(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

A classy Mah-Jongg game.

If you have a taste for Mah-Jongg, Shanghai Pocket Essentials from LandWare is a "must have." This version has been ported from Activision's original desktop PC version. Mah-Jongg is a puzzle game in which you have to match tiles of similar pattern. The game ends when you are able to remove all the matching tiles from your Pocket PC screen. Shanghai Pocket Essentials has good graphics. You can play the game in three other modes: path 2d, path 3d and contemplation. In path 2d and path 3d modes you can only remove two matching tiles that are uncovered, and must be connected by a line with only two turns. In the contemplation mode, the tiles are face down. You have to tap a tile to turn it over and than remove matching tiles from your memory.

Shanghai Pocket Essentials: An addictive Mahjongg game with an editor that will let you make your own tile layouts.

The sound can be enabled or disabled and the animations can also be made slower or faster. You can select from 10 different types of tiles: Japanese, Math, Samurai, Animals, Egyptian, Fantasy, India, Kids Room, Outer Space and Prehistoric. You can choose from over 100 of Activision's standard Shanghai layouts categorized in six groups: Kid Layouts, Quickies Advanced, Quickies Normal, Standard Advanced, Standard Easy, and Standard Normal. You can pick one of them or let the application pick one of them randomly. You can also design your own layout, as this game comes with a layout editor. You can design a layout with up to 5 levels and also specify that which of the four modes will work with your layout. If you complete a game by removing all matching tiles, you can record your score i.e. the time, layout, play mode etc. This is one of the best Mah-Jongg games that I have played on a Pocket PC. This game is addictive; so make sure it does not come in between you and your work. The game is ported and being sold by LandWare (www.landware.com). The game will work only on Pocket PCs and Pocket PCs 2002. The game can be purchased for $19.95 from the developer's Web site.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

Rayman was originally ported to the Pocket PC by Gameloft, but it received lukewarm reviews from many gamers. Gameloft is now back with Rayman Ultimate, designed to take advantage of the capabilities of the newer Pocket PCs.

No question about itùRayman Ultimate's graphics are incredible.

On the Playstation, Rayman was a simple but visually appealing platform (side-scrolling) game in which you'd collect power-ups in order to rescue the Electoons (energy-creating creatures) from Mister Dark and his minions. Very little of the original was sacrificed in this version of the game. The graphics are the best I've ever seen on the Pocket PC; the lush, color graphics of the levels are especially good. The animation is smooth, the sound effects are brisk and plentiful, and the soundtrack (specifically made for the Pocket PC version) is a pleasure to hear. Gameloft claims that the game provides up to 60 hours of play, which for many will make the price and the fairly steep storage requirements (8.4 megabytes) worthwhile.

My one complaint about the game is that there's no way to modify the controls. The default layout works fairly well, with virtual buttons at the bottom of the screen for devices that can't handle multiple button presses. Since the game runs in landscape mode, I'd like to map one of the buttons to my record button so I can place my right hand in a more natural position. Still, the game is a blast and looks simply amazing.

For more information on Rayman Ultimate, visit the Gameloft Web site (www.gameloft.com). Rayman Ultimate supports Compaq and Casio Pocket PC devices and all Pocket PC 2002 devices. A free demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $29.95.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

Some games involve racing and some involve shooting. Some involve both. Gangsta Race is one of those games, much like the runaway desktop hit Death Rally a few years ago. The story behind this one is that you're a young gang leader recruited by "The Boss" to take part in a legendary race in which the stakes are incredibly high.

The cars in Gangsta Race may look like toys, but the competition is ruthless.

Gangsta Race is more an arcade action game than a driving simulation. Your goal is to make it through a number of levels driving "tricked-out" cars and competing against ruthless opponents. The neatest feature of the game is the "have it your way" approach, which allows you to select from three different play modes when beginning the game. In race mode, you focus on simply being the fastest car on the track. In shooter mode, you collect power-ups and weapons you can use against other cars (while avoiding their bullets, of course). In survival mode, you simply try to stay alive.

