This might not have been the Sonic game you were expecting (we're all still waiting for "Sonic 4: Episode 2"), but will this port of the classic release for the CD enabled Sega MegaDrive be a suitable substitute? For the casual gamer, yes, but the more dedicated fan will see this as little more than a stop-gap.
Parking Mania is well known in the mobile world, having already existed in the iPhone and Android ecosystems and done very well, so it's only natural that it should appear on the 'third' ecosystem as well. It's a classic game scenario: part puzzle, part arcade and 100% frustration. It's also fair to say that if parking your real life car in a tight space is your idea of hell then it's probably a good idea to give Parking Mania a miss too!
So it's finally here. Zynga's board game with some eerie similarities to Scrabble has had a talismanic hold on mobile gamers since it took over Facebook. "Does it play Words with Friends?" has been a question many have asked. After all, if iOS and Android users can play their games on their smartphone, so should those of us with Windows Phones be able to. Now we can.
Last week's release of The Game of Life on Xbox Live was another exclusive title from Nokia. It's a curious choice of board game to convert to the digital sphere, but EA have done a really good job in replicating the experience of playing the game. Is that enough to make a strong smartphone title?
Sometimes, when you're on the run, you just need a quick gaming fix. AE Doodle Dash takes that notion rather literally. This doodle style game tests your reactions and sense of timing as you dash across the screen, jumping deadly doodled dangers. It sounds simple, but in game design, less can be more, so join us on our review to see if AE Doodle Dash is worth running to the Marketplace for.
Cut the Rope has a lot going for it. A huge number of puzzles, an accurate physics engine, intricate level design, it's quick to play by design, and it's very bright and colourful. The only problem is that mobile gamers will have seen it all before on other platforms, because it has taken more than two years to release Cut the Rope for Windows Phone.
The third of Nokia's Xbox Live releases this past weekend was Jet Set Go, a time management game that anyone who is familiar with the genre will be instantly comfortable with. But they won't find anything new or exciting in this generic title.
One of the great innovations in public transport around the United Kingdom's capital city is the availability of communal bicycles. The "Boris Bike" scheme covers the centre of London, offering eight thousand bikes for short term hire. But how do you know where to find the nearest bike station and if there are any bikes available? With your Windows Phone, of course.
Ah yes. The one-button game, in this case a helicopter that has to stay in the air and avoid crashing into oncoming cavern walls - it's a very familiar concept. Except that Karmic Apps have made that just the starting point and have built a decent arcade shooting game on top of it, complete with variations in aircraft, enemies, weaponry and scenery. Intriguingly, there's also a whole new way of monetising a mobile game that I hadn't seen before - I'm not sure I'm a fan, but full marks for lateral thinking!
Shooting games are a staple of gaming, but sometimes they just stray too close into uncomfortable territory. That's where the latest Xbox Live title, Big Buck Hunter Pro, sits. Solid graphics and realistic sound effects add to the effect. The developers have done a good job here, but when your starting point is recreating the traumatic scenes from Bambi, it's a tough sell.
