I am attending the second day of the Game and Mobile Forum in NYC today. I heard the best quote today explaining why there are so many carpy cell phone games. The panel was discussing the costs associated with developing a mobile title and the general consensus was that it is not uncommon for a mobile game to cost around 500k to make. A huge driver of this high price tag is the necessity of porting and QAing the game on dozens of different handsets. As the attendees were filing out after the talk I overheard, "500k?!?! I can f@*#!ng make a DS game for that!" Well there you go. No wonder we see a lot of rehashed ports on the cell phone. I am not saying people aren't doing interesting stuff and there aren't good cell games out there, but when you can make a DS title for the same price it's no wonder that is where a lot of the innovation is.

Do you play cell phone games? What do you think.

I have a new cell phone (thanks Verizon for the $100 off after 2 years and $50 off from ordering online to give me a free phone) that can download and play games. But after looking through the selection of games out there, I can't find even one game that I think is worth buying. There are a couple that look okay, but they are ones that also charge airtime while playing. That's just a complete waste. So, no... I don't play games on my cell phone.

March's most popular Java cell phone games according to ELSPA (Europe):

1. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG - SEGA/IFONE
2. TETRIS ® - EA
3. LMA MANAGER 2006 - EA
4. BLOCK BREAKER DELUXE - GAMELOFT
5. THE SIMS 2 - EA
6. 24 MOBILE GAME - I-PLAY
7. DOOM RPG - EA
8. WORMS - THQ
9. ZOO TYCOONTM 2 MOBILE - INFUSIO
10. BLOCK BUSTERS - PLAYER X

If I had a newer phone, I would probably try the mobile version of Sensible Soccer.

I don't have a cell phone games and if even if I did I wouldn't play the games. The fees are rediculous, and I can play a game with better controls, better graphics, and better sound on a normal system. And its a lot less strain on your eyes.

Besides, I never thought cell phone games were very "prominent" as a system. I thought they were something you did while you were waiting for your bus or in a waiting room. I didn't think people actual say down and played a good round of cell phone games like with systems and PCs.

Meh, I can't beleive they still sell cell phone games will complex controls like The Sims 2. Personally I think Tetris is the most complex is should get.