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If you happen to be a veteran mobile gamer like us, you surely know that the Java platform is one of the main reasons why core mobile gaming is what it is today. More specifically, we’re talking about the Java Micro Edition. Introduced in 1999 by Sun Microsystems, Inc. under the name Java 2 Micro Edition, or J2ME for short, this software platform offered
The prevalence of Java ME isn’t as huge as it used to be, due to the fact that the devices running today’s most popular mobile operating systems (Android, iOS and Windows Phone) aren’t JME enabled. However, there are still over 2 billion of devices that support it in the world today, many of which are still in use. But nonetheless, here the top 10 java games of all time
10. Resident Evil: The Missions 3D (2005)
Resident Evil: The Missions 3D is a remake of the 2D mobile game Biohazard: The Missions, which was released exclusively in Japan in 2003. Featuring gameplay philosophy and mission structure similar to the aforementioned Devil May Cry 3D (not surprising, it was made by the same people), Resident Evil: The Missions 3D was an action-packed and suspenseful thriller of a mobile game that never gave its players a moment to relax. With over 150 missions, several playable characters, costumes, and other unlockables, this action horror mobile game kept us entertained for hours a time and to this day, it’s one of the most memorable Java gaming experiences we had.
9. Gangstar: Crime City (2006)
The original Gangstar game was a combination of the overhead (top-down) perspective from the first three GTA’s, and the action-adventure gameplay from the later GTA’s. It had a unique visual style, and for a 2006 mobile game, an impressive soundtrack. Gangstar: Crime City was also the first AAA sandbox mobile game and given the hardware limitations of mobile devices back then, it was revolutionary. Its two J2ME sequels, Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A. and Gangstar 3: Miami Vindication (which also got a 3D Android and iOS adaptation) weren’t really that much different
8. Final Fantasy (2006)
The only port on this list, Final Fantasy is possibly the best Java JRPG available worldwide. Although Namco Bandai released it in Japan in the now distant 2006, it wasn’t until 2010 that the fans of Japanese role-playing games in the west got to play it. As JME-enabled phones weren’t really mobile gamers’ top choices in 2010 anymore, Square Enix soon published the port of the PSP adaptation of the original Final Fantasy on the App Store, and by 2012, owners of Android and Windows Phone smartphones and tablets also got their versions of the said remake. Even though this RPG had more re-releases than most of you had birthdays, there’s a good reason for that – Final Fantasy is a timeless classic that no core gamers should miss, regardless of their age and genre preferences.
7. Rally Master Pro 3D (2008)
Rally Master Pro is, in our humble opinion, the best racing mobile game that was ever run on the Java platform. Showcasing the full power of Fishlabs’ Abyss graphical engine, Rally Master Pro is also the closest players can get to a JME-powered racing simulation. Its challenging physical model, numerous tracks, changing weather conditions, and a lengthy career mode worthy of a (at the time) handheld game ensured some of the fondest Java mobile gaming memories we have. Better yet, Fishlabs re-released the game on the iOS App Store in 2009. Although it is a bit outdated today, it’s still incredibly impressive that most feature phones available in 2008 were able to run it.
