Remember my post about the Apple iPad being a potential catalyst in the world of mobile gaming? Back then, the iPad was recently launched, and people were already pondering on the implications. A couple of months have passed, and the pondering is quickly changing into anticipation.

Now that people have gotten their hands on the iPad, reviews are mixed – no surprise there, really. What is quite exciting is the fact that almost a thousand video games have already been developed for the iPad! For a mobile computing device, it is saying a lot that video game developers are already jumping to create various products.

If you think about it, the iPad is primarily meant to serve as a cross between a smartphone and a mobile computer. With the amount of attention being given to it by the video game sector, however, it seems that it is being seen more as a mobile gaming machine!

What is in store for the mobile gamer? Reuters reports:

With seven iPad games available at launch, ngmoco is taking advantage of the multi-touch screen by allowing players of games like “Godfinger” and “We Rule” to multitask by literally sliding small game windows aside so they can focus on the bigger playing field and then read the story progression or check out friends’ castles in between.

Johnny Coghlan, head of publishing for Chillingo, which has 14 iPad games available, said the Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities allows for all of its games, including “Super Shock Football HD” and puzzle game “Quantz HD,” to incorporate Crystal integration. This is the company’s social gaming network that enables players to compete against one another and tout high scores.

Then there’s Uno, Flight Control HD, and Tetris. Now who wants to play?

Tags: Apple iPad, mobile gaming, News

Everyone is talking about Apple’s latest product: the Apple iPad. Never mind the name – it IS kinda lame, I have to admit – but people all over the world are raving about this cute little thing. Having a screen size that’s even smaller than the smallest netbook around and a very light tag price, the iPad is certain to capture many hearts.

The question that concerns me right now, however, is whether or not the iPad will be the next big thing in mobile gaming, as some people are claiming. Peter Moore of Electronic Arts has already showed the world where he stands. He said that “If it’s got a great screen, some buttons, you can turn it on and it connects to the Internet, it’s got the ability to be a games machine.” From what I have seen, it seems to me that the iPad meets all those qualifications. And if you are shaking your head thinking that a gadget has to have more than that, think of the iPhone. Now that is one gadget that has truly changed the face of mobile gaming. Indeed, a lot of people that I know with the iPhone love it best because of the ability to download apps (a LOT of them games).

Now go back to the iPad. It has more computing power than the iPhone but it can download the same kinds of apps. For sure, more apps will be developed in the months to come. Now imagine GAMES galore on the iPad…I’ll leave you to dream of the gaming potential of this little baby.

Tags: Apple iPad, Apple iPhone, mobile gaming

I recently got my hands on a new toy – a Nokia E63 mobile phone. Though I primarily got it for PDA purposes, I found out to my delight that I could use it for another, more fun purpose: gaming. Did you know that there are a lot of third party applications available for download for Symbian phones? You probably did but silly me, a first timer when it comes to actually owning a Symbian phone…

Anyhow, one game that I found was God of War. Remember that hunk of a dude, Kratos? His PlayStation games are among the best that I have ever played. They were quite hard and yet they were easy enough to finish with persistence. And you won’t find yourself getting bored.

Well, God of War for Symbian phones cannot really measure up to the experience of actually playing GOW on the PS3 or even the PS2. I think it is unreasonable to actually expect something like that on a phone anyway. The mobile version of the game is enjoyable enough to keep you busy while on the train or even when you simply have nothing to do.

Kratos is still Kratos and he uses the same weapons. He’s got a few new enemies – all of which are still fun to kill. I haven’t gotten far in the game as I can’t seem to kill the first boss. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I am still a bit unfamiliar with the controls. All in all, for a free app, it is a good game to play.

Got an iPhone? Know someone who owns one? Here’s a good idea for a fun Christmas gift – if not for other people then for yourself. How about the new set of songs that the band Weezer just recorded for an iPhone application?

Weezer, for the uninitiated, is considered to be an alternative rock band hailing from Los Angeles, California. They have been around for quite some time now, having been formed in 1992. This is the first time that the band has created an album specifically for a mobile application.

