N-Gage
Nokia

The Nokia N-Gage was a mobile gaming device that was first announced in 2002 and released at midnight on October 06, 2003. The N-Gage was described by Nokia as “biggest innovation in gaming since the joystick” and was a combination of a mobile phone and a handheld gaming device, with features such as Bluetooth connectivity, multimedia playback, and internet browsing.

The launch of the Nokia N-Gage was highly anticipated at the time, as it was seen as a potential challenger to the dominance of dedicated handheld gaming devices like the Game Boy Advance. However, the launch of the N-Gage was marred by a number of issues, including its high price point, its awkward design, and its limited game library.

The Nokia N-Gage used a proprietary game format called “N-Gage game cards” for its games. These game cards were similar in size and shape to an SD card, but with a unique design that allowed them to be inserted into the device like a cartridge. Each game card contained a ROM chip that held the game data.

In addition to the physical game cards, the N-Gage also had the ability to download games over the internet using a built-in wireless connection. This feature was ahead of its time in many ways, as it allowed players to purchase and download games directly to their device without needing to visit a physical store.

Sidetalking​

One of the biggest issues with the N-Gage was its design, which required users to hold the device sideways to use it as a phone. This design choice was widely criticised for being awkward and uncomfortable to use, and led to its own nickname of “sidetalking”, with a website devoted to people holding other items to their ear in the style of the N-Gage.

Another major issue with the original N-Gage was the fact that you had to remove the back of the device, and the battery of the phone when you wanted to change the game card.

Nokia N-Gage QD​

The Nokia N-Gage QD was an updated version of the original N-Gage device, released in 2004. The QD addressed many of the issues that had plagued the original N-Gage, including its awkward design and high price point, and was seen as a significant improvement over the original.

One of the biggest changes in the N-Gage QD was its design. The QD was smaller and more compact than the original N-Gage, with a more traditional mobile phone design that allowed it to be used as a phone more easily. The QD also featured a redesigned directional pad and improved controls, making it more comfortable to use for extended gaming sessions. The game card slot was also moved so that you didn’t have to remove the battery each time you changed the game.

Despite these improvements, the N-Gage QD did not sell as well as Nokia had hoped, and it was ultimately unable to compete with new handheld gaming devices like the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP. Nokia discontinued the N-Gage platform in 2005, and the QD was the final device released under the N-Gage brand.