Hey there, ladies and gents. This is the first “My Top 5 Picks” (MT5P) segment, listing down my Top 5 for a variety of software, hardware and other Nokia Mobile stuff. Today’s Top 5 would focus on Freeware games on the 5800. But first, a quick recap on the background of Gaming on the 5800.
From the very beginning, Nokia designed the 5800 with one thing in mind: To create the most cost-effective, media oriented full touch phone that money could buy. To that end, many cost-reduction measures had been taken, some of which include using a commonly available, low power processor; no 3D hardware; limited hardware buttons and a resistive touch-screen.
Sadly enough, it also due to this fact that the 5800 has a somewhat diminished potential as a gaming device. Even so, it is STILL the first mass-market, mid tier Nokia Symbian mobile with a touch-screen, and that fact alone would give it credence as a interesting gaming platform.
Besides some Java games, commercial mobile game studios have not really shown much enthusiasm in supporting the 5800, although surprisingly enough, some great Freeware games HAVE been released.
Let’s go through the Top 5 of these in Today’s “My Top 5 Picks”!
- No 5: Nokia Touch Solitaire
A modern classic, it’s not surprising that a version of this computing legend would be developed for the 5800. It’s simple, no-frills with little in way of sound effects, music or options; but gets its job done well enough. Gameplay is smooth and the touch controls work well.
It’s a tad simplistic, but the lure of a good game of Solitaire cannot be denied.
You can get it HERE.
- No. 4: Moolan
Rising from the depths of obscurity, this strangely named game has its roots from another modern gaming classic: Moon Lander. Only it is probably the first game to use the hardware features available on the 5800 to such an extensive level. You steer with the accelerometer, and control thrust with the front (secondary) camera.
Yes, that small 3G camera. As a control device. Genius, ain’t it?
Difficulty wise, it can be nigh impossible after stage 5, and the controls are buggy sometimes; but it’s a great way to show what your 5800 can do.
Get it HERE (courtesy of Symbian-Freak, the official site’s download is down – they’re gonna publish in in the Ovi store soon it seems).
- No 3: ScummVM
At one time, gaming was all about point-and-click adventure games. If you know which part of the decade I’m talking about, then this app would be right up your alley. More an emulator then a true “game”, ScummVM allows you to play – right on the 5800 – great classic adventure games like Day of The Tentacle (Pictured), The Dig, Full Throttle and Monkey Island; to name a few.
Granted, half of the screen is occupied by a huge virtual keypad, and bugs are aplenty (nothing too show-stopping though); but is it still a great way to waste time?
Without a doubt, Yes.
A quick Google of “ScummVM 5800″ would surely point you in the right direction, although you would need the original game files to be able to run it. Try the ScummVM website.
- No 2: XDancery
Remember Dance Dance Revolution? No, this game won’t make you dance on coloured directional keys and stuff, but it’s a rhythm game nonetheless. What’s the main selling point of this game? You can take ANY music file you have, and it will intelligently turn it into a game track.
What’s the catch? It’s in Chinese. Entirely.
And no, I can’t read Chinese either. Explains why I don’t know how to go past level one in any song. But the technical wizardry behind turning any song file into a game is good enough for it to go up to No. 2 on our list.
Again, Google is your best friend, and myself I got it as from the Nokia Hong Kong freeware apps download page a while back.
No 1: OpenTTD
In OpenTTD, you build a transportation empire over Air, Sea or Land. While this Open Source remake of Transport Tycoon Deluxe is a great remake of another classic computer game, it was quite surprising to see how well it played on the 5800 (after seeing it fail miserably – due to control complications – on the PSP, and it not running at all on my old Axim).
While it’s a tad slow sometimes and lags are commonplace (music does not work for one), for the most part OpenTTD for the 5800 is more or less stable, which is wonderful as OpenTTD can really suck away your time from real life. Plus the fact that the S60v5 version supports nearly all of the add-ons and plug-ins created for the desktop version, and I sometimes wonder how they managed to make this run at all on the 5800.
The only problem, the learning curve is steep. Really steep. Unless you have a rough idea about how to play TTD, this game will simply tie you up in knots, chew you up and spit you out.
Get the required files from HERE. And also, you need the original game files.
With that, we come to the end of my first “My Top 5 Picks” segment. Do chime in a comment or two to share your experiences with the games above, or if you have another freeware game that you feel should have been included! Happy gaming
Partly Posted by Wordmobi
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