complains about it going on forever or being too complicated then you’re clearly not fit to pass Go, and should go straight to jail.

EA’s mobile conversion is brilliantly faithful to the source material, presenting an attractive isometric board and lovingly animated playing pieces.

All the rules are here, and it’s possible to tweak them in order to change the length and toughness of the game. It could be argued that this conversion is a little too respectful of the original boardgame, and could do with some power-ups or some other concession to the video game format. But Monopoly needs no such meddling. It’s a rich enough experience as it is.

Publisher: I-play

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Scrabble Mobile

Publisher: RealNetworks

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13

Download a game from Step 1: Get on the net

Step 4: Time to pay

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Step 2: Pick a category Click on the Games icon and a new page that enables you to start looking for a game to download will open.

You can view new games, the Top 10 bestsellers and a selection of other groups; scroll down the page to see what takes your fancy. When you see a category of games that you like, click on the Go link.

Never used your phone for net access? Go to ‘Not on the net?’ first.

Otherwise, open your phone’s web browser from the main menu. If it doesn’t go straight to T-Mobile’s site, enter the following address: www.t-zones.co.uk.

Wait a few seconds for the page to load and you’ll see a collection of six icons on the screen, one of which will be Games. Move the on-screen cursor or link highlighter over it.

14

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

If you’re on a Pay Monthly contract, 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 on your account to pay for the game! As long as that’s the case, you’ll be prompted to download and save your chosen game.

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Step 3: Pick a game You’ll be taken to a page listing the games within the selected category and you can scroll down to view them all. To learn more about an individual game, click on its title and you’ll see a brief description along with the relevant picture.

Once you’re ready to buy a game, simply click on the Download link.

Step 5: Time to play Download and save the game, but don’t start it until you’ve exited your mobile phone’s internet browser. You can start your new game by going to your phone’s main menu and looking in the Games or Applications section, depending on the make of your handset. (And don’t worry if someone rings you – the game will pause, enabling you to take the call!)

Get your game via SMS The step-by-step guide to the left shows how you go about downloading games from T-Mobile’s t-zones 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 usually print 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

There are special short codes usually 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 code (it will always include the word ‘GET’ followed by the name of the game, e.g. you’d text GET FIGHT4 for Fight Night Round 4) and then press Continue or Confirm.

3. Send your message to 22222

You’ll then be asked to enter a number to send the text to, in this case it will always be 22222 (that’s five 2s). 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 T-Mobile 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 on-screen 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!

MAY 2010

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

15

Download a game from Step 1: Go to Vodafone Live If you’re looking to download the games, the first step is to go to the Vodafone Live portal.

How depends on your phone: some have a dedicated Vodafone Live button on the handset itself, while others require pressing one of the soft-keys under the screen. Once there, you’ll see the portal’s homepage.

Step 4: Get more info Clicking on a game’s More Info link takes you through to its page, where you’ll find more screenshots of the game, and information on what it’s about. You’ll also notice a review score at the bottom of the page supplied by Pocket Gamer, with a link to click through to the full review of the title.

16

In association with

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

Step 2: Browse games menu Scroll down to find the Games link, which takes you to the portal’s main games page. There, you’ll be able to access this week’s special offers, as well as direct links to What’s New, Top 10 Games, and the Game of the Week. Games are updated on Fridays, so it’s worth checking back every week.

Step 5: Buy your game Select the Buy Now link takes you through to the payment screen, which asks you to confirm you’re willing to pay the price – usually £5 for new games. Clicking on Buy pays for the game, either taking the money off your account balance (if you’re pay as you go) or adding it to your monthly contract.

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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 game genre.

Get your game via SMS The step-by-step guide to the left shows how you go about downloading games from the Vodafone live 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 usually print 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

Normally, you’ll find 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’.

Step 6: Download it NOW! Once payment has gone through, it’s time to download your game.

The exact method varies from phone to phone, but usually you’ll be asked to confirm that you want to download the game, and then sometimes you’ll be asked where you want to save it – in Games or Applications is usually the best choice.

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Simply enter the code (it will always include the word ‘GET’ followed by the name of the game, e.g. you’d text GET FIGHT4 for Fight Night Round 4) and then press Continue or Confirm.

