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| 22 Oct 2007 10:35:57 am |
 12 most promising mobile games |
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Here is a selection of the most promising titles heading for the small screen over the next few months. I hope its of interest even to the sternest mobile gaming skeptics. Ive stuck to titles Im sure will be featured across all the network operator portals - most are due out in October and November. Theyre all worth looking out for.
Anarchy 2087 (Handy-Games)
German developer Handy-Games has a strong background in effective real-time strategy titles with its Townsmen series and the recent Panzer Tactics conversion. Anarchy 2087 presents a bleak futuristic Europe blighted by global warming and over-run with refugees and rioting Mad Max-style factions. You take on one of these desperate groups, gathering resources, building battle units and fighting through a series of themed, well-conceived missions against the Orwellian-sounding European Crisis Team, a sort of psychotic NATO. The visuals are neat and the scenario is certainly topical, although the AI has been criticised and there are question marks over the unit controls. Nevertheless, an impressively deep micro-RTS.
Championship Manager 2008 (Eidos)
This series has just been so brilliantly handled on mobile, with Scottish studio Dynamo Games opting for a modest but well-presented experience that harks back to the intuitive roots of the Champ Man experience. CM 2008 promises to be even more easy to use with team rosters, transfers and balance sheets all designed to look like your phone navigation menus and a 2D pitch display that reveals match stats as they take place. And of course, youve got a huge database of player stats, a full transfer system and a customisable training regime. Nowhere near as exhaustive as the PC version of course, but theres more than enough detail here to create your on imagined narrative, which was always 80% of the fun before Football manager came along to render into explicit reality every nuance of the managers life. Eidos wont have the market to itself though: Gameloft has just released a management version of its long-running Real Football series. Itll be interesting to see what the talented French publisher/developer does with the format.
FIFA 2008 (EA)
PES has some major competition on mobile. The impressively in-depth Real Football 2008 is already out and plays a mean tactical game. But for gamers who dont want to learn dozens of key presses the soon-to-be-released FIFA 2008 plays a nice fluid game with a minimal, context-sensitive control system. It also features a widescreen mode (so you can turn your phone on its side and play) and packs in well-thought out features, like injuries and suspensions which carry through a season, forcing the sort of tactical switches that Steve McClaren has become a dab hand at. And of course, this being a FIFA title you can rely on all the latest player and team stats showing up to make it feel authentic. Im not sure about the addition of text punditry from Andy Gray, though. Given that each comment can only be about 10 words long it doesnt give the garrulous Sky presenter a lot of room for in-depth analysis. A pointless gimmick, really - and probably an expensive one. Apart from that, this is a good, easy to play sim. Whoever thought there would be one decent footie game on mobile, let alone three?
God of War: Betrayal (Sony)
Already receiving hugely (sometimes begrudgingly) positive coverage in the States, this miniature re-rendering of Sonys flagship hack n slash adventure is set after the events of the original PS2 title, pitching Kratos against the gods after he mistakingly slays Hermes. Its essentially a scrolling platformer with plenty of puzzles and traps, but also a reasonably advanced combat engine and smooth character animation, allowing a range of moves and combos. As in the console titles, Kratos can also trade in orbs to upgrade his weapons and magic attacks. It looks great, easily up there with Gamelofts best mobile platform titles.
Heroes Lore: Winds of Soltia (Hands-on)
This traditional 2D RPG is apparently the biggest mobile game franchise in its native South Korea, spawning not only a multiplayer sequel, but a dedicated comic book series. Its fairly familiar stuff - choose a character class from knight, rogue or guardian, then explore a diverse fantasy realm, collecting over 120 weapons and spells and using them on a range of 80 monsters. Unless youve been lucky enough to sample the Final Fantasy mobile conversions (or own a smart phone and a decent NES or SNES emulator) this might be your first opportunity to enjoy an old skool RPG on your phone. Heroes Lore 2 is also set for UK release through Hands-On at some point in the near future.
Hexic (I-play)
Another ruthlessly addictive block-sorting puzzler from Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov, which has already proved successful on the MSN Games site and Xbox Live. Just organise the hexagons into same-coloured groups while looking out for bonus Star tiles and game-ending bombs. Yep, its a natural fit for mobile and I-play has bagged the distribution honours alongside similarly compelling MSN puzzler, Mozaki Blocks. If you dont already own a hundred slightly different colour-matching games these are worth considering.
