Customer Reviews

Nokia N-Gage - Game System / Cellular Phone

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

The N-gage is pretty much the first handheld system to challenge the mighty GameBoy (accept for the Sega Gamegear or watever, which did nothing). And while it does have a few minor problems here and there, overall, this is a good product that you wont regret buying. Here's what I thought of the Nokia N-gage...

1) The system: This thing, while sold and counsidered to be a video game system, can do many many other things as well (as u may have heard). It can play around 20 games (by this Christmas) in 3D, with sharp graphics, and beautiful colors (not to mention a backlit screen). It can also play MP3's, listen to FM radio, check your e-mail, make phone calls, play wireless multiplayer with people within 30-feet of your area (sick of all those cables?), surf the web, download new features straight to your N-gage, etc...(WOW right?) This thing is LOADED with abilities, and if you just want a cool device for multiple purpouses, the N-gage is for u!

One thing I've also heard is that it's too big, too clunky, too small of a screen. Here are a few facts: its 2.74 inches from top to bottom (about the length of a floppy disk), 5.26 inches across (side to side, about the length of a pair of glasses), .8 inches thick (about as thick as a tube of chapstick), and 4.83 ounces (less then a few marbles). The point? This isn't a huge object. It can do a lot of things, has a lot of power, and yet is about as big as a GameBoy Advance (give or take a few inches). And for everything this can do, I'd choose it over a GameBoy any day...

2) Games: Another thing you hear about the N-gage is that it has no games coming out. That may be the stupidest thing I've heard in awhile. Remember when people said the XBOX had no games? Over 400 games are CURRENTLY out for the XBOX. The same thing goes for the N-gage. As of right now, there are only 10-15 games out. But give it some time, and games will be flooding in. Here are some big titles heading to the N-gage b4 summer 2004: Tony Hawk, Splinter Cell, Tomb Raider, Moto GP, Super Monkey Ball, Virtua Tennis, Sonic...

Just to name a few... And most of these games will have wireless multiplayer (NO CABLES!), high score rankings (updated using the internet access of the N-gage), sharp 3D graphics, etc...

This system is supported by big names like EA, SEGA, THQ...(the list goes on) It has almost 30 games coming out by summer of next year. Like the XBOX-PS2 different when they first came out, the N-gage doesn't have a lot of games compared to the GameBoy yet. But give it time, and the games will come...

3) Price/Multiplayer: The main thing about this system, though, is the price. I mean, when you see the XBOX or PS2 over in the corner for $179, then look at the N-GAGE and $299, your probably thinking "NO WAY!" But give this time, like every other system in the past, and it will get cheaper. It's even worth the $300 right now. Its a cell phone, PDA, radio, MP3 player, web browser, pordable game system, and...it looks cool ;) This thing is a blast, and people who actually own one and know how to use it, are amazed at the things it can do.

This is a fun machine, can do all kinds of things, and is the only alternative to the GameBoy right now. If you want a protable system, with 3D graphics, and the ability to do..well, almost anything!; then the N-gage is for you! Not to mention wireless multiplayer, and tons of great games, in time, this system just might be a true winner (and, if you cant afford it now, just wait a few months, and I guarentee like any other system, the price will drop)...

Definantly reccomended for hardcore gamers, and just for someone looking for a good system, pick up the N-gage, made by Nokia...

Thx!

obryanstars*

WIll everyone stop bashing the N-Gage? I have seen it and played on it and even listened to the mp3s and everything is great performance. If you're going to get a phone, this is the one to get. I know there are are other phones that can play N-Gage games (Nokia 6600) but what other phones give you mp3s and radio and all of that. Clearly people who keep on bashing the N-Gage are only saying that it sucks just to be like everyone else. This phone is worth the 200 it costs at amazon.com. And the games are way better quality than the GameBoy Advance SP. Just look at Tony Hawk.

Some of the reviewers you've heard from were either 1-star people or 5 star people. And the 1-star people, trust me, are spoiled, picky people. Let's lay out the systems flaws right now.

