With the advent of DoCoMo i-mode phones in Japan offering a huge catalogue of SEGA developed mobile titles, and the increasing popularity of the SEGA Mobile division in the US, you’d be forgiven for wondering what’s happened to the mobile situation in Europe. An irony, given that the UK is one of the most mobile crazy countries, coming second only next to Japan itself.
Fret no longer for your mobile gaming delights, as no sooner do we finally get the joys of Pacman on our Nokias and Siemens, than SEGA Europe announces an “assault on the mobile gaming market” on their website. Eight SEGA titles are to be launched for a range of mobile phones, provided by partners iFone. You can expect the original Sonic the Hedgehog to finally grace EU mobiles, with Super Monkey Ball Mini-Golf also announced alongside Virtua Tennis and SEGA Rally.
“We are continually looking at ways to broaden their mass market fan base and what better way than to bring household brands like Sonic to so many mobile users” said Alan Pritchard, the UK Managing Director for SEGA.
“We are continually looking at ways to broaden their mass market fan base and what better way than to bring household brands like Sonic to so many mobile users.” explains Morgan O’Rahilly, CEO of iFone. So clearly the two sides are enjoying the idea of sucking your phone credit for classic gameplay. Which we wouldn’t complain about at all.
No word on when the service will be launched, or whether games will be launched on a game-by-game basis, but Super Monkey Ball is on track for a December release, so expect Sonic the Hedgehog spinning onto your dog-n-bones round about the same time, if not sooner.
More announcements are expected, so keep them peeled here to see if we may see the likes of ChuChu Rocket! or Samba de Amigo.