Features

Are games different on different handsets?

The simple answer is yes, games may look distinct from our review screens and even play slightly differently on particular handset, but in the main these differences are minimal and usually restricted to presentation

Are games different on different handsets?
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As there are so many phone models out there capable of playing games, with such different technology inside them, making games that appear and sound identical on every phone is sadly impossible.

In some cases the reasons for this are obvious; one phone model may have a bigger screen than another (see examples right), one might have a 3D card which another hasn't and an older phone might even be in black and white.

In other cases the reasons are less obvious, perhaps the games sound different because the phones are set up for different sonic outputs or maybe the game has been designed in a different programming language (though Java is the most common in the UK, there are others such as BREW and Symbian – see our separate feature for more on this.)

Naturally, creating a separate review of the game for every format is as impossible as making them identical in the first place, however we have taken steps to ensure that our reviews are as accurate as possible. For starters, we typically review the game on a popular mid-range handset rather than the latest piece of cutting edge kit and we always make clear which phone has been used.

If we think the differences across the handset range are too radical, such as a title being a 3D action title on top-end handsets and a 2D platformer on mid-range majority we'll go so far as to review the games separately, adding a suffix (e.g. 3D) to make it clear.

Tell us what you thinkUltimately of course, even our team of experts can't cover everything, which is why we depend on you the pocket gamer readers to help us out by adding your comments to a particular review or e-mailing us direct if you think that your version doesn't live up to the one we played. As well as being there for all visitors to see, if we get sufficient feedback, we'll add it to the review.

We value your comment and feedback, so please don't hesitate to let us know if you think we've missed something.

Chris James
Chris James
A footy game fanatic and experienced editor of numerous computing and game titles, bossman Chris is up for anything – including running Steel Media (the madman).