I think that this is the first comparision I have seen between the Verizon and PCS data services.
theledger.com
Cell Phone Game Services Compete
The companies look to addicted gamers who find the games a guilty pleasure.
By BRIAN BERGSTEIN
The Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Video games are the guilty pleasure of having a cell phone. Even a ridiculously simple game like Snake can be powerfully addictive. Before you know it, you've been staring at your phone's screen and hammering at its little keypad for half an hour.
A new breed of color phones now offers a more exciting arcade of games that can be downloaded over the air for a fee, dramatically upping the phones' entertainment factor.
I examined the gaming power of two rival services on the market, "Get It Now" from Verizon Wireless and "PCS Vision" from Sprint.
Both let users download such adornments as ring tones and screen pictures, but I just focused on the games, spending hours shooting everything from aliens to soccer balls.
"Get It Now" proved superior, mainly because of its clean and foolproof system for downloading and playing games. Although Sprint offers a bigger arcade of games, getting them on "PCS Vision" takes a few extra steps, with an unwieldy user interface that looks crammed onto the phone screen.
I tried "Get It Now" on a Motorola T720 phone, a sleek silver device that Verizon sells online for $250. I packed it with 11 games -- and, veering slightly from my mission, a program that gives cocktail recipes.
I don't recommend such a big buffet for everyone, because most games cost $2 to $3 per month, or $5 to $6 for unlimited use. Opt for free demos whenever possible.
The genius of the games is in their simplicity -- some can be played with just one button, which is nice when you have just one free hand because you're holding luggage or groceries (not a steering wheel, please, as tempting as it can be).
For example, FIFA World Cup from EA Sports lets you choose the speed, direction and angle of your shot on goal all the same way -- you press a button when a sliding indicator on the screen reaches its desired setting. An equally addictive treat, JAMDAT Bowling, works similarly, as does Tiger Woods PGA Tour Wireless Golf from EA Sports.
The games don't pose many challenges in the way of eyehand coordination. But they offer just enough nice touches (a picture of a turkey flashes on the screen when you get three strikes in a row in bowling) to inspire your imagination to take over.
For example, in the World Cup game, you take four shots on goal and try to stop four shots by your computer-controlled opponent. Not too complicated.
But your mission is to guide one of 32 teams through a simulated World Cup, from qualifiers up through finals. It didn't take long before I led Italy to the championship. But then I had to see if I could repeat the feat with Cameroon. (Gooooooal!)
Two friendly old PC time-wasters, Solitaire and Minesweeper (called Mine Field here) also worked nicely.
I had less fun with the too-simplistic JAMDAT Football, which will be familiar to people who had Mattel's handheld football games in the late 1970s and early '80s.
The design of Wild West Blackjack is nice, especially since it lets you split and double down. But you can't bet more than $100 a hand. It's like you've brought your parents into the casino with you.
For Sprint's "PCS Vision," I used the 5350 from LG Mobile Phones ($150 after a rebate on Sprint's Web site), which is welldesigned overall but not great for quickly browsing for games. The directional key pad is too close to other buttons, causing too many accidental moves.
Pac-Man features the arcade game's sounds, a great touch, but its images -- Pac-Man himself, the dots, the ghosts -- appear so small the game is almost unplayable. The free Riverboat Blackjack is terrible because you have to switch screens and leave the action, so to speak, to enter decisions like hit or stand.
JAMDAT Bowling, which felt smooth and looked sharp on the Verizon-Motorola combo, was balky and sported less-clear graphics on the Sprint-LG phone.
"PCS Vision" hits its stride with Moto GP, a challenging motorcycle game with very good graphics. Another success is MLB Home Run Derby, which I enjoyed much more than its Verizon-offered baseball counterpart, Hit The Pros, because you also get to pitch.
Of course, you'll have to overlook the fact that all players on Home Run Derby bat and throw right-handed, even if you select southpaws like Randy Johnson and Barry Bonds.
But hey -- this is just a cell phone, after all. |