Kamikaze Robots (Digital Chocolate)
Digital Chocolate is great at creating these daft, but incredibly compelling games based around entirely unpromising themes. Having already succeeded with fun human cannonball challenge, Johnny Crash, and the excellent wind sim, Tornado Mania, heres a game where you roll robots down a hill as far as you can before they explode. Looks like controls consist of just left and right to balance your bot as it rumbles down the incline. Im almost entirely sure this is going to be fantastic. Obviously on a roll, the publisher also has Crazy Penguin Catapult out this winter. It looks like the movie March of the Penguins re-imagined as a cross between Lemmings and Abes Oddysee. This can only be a good thing.
New York City Tycoon (Gameloft)
City managing fanatics should look out for Gamelofts take on the genre, which allows you to rebuild the Big Apple to your own economic, political and ecological specifications. Sounds like recognizable Sim City-type fare - line up housing, business and industrial areas, consult planning experts and ensure civil order is maintained. The isometric graphics look crisp and detailed, and Gameloft is promising (and usually delivers) an intuitive control experience. Its also worth looking out the publishers extremely pretty conversion of The Settlers, which is launching next week to coincide with the latest PC title, Settlers: Rise of a Nation. Theres also Glus excellent translation of Age of Empires 3, developed at the companys London office under the watchful eye of Ensemble Studios.
PES 2008 (Glu/Konami)
Konamis Paris studio, set up very recently to concentrate exclusively on mobile development, had its work cut out with this one. Converting the worlds most sophisticated football simulation to mobile seems like the stuff of corporate folly. Yet, judging by the near-complete code Ive played, it works incredibly well. The 2D visuals quaintly recall the early days of the ISS series, while the control system retains the bare bones of the Pro Evo experience without demanding you use the entire keypad - indeed, you can select an ultra casual mode which uses just one button for every kick and tackle. Somehow, the feel of PES has been captured - especially in the reliance on running down the wings and crossing into the box.
Sim City Societies (EA)
The latest edition to EAs Sim empire looks to combine the two strands of the series - Sim City and The Sims - into one holistic socio-architectural experience. This time youre creating urban communities, looking to develop nightmarish Communist city blocks, hippy communes or fairground-like fun towns, depending on your mood. A new form of resource known as social energy is generated depending on how you embrace factors such as industry, wealth, obedience, knowledge, devotion and creativity. Naturally, the mobile version will lack the depth of its PC stablemate, but last years mobile conversion of Sim City worked reasonably well and EA is dead serious about developing on this format, transporting all its major console and PC titles.
SolaRola (Eidos)
Clearly influenced by LocoRoco (just look at that screenshot with its simple unshaded environments), this cute little puzzler, developed by veteran Danish outfit, Progressive Media, gets you to guide two blobby characters named Wiz and Waz - stop giggling - through 25 levels by moving objects like rocks, bombs and trampolines and creating a safe route through. There are also enemies to avoid and a physics-based gravity system to contend with. The provision of seven original songs ramps up that LocoRoco feel - no bad thing. Thisll certainly do until Sony creates its own official mobile conversion of the PSP oddity.
Urban Attack (Vivendi)
Two years ago Vivendi came to the accurate conclusion that first-person shooters dont work on mobile: the controls are too complex, the demands of the visuals too much for under-powered processors. Unperturbed, the company started work on Urban Attack, an FPS designed with the limitations of the platform in mind. Hence, interesting vector-based graphics that run smoothly on most handsets and a shooting system that divides the screen into six sectors, each represented by a corresponding key on the phone pad. Theres also a separate sniper mode that zooms in on distant enemies and a selection of mini-games. The visuals are really quite stylish taking me back to old vector classics like Elite and Mercenary. |
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Posted By : Admin
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| 06 Apr 2006 12:23:54 pm |
| 2006 FIFA World Cup Mobile Game |
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Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that for the first time ever, football fans around the world will be able to download the officially licensed game of the 2006 FIFA World Cup TM for play on their mobile phones. The game will be available through major mobile operators across five continents, bringing the tournament and its superstars to life in the most emotionally resonating interactive sporting experience ever - for the mobile phone.
EA SPORTS TM 2006 FIFA World CupTM captures the passion of the FIFA World Cup for mobile phone gamers. Players can select any of the 32 finalist international teams and lead them to glory to hold the biggest prize in football – the 2006 FIFA World Cup TM.
Sharp visuals, immersive gameplay, remarkable ball physics and the intuitive passing and shooting controls enable players to show their skills like never before. Changing weather conditions affect the accuracy and power of strikes and passes, and a variety of camera angles featured in the 3D version of the game all set the stage for an authentic recreation of the 2006 FIFA World Cup tournament.
The game, available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish will launch first across Europe in April 2006 and will subsequently become available through major mobile operators in Asia, North America, Australia and South America.