6. Townsmen 6 (2011)
German developer HandyGames decided to leave the JME platform with a bang by releasing the sixth installment of its popular series of real-time strategy mobile games in 2011. Townsmen 6 was built from the ground up for mobile devices and that fact was blatantly obvious on every corner: from the intuitive user interface and great tutorials to smooth gameplay suitable for playing on the go and a plethora of scenarios to play through, Townsmen 6 is our first pick when it comes to JME RTS mobile games. Oh, did we also mention that the game featured a random map generator and a sandbox mode? With all due respect to the excellent Townsmen (7), there’s nothing that game has on its predecessor besides better visuals. Luckily for today’s mobile strategy aficionados, an Android port of the said city-builder was released on the Play Store in 2012
5. Gothic 3: The Beginning (2008)
HandyGames are definitely best-known for their Townsmen series, but back in 2008 they proved that they’re also more than capable of creating a great role-playing game, even when their creative freedom was limited by the fact that the game is based on an already established franchise with a loyal cult following. Gothic 3: The Beginning answered a lot of questions the series’ fans had about the plot while also offering a fantastic action RPG experience wrapped in a semi-open world. The game ended up winning seven different industry awards and was praised by both the fans and the critics alike. It’s a shame that we’re probably never going to see this excellent RPG on modern smartphones and tablets because it’s one of the best spin-off tie-ins in the history of the video game industry. Still, we’ll keep on hoping
4. UFO: Afterlight (2009)
UFO: Afterlight is the king of mobile JME-powered tactical RPGs, period. The mobile spin-off of the 2007 PC clone of X-COM: UFO Defense was released two years later by the developer Pixalon Studios and GlobalFun and became a great hit on the market soon after it launched. Featuring the same mixture of turn-based combat and management elements like its older PC brother of the same name, core mobile gamers thrived in the complexity UFO: Afterlight offered while still remaining approachable to the genre’s newcomers. The game offered a lengthy single player campaign whose difficulty scaled perfectly, and its missions featured semi-destructible environments and surprisingly intelligent enemies which knew when to attack, when to fall back, and how to flank. Though an Android/iOS/Windows Phone port of UFO: Afterlight is unlikely, iOS gamers will be pleased to learn that a remake of its role model is going to be released on the App Store this summer. For more info, check out our coverage of XCOM: Enemy Unknown
3. Resident Evil Confidential Report File #1-4 (2003)
Shortly after releasing the aforementioned Resident Evil: The Missions, Capcom decided to offer mobile gamers a different Resident Evil game. Or, should we say “games”, as the Japanese video game company released a fully-fledged spin-off mini series titled Resident Evil Confidential Report. The thing that fascinated us when we first got our hands on the first “File” of this series was that despite turning to turn-based combat and isometric 2D environments, Resident Evil Confidential Report played very much like its older console brothers, minus the jump scares; scarce ammo often made players resort to (tricky) knife kills, old school puzzles were interesting enough to keep things varied and an intriguing original story made us push forward even when surviving became an extreme challenge. Originally released in Japan in 2003, this excellent series launched in the West in September of 2006, becoming an instant cult classic by the end of the year. The said series also spawned the quality Resident Evil: Genesis, which was its spiritual successor. Unfortunately, the adventures of a rookie RPD officer Tyler Hamilton and the FBI agent Naomi McClain are not on the market anymore and we can only hope that Capcom will decide to re-release them one day
2. Doom RPG (2005)
Another great mobile game spin-off of a popular franchise on this list, Fountainhead Entertainment and id Mobile (now id Software) amazed us with Doom RPG in 2005, when complex portable role-playing games were almost exclusive to handheld consoles. Featuring challenging yet rewarding gameplay, retro visuals, and a solid original plot, Doom RPG was an intelligently designed game that used all of the advantages of mobile phones while cleverly going around their limitations. Also, the graphical engine used for Doom RPG was also utilized for a number of other quality first person role-playing games, like Wolfenstein RPG, Orcs & Elves (which was so successful that it was ported to the DS handheld console), and of course – Doom II RPG, whose mediocre iOS port is available on the App Store since early 2010
1. Deep: Submarine Odyssey (2008)
Deep 3D: Submarine Odyssey (sometimes stylized as deep: Submarine Odyssey) was the actual predecessor of the most popular Fishlabs’ game to date, Galaxy on Fire 2. We’ve beaten this game more times than we can count and no two playthroughs were ever the same. Besides a solid plot, this hybrid between a submarine simulation and an action role-playing game featured complex microeconomics, ten different submarines, dozens of weapons, shields, harpoons, and upgrades, and over 200 of underwater stations, each with its own set of quests, side quests, merchants, and easter eggs. In total, one playthrough usually lasted over 20 hours, which is impressive even by today’s console standards. Whether we were hunting pirates, collecting lost cargo, escorting passengers, attacking convoys, fishing for sharks, or looking for that rare type of algae that we needed for producing a special dye that we then needed for manufacturing elite clothes, then looking for a station where those clothes would fetch the best price so that we could get that shiny new gatling gun and finish that challenging side mission where we get attacked and overrun by a dozen of dangerous rebels, Deep: Submarine Odyssey sucked us in like no other Java-based mobile game ever did, and for that – Fishlabs have our enormous thanks. We can only hope that one day, they’ll decide to make a sequel, or even just a remake of the said game for modern mobile devices.