-take out the battery to put in a game
-"taco" handset
-small screen

The thing is, these problems are very acceptable. These gamers are making this out to be more of a hassle than it is. All you do is flip up the battery and pull out the game. BIG WOW! Who cares? It takes as much time and strength to flip up the battery and take out the game as it does to flip your SP upside down and pull out the game.

Taco handset? It's perfectly tolerable to use it this way. You don't look weird in the slightest talking on it, and there's also headphones! Ever hear of those?!

Sure, I didn't care for the size of the screen too much but it didn't really effect the game of Tomb Raider for me much at all. I played through the game all the way through and was quite taken with the stunning clarity and razor sharp picture. Small screen? Actually, I adjusted quite fastly! You don't think this thing was made with GAMERS in mind???? I've never seen 32-bit gaming like this on a cell-phone before! And surely, GB advance has never accomplished graphics this similar to playstation either! The N-gage is revolutionary!

This system's strongest games are Tomb Raider, Red Faction, and Super Monkey Ball. These games rock! The other classic games are essential to a systems success. We don't realize that there are retro fans as well as hardcore gamers. And this system JUST CAME OUT! Gameboy advances system's first games TOTALLY SUCKED (for an entire 2 weeks after launch). This system just came out on the 7th and today is the 15th! Give it some da-- time! There are literally dozens of games on the way! This game's translation of Tomb Raider is so perfect that I forsee games like "Silent Hill", "Panzer Dragoon", and "Nights Into Dreams" completely rockin' this system's world! How bout' it!?! (Oh man "Nights"! That would be great! I swear, I JUST thought of that! I gotta call SEGA right now!!

This system is so great. The graphics very good and can be compared to and better than game boy and playstation. However, the best part of this system which makes it better then game boy is it is an MP3 player and a cell phone. So you get a portable playstation, an ipod, and a nokia cell phones (which are good brands by the way, I own one) into one system. These ratings on how it is weak are extremly false. I love this because instead of paying 500 dollars for a cellphone, game system, mp3 plater, and the games itself, you pay a much cheaper price for a quality system.

forget the nintendo gameboy advance. this system will change the way you think about portables. in the same vein that microsoft and sony have changed the way we see console systems, nokia has done with the portable gaming genre. from a technical standpoint this system should give us some of the coolest games you'll ever see on a portable. it has a dedicated 3D graphics processor, which will make first person shooters a norm on this system. the games available at launch should not really be used to measure the systems maximum performance, but be aware the games are not up to par with current nintendo gameboy advance titles. the color screen is small compared to other systems, like the nintendo ga and the gamepark 32, but it makes up for it in clarity and contrast. loading games is a bit different than most portables, but gamers of old that remember the original atari lynx, with the side cartridge port and cover, will really appreciate the n-gage's design. the back slides off to reveal the battery, sim card slot, and memory/game slot. so changing games and memory cards is a slighty longer process than before, but not by much. this design actually keeps the console free of dust, and debris. battery life is great, depending on what you use the n-gage primarily for. the nokia n-gage makes a cool cell phone for those that want to talk, it's small design really pays off in this respect. t-mobile and at&t versions are available, and one sim card is included with the system. don't be confused about ads that say 'screen capture', they don't mean there's a built in digital camera, but just an application included that allows 'screen capture', so when you have a cool shot of a game or graphic that you want to share, you can send it along to whoever. the n-gage features a full e-mail client, so keeping in touch doesn't just have to be vocal. besides e-mail you get other built in applications, including a notepad, real media player for video and sound playback, mp3 player, graphic viewer, and much more. as an mp3 device, it's decent, allowing you to use the included software to download your playlists and mp3's via usb to your n-gage, but nokia gets a strike here for not including any macintosh software or support. also included is application to record sound. you can designate where the source is from, the built in microphone, external audio device-in, or the fm tuner. you can then save your files as mp3/aac file type. the fm tuner is another great addition, but the included headphones act as an antenna, so the n-gage requires that you plug in the headphones in order to use the fm radio, but allows you to set the sound output to the built in speakers as well. there are many ports on the unit as well. usb, audio in/out. of course the built in bluetooth technology allows for multiplayer games on the fly, when you have somebody in the area, the nokia also allows for wan play via it's cellular connection, so you really never have to play alone. the gui is very intuitive, and all settings are controlled through the gui, sound volume, screen saver settings can be made. nokia has made a great splash in the gaming world, with just a few setbacks that keep this system from getting five stars, the n-gage shows alot of potential.

