Konami N-Gage-ing Metal Gear Solid

Publisher signs on to Nokia's reimagined mobile gaming platform; Solid Snake's tactical stealth game leads offerings in June.

Nokia's N-Gage as a mobile platform has had a rough history, thanks in no small part to the device's original layout, which required users to hold the device sideways in order to make phone calls. With the launch of the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable in 2004, the N-Gage's prospects as a widely adapted gaming platform took a turn for the worse.

All the Solid Snake, none of the sidetalkin'.

Despite Nintendo's and Sony's grip on the mobile gaming sector, Nokia hasn't abandoned the N-Gage platform outright, and in fact relaunched the service, after some delays, as an application compatible with a host of Nokia phones in April. While support for the service has since been modest, Nokia today said Konami would begin adding its mobile games to the N-Gage's library.

Konami's first title to be available on the N-Gage will be Metal Gear Solid Mobile. Winner of the 2007 International Mobile Gaming Award, MGS Mobile features the series' signature tactical stealth action gameplay and an in-game camouflage system that implements real-world color samples captured by the mobile device's camera. The game was developed in conjunction with Ideaworks3D.

Metal Gear Solid Mobile is expected to arrive on Nokia's platform in June, in the same time frame as Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the PlayStation 3. The publisher did not reveal pricing information and had not responded to requests for clarification as of press time. However, Nokia said when it launched the service that full games would be available for download priced at $8-$14 apiece.

112 Comments

  • ctg867

    Posted May 22, 2008 10:15 am PT

    It would be cool if they released this as a PSP PS Store download. I would definitely buy it. At the very least, bring out MGS1 as a PSone download. I'm sure Konami has mentioned it to Sony (or visa versa) as a way to promote MGS4. Good chance it'll happen IMO.

  • Fell_Beast_

    Posted May 22, 2008 7:48 am PT

    sounds cool

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted May 22, 2008 3:26 am PT

    @alscott33: I tried N-Gage. It was cool. Although I definitely prefer gaming on my HDLCDTV. -Mobile gaming just hasn't taken off in the US. Yet a few mobile games are great. -Bring MGS to Helio multiplayer. =)

  • alscott33

    Posted May 21, 2008 6:43 pm PT

    I bet over half of you have never even touched an N-Gage, or even give it a chance. You should always try something before you say "it sucks". Here come the "thumb downs"...

  • NicAgent

    Posted May 21, 2008 9:45 am PT

    Yeah to tell you the truth I really am not a fan of handheld gaming at all these days. The limitations compared to home consoles far outweigh the portability. I mean a couple years ago I played my PSP a lot but it just got to the point where I had had enough having to auto-aim in GTA:LCS and playing during car rides became tedious due to turns and inertia. Right now I own neither a DS nor PSP and I'm happy to amuse myself with my fifth-generation iPod.

  • darklight86

    Posted May 21, 2008 9:16 am PT

    Mobile phone gaming sucks. it just really really sucks.

  • WR_Platinum

    Posted May 21, 2008 9:00 am PT

    "Metal Gear Solid Mobile is expected to arrive on Nokia's platform in June, in the same time frame as Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the PlayStation 3."

    Well, looks like this one one will FAIL.

  • magic_dragon

    Posted May 21, 2008 7:35 am PT

    N-Gage just won't die will it?

  • dragonsama

    Posted May 21, 2008 7:04 am PT

    Snake turn the taco sideways and talk into it!

  • Skreb-Masters

    Posted May 21, 2008 7:04 am PT

    Why? Noone cares about the N-Gage. Never did, never will do. Just drop it Nokia. You're a phone company. Stick to phones.

  • Lab392

    Posted May 21, 2008 7:03 am PT

    Eh, I don't see anything wrong with it. The N-Gage is probably one of the few phones (outside of the Sony Ericsson) that can run Metal Gear Solid Mobile. I don't think that they even have to do much programming to port it from the Ericsson version. (and for those of you wondering, MGS: Mobile takes place between MGS1 and MGS2)

  • ihsanqueen

    Posted May 21, 2008 7:01 am PT

    not interested.......

  • AngelCage

    Posted May 21, 2008 6:22 am PT

    Fission Mailed anyone?

  • damageisking

    Posted May 21, 2008 6:07 am PT

    The N-Gage phone is obsolete, if you read the article it mentions the new N-Gage which is a platform in the form of an application that is used in a select few Nokia phones now but probably more in the future.
    Also if this game is the same MGS Mobile released in Japan then it is indeed canonical and takes place between MGS1 and 2.
    You don't need an N-Gage phone to play this and I will be getting any N-Gage compatible phone to play this as I'm an MGS fan.
    I hope it is better than the Java platform because AC!D Mobile was terrible...

  • DrKill09

    Posted May 21, 2008 6:04 am PT

    I stick by my previous comment. I want MGS on the DS not the NGage

  • Nedemis

    Posted May 21, 2008 5:54 am PT

    so Kojima refuses to bring MGS to the 360 (a system with a large install base) and yet he decides to put resources into bringing MGS mobile to the least supported handheld in gaming history? I think it's quite clear now that he is not right in the head. What a foolish move this one is.

  • FathaLove

    Posted May 21, 2008 5:12 am PT

    uggggh.

    i hope it's just a remake.

  • Phylyn5151

    Posted May 21, 2008 4:42 am PT

    Welp, I used to collect MG games. I was doing so well there for a while

  • Phylyn5151

    Posted May 21, 2008 4:40 am PT

    N-GAGE: I.....Still..........Function!!!!!