source
The prevalence of Java ME isn’t as huge as it used to be, due to the fact that the devices running today’s most popular mobile operating systems (Android, iOS and Windows Phone) aren’t JME enabled. However, there are still over 2 billion of devices that support it in the world today, many of which are still in use. But nonetheless, here the top 10 java games of all time
10. Resident Evil: The Missions 3D (2005)
Resident Evil: The Missions 3D is a remake of the 2D mobile game Biohazard: The Missions, which was released exclusively in Japan in 2003. Featuring gameplay philosophy and mission structure similar to the aforementioned Devil May Cry 3D (not surprising, it was made by the same people), Resident Evil: The Missions 3D was an action-packed and suspenseful thriller of a mobile game that never gave its players a moment to relax. With over 150 missions, several playable characters, costumes, and other unlockables, this action horror mobile game kept us entertained for hours a time and to this day, it’s one of the most memorable Java gaming experiences we had.
9. Gangstar: Crime City (2006)
The original Gangstar game was a combination of the overhead (top-down) perspective from the first three GTA’s, and the action-adventure gameplay from the later GTA’s. It had a unique visual style, and for a 2006 mobile game, an impressive soundtrack. Gangstar: Crime City was also the first AAA sandbox mobile game and given the hardware limitations of mobile devices back then, it was revolutionary. Its two J2ME sequels, Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A. and Gangstar 3: Miami Vindication (which also got a 3D Android and iOS adaptation) weren’t really that much different
8. Final Fantasy (2006)
The only port on this list, Final Fantasy is possibly the best Java JRPG available worldwide. Although Namco Bandai released it in Japan in the now distant 2006, it wasn’t until 2010 that the fans of Japanese role-playing games in the west got to play it. As JME-enabled phones weren’t really mobile gamers’ top choices in 2010 anymore, Square Enix soon published the port of the PSP adaptation of the original Final Fantasy on the App Store, and by 2012, owners of Android and Windows Phone smartphones and tablets also got their versions of the said remake. Even though this RPG had more re-releases than most of you had birthdays, there’s a good reason for that – Final Fantasy is a timeless classic that no core gamers should miss, regardless of their age and genre preferences.
7. Rally Master Pro 3D (2008)
Rally Master Pro is, in our humble opinion, the best racing mobile game that was ever run on the Java platform. Showcasing the full power of Fishlabs’ Abyss graphical engine, Rally Master Pro is also the closest players can get to a JME-powered racing simulation. Its challenging physical model, numerous tracks, changing weather conditions, and a lengthy career mode worthy of a (at the time) handheld game ensured some of the fondest Java mobile gaming memories we have. Better yet, Fishlabs re-released the game on the iOS App Store in 2009. Although it is a bit outdated today, it’s still incredibly impressive that most feature phones available in 2008 were able to run it.
