The Independent Games Festival (IGF) has announced the launch of the IGF Mobile contest, which awards developers of mobile phones, smart phones, and portables like the DS and PSP.
Mobile developers will have their awards presented at the IGF Mobile pavilion next to the IGF pavilion at the GDC 2008. Winners will be announced at a ceremony during GDC Mobile, and again at the IGF Awards show two days later. Over $20,000 in prizes will be given out, including $10,000 to the grand prize winner.
Interested developers can submit their game or visit the website for more information.
Reaxion has announced a deal to develop and distribute the Xbox LIVE Arcade game Small Arms to mobile phones.
Originally developed by Gastronaut Studios, Small Arms is an action game where players duke it out on a 3D battlefield. It features a number of distinct characters, and a full campaign in mission mode. It’s unknown exactly what direction Reaxion will take the mobile version of the game, but it can be hoped that it will capture the frantic action of the original.
“Small Arms has been a phenomenal success on Xbox LIVE Arcade, and we are excited to see our creation go mobile on phones worldwide,” said Jacob Van Wingen, Co-Director & Founder of Gastronaut Studios. “Reaxion’s world-class artists and developers have proven capable of being able to create compelling mobile games, and we are confident Small Arms Mobile will be as fun for the mobile gamer as it is to the Xbox LIVE Arcade gamer.”
The game is scheduled for release in October.
Telcogames has announced that they have acquired Viva La Mobile, a developer that focuses on multiplayer mobile titles.
Viva La Mobile’s Redstar platform has seen great success in the past three years. 3, Vodafone, PCCW Sunday and Telstra are all live carriers that have cumulatively generated over 1.4 million paid multiplayer game sessions. The Redstar platform also allows pay-per-play billing, free play, and subscription models, as well as chat and high-score leaderboards.
“The Viva acquisition allows us to continue offering our clients the latest advances in mobile games,” said Jamie Conyngham, Telcogames CEO. “Gamers in many European countries have yet to see branded real-time multi-player games such as Taito’s Super Puzzle Bobble and we intend to change to make this part of our offering to our global distribution base.”
The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Nokia has announced a new N-Gage service that will follow the release of the N-Gage later this year.
The service will allow gamers to try N-Gage games for free on any compatible device. If you like the game, it can be bought and downloaded to your PC or handheld and continued. The service can be downloaded from the N-Gage website and installed on a PC or phone, but Nokia has also announced that it will come included on some phones, such as the N81 and the N93 8GB.
“As we expand our focus from a dedicated game phone to a gaming service, we are making getting and playing games even easier,” said Jaakko Kaidesoja, head of the games business at Nokia. “The N-Gage service combined with powerful devices, world class titles and brands, and interactive social networking features, takes the mobile gaming experience beyond traditional boundaries.”
Nokia has said that pricing on the service will range from €6 to €10, excluding local taxes. Daily and weekly game licenses are also available at a reduced cost. The service will launch in November.
Nokia has announced that they will be releasing Snakes Subsonic and Boing Boing Voyage for the upcoming N-Gage.
Sakes Subsonic is a new twist on the classic game of Snake. It features a 3D graphics engine and four zones–Earth Win, Water, and Fire–with 10 levels each. Powerups are included, including shields and other secrets. Both a single-player mode and a multiplayer mode are available, and players can view the Top 50 lists for each level of game play.
In Boing Boing Voyage, the evil Hypnotoid has taken over the world of Pongpingy by hypnotizing everyone. Players must guide the Bounce ball through three puzzle-filled lands. It features one-thumb game and three ball forms–Bounce, Rock, and Mud ball–that gamers will have to master in order to complete their mission. This updated version of the game Bounce has made the transition from 2D to 3D.
The new N-Gage launches this fall.
HeroCraft has announced the release of an adventure/puzzle game called Last Exam.
Players start as Cadet Bradley in the Galactic Fleet Military Academy. Using a combination of wit and intuition, players will have to complete their last exam and join the ranks of the galactic starfleet. The game features colorful, high-quality graphics and an engaging storyline complete with huge space stations, alien creatures, robots, and mad computers.
You can find more information at the game’s website.
I-play has announced the release of their new hospital sim called ER Rush.
Taking on the role of a new Junior Emergency Room Doctor, players must diagnose, treat, and discharge enough patients to be promoted to the next hospital. If you don’t treat the patients in time, complications will arise requiring additional treatments. The game takes a light-hearted approach to medicine, with patients including werewolves, dogs, and vampires.
“ER Rush is casual gameplay at its best, bringing a unique twist on plate spinning games, by setting the gameplay in a busy Emergency Room, with an added pinch of wacky humor,†commented I-play CEO David Gosen.
THQ Wireless has announced the release of the motorcycle racing game MotoGP07.
The fourth in their MotoGP series, ‘07 adds 3D visuals and environments to the game. It is officially licensed from Dorna MotoGP and includes actual riders, bikes, tracks, and 2007 season data. It also features true weather conditions and realistic crash simulations. 16 tracks are available to play.
THQ has released a trailer for the game in Windows Media Player, Quicktime, and Real Media formats. It’s available to buy for £4.50 by texting MOTOGP to 88188.
In other N-Gage news today, Nokia has announced that they have signed on Capcom to publish for the N-Gage after its release this fall.
The first Japanese developer to sign on for the N-Gage, Capcom is a well-known publisher of a great many franchises. They are the minds behind the iconic Street Fighter series, Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Phoenix Wright. Street Fighter, Resident Evil, and Mega Man have all been previously published to the mobile space.
“Capcom is dedicated to creating great mobile games, and believes that N-Gage will allow us to bring some of our most famous franchises to the platform,” said Yosuke Yoneda, director of Capcom’s European mobile division. “Our dedication to quality and creative thinking has seen the company produce a series of ground-breaking titles, with stunning visuals and in-depth game play, never before seen on the mobile.â€
There are no details yet on what titles Capcom will make available.
Nokia has announced that they are teaming up with Vivendi Games Mobile to bring the long-running Crash Bandicoot to series to the upcoming N-Gage platform.
The game follows the original storyline, where players take control of a mutated bandicoot and go after their creator, the evil Dr. Neo Cortex, to prevent his plans for world domination. The platform game tempers its action sequences with a good dose of humor. It’s unclear whether this is a direct port of the original game or a new take on the same story.
“Vivendi Games Mobile is one of the most respected publishers in mobile gaming,†said Gregg Sauter, Nokia’s director of third party publishing. “Crash Bandicoot is a gaming icon as well as a global powerhouse, having sold more than 33 million units worldwide. With its fun appeal to people of all ages and incredible graphics, the Crash Bandicoot franchise is the perfect fit for N-Gage.â€
The new N-Gage launches this fall.
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