Must-Have Games for the Pocket PC
Introduction| This is Part I of a 2 part article dedicated to what we think are the best games for the Pocket PC in the world of Pocket PC games today.The quality of pocket pc games have undoubtedly improved a long way since the ole' days, say 3 or 4 years ago? Equivalent to 50 internet years or something maybe.Part I of this article includes the best arcade games, best board games, best simulation games, best word games, best casino games, best chess game, best emulator, best puzzle games, best sports games and the best strategy games. |
Part IBest Arcade Games Sky Force
Infinite Dreams' Sky Force is an amazing shoot-em up which brings together the best “2nd generation” shoot-'em ups for the weapon systems and synchronised plane waves, and the best “3rd generation” shoot-'em ups for the large enemy planes and the estatic backdrops. You can start the game with 3 different ships with different balances between speed and shields. Each level, you have a mission to accomplish, which corresponds to the amount of destruction for that level. Failing to reach the required percentage, you have to restart the level. In easy mode, percentages to reach are low but you can only play the first three levels. So it offers a real learning curve without revealing all the levels at once.Pocket PC Magazine says that it is a real blast! | |     |
  | | G-Prime
When Galaxian was introduced to the arcade world, it became an instant hit. Soon after that, came the birth of Galaga - a variation of Galaxian with a twist and with more challenges. Decades later, Brain Drain's G-Prime takes all the good from its predecessors and offers something even better on the Pocket PC. pdaarcade.com gives this game a big thumbs up! |
Vector Blaster
Rudescotman's Vector Blaster is described by Pocket PC Louisville as a fantastic addition to any game library! Game play is simple. You can select from a rotating camera angle or a single view of the game field. The object is to move your ship left and right across the light beams to destroy the approaching enemy. There are power ups as well for you to catch. The enemies are white while the power ups are yellow. Once you’ve cleared the board, it’s on to the next level. Each level is increasingly more difficult. | |   |
Best Board Games   | | Travel Collection
Pocket Adventure's The Travel Collection comes packed with very tight and polished implementation of chess, checkers, reversi, tic-tac-toe, connect 4 and dots. This title has everything: dynamite graphics, great value and a fabulous soundtrack. PocketNow.com says that this is an 'A' list title! |
Monopoly
Handmark's Monopoly is without a doubt a classic board game for the Pocket PC. If you have ever played the classic board game Monopoly, then you'll immediately know how to play on your Pocket PC. The computer plays the role of the "Banker" so it automatically, accurately, and completely scores every player, every play and every game.The Monopoly game for Handheld PDAs includes the ability to auction properties, buy/sell houses and hotels, mortgage/unmortgage properties and even set up complex trades with other players. | |  |
Best Simulation GamesTower Mogul
Esoft Interactive's Tower Mogul is a wonderful simulation game for the Pocket PC. This game will certainly bring joy to the fans of the Sim games as well as many new Pocket PC users. The design of the game has been well planned and constructed and the game will provide many hours of fun. Your task is to profit from your construction investments while balancing your tenants' satisfaction and keeping them safe from disasters. Piece of cake? You wish! Bring your tower into new heights, fill them up with virts (virtual people) and upgrade your building units to advance to the next star level. PDABuyersguide rates this as an excellent simulation game. | |  
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 | | Virtual Pool Mobile
Virtual Pool Mobile is the only pool simulation so real it's guaranteed to improve your game in the pool hall. All the best features from the award winning PC version are included: Realistic physics, intuitive interface, touch sensitive cue stick control, and interactive Career Mode, with six different rooms and opponents. The realistic physics and intuitive gameplay places it a notch above other pool simulation games. Pocket PC Life says that this simulation will probably outlast your Pocket PC! |
Best Word Games  | | Scrabble
The Handmark Scrabble Game for Handhelds is designed to play just like the classic board game. It utilizes a drag-and-drop tile placement interface, a built-in Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary and saves partially completed games to be continued at any time. The game also includes the full definition dictionary to view the definitions of each word as they are played! | Word Challenge
Esoft Interactive's Word Challenge is amalgamation of arguably four of the most popular word games. These word games will challenge your word knowledge, eye coordination and quick thinking. They include Word Jumble (Guess the seven letter word or form multiple words to breeze through the various levels), Hungman (Guess the given word before the hungman commits suicide. This classic game challenges your vocabulary and quick thinking), Hunt-a-Word (Find all the listed words from grid and challenge your mind and eye coordination in this classic word-searching game) and Word Whiz (Construct as many words as you can by selecting as many adjacent letters from the grid and be the Word Whiz champion). | |   |