2006 FIFA World CupTM is an exclusive license to EA SPORTSTM that now extends the gaming opportunity to mobile phones. |
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Posted By : Admin
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| 28 Mar 2006 11:08:25 am |
| Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Coming to Mobile Phones |
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Vir2L Studios in conjunction with Superscape today announced The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for mobile phones. Brimming with the depth and variety of The Elder Scrolls epics developed by Bethesda Softworks Oblivion for mobile phones will bring the preeminent fantasy world to wireless devices. A game for both the casual mobile gamer or seasoned traveler, players will now be able to take The Elder Scrolls on the go.
"Oblivion is a faithful adaptation of what The Elder Scrolls is all about," said Douglas Frederick, president of Vir2L Studios. "In partnering with Superscape, weve built an incredible role-playing game for wireless devices that captures the fantasy world of The Elder Scrolls."
For players that like their games brewed with magic, combat, and stealth, Oblivion is the perfect choice. Players can shop for their favorite weapons, armor, or magic and discover dozens of spells. Theyll be needed, as they encounter lurking Daedroth, Dremora, Goblins, and much more. Rich in levels and side quests, the game will both challenge and engage imaginative minds.
"Gaming on wireless devices has become increasingly popular and in turn, mobile technology has made great strides," said Kevin Roberts, CEO of Superscape. "Were thrilled to be able to work with Vir2L in bringing a series with such depth over to mobile phones, offering another rich, full world for Elder Scrolls fans to explore."
A challenging, fast-paced and action oriented game, mobile gamers will find much of the commonly recognized adventure of The Elder Scrolls series. Players can select from classic Elder Scrolls characters, such as sorcerer, knight, barbarian, monk, archer, and more.
A single-player game with 3rd person isometric view, the game is set within Tamriels capital province, Cyrodiil, where players will journey through cities, lairs, and dungeons. As players earn points working through the many varied levels, their skills will increase in attributes such as Strength, Intelligence, Willpower, Agility, Speed, Endurance, Personality, and Luck. Oblivion is the ultimate in mobile fantasy gaming.
Oblivion will be available on carriers in North America and Europe beginning in mid-April, 2006. |
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| 27 Jan 2006 12:24:10 pm |
| 50 Cent Get Rich or Die Tryin - the mobile phone game |
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Get Rich or Die Tryin - 50 Cent the mobile game
Fathammer, a leading publisher of advanced 3D mobile games, and Zingy, the leading mobile media company, have announced their partnership in developing and co-publishing a mobile game based on the movie Get Rich or Die Tryin. Rap artist 50 Cents new movie launched in the US in November and will be followed up by the European movie release in December. The mobile game is available now.
"A mobile game is the perfect tool to create and expand on the relationship between the audience and a popular film," says Matti Airas, CEO of Fathammer. "Were excited to bring the powerful storyline of Get Rich or Die Tryin to life with interactivity and amazing game play."
"The game, Get Rich or Die Tryin, is made possible through the combination of the exclusive Paramount and 50 Cent licenses already acquired by Zingy, says Scott Debson, Zingys VP of Licensing & Publishing. "Working with Fathammer ensures that these licenses are used to their full potential from concept through to creation ñ plus fans of 50 Cent and the movie will be ecstatic with the game."
50 Cent makes his big screen debut in the hip-hop drama Get Rich or Die Tryin. The mobile game allows the user to play the role of 50 Cent, leaving his past behind to pursue his true passion, rap music, and make it big in the industry. |
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| 13 Dec 2005 10:09:10 am |
| Call of Duty 2 - The mobile game |
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Call of Duty 2 Mobile
Well, we have all been playing it since we launched Call of Duty 2 for mobiles on the site and the verdict is excellent. Whilst it is never going to be quite the experience of the XBOX 360 version this extremely well made version for mobiles is a must for any fan of the game.
Apparently this is something that the new 3D gaming chips for mobiles is going to be perfect for. And as soon as you start to play it, you just have to appreciate what 2006 holds for mobile gaming in general.
We are looking forward to getting some customer revies in for the game and in the meantime I think I will just get back to playing the game.
Cheers.
Admin.[/url] |
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| 05 Dec 2005 04:05:07 pm |
| Use your phones camera to control gameplay |
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Marble Revolution has hit phones and it is using the phones camera as an option to control gameplay .... this is simply amazing!
Here is an excerpt from the game text:
CAMERA OR JOYSTICK STEERING
When you are in Camera-Mode, you do not fall off the tablet that easily and you have little arrows in the top left corner, showing you, in which direction the marble is going. Now slowy move the phone and see, how the marble reacts.
