Nokia Launches Ovi Maps Racing Game

Owners of a Nokia mobile phone have now yet another appealing game that they can try out on their devices, namely the new Ovi Maps Racing from the Finnish handset vendor, which has been just released via the Ovi Store. The title comes as a location-based mobile game that offers players the possibility to navigate and access their location, and they create a track and race around the neighborhood.

The game uses actual map data by NAVTEQ and benefits from the GPS technology of the mobile device, a new post on Nokia Press Bulletin board notes. The Ovi Maps Racing game is set to offer users the possibility to create a racing track with their own physical location, regardless whether they are at home or at the office. Easy to use touch control makes the gaming experience an enjoyable one, in addition to having three racing cars to choose from.

The new game has been developed by RedLynx, a leading developer of connected games for handheld consoles and mobile phones. All Nokia touch screen devices that run under Symbian^1, including the Nokia N97 mini and the Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition, can now access the new Ovi Maps Racing via the Ovi Store, it seems. “We had a chance to create a completely new type of mobile game with Nokia, which utilizes real life maps” says Tero Virtala, CEO of RedLynx. “As with previous titles developed for Nokia, Ovi Maps Racing has really allowed us to augment our knowledge pool.”

Other features of the new game from Nokia, in addition to the creation of personalized tracks based on one's location, also include the possibility to race in offline mode, not to mention that one can customize the tracks with the available in-game maps. A number of 20 pre-defined tracks are also included in the game, offering users the possibility to race in well-known European cities, such as Berlin, Amsterdam and London.

The game is available for download for free from the Ovi Store for a limited period of time. The post on Nokia Press Bulletin Board also notes that the new Ovi Maps Racing game has been shortlisted by the International Mobile Gaming Awards (IMGA) as a nominee in the category of “Excellence in Gameplay.” However, the winners of the IMG Awards will only be announced at the MWC 2010 in Barcelona on February 15, 2010.