Best Casino Games All-In Hold Em
This game gives you all the fixings you see on TV, variable starting money, 8 players at a table (7 are AI) big and little blinds, raises, calls, checking, and what makes this poker game the best - any time you want you can go "all in." Birdsoft's All-In Hold 'Em is a great implementation of All-In Poker! Aximusers.com says that this game has great tournament style game play and great AI. | |   |
Best Chess Game   | | Pocket Grandmaster
Clevergames's Pocket Grandmaster features an extremely strong chess engine with an opening book of 200,000 moves and plays interesting and often aggressive chess. The engine is a successor to the program finishing 4th in the World Microcomputer Chess Championships 2001, winning the title of the 18th World Microcomputer Amateur Chess Champion. |
Best Emulator Pocket Commodore 64
Fans of Commodore 64 rejoice! You can now enjoy your favourite games and programs on the Pocket PC with full sight and sound. Clickgamer's award winning Pocket Commodore 64 is the official version of the C64 emulator ( licensed from Tulip Computers and Ironstone Partners ) With its high compatibility, Load/Save Memory capability and accurate 1541 support, working with the emulator seems better than the real thing. All these and more in a well-designed GUI and simple operations, most will be right at home. | |  |
Best Puzzle Games     | | Cubis
Cubis is a 3D puzzle game, first developed by Freshgames, and has for years been highly popular with online gamers. The block matching game has lost nothing in the transition to PDA, and actually seems easier with the use of the PDA stylus instead of a mouse.Astraware have added a new set of zingy sound effects, and there are two modes of game play the classic ‘Arcade Mode’ which gives you the challenge of removing a set number of blocks within the time allowed, and the more challenging ‘Puzzle Mode’ where you have to manoeuvre your way through the blocks to remove specific blocks within the time limit. Bargain PDA praises Cubis as the game of the new year! |
Mahjong Dragon
Clickgamer's Mahjong Dragon is the inarguably the most visually stimulating version of the traditional mahjong solitaire game. Placed against ambient far eastern backdrops, this puzzle game can be played in easy game mode or against the clock. Its features include ambient photographic backdrops, great sound effects and in-game music, various style boards - flat and tiered variations and very addictive game play. Pocket PC Life gave this title a five star rating! | |  |
Best Sports GamesPocket Mini Golf
Golf is one of the most prolifically simulated sports across computer & video platforms. Momentum Games has hit a hole in one with their implementation of the award winning Pocket Mini Golf which features 3 courses of increasing difficulty, with 18 holes per course. It has 4 different players to choose from and 3 different game types. Play standard golf rules or against the clock, the choice is yours.The courses are very well designed with imaginative features within a deceptively basic theme. Although there is only green grass, generic trees, ponds and sand traps the courses have a fresh quality and no hole is disappointing. | |  
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  | | Harry Putters Crazy Golf
Harry Putter is an exciting crazy golf game, utilizing 4Pockets' custom Ray Casting engine to bring a convincing and fun 3D playing environment. A true first person perspective golf game, you can view each shot just as if you were standing on the virtual play area yourself. Very cool indeed. Armed with only a Putter and a Wedge your task is to navigate your way round all 18 holes completing the course in as few shots as possible... easier said than done! |
Best Strategy Game Tradewinds
Astraware's Tradewinds is a great contribution to strategy games on Pocket PCs. The game lets you build your empire through swashbucklingsea combat and trade. You get to achieve the ultimate rank of Tai Pan or become the renowned Pirate King, Gossamer. This game lets you useall of your skills to amass wealth through trading or piracy in the 19th century far east. You can play as one of four characters with different complements of ships, debt and cash on hand. | |     | Best Racing Game 
  | | Gangsta Race
Garga Games' award winning Gangsta Race is actually two flavors of the classic 2D top down racer in one title. It's first and foremost a racing title, where you hit the streets with up to five other opponents and cruise around enclosed road tracks that are set in urban areas but are obviously fenced off from pedestrian traffic. The second portion of Gangsta Race works on similar principles but it plays on the first word of the game's title. This mode introduces weapons on each of the vehicles as well as powerups that can be employed to impede your opponent's progress. Either way, Gangsta Race is a fun, accessible and great looking racing game that manages to get everything about a 2D racer right on the Pocket PC. Pocket PC Life says that this game gets everything right! |
Conclusion of Part IIt completely astonishes me how the quality of games have increased on handheld devices the past few years. The availability of premium value games is only going to get better as developers continue to roll out games which supersede their predecessors in terms of quality, polishness and most importantly the 'fun' element. Please tune in for Part II of our tribute to Must-Have games for the Pocket PC soon! |
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