How Nokia Secretly Failed N-Gage!

642,019
0
Published 2023-05-09
Nokia N-Gage's complete failure of a portable video game console + its totally forgotten sequel platform N-Gage 2.0 & Metal Gear Solid Mobile!
Support Rerez and get cool stuff! youtube.com/user/rereztv/join

Special thanks to our guests ‪@AdamKoralik‬ & ‪@StopSkeletonsFromFighting‬

And extra special thanks to twincitykillaz for sending us SIM cards for our N-Gage!

Fullscreen N-Gage & N-Gage 2.0 Emulation captured with EKA2L1

#gaming #videogames #gamingvideos #worstgames #worstgame #justbadgames #rerez #games #console #consolegaming #Ngage #WorstEver #BadGames #TheWorstEverSeries #metalgearsolid #metalgearmobile

All Comments (21)
  • the fact you had to remove the battery to change games is a sign that Nokia was a phone manufacturer first, game console maker second it's actually kind of like switching SIM cards on their old phones
  • @AdamKoralik
    Yes, yes I did have an N-Gage when it was relevant. Who wants my autograph? 💅
  • @Jamangbai
    One of my fond memories of working as a GameStop employee around post-launch of the N-Gage was talking with the Nokia sales representative when he'd drop by the store. It was probably no more than a few times in total. By that last visit, he'd ask the same question that he'd ask each time he'd come in: "How are the N-Gage sales?" "There aren't any." I replied. Also...awesome video!!!
  • @DoctorTex
    They say Adam is still yelling "SHANE?! SHANE?!" to this day.
  • What I love about the Worst Ever series is that it fully disects whatever hardware is featured. Most other people would just show things off, laugh and say "wow look at how bad this is," and then end things at around 15 minutes or so, but the Rerez team really dive deep and deconstruct every aspect about a video game system's faults and explain why systems fail. Even the not so obvious causes. I've learned so much about the gaming industry just from these videos. It's like I'm watching a docummentary each time.
  • @Jeloetta
    The commitment to the bit of not letting Adam finish "It's Just Bad" - incredible.
  • The fact you had to remove the battery to switch cartridges shows they had no idea what they were doing.
  • @gnarfarmer
    Bethesda designing an elder scrolls game exclusive to a weird phone-game hybrid thing nobody wants is somehow very on brand for them
  • Fun fact: Ngage actually pretty popular in my country Indonesia, because it was the first phone released in my country that can be used to emulate gameboy games which is a big deal considering how hard to find real gameboy cartridge in Indonesia
  • I love that mini Just Bad Games segment during this episode. Makes me feel like it’d be possible to see more mini JBG segments in future Worst Ever episodes
  • My brother won a free N-Gage in October 2003 at their launch party in LA. The only game he had was Tomb Raider, I remember taking off the backplate to put in the game and it stayed there forever. It was more powerful than a GBA, but less powerful than the DS which released a year later. You're spot on about the games being very difficult to control. The loading screens are because it used MMC (too early for SD, yet still had some kind of DRM) cards, and the transfer speeds are similar to that of a CD-ROM.
  • I love how you included Colin McRae Rally 2005. I really love that game. It is probably the best mobile port of a Colin McRae Rally game. But I really wanted some more coverage about it in this video. But you gave those game justice! Fun fact, despite it being an N-Gage port it is in reality Colin McRae Rally 2.0. They used the 2005 cars but with 2.0 stages and car sounds from the PS1. This also a fun game to speedrun, I do speedrun the games. Edit, Colin McRae Rally Plus on PSP is an exact port of Colin McRae Rally 2005!
  • @MikePhalin
    I worked at EB Games as a second job during the N-Gage's V2 release. We had about 20 of them in the back room. Not a single one sold. Nor did any of the games. I still have a picture of the backroom with the stacks of N-Gages.
  • @emperorfaiz
    I still remember what a "big hit" that phone was in my country, Malaysia but the users cared more about playing Java games especially pirated ones on it than physical games which I think that's not what Nokia wanted exactly. I remember I wished to have that phone when I'm old enough but I completely ignored it once PSP and Nintendo DS arrived. Eventually, I got my first phone Nokia 6120 which was a great phone, and bought and downloaded dozens of Java games. EDIT: Now, I just remember playing N-Gage for the first time in a Nokia kiosk playing Sonic and Tomb Raider. Interesting experience.
  • @WarioSaysSo
    I had a Nokia N-Gage phone and i honestly LOVED it 🙂 It was actually a very good phone to talk and text with and its radio and blutooth was working very well. Oh and it was fun to play game on. Not all N-Gage games was fun due to poor controls but overall it offered nice graphics and possibilities.
  • @3DSage
    I bought this back in the day just because of Tony Hawk and Splinter Cell. The 3D was way ahead of its time for portable consoles.
  • Love how you were able to fit a "Just Bad Games" segment into the "Worst Ever" series. Maybe we'll get more videos like this in the future.
  • "E3 is no longer relevant" such words hit the heart harder then I thought lol. I remember it was always a dream to one day save enough money to attend. Even if it turned out to be a terrible year for games you could at least take contentment with the fact you attended gaming's biggest event. Now that dread is just "dust in the wind dude"- Bill and Ted Lol.
  • I worked at a Verizon contracted call center and saw that phone and wanted it so bad. But it was a few hundred dollars and making only $8.50 an hour there was no way I could afford a phone and a plan. Verizon’s plans were so friggin expensive. Especially the data plans and they did throttle people though we were never to say that or we’d get written up. Such memories lol. 😂
  • @AtheistJr
    Wow, the level of detailed research for this video is commendable. Great job Shane, Adam, and Rerez crew. 👍