3. Send your message to 22222

You’ll then be asked to enter a number to send the text to, in this case it will always be 22222 (that’s five 2s). 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 T-Mobile 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 on-screen 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!

MAY 2010

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

17

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

Download a game from Step 1: Go to Planet 3

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.

Step 4: Time to pay

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Step 2: Browse Games menu

In association with

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.

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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 usually print 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 normally 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!

MAY 2010

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

19

Reviews mobile Rounding up the hottest games available now

e l i b o M n e k k T e to the Tekken it

f your handset limit… o

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8

20

In association with

Reviews

Sonic & Sega

Army Men:

All-Stars Racing

Mobile Ops

Developer: Gameloft Publisher: Gameloft

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

This ain’t no toy, soldier!

Developer: Twistbox Publisher: Connect2Media

Sonic Boom Once a powerhouse in both home consoles and portable hardware, Sega now resigns itself mainly to publishing games from third-party developers.

There is great pleasure to be had from gaming concepts like Army Men: Mobile Ops, where very serious themes (such as war and killing) are mingled with crackpot notions like toy soldiers fighting it out in the bathroom, or around the rim of the toilet.

S&SASR, to give it a catchy acronym, is a Mario Kart-styled racer in which ten characters from Sega’s immense back-catalogue race head-to-head across a selection of tracks inspired by classic Sega titles.

Mixing up the deadly serious with the sublimely surreal puts you in a great frame of mind for playing games. And it doesn’t hurt when the gameplay is outstanding, either.

The eight tracks on offer look fantastic, helped by bright, colourful graphics and a decent sense of speed. They’re too wide to pose any real danger of hitting the sides, but this does mean the focus of the racing switches to collecting rings for turbo boosts and using power-ups.

You’re put in command of a small regiment of toy soldiers and sent on a variety of different tasks.

Accomplishing these tasks is generally a simple case of fighting your way through the household maps (kitchen table, playroom, hallway, etc), but there’s plenty to do along the way.

There’s also no skimping on the amount of content in the game, with over 12 trophies to race for and a good selection of alternative game modes to try out, including Drift competitions alongside the normal Time Trials.

The action is straightforward but pretty intense, and thanks to the large and winding maps there’s a hell of a lot to do in each mission – especially if a member of your unit melts, and you’re forced to take an alternative route. A reasonable amount of strategy is therefore required.

It is a little too easy in the early levels but if you’re looking for a hugely entertaining kart racer for your mobile, you’ve just found it.

The resulting total sense of immersion really makes Army Men: Mobile Ops shine and you’ll kick up a fuss when it’s time to put these toys away. a strategic, all-action – yet toy-flavoured – war that can easily compete with the best shooters on mobile

9

10

rather lenient with the track design, but still one of the best cartoon racers for your handset

MAY 2010

8

10

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

21

Reviews

Silent Hill 3

Neon Runner

Developer: Konami Publisher: Connect2Media

Check in to check-out

Developer: Pixalon Studios Czech Publisher: Connect2Media

Full of bright ideas If the latter half of the noughties showed any particular trend across fashion and music, it was for a return to the gaudy colours and synthesized sounds of the ‘80s.

A classically styled maze runner in the vein of Pac-Man or Snake, Neon Runner tasks you with guiding your triangular craft around a series of top-down mazes, collecting the necessary quantity of coloured nick-nacks to unlock the level exit. As is the case with the best modern casual games, however, prolonged play reveals a rather more complex beast.

Neon Runner’s greatest strength – the constant stream of new elements thrown your way – can become a little overwhelming as new feature upon new feature is piled upon you (there’s also a whole heap of power-ups and level furniture to discover).

But it’s a small price to pay when the overall package is so finely attuned to the sort of addictive, timeless gameplay that’s been keeping us amused for decades.

Neon Runner evokes warm fuzzy memories of classic maze runners of old, but adds in funky new twists

22

In association with

Mobile

8

10

Survival horror is a strange genre.

Whereas most games try to make the player feel like a superhuman capable of feats unheard of in real life, most horror games make you feel pathetically normal, capable only of running away.

The idea of re-capturing that feeling of fear on a game played with a mobile phone sounds absurd, but if any title can pull it off it has to be one of the true classics of the genre: Silent Hill.

Silent Hill Mobile 3 puts you once again in the shoes of Vincent, one of the main characters from SHM2, as he attempts to escape from a mansion. Signs of the house’s troubled history are everywhere – from the creepy barred windows to bloodstains on a bed – and everything is brought to life by some very nicely drawn, gloomy graphics.

The pace is deliberately slow – you’re unlikely to find your first opponent until one hour into the game – but this only adds to the tension. The game’s focus on item-hunting does disturb the balance a little, but when it comes to capturing the creepy atmosphere of its console cousins, Silent Hill Mobile 3 manages this exceptionally well.

Silent Hill Mobile 3 offers up more of the same great Survival Horror gameplay, but could do with more of the series’ clever puzzles

7

10

Car Crash Racing

Tattoo Tycoon

Developer: Studio X Publisher: Studio X

Developer: HandyGames Publisher: HandyGames

A smash hit

on the ink of greatness

Perhaps it’s a sad critique on the state of humanity, but racing games are never more fun than when the objective is one of rampant destruction.

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

Welcome to the world of mobile gaming, where any profession, skill or art, can be mastered by a simple tap of the ‘5’ key.

Car Crash Racing’s title isn’t remotely cryptic, and it plays on the notion of high speed destruction without shame, and without asking permission.

The result is as gratuitously and guiltily entertaining as you’d expect.

Tattoo Tycoon could actually be about any deed in the history of humanity. But the key to success is in the delivery, rather than the actual content, and although the idea of running a tattoo parlour is a little superfluous to play – the game essentially mixing time management based play with elements lifted from your average real-time strategy sim – that doesn’t stop HandyGames from throwing in a portion of plot to keep you motivated.

Viewed ‘top-down’, the game doesn’t worry too much about you completing laps or passing finish lines. Its objectives vary slightly, but are always focused on taking out the opposition. The majority of the time this is achieved simply – and as the title suggests – by ramming them off the roads. But you’ll also pick up guns and weaponry to make the task easier, and more fun, so it’s not always a simple chase around the maps.

Your initial job is to rescue a previously mighty parlour from obscurity as it fights against the competition to make a name for itself. So play centres on upping your reputation and flooding your parlour with fixtures and fittings that grab customer attention.

There are plenty of obstacles littering the roads, too, some of which relinquish goodies, repair your car, add to your destructive score, or even damage your own motor. It’s a fast enough experience that you won’t have much time to choose between them, but the obstacles are a big part of the notion of keeping your car limping along until the goal has been reached. This is first class racing action!

The most important element of all is that it’s good. Which it is. little connection to the world of tattoos itself, but serves up an extremely playable management sim

8

10

A thoroughly entertaining destruction derby that makes no apology for delivering a driving game based on crashing

MAY 2010

8

10

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

23

Avalanche Snowboarding

Developer: Gameloft Publisher: Gameloft Brings the mountain to Mohammed Ever since they became comfortable with 3D visuals, snowboarding games have struggled to bring anything new to the table, so it’s interesting to see this latest attempt doesn’t even try.

Worms 2010

Developer: EA Mobile Publisher: EA Mobile Despite many years, it’s impossible not to raise a smile at Worms.

Similar turn-based artillery games offer much the same experience and equally adventurous weaponry, but the simple notion that elongated invertebrates are going to war lends the franchise a depth of humour that makes it impossible to dislike.

Instead it goes for sheer escapist action, compressing the usual snowboarding antics into a fast and shallow thrill ride. And after all, that’s probably closer to real snowboarding than most similar games achieve. Anyone who’s not a complete snowboarding game virgin will be pulling extreme tricks off the first ramp, and feel immediately intimate with Avalanche Snowboarding. Admittedly, it won’t offer that many surprises, but the quality of its gameplay makes up for the formulaic design.

Alongside the immediately accessible controls are some equally top notch visuals. Again, it’s mountains, rails, cabins, the occasional vehicle, bottlenecks between cliffs and chasms yawning conveniently after an extra high jump, just as you’d expect.

So the fact that this latest version is very much the Worms you recognise is no bad thing. It has its unique quirks, but the underlying wriggling war is the one you know and love. Taking it in turn, your band of worms choose a weapon from their backpack, position themselves as best they can for the forthcoming attack, and then carefully take aim with their armament of choice.