You can reset the camera control within the game by pressing the joystick down. You have two separate highscores for Joystick and Camera control. Note: Please make sure that the background is light and well structured, when using the camera steering.
This is a Symbian game which works on most modern Nokia models. |
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| 06 Sep 2005 03:21:48 pm |
| Need for Speed Underground 2 - Launched for mobile |
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If youve played the console version of NFSU2, you know exactly what to expect from the mobile version. You are a washed-up street racer who, under the tutelage of the seductive Rachel--played by aging supermodel Brooke Burke, whose name and body still bear a satisfying symmetry--may once again find sponsorship, fame, and ready cash to pour into your ride. The story unfolds through comic book-style cinematics, which, while less than impressive on consoles, are mind-blowing on mobile.
Exposition is hardly Need for Speeds focus, nor really its forte. The racing is a showcase in itself, and it looks as good as software rendering possibly can. The games streaming capabilities have allowed EA to include an unprecedented number of tracks across multiple racing districts, and each looks like a distinct part of the city. You can view these either on a world map screen or by free-roaming through the streets of your chosen district, where you may even find hidden cash bonuses. Each race is initiated via a pager challenge, and you are told how long you can expect to spend on the course. As a result, while NFSU2 is a full-fledged video game, and not really intended for casual players, it can nonetheless be enjoyed in short sessions.
Dedicated players will be rewarded, though, as NFSU2 plays just like its console counterpart. Using your emergency brake to execute perfect drifts and then nitro blasting away takes some getting used to on the mobile keypad, but racing at a high level is satisfying enough to justify perseverance. Every command available in the console game is present here, and they can all be remapped to whichever keys you prefer.
Fancy driving refills your nitro meter, so the Burnout formula (risk equals reward) applies here. As you narrowly escape crashes, a bonus multiplier builds, such that each successive near miss adds several orders of fuel to the fire. Drafting behind opposing vehicles and performing powerslides also charges up your turbo. The rival racer AI is excellent, and your adversaries will perform all these maneuvers in hopes of getting an edge on you. You may pull ahead of a souped-up Audi TT, only to have its driver draft behind you, then rocket ahead while rounding a corner. Bystander vehicles arent stupid either and will sometimes swerve to avoid a crash.
Paris Hilton owns five of these cars, and she thinks theyre hot.
When you do collide with a car, it will fly ridiculously over your head in a manner not unlike rag-dolling. While crashes dont seem to damage the vehicles involved, theyll cost you precious seconds and will potentially necessitate the use of nitro fuel to regain your top speed. Hitting street signs or the like will stop you cold, however. Apparently, several tons of steel is no real impediment, so long as its on wheels. Then again, when compared to its competition, NFSU2s physics modeling is exemplary.
Although they dont crunch on impact, Need for Speeds cars look absolutely beautiful, whether in the garage or on the street. Considering the LG VX8000s lack of hardware acceleration, the highlights and reflection effects on each cars painted surfaces are incredible. Holiday lights hung over telephone wires will imbue your vehicles exterior with shades of red, green, and blue. You will notice quite a bit of the draw-in, but the detailed architectural modeling work thats gone into this game helps to make up for it. In any case, NFSU2 manages to consistently run around 20 frames per second, which is quite a triumph for a V Cast game. |
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| 18 Aug 2005 11:25:20 am |
| The Invisible Man mobile game launched and is a must! |
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We have been playing The Invisible Man in the office now for ages and its really started to interfere with our work!
The Invisible Man is based on the classic novel by HG Wells and over the years this famous story inspired Hollywood studios to many successful movies. As such the title is recognised by all. The original storyline helped us to come up with a truly innovative game concept that triggers the players imagination and skills as the player can be invisible to his opponents, but then also to himself. Thus creating a fun and challenging gaming experience.
Game Scenario
London, 1899: a young scientist discovers the key to invisibility and uses himself as the subject; yet, he does not have the potion to reverse the results. Help him to retrieve all the necessary ingredients to make it. But be careful: walking across London streets may be very dangerous. Hes wanted by Scotland Yard, and honest gentlemen may not be very inclined to ignore a pair of trousers going around by themselves.
Game Characteristics
The Invisible Man is a stealth game featured with isometric view. The aim is collecting the ingredients to melt the potion that will give him back his visibility. The Invisible Man is wanted by Scotland Yard: policemen can shoot at him, while ordinary people can raise the alarm. The protagonist has two possible choices:
- he can stay invisible as much as possible. In this way he is invisible not only to the other characters of the game, but also to the player, thus resulting difficult to control. In addition, the invisible protagonist is subject to fall into uncovered manholes. Finally, since the weather is cold and snowy, staying naked (of course, he is!) will turn into a progressive loss of strength.
