The Ratchet & Clank series has always made use of a variety of quirky weapons, and this version takes its duty seriously. Other familiar movement techniques we noted were wall jumping, rail grinding, and grappling, although unlike the console games, you won't have to find any special equipment to execute them. Strapped to Ratchet's back, Clank is responsible for movement enhancements, like using his tiny robotic helicopter mechanism to make the pair hover. Even though the game is 2D, the sprites retain all the style of the full-blown 3D versions. The graphics are spectacular on Nokia Series 60 phones, like the 6620. It's a cute premise, and it's entirely consistent with the license, although you might wonder how so many evil robots made their ways into your phone, as well as whether or not you should be making an effort to get them out. To avoid capture, they sneak into your mobile phone, which is where the entire game takes place. The story is that Ratchet and Clank have been invited to test out Microcorp's new 'Biological to Digital Matter Transfer Computer,' but the friendly invitation ends up being a trap, and Ratchet and Clank are converted into digital images. Ratchet & Clank: Going Mobile is a tried-and-true platformer that retains all the essential elements of the original console game, with only a few concessions to facilitate familiar gameplay for fans of the franchise.

The grappling hook is one of many features faithfully adapted to this version. Sony Pictures Mobile is making an original Ratchet & Clank game for cell phones, and it's shaping up to be one of the most exciting games we've seen this year. While the fourth console iteration of Insomniac's popular Ratchet & Clank series seems to be charting new gameplay territory, fans of the classic platformer in search of new adventures need look no further than their mobile phones.

Ratchet and clank going mobile