Which really summarises the whole game. It’s not very original, but instead provides a raw, high-octane example of sporting arcade action to this overfull niche. And it does so beautifully.

Ultimately, this is another high-class repackaging of a very familiar game, which is no bad thing, but it lacks the surprises to make this version a classic.

it doesn’t offer much of anything new, but you get a first class, action-packed example of arcade boarding

24

In association with

8

10

Every mobile needs Worms installed on it. if you’re still thumbing away at an old version, this is for you

7

10

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

New Worms, same can

Reviews

Pizza Shop Mania Developer: Digital Chocolate Publisher: Digital Chocolate

Animal Circus

tasty Taking the toppings cast of Crazy Penguin Catapult further than we perhaps What’s in a name?

What’s in a job? thought capable, Crazy Penguin Anyone who has an intimate Party serves up a delicious set of knowledge of Digital Chocolate’s mini-games entirely worthy of dive bombing into your playtime output over the last few years may

Developer: Zed Mobile Publisher: Zed Mobile Far from a white elephant

well feel they’ve already mastered the task they’re expected to undertake in Pizza Shop Mania.

If you could talk to the animals, what would you do? Would you finally put to bed years of scientific research and ask just what goes on in their heads? Or would tell them to stand on top of each other and catch saucers falling from the sky?

What’s on offer here is a time management sim that bears a startling resemblance to one of the publisher’s previous forays into the genre, Chocolate Shop Frenzy. Swapping candy for pizza bases and toppings is hardly the biggest leap, but, in truth, pointing out the obvious similarities isn’t actually much of an insult.

That’s because most time management titles operate in the same way, simply swapping one setting for another. The concept here is simple and routine, the challenge being to run your grandfather’s pizza outlet after he is taken ill in hospital.

Animal Circus is a game aimed at the latter audience, essentially comprising mini-games with a timing bent, but dressed up in the clothes of a trip to your average (or perhaps not so average) zoo.

Included in the package are five different types of challenges, most of which focus on either dropping or catching zoo animals and stacking them up in a line, the odd plate saucer dropped into the mix for good measure. If that sounds downright daft, it all makes sense during play.

Play itself follows the set formula of dashing between pizza ovens and pasta makers, taking orders from customers and then pocketing the cash afterwards. It’s the same pressure Chocolate Shop Frenzy applied so successfully a couple of years ago, but things have moved on a touch since then. Still, this is stuffed crust solid and utterly playable stuff.

Pizza Shop Mania is a typical time management sim that, although familiar, most players won’t mind sampling a slice or two

While it lasts, the bevy of furry and fluffy mini-games has merit enough to make it the perfect fodder for those looking for a quick-fix of animal magic.

7

10

Though consisting of five mini-games that all do much the same thing, this is fun enough to justify a quick play MAY 2010

7

10

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

25

Top Apps

Get to know…

Android Market Your gateway to a world of new experiences If you own an Android phone, you’ll need to get exploring Android Market. It’s an online software store that’s been developed by Google for all Android handsets, see. On most models the ‘Market’ app will come pre-installed, giving you instant access to thousands of applications that will transform the way you use your Android mobile.

Apps span a wide range of categories – anything from the incredibly useful to the incredibly silly (and not forgetting games, of course) – and can be downloaded (for free or purchased) directly onto your phone. With an ever-expanding catalogue of applications to choose from, you’re bound to find something that will have you wondering how you could have lived to date without.

In the meantime, consider this your gentle introduction to Android Market – it’s simple, it’s huge and it will unlock the potential at the heart of your Android handset.

26

In association with

Getting STARTED Before you can buy anything, you naturally need to register your details with the store. This is where Google has already got its foot in the door, since the majority of us have registered with Google at some point in the past – either to buy something using the Google Checkout, to get ourselves a Gmail account, or simply to customise our browser’s search page.

Android phones tend to insist on you setting up a free Google account, so if you own such a handset, much of the work is already done when it comes to getting your details onto the Android Market.

The service pulls in all your details, including any credit cards you have registered (allowing you to choose your payment method when buying a game, which is a nice feature) so it’s very quick and easy to become a registered buyer and get straight to the shop front.

