BioShock Coming To Mobile Phones

[Andy Chalk]

BioShock Coming To Mobile Phones

​

Smash hit BioShock [http://www.2kgames.com/bioshock/] will soon be making an appearance on mobile phones in two different flavors: A conventional 3D translation and an all-new 2D rendition of the game.

India-based mobile games publisher Mobile World Congress [http://god.indiagames.com/premium/index.jsp], taking place in Barcelona, Spain. Details about the 2D version, unfortunately, were nonexistent, although Sean Malatesta of Indiagames described it as "unbelievable."

"We have two different versions: a 2D version and a 3D version, depending on the phones, and it's gonna be outstanding!" he said. "The 2D version, even when I first thought of it, I said 'How can you do a 2D version of BioShock?' I'll tell you what: Our guys and 2K [http://www.2kgames.com/] have really captured the essence of the game in a 2D format. It's really unbelievable. It obviously doesn't look like BioShock as you know it, but it gives you the same essence. The guys are pretty proud of it."

Malatesta added that the games are "getting close" to release, although he didn't provide any specific time frame. And while the 2D title remains largely under wraps, the 3D version of the game is in the running for the "Excellence in 3D" award at the 2009 International Mobile Gaming Awards [http://www.imgawards.com/].

via: Ars Technica [http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/02/bioshock-coming-to-cell-phones-in-2d-and-3d-flavors.ars]


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[Anton P. Nym]

Excellent. Now I can ask people, "Would you kindly turn that off before the movie begins?" and they'll have to comply.

-- Steve

 

[DROPDEADNAKED]

Should be interesting.
Can't wait to see more!!!

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

You know before my cynicism could wrestle it to the ground it occurred to me that you could make a pretty solid Metroidvania game set in Rapture.

 

[mattttherman3]

No reason to get this if you already have the game in my opinion, or if you have played it.

 

[Faeanor]

Why would they do this? Is anyone really going to buy Bioshock on a phone? Even if I had a mobile phone with more power than a Game Boy(original) I'd never do it because the control schemes on phones are notorious for being horrid. At least they are in my book. I could see the 2d version being interesting...as a flash game. But seriously, phones are not gaming tools. I'd love to meet somebody who actually has fun playing games on a phone because I simply don't believe they exist.

 

[TheBluesader]

I thought Nintendo only made the original Game Boy the way they did because they were inspired by the idea of making games for a wristwatch or a pocket calculator. If you're out and about, don't you just want something simple and fun to do before the subway gets to your stop?

I guess they could find a way to turn BioShock into that, but given the nature of that game...why would you?

 

[TheBluesader]

I thought Nintendo only made the original Game Boy the way they did because they were inspired by the idea of making games for a wristwatch or a pocket calculator. If you're out and about, don't you just want something simple and fun to do before the subway gets to your stop?

I guess they could find a way to turn BioShock into that, but given the nature of that game...why would you?

 

[Faeanor]

Why would they do this? Is anyone really going to buy Bioshock on a phone? Even if I had a mobile phone with more power than a Game Boy(original) I'd never do it because the control schemes on phones are notorious for being horrid. At least they are in my book. I could see the 2d version being interesting...as a flash game. But seriously, phones are not gaming tools. I'd love to meet somebody who actually has fun playing games on a phone because I simply don't believe they exist.

Almost every single phone on the market is more powerful than the original Game Boy - they typically use ARM7TDMI processors, which make the processors of the Game Boy look like steam engines in the age of diesel. The problem is, as you rightly point out, that the control interfaces are terrible. When Nokia tried to shoehorn game controls onto a phone, the results were not pretty.

So, as you state, it's the controls holding them back. They're pretty terrible alright.

I didn't mean to imply that all phones were relics from the kilohertz age, just that mine is. I did find it fascinating to discover that the ARM7TDMI processor is used in iPod, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS and the sound card of the Dreamcast. Mine though is a Nextel i560, and I can't seem to find any specs on it sadly.

I also thought it was interesting that the original Game Boy had a 4.19Mhz processor.