The 5 essential N-Gage games of Christmas 2008

Hark! The herald angels sing. And what do they sing of? Well, at Pocket Gamer Towers they're trilling about the wonders of N-Gage games, and how they're all they're going play up in heaven this Christmas.

Or they would be if we hadn't made that bit up.

Nevertheless, we're sure that if a celestial visitor did turn up in the office, it'd be blown away by some of the N-Gage games available – the best of them are easily comparable to stuff found on dedicated handhelds like the PSP and Nintendo's DS.

Which is why we've come up with the five best games N-Gage games you should be playing over Christmas. What better way to forget about the discomfort of your turkey-swollen belly than sitting down in the easy chair with a glass of brandy and a copy of Reset Generation? Bliss, we tell you. And so, without further ado, here's five essential N-Gage titles you'll want to make room in your turkey-filled soul for…

Note: Although it sneaked out just after we compiled this list, we ought to mention Metal Gear Solid Mobile is definitely worth considering, too.

The 5 essential N-Gage games of Christmas 2008

5. Space Impact Kappa Base Developer: Method Solutions Publisher: Nokia Space Impact Kappa Base will make your eyes bleed and wear your thumbs down to bony stumps – and that's a recommendation. This is shoot-'em-up of remarkable intensity that looks brilliant and plays like a dream… eventually. We say eventually, because this is harder than nails. Once you mount the learning curve though, there's an incredibly accomplished blaster here, with a great central risk-and-reward mechanic: 'grazing' enemy bullets builds up your combo gauge, which, when full, lets you unleash a special weapon – and you earn virtual money as you play, which lets you buy bigger, better and more outlandish weaponry. It's hardcore to the max, but if you stick with it, Space Impact Kappa Base will reward you tenfold for your efforts.
4. Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep Developer: Infinite Dreams Publisher: Nokia Yes, we know what you're thinking: "This is a fishing game. And isn't fishing really boring?" Well, you might be right about fishing hardly being the most exciting of sports, but Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep manages to take rod and reel and turn them into a most excellent video game. The trick is that it does this by making an RPG out of catching fish. Each whopper you land nets you experience points, which you can use to increase your level and skill, and buy new and better equipment – and even go on quests for people, to catch them particular denizens of the deep. It's a slow burn, but once it gets its hooks into you, Creatures of the Deep will provide many a satisfying hour of hot fishing action. And we never thought we'd say that.
3. Bounce Boing Voyage Developer: Rovio Publisher: Nokia Once upon a time, there was a game called Bounce that came pre-installed on Nokia handsets. Then along came the new, improved N-Gage system and Bounce, too good a game to languish on old technology, was remade as Bounce Boing Voyage – and proved itself to be one of the best games around for your handset. It's a mixture of racing and puzzle game, as you guide a crusading blob through arboreal speedways in order to save the world from an evil cube (but of course). You're racing one minute, then figuring out how to get your blob back on track the next. It's a great mixture of thrills, spills and brow-furrowing puzzle fun, all wrapped up in gorgeously colourful graphics.
2. ONE Developer: Digital Legends Publisher: Nokia As a technical achievement, ONE stands proud – it sports some truly impressive visuals that really give you some idea of the grunt behind N-Gage. Thankfully, it's also as good to play as it is to look at. ONE is a beat-'em-up, and an excellent one at that. Sporting a simple but robust fighting system that favours timing and strategy over button-mashing, it's satisfyingly solid, and the superb animation helps no end in selling the fluidity of the fights – and a remarkable amount of customization options allow you to create a truly personalised pugilist, who you can take online to duke it out with other players. ONE is hardly an original game, but it does what it does extremely well, and plants a fist squarely on the nose of the competition.
1. Reset Generation Developer: Nokia Publisher: Nokia Reset Generation is simply glorious, a vindication of great ideas and gameplay over fancy 3D graphics. Which isn't to say it looks substandard – far from it, as it sports gorgeously colourful cartoon graphics with a wicked sense of humour. But here, it's the game that counts – and what a game it is. It's perhaps best described as a strategy/puzzle crossbreed. The aim is to raid an enemy's based and kidnap their princess, while making sure yours is safe – this is done by dropping Tetris-style blocks onto the map and linking them together to create combos, which enable you to move and fight. Throw in power-ups and special abilities and you've got a strategic marvel that, while initially complex, will grasp your attention keep you glued to your handset for days.