Top Apps Have a look at these apps to get you started…

ACCESS The Android platform only allows you to access the Market through an actual Android phone. As such, there’s been a clear effort made to reduce the number of app categories, and everything’s accessed through big, bold buttons, so you can surf the Market comfortably with a single finger.

The lists of applications that are displayed can be sorted by date or popularity, and by going through the menu you can filter them to only show free or paid apps.

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

info They might be cheap, but you still need to know what you’re spending your money on when purchasing an app. A good description is really down to the developer of the app, and Android Market prioritises this lead in to the product.

It’s not uncommon to trust the views of other users, of course, so user reviews are vital.

Thankfully, you’ll find these directly from the application page, along with a handy five star rating.

Of course, if it’s games you’re looking at remember that you can also check out the reviews on Pocket Gamer.

MAY 2010

BUYING This is very much linked to the Getting Started section, as most of the information the Market requires in order to sell you something is entered at the beginning.

Registering a card carries that info over to the Market store, and once you’ve hit the ‘Buy’ button you’re taken through a rather polished version of the Google Checkout – it’s very quick and feels secure to make a purchase.

One excellent thing you get with the Market is a no quibbles 24-hour refund.

Uninstall an app within 24 hours and you get your money back. So you can buy with the confidence that if you don’t like what you’ve ended up with, it won’t cost you anything in the long run.

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

27

Top Apps

Ten Top Apps

1

oid device r your andr o f ads lo le down Indispensab

Digg FREE APP

2

Developer: Digg Inc

Category: News & Weather

Haven’t discovered Digg yet? It’s the social news site that enables users around the planet to share stories reported on the net. Anything goes and the site has categories to cater for all eventualities. The official Digg app for Android brings this club to your handset, so you’re always in the know.

The layout has been redesigned to take advantage of your mobile’s screen, so stories are shown in list form, with tabs taking you between the top, recent and upcoming articles.

It’s all simple and easy to use – just tap on a story from the list and it pops up on-screen, along with comment from other Digg users, and further tabs to take you to related articles.

It’s not just reading, though. You can’t currently submit your own stories but if you log into your Digg account you can dig (or bury) any stories you like (or dislike) – so the functionality is almost identical to using Digg online.

As it stands, this is one of the better free news apps on Android.

2

with the Opera servers) to squeeze data on-the-go by up to a massive 90 per cent and it’s got sensible options such as limiting the quality of images (easily restored with a simple screen tap), making web browsing quicker and definitely 4 cheaper for anyone on a PAYG data plan.

The interface is a joy to use and will be familiar to users of Opera on their PC. In fact, given the Opera Link support, you’re able to sync bookmarks and homepage between your desktop computer and Android phone, for increased user-friendliness.

And because it’s free, there’s really no reason not to try it out, is there?

Google Earth FREE APP

9

Developer: Google Inc

Category: Travel

As long as Google keeps churning out apps on Android, the world will be happy. You’ve probably heard of Google Earth by now – you know, it’s a 3D virtual Earth that displays geographical and topographical 1 details of our planet, along with satellite images – and this version just FREE APP Developer: Opera Software ASA happens to be tailored to Android.

Category: Communication As such, it’s got some unique touches If you’re looking for a fast mobile over the version you might be used to browser, you can’t really go wrong with on your PC, such as voice recognition Opera Mini. It uses magic (well, clever (so you just need to say where you compression technology combined want to go and you’re taken there),

Opera Mini 5

28

In association with

3

5

Top Apps multitouch support (for pinch-tozoom functionality), and road names superimposed on the satellite display, for easy peasy navigation.

But, let’s face it, you’ll probably spend most of your time just visiting the world’s tourist attractions.

6

BookWorm FREE APP

6

Developer: Charlie Collins

Category: Reference

7

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first, shall we? This isn’t an ebook reader application. It is, however, a very handy little app that enables you to keep track of all the books you’ve read, as well as all those you intend to read.

You just enter tomes manually or you can find them by searching online. If you want to go futuristic, however, you can also scan a book’s barcode with your phone’s camera.

Whichever way you get your list together, you can then add comments and rate every entry, as well as sort your book list to suit your preferences.