In addition the the previous writer's comments about the game system, I would like to add that the system also has to be held at an extraordinarily strange angle while using the actual phone. The "gamepad" design makes the buttons counter-intuitive to use as a phone and impractical to use as a gaming system. The screen is far too narrow for games to be displayed with any degree of useful information about surroundings, and given the numerous addon costs involving in making the system any more than a deficient gaming device, you could see from miles off that this piece of plastic-fantastic casual-glance garbage isn't worth your money.

I'll keep my 3210 and my Game Boy Advance, thankyou very much, Nokia. If you're going to treat phone users with this amount of contempt in all future products, when the time comes to trade up I might buy an Ericsson or Motorola.

I could not believe it when I heard of the mighty N-Gage, so I did some research on it. As for the games, the sound is nice, and the graphics are the same as a PSOne. The only bad thing I can think of is the bill for the phone, and looking like a 3 year-old while talking cause you are holding a hand-halp game up to the side of your head. But I think it is sheer genius. And all of the games are familiar, which is a minor flaw. Did you know that Sonic N is exactly the same game as Sonic Advance?

The only difference is the screen size. But The N-Gage makes up for all that with ours of fun.

OK, Notice that the only people who are knocking the N-gage are Gameboy fanatics. This means only one thing. They're either working for Nintendo and trying to give the N-gage a bad name, or Idiots who already have a Gameboy and don't want any to get rid of it (why I couldn't tell ya). The truth is the N-gage is far superior. It plays MP3's which is cool enough. but what most people dont tell you is it also plays movies. YA! where's a gameboy or Mp3 player that does that? The I-pod is way expensive and doesnt do that. the games are totally sweet too. I had a Gameboy, I had Tony Hawks pro skater for it... IT WAS HORRIBLE!!! I have Tony Hawk for the N-gage, IT ROCKS!!! Plus you GET 3 GAMES FOR FREE!!! Did I mention with the N-gage you can surf the actual real web.... ya you can. This thing rules. I wish I didnt have to take the battery out to switch games tho.

Heres a break down...

--N-gage-- $199.00
MP3's
Movies
3D Games (3 FREE!)
Phone/Loudspeaker
Actual Internet

--Ipod-- $249.00
MP3's (4gb)

--C-phone-- $0-300.00
Phone/Loudspeaker

--Computer-- $500.00-1000.00
MP3's
Movies
3D Games
Actual Internet

--GBA SP-- $99.00
Cheap 2D games only

Hmmmmmm which should I get.... I don't know.

None can do what the N-gage does. Don't even get me started on how cool the Bluetooth technology is. Basically, you can link up with anyone or anything that has it.

it has possibly everything a teeanager would want. a portable gaming console which outclasses the GameBoy Advance, an MP3 player, an FM radio, multimedia messaging and to top of it all, a cell phone. If you don't look at it from the perspective of a cell phone than i don't think how you can critisize this product but if you take its wireless properties into consideration then this device is pretty much cool if not perfect

Pros:
Cool design
Good games (definately better than other cell phones)
Mp3 player and FM radio
MMS
Add-on software

Cons:
No-practical as a cell phone
somewhat difficult to insert the game

The screen is half the size of my Game Boy Advance SP. It's a smaller screen than a cheap Palm device. Yet the unit itself needs about twice as much pocket space as a GBA-SP, so forget about slipping it in a shirt pocket; it's bigger than any phone on the market. The large size, odd shape and brightly colored buttons pretty much guarantee that you'll look a complete tool if you try to use it as a phone.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the interface is complicated and confusing; don't expect to be able to pick it up and use it without reading the manual.

For the price of an N-Gage you could get a refurb iPod, a t68i and a GBA-SP. Sure, three devices, but three devices that together take up about the same amount of space, while being much more suited to their respective tasks than this jack-of-all-trades.