hyp4mhz.com

Author: The Editor

  • Game Review – Knight Tales Land of Bitterness

    NAME: Knight Tales – Land of Bitterness
    COMPANY: DeValley
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: RPG
    SIZE: 167 KB
    TEST PHONE: LG U310
    RATING: 9/10

    Welcome to the Knight Tales game review. Honestly we didn’t know what to expected when we downloaded this game. We figured it could be just a different version based on the Dragon Island game engine due to the promotional material. Thankfully we where pleasantly surprised when it ran.

    The premise of the game is: you play as Gust a Knight coming back home from another war/adventure to your village of Bohrgia. Unfortunately your village and surrounding land have been overtaken by the evil witch Clara. Clara used to be a unrequited love form your past which supposedly makes things a little tense. Since Gust starts of with such low stats you don’t need imagination to see why he was sent home!

    Your home land is now filled with monsters. You first encounter giant frogs, strange midget monsters, armored knights then monsters representing various elements, namely fire, ice and shadow. By defeating the various elemental bosses allows you to save fairies which in turn give you additional magical powers.

    The in game narrative of your story is not very good. It doesn’t tell you simply what your next task should be. Not that its difficult to discover. The problem is that it was clearly no designed to be written in english.

    Game play is simple and easy to learn. The only annoyance was the ‘0’ button to change magical powers. Collect more fairies to get more magical powers. There’s also a shop where you can upgrade your armor and weapons plus purchase healing potions.

    Graphics are one of the best we’ve seen on a mobile phone game. Monsters fire out ‘elemental’ bullets and the sword animation and magic is pretty cool.

    Game sounds are pretty good too.

    Summary

    It’s a very good RPG allowing an excellent freedom of choice in terms of ways and time to complete tasks. Much like Diablo II in concept but in mobile form.

    Knight Tales Game Hints.

    Destroy the big frog in the first area to get your first fairy.
    You need Gems to open the statues to get to new areas.
    Save the first fairy queen get the green gem.
    The green gems unlocks the statues blocking your path to the second fairy queen.
    Destroy the big ice monster next.
    Save the second fairy queen to get the yellow gem.

    At the Ghost Brothers shop the first lot of upgrades are affordable but the price goes up dramatically for further upgrades.  The upgrades are essential to kill the monster quickly.

  • Game Review – Transformers

    NAME: Transformers
    COMPANY: Glu, Hasbro
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: Movie/Cartoon tie in platformer
    SIZE: 120 KB
    TEST PHONE: LG U310
    RATING: 9/10

    In line with the forth coming real-action movie (2007) welcome to the game review of The Transformers by Glu.

    We remember when they where all the rage in the 1980’s but dropped off the scene when it went cable. There where many subsequent TV series after the original and all added to the Transformer universe. This year we will see a proper movie based on these characters and this game has been released to promote the soon to be released film.

    There have been many attempts to make a video game based on the series but none to date have been memorable. So when we finally downloaded the latest version we didn’t expect very much. (Also bearing in mind that past movie based games have by far been the most disappointing releases.)

    We where surprised when we started the game. Glu have done a very good job! Very 2007. The graphics and images are all top of the class for the introductions and in-game narration of the various chapters. Actual game character/s are animated really well transforming from vehicle to person mode are a nice touch. The ‘breathing’ action when standing still is certainly a novelty. When we saw the Transformer movie trailers we understood why the graphics where so detailed.

    Gameplay was the standard platformer but the production quality of the action was excellent. You can jump up and down transform into vehicle mode and ram into things and so forth. That said although excellent for a mobile phone game its still not as good as say the benchmarked Gameboy titles by Nintendo. I would expect releases on other platforms like the PSP and DS by be even better.

    The in game story is integrated with the various levels the difficulty progresses nicely throughout the game. Game saving is automatic as you clear each level.

    Summary

    Overall we think this is a very good game. Sure the platform style is old hat but the production quality and story line are engaging.

  • Game Review – FotoQuest Fishing

    Fhotoquest Fishing
    NAME: FotoQuest Fishing
    COMPANY: Digital Chocolate
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: Aquarium management
    SIZE: 230 KB
    TEST PHONE: LG U8630
    RATING: 9/10Welcome to the game review of FotoQuest fishing by Digital Chocolate.

    You are a student on vacation! On vacation you score a job taking pictures of sea life to sell to other tourists. Scores are determined by the type of fish and number you can get in a single photo. Sounds easy does it? Well the developers have added additional difficulty in the form of nervous fish, quests to photograph rare species and a time limit.

    Game play can easily be done one handed. With a story line that you don’t have to remember from the last time you played it and a auto save feature after each level ensures you can pick it up and play at any time. The game rewards your great photos by unlocking new areas with new fish and badges for your efforts. It is an easy to play game on the bus or train.

    Graphics are good and there is in game BGM which is rare on mobile games. The music suits the game, nice sea themed perfect elevator music in our opinion.  There is very little to pick on all things considered.

    Gameplay hints: Moving around causes the fish to swim away so move your camera viewfinder slowly. When you first take a dive there will often be no fish swimming around so simply move quickly to another spot and then stay there. The fish will appear in no time!

    Longevity is good because of the random nature of the fish swimming around. You can certainly enjoy taking more pictures even after finishing the quest part of the game. For example we loved trying to get more than 6 jelly fish in one picture.

    Summary

    FotoQuest Fishing is a game MADE for the mobile phone. This is one of the best mobile phones available. Its even included as standard on various mobile phones. Yes we are wary of standard mobile games but this one is a good one.

  • Game Review – The Sims2

    The Sims 2
    NAME:The Sims2 for Mobile Phones (Unconnected Edition)
    COMPANY: EA & Maxis
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: 2nd Life Simulation
    SIZE: 120 KB
    TEST PHONE: LG U310
    RATING: 5/10Welecome to The Sims2 game review for the mobile phone. When we heard that the Sims where coming to the mobile phone we where impressed. We imagined a simplified clone of the familiar PC version but with less features but still with the trademark gameplay.

    Unfortunately when pretty much let down when finally getting our hands on the latest version. This was the Sims2 – Unconnected Edition.
    Among its flaws was linear game play, lack of items to purchase, lack of character or housing customisation, very limited animation, no simlish and so forth. You cannot even name you own Sim. Most of all its missing the reward for failure or incorrect choices which was one of the fun parts of the Sim series.

    For example only your character dances about all the others just stand there it store dummies or you can flirt with anyone and not suffer repercussions. We managed to get married to all the characters male or female and divorce them with very little social issues.

    Sim2 game progression is good for the first part, getting establish by learning various skills and getting a job but it all starts to tire and your left with plenty of spare time to do absolutely nothing – unlike the PC version. Once you’ve finished all the tasks, there are over 20 or so over the course of the game there is not reason a all to play the game again.

    Even The Sims fans on the PC will be hard pressed to enjoy this version. So we give it a pass mark for the good parts at the start and that’s it.

    Complete items are:
    Alarm clock.
    Small TV
    Plamsa TV
    Exercise bike
    Electric guitar
    Bath tub
    Coffee maker
    Drinks Bar
    Mixing desk
    Hot tub.

    Other items come with the extensions which you can buy for your house.

    Games room
    Dance/Party room
    Garden
    Video game
    Chess table
    Dance floor
    Bookcase
    Barbque
    Outdoor setting

  • Game Review – Insaniquarium

    COMPANY: Glu and PopCap
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: Fishy
    SIZE: 254 KB
    TEST PHONE: LG U8630
    RATING: 9/10

    Insaniquarium Game by Glu is a remake of the Popcap PC version.

    The purpose of the game is to manage an aquarium. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Well it isn’t because you have to keep your fish alive by feeding and defending them against aliens and to top it off accomplish tasks by collecting ‘fish poo’ in the form of valuable coins to buy upgrades. Upgrades include better weapons for alien defense, better quality fish food, types of fish that ‘poo’ higher value coins and even diamonds.

    There are heaps of game objectives to accomplish, things to do like getting different types of fish and you can even unlock various ‘friends’ to help you out! However you can only choose 3 friends at any one time. Each level in completed by getting enough coins to buy ‘powerups’ and eventually an parts of an ‘egg’. The egg costs more the higher level you go.

    You can actually continue playing a level infinitely by not buying the egg for the particular level – completely up to you but considering the goodies you get as the game progresses finishing each level is a must! The save feature works on a last level completed basis which is fair enough. You can simply watch of feed your fish or undertake the quest mode.

    Graphics are generally up to date but could probably be upgraded for 2007. They called the fish a guppy for some reason – they don’t look like the traditional real life guppy just a generic orange/red fish. Goldfish would probably be a better description considering the amount of coins they seem to excrete. The piranhas are a nice touch.

    There are minimal sound effects which is disappointing but expected in this type of game.

    Game controls are logical and one handed play is easy to do. One of the easier games to play on the train or bus but when aliens attack it requires your full attention! The level structure and progression is nice and even. Each level having enough a change to the tank design and tasks to complete. It all gets a bit hectic when you’ve got 20+ fish to feed and defend which is part of the challenge.

    Once you finish all the levels there is some incentive to do it all again with the different ‘friends’ that are unlocked. Unfortunately you can’t choose which level to restart from. Very little to criticize all things considered!

    Summary

    Excellent game to add to your mobile collection. It just seems to draw you in to complete it.

    All Insaniquarium powerups:

    New guppy
    Better quality food
    More food delivered per key press
    Star potion (converts fish coins to stars)
    Star Catcher eats stars that covert to diamonds.
    Piranhas
    Piranha eater

    All unlockable Insaniquarium Friends

    Stinky: A very fast snail that collects coins.
    Niko: A clam that produces pearls you can collect for more ‘credits’.
    Itchy: A mini sword fish that helps you attach alien invaders.
    Zorf : A seahorse that helps feed you fish.
    Clyde: A jellyfish that collects coins.
    Vert: A skeletal fish that drops coins but doesn’t need to be fed.
    Rufus: A crab that attacks aliens on the bottom of the tank.
    Merly: A mermaid that sings to make all your fish produce more coins.
    Wadsworth: A mini whale that protects your baby fish from aliens.

  • Nokia 6230i Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia 6230i mobile phone review. The 6230i and its predecessor the 6230 is classed as a business mobile phone. As such Nokia has tried to fit in everything that a business user could possibly want. As a result it appealed to almost everyone and hence sold in the millions! Initial pricing was top of the line and over the years it has fallen to mid-range and in 2007 it is seen as a value priced mobile. We think this is a great do it all phone Battery Life The battery life of this phone is excellent 9 days on stand by and at least 3 days with normal usage (1 hour worth of calls and numerous SMS messages). Recharging with the included charger takes less than 2 hours. Speed The 6230i is very fast. That said its not as fast as the 6230 version but by mere micro seconds. Menu navigation activation of any function cannot be criticised. Construction. The 6230i is constructed in the traditional fashion with Nokia's famous X-press On covers. So you can choose hundreds of different colors or designs. However beware that non-genuine covers have variable build quality, genuine Nokia covers cost a lot but have superior build quality. Also note that the 6230i although looks identical to the 6230 there are differences and getting covers for one will not fit the other. Physical differences between the 2 are the the 6230i has a slightly larger screen, mini-USB on the side and a separate center button on the navigation pad. The higher pixel count compared to the 6230 is not noticed as unless you compare it side by side. Overall the build quality is great and the covers click into place better than the original version. Screen resolution, keypad, all work really well. Light and right are the best description. There a a ton of colors available over the years. That said in 2007 the overall design is looking dated but it functionality is state of the art and as fully featured as phones released this year. Functionality The 6230i reviewed had everything you could wish for in 2007. The list could go on for pages. Basically everything can be customised to suit your taste and style. It is also nice to see updated 3d icons for menus and so forth compared to the 6230. If you live by your mobile then this is the one to get. Connectivity It has Bluetooth, Infrared and USB options so your not missing out on PC related file transfers. However you need to install the software on the PC before being able to do most things. MP3, radio and video/sound It has a built in mono speaker that's loud and clear located on the left side. It sounds better than a lot of other phones. It even has a sound equaliser. However the MP3 player application is not as fully featured as dedicated music phones. Video playback is smooth and quick. The FM radio is as good as it gets, with programmable stations and visual radio options. You can even set it as your alarm 'ringtone' or even use it as a normal radio in loudspeaker mode. However like all mobiles you need to connect the headphones to get radio reception. Web Browser They included the standard Nokia web browser and works well considering the small screen by today standards. It has all the usual functions you can expect in a internet browser. The camera/video recorder The camera and camcorder function are quick to start and takes OK pictures for a mobile phone. Nothing exceptional about the quality here. Being a business phone that is all you should expect. The screens The screen looks good although small by today's standards. the colour and brightness is excellent. Call quality and network reception The voice call quality of the 6230i is top rated and it has the ability to keep network reception going even in marginal mobile coverage areas. Issues It doesn't have any issues worth mentioning. Nokia phone software for Windows This Nokia suite that comes with the phone is very good. It has everything you need includes contact and content manager. Missing from earlier software was the carrier logo editor. Network Supported by all GSM networks and carriers. Summary All things considered this is an excellent mobile phone. It has all the features you could possibly want and more. It is an improvement over the 6230. You can not compare it to other mobiles that are dedicated for a specific function eg. Blackberry for email, or walkman phones for music. This is clearly designed as a do it all phone - which it does well. Anyway, the physical design is getting old but if you can live with that then it is a must buy. Our recommendation? It's a must buy if you haven't already tried. Specifications and price
    • Nokia 6230i (Series 40 2nd Edition)
    • Network Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) GPRS EDGE
    • Design Traditional L103 x W44 x D20 mm Weight 99 grams Black/Silver/White/Pink
    • Display/s 65K TFT - 208 x 208 pixels
    • Camera 1.3MP Camera Video capable 3GP (176 x 144)
    • Connectivity Bluetooth, Infrared, USB
    • Memory 32 MB internal memory Package include additional 32MB MMC MMC memory - up to 512MB
    • Ring tones MP3, MIDI, WAV, Vibration
    • Features SMS, MMS, WAP JAVA MIDP 2.0 Push-To-Talk Modem for PC Web browser (WAP 2.0 - xHTML) Speaker Phone/Hands free FM Radio + Visual Radio Chang-able covers Mobile wallet *See below for more details.
    • Speed : Vs Nokia 6230 Navigation 10/10
    • Battery Life : BL-5C Li Ion Claimed operating times Standby Up to 300 hours Voice Up to 5 hours
    • Price history $350-399 AUS out right purchase 2007
    Best features Lots of features Very easy to use Connectivity Could do better features The covers could fit better. Option of metal based covers. Worst features Not much really - design is getting old. Detailed features Sync data with PC Alarm Clock, Calendar, Notes, Stopwatch, Task list, Timer Themes, Customisable backgrounds, Screensaver Music, Picture, Video 3GP and MPEG4 player Voice dialling - answer - recorder Configurable keys 150 SMS in phone 20 dialled numbers 20 received calls 20 missed calls Calendar To Do Memo Wallet feature 1000 Contacts in phone with pictures JAVA Games (Runs Java games up to 500K)

  • Nokia 6230 Review

    hyp4mhz
    • Nokia 6230 (Series 40 2nd Edition)
    • Network Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) GPRS EDGE HSCSD
    • Design L103 x W44 x D20 mm Weight 97 grams
    • Display/s : 65K Colour TFT - 128 x 128 pixels
    • Camera Single 640x480 Camera Video 3GP
    • Connectivity Bluetooth 1.1, USB, Infrared
    • Memory 3 MB internal memory MMC memory - up to 512MB
    • Ring tones MP3, ACC, AMR, MIDI (64), Vibration
    • Features SMS, MMS, IM, WAP JAVA MIDP 2.0 Push-To-Talk Modem for PC Web browser (WAP 2.0 - xHTML) Speaker Phone/Hands free Picture, Music, Video Player Changeable covers FM Radio *See below for more details.
    • Speed Benchmark Fast
    • Battery Life : 850 mAh Li Ion (BL-5C) Claimed operating times Standby 300 hours Voice 3 hours
    • Price history $300-350 AUS OUTRIGHT 2007
    • Sample Camera Picture
    Welcome to the Nokia 6230 mobile phone review. This model was chosen by us because in prior jobs we all had one at some point. We all agreed that it should be the benchmark for reviews since its very popular phone. Originally released back in 2003 it was released as a top spec phone representing what we consider the ultimate evolution of the 40 series phones but as with all mobiles it has moved downwards in the model order. Battery Life The battery life of this phone is excellent. One Standby it lasted 9 days with a bit left. On busy days with bluetooth, infrared, SMS and with a few calls it managed to go a full day with power to spare. Charging time based on the include charger was a mere 1 hour 45 minutes. Mind you the charger is higher capacity than that of lower models. So using the charger for other compatible phones will achieve the same results. Speed The phone is very fast. Construction. The 6230 is a well constructed phone with one issue. The changeable covers are a tad loose. Although well secured to the body of the phone which is nice and tight the cover mechanism allows a but of leeway causing the occasional creaking noise. Other than that the plastics of the original cases are well made and detailed and scratch resistant. The keypad is small but well weighted. Its memory card is hidden under the battery. Remember that the 6230 was one of the first mainstream phones with a memory card! Functionality The 6230 has all you need in a good mobile phone in 2007. We could go on and on about the various features and customising options. Connectivity This phone has all the options, bluetooth, USB and infrared. Like most phones the PC software needs to be installed before you can do even the most basic file management tasks. About Infrared: We love it because it enables secure, stable and simple file transfers between any device without installing specific software. It only uses a small amount of power. MP3 and video/sound The inbuilt speakers sound better than many mobiles and it is nice and loud. However it music abilities are limited to the manual selection of files you want to play. This applies to videos as well. The FM radio works well and it can even be used as the alarm tone. Web Browser The included browser is a LG version and works well. Since the phone tech is pretty good downloading pages and content is fast. Superior to the U8360. Yes, you can go to your own URLs. The camera/video recorder The applications tarts up quickly and takes OK pictures and movies for phones of this vintage. The screens The Nokia's display was one of the best in 2005 and still holds true although small by 2007 standards. Nice clear graphics images are used but again showing its age. The image is better than say the W300i. Call quality and network reception Voice only call quality is very good. Quality and equalisation tends to the high side. Network reception is also very able to make calls even in marginal coverage areas. Ie. one bar reception. Issues The only worth mentioning is the changeable covers issue and old style design. Nokia Phone software for Windows The PC suite that comes with the phone is almost complete, You can mange every piece of data you have in the phone and memory card. It is split into various applications so that you can use one without needing to launch every application. Network You can get the phone for every network as an out-right purchase. Summary We still have one in use after 3 years and on the original battery. Our recommendation? Perfect do it all phone if you can live with its looks. Best features Price for features. Great screen Bluetooth. Could do better features Only single alarm. Not enough internal memory. Worst features No USB cable included in package. Detailed features Sync data with PC Alarm Clock, Calendar, Notes, Stopwatch, Task list, Timer Themes, Customisable backgrounds, Screensaver Music, Picture, Video player Voice dialling - answer - recorder T9 SMS dictionary 150 SMS 20 dialled numbers 20 received calls 20 missed calls Calendar To Do Memo Wallet feature 150 SMS in phone 1000 Contacts in phone with pictures JAVA Games (Runs Java games up to 125K)