  • Dantinho

    Posted May 21, 2008 4:38 am PT

    I just hope this has nothing to do with the story because ill never have chance to play it.

  • Maeros4

    Posted May 21, 2008 4:31 am PT

    No thanks, not interested konami and nokia

  • vaejas

    Posted May 21, 2008 4:20 am PT

    Roffle. Just Kojima-san's quirky sense of humour.
    So who here is willing to pay the same price as an original WiiWare or XBLA game to play MGS on their NGage?

  • viewtiful_jay

    Posted May 21, 2008 4:09 am PT

    Cell phone games suck. There are very few, if any, exceptions to this rule.

    And what the hell is with Konami nowadays? There have been 3 MGS games for the PSP, with a 4th coming, but nothing for the DS. You would think as much as Hideo Kojima claims to love innovation, he'd be all over it. Not trashing the PSP, but I can't believe they haven't tried to capitalize on the best selling video game system in the world.

  • X360MadMan

    Posted May 21, 2008 3:03 am PT

    Who the hell is going to play this crap on a phone. MGS..... Never heard of it, must be for low-lifes!.

  • Arclight_Blue

    Posted May 21, 2008 2:59 am PT

    I think konami is just testing on how popular the MGS series really is.....

  • jmdude

    Posted May 21, 2008 2:18 am PT

    MGS Portable Ops for PSP is more worth the money

  • Ranteal

    Posted May 21, 2008 12:58 am PT

    They should bring MGS to a motor-coach. That would be double time in the lime red sun!!!

  • Ninja_Kinshu

    Posted May 21, 2008 12:54 am PT

    Is konami f'ing INSANE?

    How about releasing MGS on the DS!

  • snake_9909

    Posted May 21, 2008 12:23 am PT

    Matty Ngage2 is a rip off of xbox live nothing fancy... its now a service not a handheld and if you have a nokia phone... you can download it

  • Mattyrock

    Posted May 21, 2008 12:11 am PT

    Oh...god. N-Gage? Again? I'd highly doubt it's gonna make a comeback.

  • tard--

    Posted May 20, 2008 11:33 pm PT

    is it april again already? because this has gotta be a joke.

  • UltimateXShadow

    Posted May 20, 2008 10:46 pm PT

    What's wrong with making it for the DS or PSP, Konami?

  • Darkside7972

    Posted May 20, 2008 10:43 pm PT

    Hey alscott33, can I have a cut of that check Nokia made out to you? I've got to save up for a handheld gaming system worth buying...

  • Ket87

    Posted May 20, 2008 10:15 pm PT

    Who the hell still cares about N-Gage? All 12 people who bought one before must have even given up. When you got PSPs and DSs why bother with something a small step up from a cellphone game.

  • zeldafan1234

    Posted May 20, 2008 10:11 pm PT

    why thats all i have to say

  • marbigmarbig

    Posted May 20, 2008 9:37 pm PT

    That's cool, hopefully more developers decide to put big name, good games on it. I need to find a new N-gage, I'm still using my QD.

  • rene55

    Posted May 20, 2008 8:57 pm PT

    buying it first day!

  • alscott33

    Posted May 20, 2008 8:56 pm PT

    Awesome! Can't wait to play! I love my nex-gen N-Gage! Proud N-Gage Player right here.

  • DeadBullet

    Posted May 20, 2008 7:28 pm PT

    Hulabaloza wrote:

    Wow, PS3 and NGage......Konami seems dedicated to spreading MGS only to hardware in last place.
    -
    You are so damn right.

  • living_wmd_888

    Posted May 20, 2008 7:24 pm PT

    For-freaking-get it. I'm not wasting my money on overpriced crap for cell phones. I'll stick with real portables like DS and PSP.

  • towelie892

    Posted May 20, 2008 7:22 pm PT

    That camouflage system sounds cool, but if you're in a car or plane playing it you're going to have some problems finding colors such as green.

  • Tranceplant

    Posted May 20, 2008 6:56 pm PT

    If Konami wants Metal Gear Solid on other platforms... why don't they do it on something like the DS??

  • brkr12002

    Posted May 20, 2008 6:51 pm PT

    NOKIA, PLEASE BRING BACK SIDETALKING!!!!

  • ShadoweaverCode

    Posted May 20, 2008 6:35 pm PT

    Why does Konami hate money so much?

  • RHCPfan24

    Posted May 20, 2008 6:26 pm PT

    HAH! N-GAGE! HAH! Wait, there still is an n-gage? Oh, well, whenever I hear that word I laugh to myself. I am sure the three people that own that piece of sh*t will be happy that a game you can get on any other verizon phone is available for them. Have fun...

  • Aqeous_Snake

    Posted May 20, 2008 6:10 pm PT

    Guys, the N-Gage is now an application! Read the article more carefully next time! The app works only on a few N-series Nokia phones. I know this cause I own an N-82 which the N-Gage app works on! The actual N-Gage phone probably doesn't exist anymore!

  • Arclight_Blue

    Posted May 20, 2008 6:03 pm PT

    good for N-gage owners, if there are any.......

  • CBass217

    Posted May 20, 2008 5:51 pm PT

    The N-gage? haha...well it's all about what the customer wants I guess..last ditch effort by nokia. I understand the PS3 move just because no ither system can handle the shear size of the game without blu-ray...but this is a little odd...but hey it's work for konami, why turn it down? Get the interns on it...

  • BatrozX

    Posted May 20, 2008 5:42 pm PT

    wow, wow, wow, WHAT??!! The N-gage is still alive?!!!! O_O


    "!" ....."Snake!....SNAKE!!!!!!!!"

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