I played the game in race mode, since I found coordinating driving and shooting to be a bit too difficult on a handheld. Fortunately, the game holds up very well as a simple racing game, with some well designed tracks and great audio output. The game's story line and smooth presentation are likely to hook many gamers.

For more information on Gangsta Race, visit the Gargagames Web site (www.gargagames.com). Gangsta Race supports iPAQs and Pocket PC 2002 devices. A free demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $19.95.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

Douglas Beck has made quite a name for himself in the Pocket PC gaming community. First he brought us Rocket Elite, one of the first commercial-quality handheld games, and one that helped put the iPAQ on the map as a gaming device. Then there was Bust 'Em, a high quality Breakout clone with tons of levels and power-ups.

Motocross Stunt Racer's tracks are fully 3D, with realistic terrain, shadows, and plenty of jumps.

Now Douglas is back with Motocross Stunt Racer (MSR), a dirt bike racing game. The game features a whopping 45 levels and three game modes: Free Ride, Stunts, and Race. In all modes, you unlock more levels by scoring a certain number of points in each level. MSR uses Voxel graphics, a technology first seen on desktops a decade ago that allows rendering textured 3D landscapes while allowing fast game speeds. There's even an automatic gamma correction for Pocket PCs with dark displays.

MSR has plenty of well-designed tracks with long straightaways, sharp curves, jumps, and even shortcuts. It's a blast to go tearing around curves and hugging the corners to gain an edge on the other bikes. Game speed is very fast, and input is handled through either the directional pad or the stylus. I ended up using the stylus, since the directional pad made the bike a little hard to control. Physics modeling is decent, and the bike handling is fairly realistic.

Like many modern racing games, MSR sometimes loses sight of its racing roots. Traditional race modes like time trial and championship are absent, and there's no way to adjust the number of laps or bikes when playing a single race. While this might disappoint some race fanatics, most gamers will find the game a wild ride and another significant achievement for Mr. Beck.

For more information about MSR, visit the Digital Concepts Web site (www.dig-concepts.com). MSR supports all Pocket PC and Pocket PC 2002 devices except the Jornada 525 and 54x. A free demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $19.99.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

Way back in the early 80s, Capcom added a brilliant twist to the outer space shooter genre by giving it a World War II theme: instead of blasting aliens in space, you flew over the Pacific in your P-38 Lightning blasting ships and enemy planes. Gameloft says that the Capcom games (1942, 1943) were the inspiration for Siberian Strike X, their new overhead shooter.

Super-tough enemies at key points in an arcade game are called "bosses," and you'll find plenty of them in Siberian Strike X.

The events in this game occur in the ambiguous year of "19xx." Instead of fighting the Japanese, you're out to quash the evil Stalinbot, a Soviet cyborg out to destroy democracy by flooding it with smooth Russian vodka. Although the Japanese are no longer the enemy, this is a very Japanese game, with everything carried to the extreme. For example, the game has an outrageous, often incoherent plot, along with a generous supply of anime-inspired characters who appear in captions, talk to each other, give the player advice, and taunt the enemy. In addition, the graphics are outlandish and game play so exaggerated that it's easy to get overwhelmed by what's happening on the screen. Reality often takes a backseat to dramatic effect in Japanese games, and Siberian Strike X is no exception: dozens of enemies often fill the screen at once, and you'll spend as much time dodging bullets as you will targeting enemies. Power-ups consist of energy bolts, air-to-air missiles, sidekick planes, and even flamethrowers.

Despite the over-the-top feel, the fun factor is there. Everything is well conceived, with smooth movement and plenty of animation. The game conveniently offers an auto-fire feature, making it much easier to play. Explosions are visually detailed, and crisp sound effects along with mood-setting music enhance your job satisfaction as you plow through the levels in your quest to stop the Stalinbot. One of the neatest features is the background, which uses parallax scrolling technology to good effect (background elements scroll at different speeds to create the illusion of depth). If you can live with its campiness, Siberian Strike X is one heck of a ride.

