This week’s mobile gaming news has E-A M-O-B-I-L-E making a big score with SCRABBLE, which is now available for download in North America and Europe. The EA Mobile version is officially licensed from Hasbro, Inc., and brings the classic board game of wordplay to the mobile phone with simple controls and challenges for all skill levels.
“”SCRABBLE is one of the world’s most recognized board games and is a great compliment to our top-selling casual games,” said Travis Boatman, VP Worldwide Studios at EA Mobile. “This new mobile version of SCRABBLE lets players choose from three fun game modes – short quick-play for a fast SCRABBLE fix, pass-and-play with a friend, or play against the computer’s dictionary for the ultimate vocabulary challenge.”
Considering that this game has always been about showing up your friends (associates and colleagues) with you large (copious and abundant) vocabulary and lexis of words, we’re not certain that this game will have the same appeal for wordplay know-it-alls. Then again, we just like showing off sometimes.
Two Konami Mobile titles have received gold National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) from Parenthood.com and United Parenting Publications. Of 79 entries only seven received the Gold status, including Professor Fizzwizzle and Frogger 25th. Frogger… really?
“The mobile game market can be confusing for parents who are looking for family-friendly content they can trust,” said Joe Morris, vice president of mobile content, Konami. “Konami Mobile is very proud to receive two gold status NAPPA from independent judges who are experts in identifying products that are innovative, age appropriate and of exceptional and lasting educational and entertainment value.”
Professor Fizzwizzle is a game where players must control the not-so-mad scientist and solve a series of increasing challenging puzzles across 30 levels. So that one makes sense that it would be an award winner, but frankly we’re scratching our heads about Frogger 25th. While the game is true to the original game, we don’t see why a parenting award is in order – this game doesn’t do much except teach you that crossing the street can be dangerous! Then again George on the hit 1990s sitcom Seinfeld was a Frogger champ… and look where he ended up!
Both games are available on major carriers in North America including AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
Hudson Entertainment announced this week that it had scored big, and has obtained the license from game publisher Midway to bring the football game Blitz: The League to mobile handsets later this fall. The game will be available on both Brew and Java platforms.
“With its no-holds-barred, anything goes gameplay, Blitz: The League is an innovative alternative to the typical football simulation gaming experience,” said John Greiner, President and CEO of Hudson Entertainment. “Due to its success, we thought it was high time to bring the action to mobile, and we’ve done so with stunning results.”
Because this game has no official NFL tie-in or license (as is the case with the console version of Blitz) don’t expect to see real world teams or any superstars of the gridiron. This game is firmly based in fantasy, and not the fantasy football type of fantasy. This football game is more over-the-top than rival series including Madden, and the gameplay focuses on seven on seven action, along with a whole 12 game season. Whether this will score will fans as a result will need to be seen.
Cellufun has announced that it has expanded on its Mob Hill Casino, and has introduced a new Video Poke title for its collection of Las Vegas style mobile phone games. The company will also be rolling out (no pun intended) Black Jack and Slots, both free for consumers to download from the Cellufun WAP site.
“Casino games are a great fit for the mobile platform,” said Arthur Goikhman, CEO of Cellufun. “They are a little taste of Vegas while you have a few minutes to kill. Sharing the bank across all of our casino games and including connected features such as progressive slots really enhances the experience of playing the games our users already know and love.”
The digital currency that you win (or are just as likely to lose) can’t be actually used for anything in the real world, but nor does it cost anything; however it can be used across all the casino games from Cellufun. So you can score big at Slots and go bet your roll at Video Poker.
