For the last few years they've been edged out to the periphery of the show, apologetically bleeping away amid million dollar stands showing off the latest console mega sequels. But it seems mobile games are going to make a decent go of it at E3 2005. All the key publishers will be present and there are some very interesting games on the horizon. So for those with room on their E3 radars for something other than, you know, next generation console announcements and something about a Zelda sequel, here's what the mobile big guns will be shooting off this year…
EA Amid much fanfare (well, a press release), Electronic Arts announced that it would be showing off its mobile titles alongside console and PC equivalents this year. The line-up includes diddy versions of Sims 2, FIFA 06, Madden O6, Tiger Woods O6 and Need For Speed Underground 2. The Sims conversion looks interesting, allowing you to download your Sim from the PC version. Also, the press release says you'll be able to, "Explore and customize locations, trade objects, and socialize with other mobile players in-game or by sending them SMS messages." Meanwhile NFSU 2 will apparently retain the free-roaming challenge-based structure of the console original, adding new gameplay modes for the mobile audience – perhaps something like Need For Speed Super Puzzle Solitaire Bowling…
There will also be a handful of casual puzzle titles taken from EA's online gaming service, Pogo: Tri-Peaks Solitaire, Turbo 21 (a 'fast-paced card game') and balloon-bursting Bust A Move-alike, Poppit! (their exclamation mark, not mine.)
Gameloft The veteran French mobile publisher has 'un sac magic' of promising titles including 3D versions of Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, Asphalt GT ( a really nice urban racer), Vijay Singh pro Golf 2005 and Ghost Recon Jungle Storm (a great little FPS – I played the BREW version at 3GSM and it moved and played very impressively). Of course these will only work on high-end phones running the 3D version of Java. New 2D Java titles include a conversion of Spielberg and Cruise's latest jaunt, War of the Worlds, a conversion of Peter Jackson's King Kong, and a mobile version of Rainbow Six 4. Both of the film tie-ins will be shown "behind closed doors" which, roughly translated means "they have been in development for barely three weeks so only journalists we'd trust with our lives will be allowed to see them".
THQ Wireless The mobile arm of THQ has plenty on offer, including conversions of Full Spectrum Warrior, Destroy All Humans, Evil Dead, Moto GP, Juiced and MX vs ATV (which I like to subtitle – 'battle of the extreme sports that no-one cares about!'). They'll also be showing off all the new Star Wars games, most of which I still haven't managed to get working on my phone. The force isn't strong enough maybe. There will also be a 'sneak peek' of NFL Football 2006 - possibly more exciting to our American cousins.
I-play A very strong collection is headlined by Skipping Stone, the delightful pebble-skimming sim from Korea, which seduces anyone willing to actually stop and have a go on a pebble-skimming sim. Along the same 'one-thumb gaming' lines is Jewel Quest an ultra casual puzzler, which I don't know much more about.
Then there's the very well-presented Maria Sharapova Tennis, which awards success in the championship mode with photos of the Russian tennis temptress. (Have you seen her in those Palmolive ads? Does she really wear that much make-up on centre court, the foxy little minx?). I also really like Nate Adams Freestyle Motocross, a 2D motorbike stunt game that uses incredibly realistic physics to make the crashes look like they really, really hurt.
Like Gameloft, I-Play has also been busy producing 3D titles to wow owners of higher end phones. Fast and Furious 3D is a racing game, with a famous license, in 3D. Also, Major Carnage is a third-person space shooter, which looks a little like Space Harrier. (God help me I loved that game.) Finally, they'll be showing off Metal Slug Advance Impact, a nice-looking new take on the legendary 2D scrolling shooter series.
As for the rest, they're getting their lists to me over the next day or so, so feel free to come back and check for updates…