  • Nokia 3120 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia 3120 mobile phone review. The 3120 has been around for a few years now and still available because its good basic mobile phone. I mean basic literally - not entry level. If you only need a mobile for emergencies or just staying in contact every so often then this is a perfectly suitable model to get. Battery Life The battery life of this phone is excellent. Left on stand the battery will last up to 10 days with calls it'll go for at least 5 hours continuously. We know because we used it on a particularly busy day! Speed The phone is quite fast. Menu scrolling and activation is on par with other basic mobiles. Construction. The 3120 is well constructed with sturdy materials. Nice looking and integrated well despite 5 different coloured material used. Most of all it doesn't have any creaking plastics. Even in 2007 the phone looks modern on the outside. Physically it's probably 1cm too small to be comfortable holding for average sized adults. For teens and younger it would probably be perfect sized. The keypad is plastic and when you press the keys you encounter very strong spring feedback. Hence it is unlikely that you will need to lock the keypad if placed in a pocket by its self. Functionality The Nokia 3120 in 2007 is not a feature rich phone. However there are a few things that will surprise you. The customisation features for example extend to screen savers with timing options! All the call management basics are there: contacts, speed dialling, last number dialled, call waiting, hold divert and timer and even hands free. Text messaging including MMS is all there with a few useful bonuses like message counter, message sorting into folders! Other functions include calendar, calculator, alarm clock, stopwatch and countdown, key pad shortcuts, and even timed profiles and call groups. Connectivity It can only connect via a POP-PORT USB cable - not included in the package. Besides with only .5 of a megabyte (512k) to use I don't think you'd need one. MP3 and video/sound It doesn't play MP3s only MIDI. The inbuilt speaker is nice and loud though. Web Browser It has a basic browser and access the internet via GPRS. So its not very quick but works. The camera/video recorder It doesn't have one! The screens It only has a 128x128 screen but unlike other basic phones its colour. The image quality is washed out - as per any other CSTN screen. At least not mono like others in this category. The package came with a wired hands free! However this does not make it entry-level, its still a basic mobile phone. If Nokia updated it with a OLED screen MP3 player, radio and memory card I can predict more sales. Call quality and network reception The call quality is excellent and it is able to hold on even to a marginal signals. Call clarity is typical Nokia meaning good. Issues We didn't encounter anything worth mentioning. Nokia Phone software for Windows No PC software came with this phone. Network You can only buy this phone outright. Summary It is a very good basic mobile phone. If your after something reliable then this is perfectly acceptable. Among the best out there. *When considering its successors the 2626, 2610 or 2650 these look cheap compared to the 3120 but have more features. If you in this price range consider getting a pre-paid package by the same network you're on with a better phone. You don't have to sign-up for a new number if you choose. Best features Lots of little things - see above. Could do better features Front screen could be higher resolution. Worst features Very little on board memory. Specifications
    • Nokia 3120 (Series 40 1st Edition)
    • Network Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) GPRS Class 6
    • Design Candy Bar - Standard Phone L101.8 x W42.6 x D19.4 mm Weight 84 grams White and Grey
    • Display/s 4096 CSTN - 128 x 128 pixels
    • Camera None
    • Connectivity USB
    • Memory 512K internal memory
    • Ring tones MIDI, Vibration
    • Features SMS, MMS, WAP JAVA MIDP 1.0 Speaker Phone/Hands free Customisable backgrounds and font colours Picture Viewer
    • Price history Under $150 AUS OUTRIGHT 2007

  • Game Review – Zoy’s Rescue 2

    NAME: Zoy’s Rescue 2
    COMPANY: Sumea
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: Platformer
    SIZE: 79 KB
    TEST PHONE: LG U8630
    RATING: 5/10

    Zoy’s Rescue Mission 2 is a game by Sumea.

    The premise: You play as Zoy, a cute pink alien creature that has to rescue
    it’s baby forms or ‘Juniors’ from various planets. What they are doing by themselves is a mystery.

    Zoy reminds me of any number of Pokemon from Nintendo except that Zoy doesn’t have any special powers.

    Gameplay: It’s essentially a platformer and based on the famous Lemmings series or more recently Sonwy series by Aliasworlds Entertainment or even Pekka Kana.

    Graphics are good and sound is typical mobile phone game.

    However there are major problems with game the controls. They are not refined or consistent. (Maybe it was the phone?) Nevertheless overall I couldn’t get the hang of it because of it.

    Summary

    We rate this game a 5/10.

    I am giving Zoy’s Rescue Mission 2 just a pass mark because if you’re willing to eventually learn the controls it could be a fun game.