Remembering mobile Java games

In the days before the iOS and Android mobile games we enjoy today there were mobile Java games, simple titles you downloaded to your phone by texting a code or a word to a mobile number (the cost for the game was billed to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your pay as you go credit) and in return you’d receive a link to download the game.  I seem to remember most titles costing between £3 and £5 but I could be wrong.

The games themselves were quite simple by today’s standards but there was still a decent amount of fun to be had.  My favourite games were always those made by Gameloft, in particular the excellent XIII, a shoot-em-up with great comic book style graphics which, even on a small phone screen was hugely enjoyable.

Java mobile games were promoted everywhere - in newspapers, magazines even on TV but the advent of the iPhone and the titles available saw it’s eventual demise.

And the best thing is that if you own an Android phone, tablet or emulation handheld it’s still possible to play Java mobile games to this day, simply download one of two available J2ME emulators from the Google Play Store, do a Google search for ‘java mobile games’ (there are plenty of sites that have them), download the titles you require, copy them to your device and away you go, pure mobile gaming nostalgia!   

I have to say it’s a real treat being able to play XIII again after all these years!