- he can wear the clothes he retrieves all around. Ordinary people will be misled only by a complete suit (trousers, bandage, coat and hat); a coat going around without anything else will certainly raise some suspicions.
Unfortunately, policemen own an identikit of the invisible man when hes completely dressed, and they wont be misled by this trick as well. In addition, in order to carry the clothes with himself when he is invisible, the protagonist must use a suitcase, that renders him identifiable. The suitcase is also used to hold the retrieved ingredients. |
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| 12 Aug 2005 08:24:51 am |
| Jewel Quest launches around the world to rave reviews |
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Jewel Quest Mobile launched on 3 continents, in 80 countries, across 145 distribution partners & 215 handsets.
Mobile users around the world now have their chance to get the hugely popular online puzzle game Jewel Quest on their mobile phones. The mobile version of iWins highly addictive puzzle game has met serious critical acclaim amongst enthusiast mobile gaming publications.
Declared a Finalist for the 2004 Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards as Downloadable Game of the Year, the online edition of Jewel Quest has broken all sales records at several of the largest distributors of mass market and casual games in North America, and is available from a broad range of popular online web gaming sites.
“This is one thumb gaming at its best - simple, challenging and compelling to all. We are looking to drive the mass-market adoption of mobile games with this nail-biting puzzler, as well as target the rapidly growing female gamer population. It will be exciting to watch the impact of this killer IP, proven on PC, combined with the mass market penetration of the mobile platform,” commented David Gosen.
The mobile edition of Jewel Quest has received rave reviews from a number of influential gaming websites:
“I-plays sparkling puzzler is one of 2005s absolute must-haves.” 9.1/10 - IGN Wireless
"An excellent conversion from the PC bestseller...I found it very hard to tear myself away from it unless I had something urgent to do. This definitely has the just one more go factor or in my case just 5 more levels.” 90%.
“Jewel Quest is a terrific puzzle game thats highly addictive. Puzzle lovers should eat this mobile version up.” 4/5.
Jewel Quest presents a new generation of gem matching by enabling gamers to play as a fearless adventurer questing through ancient Mayan ruins in search of hidden treasures and priceless artifacts. As you venture deeper into the jungle, you will encounter increasingly difficult puzzles containing secret twists, cursed items, and buried artifacts. The goal is to rearrange these valuable relics and turn sand tiles into gold before time runs out!
The game features 110 challenging puzzles, collecting huge amounts of treasure and rare jewels. The quest is complete when you have solved every puzzle and uncovered all the gold statues.
Read more and download Jewel Quest Mobile |
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| 10 Aug 2005 09:43:32 am |
| Updated SUDOKU style game launched for mobile phones |
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The Sudoku crazes continues unabated and we have added this new release version of the game called Super Doku which is an updated Sudoku clone mobile game with more options.
Early reports form customers suggest it is already ruining their lives as they cannot put their phones down and family and friends are suffering!!
Check it out. We give it 10 out of 10 but with a healthy warning that you could lose all your friends if you download the game!! |
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| 20 Jul 2005 09:46:59 am |
| Quake to rock mobile phones |
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| The mobile gaming world is going to shake when the legendary QUAKE hits handsets later this year. Thanks to an agreement announced today between id Software and publisher Pulse Interactive, the blockbuster first person action shooter created by id SoftwareTM is rolling onto a new generation of 3D-enabled mobile handsets. |
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| 14 Jul 2005 02:07:26 pm |
| Mobile Games Download Charts for June 2005 |
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OK, here are the top downloads for June 2005.
1. Tetris
2. Pub Pool
3. New York Nights
4. Tomb Raider - The Osiris Codex
5. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
6. Pub Darts
All the games are available on the site now. Click the GAMES HOME button at the top to read more. |
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| 14 Jul 2005 01:41:27 pm |
| Duke Nukem to hit mobiles |
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SkyZone Entertainment today announced that Duke Nukem Mobile 3D now has a release date of this summer. The game is currently being developed for BREW-enabled handsets by MachineWorks Northwest, which previously brought Duke Nukem to the Tapwave Zodiac.
Duke Nukem is a first-person shooter based in a bizarre world of dungeons, strip clubs, and giant airships. The game will come with an option to turn the enemies into sprite-based images, upping the games frame rate.
This is the second mobile version of Duke Nukem available, as Duke Nukem Mobile (sans the 3D) was released in 2004 by SK Media and MachineWorks. The PC game Duke Nukem Forever was supposed to come out many years ago but has since gone missing in action, and its release date remains to be determined. |
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