Dusseldorf - 2005 is shaping up to be the year of mobile gaming.
Two new handheld consoles are eagerly anticipated in the first quarter of this year: the Nintendo DS and the portable Playstation (PSP) from Sony.
Yet owners of traditional gaming consoles like Xbox, GameCube, and Playstation 2 will also be given plenty of new thrills for their machines. A series of completely new games are on the cards, as well as sequels to old favourites.
Stefan Gundelach of Nintendo in Europe says that his firm is concentrating on the introduction of its new DS console. The company is working with 45 partners on preparing a total of 124 titles to run on the device.
An initial 25 titles are expected to be available when the console is rolled out in the spring. Japanese game fans have been able to buy the machine, distinctive for its twin monitors, since December 2 at a price roughly equivalent to 110 dollars.
Nintendo has also announced a new GameCube game that will work with its recently released "bongo controller", which looks like two drums.
The jump-and-run game involves guiding the gorilla Donkey Kong through the jungle by means of clapping, knocking and pummelling on the drums. The ubiquitous plumber Mario will re-appear on the GameCube in February as well, this time as a tennis ace.
Like Nintendo, Sony has already started sales of its PSP in Asian markets. The machines sell for about $150 (about R900), with 25 titles currently available. Guido Alt from Sony Computer Entertainment says that around 100 game publishers worldwide are working on new titles.
Owners of traditional Playstation 2 can look forward to the fourth instalment of the successful "Gran Turismo" series, Sony reports. it will be finally arriving in stores on February 23 after a number of delays.
A further highlight will be the publication of several games for the USB Eyetoy camera, Alt promises.
Eyetoy KiInternetic is of particular note: "This is less of a game and more of a workout training program," Alt explains. The software acts as a personal trainer, offering interactive response to the needs of the trainee.
Sony hopes to use this kind of video game to draw in new target groups.
Unlike its competitors, Microsoft is concentrating exclusively on its Xbox home console. Two games expected from the firm in the first quarter are "Forza Motorsport" and "Jade Empire".
"Those are our game highlights for the beginning of 2005," says Microsoft's Edna Baumann.
Forza Motorsport is a racing simulator that the firm expects to compete with the successful Gran Turismo series, available exclusively on Sony's Playstation 2.
Jade Empire brings its players into ancient China. The player must survive various adventures in this mix of a role-playing game and action adventure.
Other manufactures have their own series of new titles ready for release in 2005: British publishers Codemasters are rushing to finish the street and tuning racing game Street Racing Syndicate for the Xbox and Playstation 2, with a March release planned.
Another game maker, Eidos, plans to roll out another chapter of a bestseller.
"You can count on seeing a new Lara Croft title in 2005," reveals Eidos' Theodossios Theodoridis. The firm hopes to bring smiles to lovers of online-based action games with its futuristic Project: Snowblind, due in February. The title is expected on Xbox and Playstation 2.
Market leader Electronic Arts plans to follow up with sequels to its successful sports titles Fifa, NHL, NBA and Tiger Woods. Yet new titles are planned as well. Spokesperson Claudia Langer singles out Batman Begins, expected in summer.
Another title, The Godfather, has been slated for a winter 2005 release.
The Japanese gaming giant Konami is similarly mixing the tried-and-true with cutting edge. The Metal Gear Solid series will enjoy a new addition during the first quarter. The racing simulator Enthusia-Professional Racing will see a second quarter release.
"Konami intends for Enthusia to compete with previous industry giants like Gran Turismo," announced company spokesperson Hajo Neu.
One new feature of the game is the so-called virtual gravity system, which is intended to depict the effects of centrifugal force on the vehicles.
The largest changes to the console market in recent years is expected no sooner than the end of 2005: Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony are all working on the next generation of home consoles and will perhaps have them ready for the next Christmas season, with new hardware and games offering effects of which today's gamers can only dream. - Sapa-dpa