For more information on Siberian Strike X, visit the Gameloft Web site (www.gameloft.com). Siberian Strike X supports Compaq and Casio Pocket PC devices and all Pocket PC 2002 devices. A free demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $19.95.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

Peter Balogh has made a name for himself in the Pocket PC gaming scene with his Gamebox (http://ce.syntact.fi/pages/products.shtml), a variety pack featuring Pocket PC versions of many popular classic games (Snake, Tetris, and several others). Now Peter, along with a group of developers calling themselves the "Snails Team," have taken things to a higher level with Snails, an action-strategy game inspired by PC classics such as Scorched Earth and Worms. Your mission is to help an army of snails (the Moogums, the Lupeez, and the Nooginz) defeat each other and conquer the planet Schnoogie by launching strategic attacks with a variety of weapons.

Snails is a very polished game with colorful, cartoon-like backgrounds and clever animation. The game has a cute storyline, whimsical background music, and a plethora of jokes and one-liners. The interface is easy to navigate, with good game play and lots of challenging and entertaining scenarios. Snails is continually being improved, and version 1.6 was already available at the time of this review. The Snails Team is actively soliciting feedback on the game via their Web site, so fans of the genre will likely enjoy this game for some time to come.

In Snails, you'll have to select your race of snails and choose your weapons carefully if you want to win the war.

Snails occupies 4 Mb of storage space and takes 8 Mb of system RAM when running. It is priced at $11.95 and is available for all Pocket PCs. The commercial version and a free demo are available on the Snails Web site (http://ce.syntact.fi/snails/).

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

If you keep up with what industry analysts are saying about the games market, you'll know that parlor games are doing quite well on both consoles and desktop PCs, especially among women. I think the Pocket PC is a good platform for such games, since the devices are highly portable and ideally suited for simple casino, card, and pool games.

Billiard Master is an example of a decently designed billiards game for the Pocket PC. Featuring both 8 and 9-ball versions of the game, the program lets you play against the computer (with three skill levels) or against human opponents. Billiard Master plays better than any pool game IÆve seen, with believable physics and smooth animation. Cue control is excellent, with a trailing line and a floating target indicator to show the angle of your next shot. On-screen displays help you choose the exact part of the cue ball youÆll hit, raise or lower the cue, make minute angle adjustments, and control the power of your next shot.

Billiard Master is also attractive looking, with great color saturation and shading. The current game is automatically saved when you exit the program. Sound effects are a little underdone (you hear the balls go into the pockets, but not much else). The built-in help doesnÆt help much, but thatÆs OK since billiards is an easy enough game to figure out anyway

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

Successful new games are often based on tried-and-true formulas. That's why you'll find virtually endless variations of Pac-Man, Arkanoid, Space Invaders, Galaga, Missile Command, and others. While some are just knockoffs, others introduce new elements to game play. Sometimes the best new games are built on the foundations of earlier ones.

Such was the thinking that must have gone into RocketElite by Douglas Beck. RocketElite is an action game whose premise is simple: your goal is to rescue lost astronauts throughout several different "missions." The game play consists of the player carefully maneuvering a small ship and landing at strategic locations in order to pick up the astronauts. Think of it as a cross between Choplifter and Lunar Lander, with most of the excitement and challenge of both.

But don't think of the game as just a boring rehash or a piece of eye candy. RocketElite boasts some impressive features, which are likely to become an important element of Pocket PC gaming in the future. Some of the features listed on the RocketElite Web site (www.rocketelite.com) almost sound like the description of a modern desktop PC game:

RocketElite's visuals will keep you coming back for more.

• Sound and graphics code for this game, as well as the game engine itself, were created from scratch and optimized for each device type.