6. Townsmen 6 (2011)
German developer HandyGames decided to leave the JME platform with a bang by releasing the sixth installment of its popular series of real-time strategy mobile games in 2011. Townsmen 6 was built from the ground up for mobile devices and that fact was blatantly obvious on every corner: from the intuitive user interface and great tutorials to smooth gameplay suitable for playing on the go and a plethora of scenarios to play through, Townsmen 6 is our first pick when it comes to JME RTS mobile games. Oh, did we also mention that the game featured a random map generator and a sandbox mode? With all due respect to the excellent Townsmen (7), there’s nothing that game has on its predecessor besides better visuals. Luckily for today’s mobile strategy aficionados, an Android port of the said city-builder was released on the Play Store in 2012
5. Gothic 3: The Beginning (2008)
HandyGames are definitely best-known for their Townsmen series, but back in 2008 they proved that they’re also more than capable of creating a great role-playing game, even when their creative freedom was limited by the fact that the game is based on an already established franchise with a loyal cult following. Gothic 3: The Beginning answered a lot of questions the series’ fans had about the plot while also offering a fantastic action RPG experience wrapped in a semi-open world. The game ended up winning seven different industry awards and was praised by both the fans and the critics alike. It’s a shame that we’re probably never going to see this excellent RPG on modern smartphones and tablets because it’s one of the best spin-off tie-ins in the history of the video game industry. Still, we’ll keep on hoping
4. UFO: Afterlight (2009)
UFO: Afterlight is the king of mobile JME-powered tactical RPGs, period. The mobile spin-off of the 2007 PC clone of X-COM: UFO Defense was released two years later by the developer Pixalon Studios and GlobalFun and became a great hit on the market soon after it launched. Featuring the same mixture of turn-based combat and management elements like its older PC brother of the same name, core mobile gamers thrived in the complexity UFO: Afterlight offered while still remaining approachable to the genre’s newcomers. The game offered a lengthy single player campaign whose difficulty scaled perfectly, and its missions featured semi-destructible environments and surprisingly intelligent enemies which knew when to attack, when to fall back, and how to flank. Though an Android/iOS/Windows Phone port of UFO: Afterlight is unlikely, iOS gamers will be pleased to learn that a remake of its role model is going to be released on the App Store this summer. For more info, check out our coverage of XCOM: Enemy Unknown
3. Resident Evil Confidential Report File #1-4 (2003)
Shortly after releasing the aforementioned Resident Evil: The Missions, Capcom decided to offer mobile gamers a different Resident Evil game. Or, should we say “games”, as the Japanese video game company released a fully-fledged spin-off mini series titled Resident Evil Confidential Report. The thing that fascinated us when we first got our hands on the first “File” of this series was that despite turning to turn-based combat and isometric 2D environments, Resident Evil Confidential Report played very much like its older console brothers, minus the jump scares; scarce ammo often made players resort to (tricky) knife kills, old school puzzles were interesting enough to keep things varied and an intriguing original story made us push forward even when surviving became an extreme challenge. Originally released in Japan in 2003, this excellent series launched in the West in September of 2006, becoming an instant cult classic by the end of the year. The said series also spawned the quality Resident Evil: Genesis, which was its spiritual successor. Unfortunately, the adventures of a rookie RPD officer Tyler Hamilton and the FBI agent Naomi McClain are not on the market anymore and we can only hope that Capcom will decide to re-release them one day
2. Doom RPG (2005)
Another great mobile game spin-off of a popular franchise on this list, Fountainhead Entertainment and id Mobile (now id Software) amazed us with Doom RPG in 2005, when complex portable role-playing games were almost exclusive to handheld consoles. Featuring challenging yet rewarding gameplay, retro visuals, and a solid original plot, Doom RPG was an intelligently designed game that used all of the advantages of mobile phones while cleverly going around their limitations. Also, the graphical engine used for Doom RPG was also utilized for a number of other quality first person role-playing games, like Wolfenstein RPG, Orcs & Elves (which was so successful that it was ported to the DS handheld console), and of course – Doom II RPG, whose mediocre iOS port is available on the App Store since early 2010
1. Deep: Submarine Odyssey (2008)
Deep 3D: Submarine Odyssey (sometimes stylized as deep: Submarine Odyssey) was the actual predecessor of the most popular Fishlabs’ game to date, Galaxy on Fire 2. We’ve beaten this game more times than we can count and no two playthroughs were ever the same. Besides a solid plot, this hybrid between a submarine simulation and an action role-playing game featured complex microeconomics, ten different submarines, dozens of weapons, shields, harpoons, and upgrades, and over 200 of underwater stations, each with its own set of quests, side quests, merchants, and easter eggs. In total, one playthrough usually lasted over 20 hours, which is impressive even by today’s console standards. Whether we were hunting pirates, collecting lost cargo, escorting passengers, attacking convoys, fishing for sharks, or looking for that rare type of algae that we needed for producing a special dye that we then needed for manufacturing elite clothes, then looking for a station where those clothes would fetch the best price so that we could get that shiny new gatling gun and finish that challenging side mission where we get attacked and overrun by a dozen of dangerous rebels, Deep: Submarine Odyssey sucked us in like no other Java-based mobile game ever did, and for that – Fishlabs have our enormous thanks. We can only hope that one day, they’ll decide to make a sequel, or even just a remake of the said game for modern mobile devices.
source