Now what mobile application am I talking about? It is called Tap Tap Revenge. Developed by Tapulous, this iPhone application became highly popular soon after the release of the free version, which is downloadable from the App Store. A Nine Inch Nails version has also been released previously.

What should you expect if you buy this? Weezer’s own brand of music applied to Christmas classics such as “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” “First Noel,” “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” For $5, you get all these plus two bonus tracks and a special message from the band itself.

So on to the game itself…Tap Tap Revenge is the iPhone version of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. You have to tap the colored balls as they hit the bottom of the screen – in sync with the rhythm of the song playing. If you keep in time with the rhythm, you gain points. Otherwise, it is considered a miss.

Now I want an iPhone if only to play this game…

In any place we go to today, we would see little tykes holding a small contraption that makes them glued and readily attentive to it. Most likely, these are games, since they are the easily identifiable attention getters for kids and the young at heart with the vast innovations that technology has to offer today.

This is not the first time that such innovations have been offered to the world. In the early 80’s, games then known as Game and Watch hit the streets and had everyone crazy about these arcade games.

Today, it has been more advanced, with the influx of the PSP and GameBoy Advance portable game consoles making it easier for people to take their games anywhere.

Another difference is that today, anyone can choose the game with the use of only one contraption since game cartridges make it flexible for them to choose the game that they are hooked on the most.

[tags]gameboy, game and watch, psp[/tags]

Tags: game-and-watch, Gameboy, PSP

Long queues at the bank, traffic on a bus, airport delays � there�s only one thing to do to keep your boredom at bay, and that�s to find a good game for your cellphone. Cheaper than a text message, and a lot more discreet to those around you, a good cellphone game is indispensable in our multitasking lives. And speaking of the word �multitasking� is the a pc game turned mobile version, Diner Dash, where multitasking is not just fun but deliciously addicting.

Colourful, simple graphics on a rather bare background make this game ideal for tiny cellphone screens, and with next-to-nil sounds, you don�t need to worry about bothering the man sleeping next to you on the train.

Diner Dash is all about you as �Flo�, a young woman who opens a diner. Keeping the customers happy is the name of the game, and you quickly learn the ropes of running a restaurant� from seating a variety of clientele (who range from patient, low-tipping seniors to big-tipping business women in a mad rush – all color coded), to taking orders, serving, clearing the tables and a whole lot more. There are two modes to choose from, the career mode where the goal is to earn enough money to buy a new restaurant, and the �shift� mode where its all about making money through continuous shifts.

The game is easy to learn and as you advance, things get more difficult, making Diner Dash enjoyably challenging with some fun bonuses to boot. Its scored high marks on the gaming community, and is considered one of those games whose scaled-down version for mobiles is actually better than the pc version.

[tags]dash,dinner dash,mobiles,shift mode,flo[/tags]

Tags: dash, dinner-dash, flo, mobiles, shift-mode

Gaming is not all about characters jumping around on screen, shooting down enemies in a first person shooter or commanding vast armies to annihilate the forces of an enemy faction. In fact, if you go to certain areas within the United States or in other parts of the world, the word �gaming� acquires an entirely new meaning. For example, places like Nevada, Monte Carlo or even the Caribbean have an entirely different view with regards to the word �gaming� as in these areas, it is synonymous to, what else, gambling. And the traditional game publishers are also starting to take notice of the market that the can tap.Speaking in front of investors at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia XV Conference, Robert Kotich, CEO of Activision, said in response to questions if gambling will play a big role in the future networked games, said that �there is great opportunity for wagering eventually… There’s probably lots of opportunities to figure out how to develop prize play [and] cash play as a future growth opportunity. You’re going to need a big installed base, and a very different regulatory climate. And that’s going to take some time.”

Kotich also said that with the integrated networking capabilities of the next gen consoles, gaming in order to win dollars is an inevitable evolution of the gaming community.

Personally, although I understand where the game companies are coming from (they are after all a business), I foresee that this development might lead to conservatives further vilifying gaming and gaming consoles as a really bad influence on the young. Hopefully, this scenario will not happen.

At Kotaku we dont claim to be the experts or game-snobs. We just love to play games. Period.