I've seen the other postings about this, but...

[GecKo]

To define 'good', I mean that I can trade in my dusty old xbox (I got a computer and am skeptical about Halo 2's release date...) and pick up an Ngage with RedFaction, Tony Hawk, and Tombraider or Sonic. I do need a cell phone, though I have gone with Verizon in the past, -Ngage apparently works with At+T(?) not just tmobile? This post is so out of place here in Gp32 land, but surely as handheld aficianados there are those here knowledgable about the Ngage, --Does it play movies? Is RedFaction any good, (vs doom)? It seems a reasonably priced cellphone without the restraints of a service plan, and the taco syndrom could be solved with a bluetooth headset... Mainly, though, are there games that are fun and does it play movies? I like my gp32, but I need smaller and more than doom (zodiac is too expensive now.)! Is Ngage worth a (currently) unused xbox and $99? If I don't need emulation could it feasibly replace my Gp32?!

 

[Esn]

Check out the Off-topic board (it's the one at the very bottom). One of the stickies there gives a very clear view of what most people here think of the N-Gage.

There WAS one happy owner though... i'm not sure who it was, but maybe he'll show up here and tell you all about the joys of owning an N-Gage.

 

[The Dude]

N-Gage...are you serious? Even if it could play movies, it is garbage. And I doubt there will be many more games made for it.

Get a GameBoy Advance SP. I just saw on Play Asia they have a media player that can play movies from Compact Flash cards (movies that you upload onto it, not like that other movie player that you had to buy the movies for). It's only $40.

 

[Esn]

http://www.sidetalkin.com

Let's just get that out of the way, shall we?

 

[The Moose]

SHIT man!!! DO NOT GET RID OF YOUR XBOX!!! AND ESPECIALLY FOR AN NGAGE!!!! Wait for Halo 2. Im telling you what, you wont be sorry you did. And as for the Ngage. Personally, no matter what they do, i really think the Ngage will go down, "Virtual Boy" style.

 

[jcbnetwork]

I do not own an NGAGE nor have I ever seen one running in person, but all the TV commercials they show of it playing games look all CHOPPY & JERKY, so I don't have very high expectations.

 

[GecKo]

Maybe you're right about halo 2, I've been waiting for SO MANY games for xbox though, so many have yet to deliver, I wish that there were more to look forward to. Really Halo was the only great game that I played exclusively on Xbox, and even that is now on computer. Dreamcast was the last console that I really loved and kept and waited with... (waited with Dreamcast for Half-life (crappily ported to ps2), Shenmue 2 (import only,) Armada 2: now scheduled for xbox 11/2004!!) I could still sell my xbox for $99 then if I really really wanted to buy another in 4 months for a loss of only like $40, (the price of a single game...) As for GBA, I've already owned 2 originals and briefly an sp, which had some suprisingly amusing firstperson shooters and tricks, but was ultimately just not at all exciting. Ngage seems the only domestic alternative, (wonderswan was cool, but I could never really get it in Japanese...) Really does no one here like the Ngage....This is not a good sign for my plan then.... h34r:

 

[Memnoch]

What's so important about games being exclusive? If games remained exclusive I wouldn't be able to buy GTA for my Xbox in January (UK). Games being exclusive to one format is great for the likes of Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft but it means we have to buy three consoles to play all the best games. Video gaming is an expensive hobby methinks.

 

[GecKo]

Exclusive is ok with me if it means the game is tailored to a particular unit's strengths, like Halo engine to xbox or Half-life to PC. I just wish that all console games were quickly ported to PC, or the reverse, so that if you had a computer and 1 console you'd have all the good games. Dreamcast had several excellent exclusive games and was better in many ways than other consoles because of this. Still, I wish that there was a 'new dreamcast' or something, not a few hits on each of three consoles. I know that Gba rules the US market, but I still can't see the excitement in it, just like playstation 2 is still 2nd to xbox in preference, just because of the sheer innovation of Halo and PS2's current lack thereof. I was happy with my inexpensively purchased game.com, despite its commercial failure, and ngage cant be THAT bad....can it??

I do admit, I've never seen anyone get a display ngage to work in gamestop. I tried one today and all I could get was "memory full." Maybe its so sophisticated and great that no one without the manual can unleash its miniaturized awesome power... :blink:

 

[jot2b]

I disagree with everyone here.

For $199, an N-gage w/ three games and a full-size ping-pong table is a fantastic idea. Go for it.

 

[The Dude]

As for GBA, I've already owned 2 originals and briefly an sp, which had some suprisingly amusing firstperson shooters and tricks, but was ultimately just not at all exciting. Ngage seems the only domestic alternative

What the hell can the N-Gage do that the GBA can't? Other than maybe the online features, but good luck finding anyone else playing...

 

[jcbnetwork]

As for GBA, I've already owned 2 originals and briefly an sp, which had some suprisingly amusing firstperson shooters and tricks, but was ultimately just not at all exciting. Ngage seems the only domestic alternative

What the hell can the N-Gage do that the GBA can't? Other than maybe the online features, but good luck finding anyone else playing...

I agree with THE DUDE, at this point in time all the NGAGE has are CRAPPY ports from GBA games, or CRAPPY original games. Maybe once they start designing exclusive software for it and get all the juice from the hardware you might see some worthwhile games, but there are already a ton of worthwhile games to play on a GBA SP.

 

[shotaway]

my brother has a n-gage...he call's it a gaming device...i do like the fact you can play mp3's and real media file's on it...and the fact it has ps1 port's on it...(tomb raider and tony hawk's)...but the game's are jerky...(about 2fps...i think)...it's a peice of CRAP.....do not bother...if you want a phone....buy a phone...if you want to look stupid...buy a n-gage

 

[craigix]

Can't you run some Nguage games on normal mobiles anyway if you decrypt them?

I'd rather do that than pay £200.

-Craig

www.gbax.com

 

[mr twit]

I do not own an NGAGE nor have I ever seen one running in person, but all the TV commercials they show of it playing games look all CHOPPY & JERKY, so I don't have very high expectations.

Actually, it's even worse than that. The Tomb Raider advert is complete false advertising, the actual thing runs at about a third of the speed and about 5 fps.

 

[extremegamer]

Suprised this hasn't been sent to the N-Gage sucks thread yet, but here's my two cents. I played the N-Gage, the game I played was Tomb Raider and it was just about unplayable. The controls are akward, the buttons on the piece of crap are to close together and its easy to smash more than 1 button down at a time, it all around blows. I will eventually own an N-Gage, but I will wait till it ends up like the Dreamcast and only cost about $50, which the way that this thing is going, shouldn't take long for the price to drop.

 

[generalnmx]

Get the Nokia 3650 or 7650 Camera Phone. It has a lot more options besides just game playing, it looks better, and uses the same Symbian OS-based MIDP.

Do I need to show Sonic N running full speed on my Nokia 3650?

 

[Ramzy]

I've owned an N-Gage for a few months now, and I must say I'm dissapointed by Red Faction and Tomb Raider. The problem is the tiny vertical screen which isn't playable for games. Red Faction has the poor framerate as well as most games. Another problem is the device can't play Stereo music... only Monoural.

It's pretty good for its online features, though - MSN/AIM, Online multiplayer, E-mail, Internet (Opera browser).

Get the Nokia 6600, but the N-Gage is also good.

 

[thecheat]

keep your Xbox

Good exclusive games:
JSRF
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Shenmue 2
Amped