• Game engine includes object physics, transparencies, particle effects, and a full scrolling background.

• Smart AI opponents of varying difficulties, and devastating weapons--all upgradeable.

• Players can create or download additional single level or multilevel "campaign style" add-ons for use with RocketElite.

• Six levels. Each level has unique graphics and environmental effects to deal with and adapt to.

• Plenty of ship upgrades and power-ups along the way.

• Advanced IrDA network engine allowing multiplayer death matches via infrared.

That's certainly an impressive list of accomplishments, especially considering the relative youth of the Pocket PC platform. But does RocketElite live up to the hype?

A sensory feast!

The bar has been officially raised! RocketElite is currently one of the best-looking games out for the Pocket PC. The terrain is well-detailed and colorful, with lush backgrounds and excellent special effects. The explosions that occur when an object is destroyed rival some that I've seen on desktop PCs. Since each level has slightly different graphics, you probably won't tire of how everything looks.

The layout of the game is outstanding. Most of the screen is devoted to the playing area of the game. Your weapons are listed on the bottom of the screen. A bar on the left side of the screen indicates fuel level. A similar bar on the right tells you your shield strength. The number of spacecraft (lives) remaining is displayed in the title bar at the top of the program. Scores are displayed immediately below the title bar.

Despite the eye candy, the game doesn't seem to place an enormous burden on the CPU. RocketElite runs very smoothly on my iPAQ. In fact, it's every bit as smooth as Turjah II, which is a much simpler game. With the option to show frame rate enabled, I consistently ran at or near 100 frames per second (fps). Since movement of 15-20 fps looks visually smooth to the human eye, you'll never need to worry about the visuals looking slow or "choppy." RocketElite also seems quite stable; I didn't experience any lockups during testing. Kudos to the programmer for developing an innovative graphics engine that doesn't need tons of CPU horsepower to run properly.

The sound effects are also enticing. You can hear the thrust of the engine, while explosions and crashes are sharp and effective without being overdone. There isn't much music in the game, but that's certainly forgivable. Much of the background music in today's Pocket PC games is short and looped, leading to monotonous droning after long periods. I found the amount of audio content in the game to be just right.

Unique control method

How does the game play? The answer ranges from "great" to "terrible," depending on whom you talk to. To give the player more control (and get around the button limitation of some Pocket PCs), the game uses a unique control system based on stylus input. You control the ship by tapping on it and dragging the stylus in the direction you want to go. Controls are proportional; the further you move the stylus forward, the more thrust, and the more you move it left or right, the more the ship turns. I did an awful lot of crashing in early testing. But once I got used to the input method, the game became a lot of fun. You can pull off many stunts and maneuvers, including a three-point landing that increases your score.

The control method takes a little getting used to, and some people may be turned off by it. The developers should have included more traditional button controls as an option. Perhaps that will be added in a future version. About the only real problem I had with the game's controls was with the way I held my Pocket PC while playing. My stylus tended to block out portions of the display, making it difficult to see some of the objects on the screen.

Add levels and campaigns for more fun!

If you like the basic premise of the game, RocketElite will keep you entertained for quite a while. The challenging game levels and adaptive AI keep the game from getting too easy. Although I didn't get a chance to test the multiplayer mode via infrared, that feature seems like a winner and will probably become an important part of Pocket PC gaming in the future.

One of the neatest features of RocketElite is that it's designed to accept add-on levels and campaigns, and the game's Web site (www.rocketelite.com) provides a tutorial for creating your own. On the Web you'll find sites with customized levels, including some based on a Star Trek theme. You can also register your high scores on the Web site and compete with rocket jockeys from all over the world. At the time of this review, scores on the leader board were approaching ten million. Wow!

RocketElite is available for all major Pocket PCs and is priced at $18.99. You can even download a desktop version for computers running Windows. The game is available from the official RocketElite Web site (www.rocketelite.com). A free demo can also be downloaded from the site.

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