Astro Boy games will be available for Java-based mobile phones, Nokia announced today, after Tezuka Production, Astro Boy intellectual property owners, selected Nokia's SNAP Mobile to develop and distribute the mobile versions of the game. Based on the Japanese manga character from the 1950's, two brand new Astro Boy mobile games will be released next year: Astro Boy Game Flight and Astro Boy Reversi.

Astro Boy is a Sci-Fi manga series originally created by the well-known Japanese manga artist Osamu Tezuka, regarded by many people as the "god of manga". Designed by Doctor Tenma, the head of the Ministry of Science, to replace his deceased son Tobio, Astro Boy is a robot boy that becomes a crime-fighting and evil-destroying hero.

"Delivering Astro Boy to the mobile market through SNAP Mobile means we can bring a connected experience that will allow fans to interact with one another," said Mr. Koji Miyajima, Media Force Ltd, Mobile games IP license holder. "SNAP Mobile is known as a trusted platform with global reach, and we are certain we chose the right method to deliver Osamu Tezuka's most prized creation."

"By bringing Astro Boy to mobile games, fans will have access to discover one of Japan's most famed heroes through a more convenient channel - their mobile device. Working together, SNAP Mobile and Tezuka Production are taking the Astro Boy to a global mobile community," said Antoine Doumenc, head of Nokia's SNAP Mobile.

Astro Boy Game Flight will offer players the chance to fight crime in space, on land and sea, each unique environment bringing different challenges. The SNAP Mobile platform will give gamers access to community features like rankings, friend lists or chat. With Astro Boy Reversi players will take advantage of SNAP Mobile's community features, like multiplayer gaming to challenge other players from all over the globe.

Astro Boy Game Flight and Astro Boy Reversi will be available for download in Europe starting 2008.