With Ricardo Torres
Design by Katie Bush
We can't help being skeptical when we hear about big corporations trying to get into gaming. It's well known by now that gaming is a multibillion dollar industry, so when we hear about how this or that big company intends to start publishing games, or better yet start making game systems, we just roll our eyes or smirk or shrug our shoulders, you name it. "These guys have no idea what they're getting into," we think. And we're probably right to an extent--but that doesn't mean the gaming industry has no room for new blood. Take Sony and Microsoft as a couple of relatively recent examples. Ten years ago, who could have imagined that Sony would become the dominant power in the industry? Five years ago, who could have imagined Microsoft being so serious about games, both PC and console?
In this feature, GameSpot's editors will walk you through every aspect of the device, from its technical specs and built-in features, to its launch titles, available accessories, and more.
Finland-based Nokia, the world's largest producer of mobile phones, is another one of those companies that you wouldn't expect could have much of an impact on gaming but that you probably shouldn't discount. Founded in 1865, Nokia isn't a company that has survived this long by stumbling blindly into unknown territory. With its strong grip on the mobile communications industry comes a firm grasp of international demographics--basically, Nokia knows how to get its products into people's hands.
The N-Gage isn't technically the company's first foray into gaming. Mobile gaming has been very popular in Europe and other countries for some time, and beyond that, who hasn't whiled away a few minutes now and then playing Snake on their cell phones? Nokia knows for certain that all kinds of people like to play games on the go, and the N-Gage represents the company's most focused effort to date to really make an impact on this market. Nokia's first portable gaming system is slated for release on October 7 of this year and will retail for $299--more than any other game console currently on the market and certainly a lot more than Nintendo's well-established $99 Game Boy Advance SP, which has sold well over a million units in the United States alone since its release earlier this year.
Is one of these cooler than all the others?
In fact, Nintendo is extremely well established in the portable gaming business, so you'd think a company like Nokia would be cautious of this powerful force in the industry. But earlier this year, Nokia publicly snubbed its nose at Nintendo and the GBA: "Game Boy is for 10-year-olds," said Nokia's head of entertainment and media, Ilkka Raiskinen. "If you're 20 or 25 years old, it's probably not a good idea to draw a Game Boy out of your pocket on a Friday night in a public space." So, you may infer that the N-Gage is being targeted at a more-mature demographic, an audience that wants to be hip and is concerned with its image. Look at some of the N-Gage's advertising so far--scenes with attractive, slender 20-somethings having a blast using the device--and those inferences are confirmed.
So, how is the N-Gage, really? In this feature, GameSpot's editors will walk you through every aspect of the device, from its technical specs and built-in features, to its launch titles, available accessories, and more. We'll also give you our impressions of the N-Gage, having spent a considerable amount of time using it and playing beta versions of many of its launch games. If you're curious or skeptical about the N-Gage, look no further. We're about to break it down for you and give you a good, clear sense of what it's all about.
See GameSpot's Enter the N-Gage Video Presentations
In these videos, you'll learn everything you need to know about the N-Gage. GameSpot's editors will give you their impressions of the device and some of its strengths as well as its weaknesses, all to give you a good sense of what to expect from the N-Gage. You'll also get the company line on this new system, courtesy of Nokia's entertainment and media business unit general manager, Nada Usina. If you've got questions about the N-Gage, you won't after you're through watching these videos.
N-Gage Video Preview:
N-Gage Developer Interview:
