Nokia's N-Gage coming to PCs

When you hear the word N-Gage, you probably get weird, grossed-out feelings and maybe a little stabbing pain in your side, right? Well, Nokia is attempting to make the transition from the N-Gage as a handheld gaming device (and a bit of a failed one at that), to N-Gage as a standalone game platform -- one which can be implemented on the PC as well as other mobile systems. The company is currently in the thick of development on a top-secret title known as "Project White Rock", which will be the first bound for the PC. The game is being developed by RedLynx (creators of popular handheld fare like "Pathways to Glory"), and produced by Scott Foe, who's known for his work on the first mobile MMOG "Pocket Kingdom: Own the World". According to reports, the game contains over a thousand lines of recorded dialogue, though sources say the game-play experience will be largely the same on both the PC and handheld platforms. Whatever the case may be, the few glimpses we've seen of the "next generation" N-Gage look pretty promising, and this scheme may just be the shot in the arm Nokia's gaming division is looking for.

[Via Joystiq]

[Maurik @ Jul 4th 2007 1:04PM]

Hey!

When I think of n-gage, I think of the best, sturdiest, most reliable phone that lasted me the best part of 5 years, unbelievable amount of drops, water damage and facia cracks.

A few years ago, when nokia stopped releasing games for it regularly and the scene switched focus to the PSP, i stopped caring for the games.

But still it was my phone for many years, fast texter, sidetalking was easily "fixed" too.

Now I'm not interested in nokia's games to be honest, I now (since 2 weeks ago, as my n-gage finally gave up) own an E65, not exactly a gaming platform.

But never! Diss the N-gage. To paraphrase a buddy from a nokia forum - "Give a man a symbian and he'll be happy for a year, give a man an n-gage and he'll be happy for a lifetime"

[kingofwale @ Jul 4th 2007 1:20PM]

never diss the n-gage? Why shouldn't we?

the fact it's actually build like a brick?

or the fact this is how you are supposed to make calls: http://www.8bitjoystick.com/archives/photos/ngage.jpg

or maybe the fact the screen is vertical than horizontal?

or maybe the fact you have to REMOVE the battery to insert a game?

Horrible design all around, too ugly to be a phone, not a good gaming device and NO third party developer support.

be glad you are one of only 4 people in this world who bought it. It might be a collective sooner, but I doubt it.

[Maurik @ Jul 4th 2007 1:40PM]

The QD was terrible - mono sound, no built in radio / mp3 player.

2 simple hacks fixed the n-gage's problems.

a small hole in the speaker area and back facia allowed for norm-talk.

a modded facia allowed for hot-swap mmc.

except for those two, the phone was flawless. Don't talk about bricks tbh, when someone says to me "that's big for a phone"... i say "but it's small for a gaming device, pda, mp3 player, radio AND phone"

[Ryoga Vee @ Jul 4th 2007 3:04PM]

I still to this day use my N-gage QD, it really is build liek a rock is has one thing that NO other phone on the market has... raised buttons. trust me, its so nice not having to look at your phone to make a call and it makes txting easier.

The only thing that will replace my N-gage is another N-gave or the iPhone.

anyone that has own the QD knows its worth every penny.

[HART @ Jul 4th 2007 4:24PM]

I cant agree more.

I allways say my QD is built for "military use" because its the best and most resistant phone i ever had. And by the way, it crushes the rest of nokias,its MUUUUCH better.

But, if someone gives me an iPhone im not going to say "no thanks" :P

[MrGam3r @ Jul 4th 2007 9:46PM]

Would i be dissing the n gage if i called it a sucky last gen taco? Not a hater i just think it looks weird. lol

[Maurik @ Jul 5th 2007 6:09AM]

it looks weird, no doubt, but its shape had advantages, especially for SMSing. Both n-gage, and a QD that my friend owned, were very quick at texting for a normal "number pad" phone.

Also, obviously this shape was useful for gaming.

[Kevin @ Jul 4th 2007 1:35PM]

Well most of the issues mentioned were resolved when N-Gage QD was released, and it was the best Value for money phone out there. Games like Asphalt Urban GT, Sims, FIFA, Worms World Party etc... were some pretty cool titles for the N-Gage platform. I still haven't seen half way decent renditions of those games on any of the current phones(Java version of all these games suck big time). It was the best phone (and possibly the only phone) for casual gaming. It was no PSP or DS and should not be compared to them, but was the best phone one could get for gaming as well as being a smart phone at the same time.
If Nokia ever comes out with a next verion of N-Gage QD, I'll gladly pick it up over the iPhone (which incidentally has ZERO games).

[Tom @ Jul 4th 2007 1:26PM]

Seriously, the N-Gage's still the number one fun-and-usability phone produced so far. While many current phones also offer a smartphone OS and function as a PMP (even if most STILL don't feature standard headphone jacks), not one offers a gaming experience like the N-Gage did. And I don't mean just the original games (of which a few were truly good) but also all the emulators that were available. Sure, games run on other phones too. But since the N-Gage, not one single manufacturer has come up with a phone featuring something as simple to implement hardware wise as a functional 8-way directional pad that's located on the OTHER side of the screen.
Sure, it's size an shape were bad, as was the vertical screen (though that didn't matter for emulators, which usualy allow for screen rotation). But in the end, the N-Gage was inexpensive (got mine for free with the then cheapest contract for 2 years), sturdy, a smartphone, a PMP, a game console and so most of it all it was fun. Something 99.99% of all phones available today are badly lacking.

[liquidcola @ Jul 4th 2007 2:19PM]

They named it project "white rock" after the drugs they've been smoking that made them think this is a good idea.

[Bobarama7k @ Jul 5th 2007 4:02PM]

My thoughts exactly. unless youre some kind of illegal drug maker, never name something "Project White Rock"

[JohnTitor @ Jul 4th 2007 5:37PM]

Hey it wasn't made by Apple so what would you expect Engadget to say about the N-gage?

[kyle allen @ Jul 5th 2007 12:45AM]

I've never cared that it looks like a taco! I LOVE TACOS!!

[Daren @ Jul 5th 2007 3:29AM]

I have the n-gage it was great. Still is. Pathway to Glory was amazing. Wish there was a port to the DS...

[Unregistered @ Jul 5th 2007 3:36AM]

The QD was crippled but it helped me pass time in military bases where camera phones were based. That was before the PSP and DS time so the other alternative was to shell out for a GBC or GBA.

The phone isnt that bad - i installed an Ogg and a movie player and cld even play Streets of Rage (sans sound, cos sound was patchy on the emulator for symbian).

What I hated abt the QD was the rubber ring around the phone often got loose and if I attempted to stick it back it won't fit cos the rubber had stretched. That, and the darn OS often gave me the WSOD, forcing me to reformat the phone every few weeks as a preemptive cleanup.

[Unregistered @ Jul 5th 2007 3:41AM]

sorry typo

"where camera phones were BANNED"

[h8rain @ Jul 5th 2007 9:21AM]

Ahhhh Taco talking.... Is there still a site up with all the funny pics with people holing stuff up to their ears? My personal favorite was the pic with the guy and the game boy OLD SCHOOL!! Ahhh Nostalgia, how I love you

[Kurian @ Aug 29th 2007 7:34AM]

I loved my N-Gage QD while I had it.
All these misconceptions are shattered when you actually own one.

Its extremely fast to navigate and really comfortable to text without making any errors.

It was indestructable (run over by auto). I've dropped it and what not literally a hundred times.

[Kurian @ Aug 29th 2007 7:37AM]

The only screw up was it was Symbian OS 6 and not 7 like the 6600 etc.

You cant really bash it for being only 16000Hz Mono..can you name one phone that was at the time?

Dont say the original N-Gage, because even that could not output full range audio in software. Only the built in player (which sucked) could access the hardware decoder to output 44100hz Stereo.