A simple but vital app for book lovers.

Hootsuite

Touiteur Premium PAID APP

Developer: LevelUp Studio

Category: Social

Another groovy Twitter app for Android. Well, you can never have enough, and some users may well prefer Touiteur’s excellent interface to the extra features offered by other Twitter clients like Hootsuite.

Pong Time 10 FREE APP

Developer: Akexander Weber

Category: Tools

That’s right, there’s a Pong clock for Android. It’s unsurprisingly retro-gorgeous and straightforward to use – Pong Time displays the time while the app plays a game of Pong with itself. That may not sound like much, and you’re probably wishing you could play the game itself, but just watching can prove dangerously hypnotic – keep staring at the screen and those minutes just bleep away…

Astrid Task FREE APP

5

7

8

Developer: we <3 astrid

Category: Productivity

Developer: Hootsuite

Want to increase your productivity?

Who doesn’t? Well, perhaps a number of people. Anyway, even if it’s just as a With Hootsuite you can manage way of organising your life, Astrid Task various Twitter accounts on-the-go. is a wonderful little app. Yes, it’s ‘just’ a You can schedule tweets in advance, to-do list and task manager but it’s so upload photos, receive notifications awesomely engineered for this and track statistics to see how well function that you can’t help but love it. you’re doing, as well as other options You won’t find a more comprehensive serious Twitter users will find essential. example of this type of app.

You can, for instance, set up custom streams for specific tags and searches, which then display tweets matching 4 those keywords. So tracking specific topics is a doddle. It’s easily one of the PAID APP Developer: Mobilizy better Twitter clients on Android.

Category: Travel PAID APP

Category: Social

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9

Wikitude World Browser Premium

Load monitor

Now this is clever. Wikitude uses augmented reality functionality to display Wikipedia information onto Developer: Khad Mobile App the real world (well, on the display of Category: Tools your phone when you point its Sometimes, simplicity rules. Load camera at your surroundings).

Monitor has a single concern: that of So if, for instance, you point your monitoring your Android’s load average to improve performance. You phone at a landmark or famous 10 get alerts if the load on the system is building, Wikitude uses GPS to work out the location and then overlays too high for a prolonged period of time (which drains your battery faster any relevant information on-screen in real-time for you to absorb and and slows the system) and you can regurgitate as if your own. It’s like then use Load Monitor to help you having your own personal tour guide. locate what’s causing the issue.

3

FREE APP

MAY 2010

www.pocketgamer.co.uk

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te da is g s 10 is n trie 20 o n Cl r e une fo h J 11t

a Galaxy Portal handset! bile experience giveaway samsung’s superduper mo Who doesn’t love a new mobile?

But there are new mobiles, and then there is the Galaxy Portal.

It’s a revolutionary Androidpowered handset from Samsung – and it could be yours!

What’s Android? Well, you could always head over to our Android Éclair feature on page 10 to get the full lowdown, or check out our Android-specific content starting on p22.

Featuring a lightweight 120g build and a stunning 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, the Galaxy Portal is as easy on the pocket as it is on the eye. There’s substance to complement the style, too, thanks to a powerful 800MHz processor that makes light work of the many tasks you’ll be able to throw at it – whether that be web browsing or GPS-enabled navigation. Once you try a Galaxy Portal, you won’t want anything else…

But what’s a phone – however advanced – without games?

Don’t worry, though. We’re also throwing in five top games to get your fun started. Good luck!

To be in with a chance of getting your hands on a shiny new Samsung Galaxy Portal, check out the following question and then just send your answer via email or post to the addresses shown below, by the closing deadline of Friday 11th June 2010.

Which of the following is our closest galaxy?

A) Andromeda Galaxy B) Bode’s Galaxy C) Triangulum Galaxy

WHERE TO SEND YOUR ENTRY

If emailing, send your answer along with your name and address to PG14competition@ pocketgamer.co.uk with the subject heading ‘Galaxy Portal competition’. Or you can enter by postcard (include name, address and a contact number) to the following address: “Pocket Gamer Galaxy Portal Competition” Steel Media Ltd The House Kelston Park, Kelston Bath BA1 9AE

Games shown are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily representative of the prize on offer.

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

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