I’d like to start this off with some shock factor; I’m actually one of the few “hardcore” gamers that love to play cellphone games. Before the majority of you cast me out and ridicule me hear me out. Thanks to studios like Capcom Mobile cellphone games, or mobile games as they call them now, are actually fun to play and aren’t just for the bored businessman anymore.
As Tony reported
a few months back Capcom Mobile has a great lineup to whet the most hardened gaming appetite. From ports of classic games to spin-off of a next-generation game, they have a plethora of titles to choose from. At E3 they had on display three games that show off the diversity; Super Puzzle Fighter 2, Lost Planet, and Phoenix Wright.
The one feature that stood out the most from those three games was how smoothly they ran with absolutely no hiccups to mar the enjoyment. Unfortunately most mobile developers prefer to push the platform and don’t spend enough time to ensure that the title works efficiently on most cellphones. The result is that you get a game that looks nice but runs sluggish, not exactly fun. Thankfully Capcom Mobile has mirrored the same quality control Capcom enforces for their console games and has taken the time to ensure their games are top tier in the mobile space.
Super Puzzle Fighter 2
This was the first title I looked at and I’m happy to report this is an excellent port of the classic game most of us enjoyed on the PlayStation. Naturally it’s been modified to fit on the tiny screen but the spirit lives on and it was a blast to play. To those of you who aren’t familiar with Super Puzzle Fighter 2 its a Tetris-esque puzzler that concentrates on multiplayer combat. Speaking of which, the cool new feature that addicts should take note of is the addition of online multiplayer. While it takes a while to find someone else to connect and to start the match its well worth the wait once you start to frantically line up the gems. Capcom is expecting to launch the game next month and they’re planning to have it available on most carriers.
Lost Planet
This game was a nice surprise and is one of the first original titles from the mobile division. Unlike Super Puzzle Fighter 2 and Phoenix Wright it isn’t a port but rather based off a brand new series from Capcom. The game directly relates with its Xbox 360 brother and serves as a prequel to that game’s story. Although much isn’t known about Lost Planet at the moment the game revolves around the male protagonist trying to stop an alien onslaught in a frozen world. The mobile title’s features the father of the hero and has him in roughly the same scenario. The game works like an overhead shooter with an ingenious auto lock-on mechanic that removes the frustration of attempting to get a bead on your enemy. Lost Planet was still early in development so there wasn’t that much to show but of what I saw the game definitely looks like it’ll end up being a winner. Although there’s been no date given Capcom expects to launch the game shortly before Lost Planet comes out on the Xbox 360.
Phoenix Wright
Phoenix Wight originally came out on the Nintendo DS and was a lauded by critics and fans alike. Fortunately the mobile version is a close port of that fantastic title minus the touch screen antics and a few frames of animation. Considering how lengthy the DS original was Capcom Mobile has wisely decided to stream the game data off the servers ensuring that the mobile iteration doesn’t miss anything in the transition. To those of you who aren’t familiar with Phoenix Wright, the game’s story revolves around a lawyer (the player) who tries to solve court cases, simple enough wouldn't you say? Although this may seem mundane the game has a clever presentation with an engaging story and characters with a nice throwback to the mystery solving gameplay of adventure games. Capcom expects to launch the game around August and has plans to feature downloadable court cases in the months to follow.
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