All About N-Gage - Next Generation Ready

Yes, the Nokia N95 DOES have gaming keys

Published by Tzer2 at 22:46 UTC, June 3rd 2008

If you run N-Gage games on a Nokia N95, its multimedia keys automatically turn into gaming keys equivalent to those on the N81 or N96. There still seem to be a lot of people unaware of this, or even claiming that we're mistaken, so we've done a very short video showing this feature in action. Click here to see it...

We can't guarantee this will work on all the regional variants of the N95, but it should at least work on the N95-1 / RM-159 (the original version) as that's what we're using in the video.

We've heard mixed reports about the N95 8GB though, some people say its multimedia keys work as N-Gage gaming keys, but others say they don't. Can anyone shed some light on this issue, preferably someone using an N95 8GB with the latest firmware?

Anyway, here's the video. There are no hacks at all, no special setups, no redefining of keys. It's just a standard N95 running a standard N-Gage game through the standard N-Gage application:

 

Categories: Hardware, Games
Platforms: Series 60, N-Gage, S60 3rd Edition, N-Gage

News Discussion

argh
Works fine on my N95-1 (rebranded to EURO1). I thought this was pretty well known, as a lot of the games default to 270 degree rotation - it was the first thing that I tried!
fernando20
But you have to admit, gaming with those flat keys sure is hard.
Unregistered
It's worked in my N95-8gb!
V20.0.016
28-02-08
RM - 320!
Nokia N95 (05.01)
mcpezza
The keys, or key work with Creatures of the Deep on my unbranded N95 8Gb (0558787) if used in the default screen orientation. Nothing with the trial version of FIFA 2008 though.
Unregistered
im surprised it has taken this long to figure it out! its no secret the multi keys can be used in ngage games + fifa08 (full version) works well with the multi keys.
2more
Its a pity that it uses only 2 of 4 multimedia keys... :(
Unregistered
now for Nokia to use the 3D accelerator (MBX) on the N95....
fyatwyrio
The media keys don't work for N-GAGE on my N95-3. I have the latest firmware. I also only have the option to 'rotate left' the display for some reason. I can't get it in the orientation pictured where the d-pad is on the left.

V 20.2.011
13-05-08
RM-160
Unregistered
At last a use for those silly multimedia keys,does anyone use them at all?
They are horrible to press and will drive you up the wall gaming with them.
Nokia please give on your next phone, no double slider, no side buttons and make the shutter button the pad center like every other phone
Unregistered
They work great on my n95 - didnt know about it until the AAS article last week though. As to the previous post I use the multimedia keys all the time, my N95 is my main music player so when i have a large playlist on shuffle and it comes to a song i dont feel like listening to, slide the phone and click next; or pause if i need to talk to someone. as for camera keys its far easier to use the key on the side LIKE A REAL CAMERA SHUTTER as apposed to center joystick.
My mate has an n95 8gb - ill check with him to see if multimedia keys work on his
krisse
Quote:
It's worked in my N95-8gb!
V20.0.016
Thanks for the feedback! So why do some other people with N95 8GBs claim it doesn't work? Operator branded firmware? Regional variants of the hardware?


Quote:
The keys, or key work with Creatures of the Deep on my unbranded N95 8Gb (0558787) if used in the default screen orientation. Nothing with the trial version of FIFA 2008 though.
Hmm... interesting. So it may be a software issue to do with particular games themselves?


Quote:
im surprised it has taken this long to figure it out! its no secret the multi keys can be used in ngage games + fifa08 (full version) works well with the multi keys.
We did already publish stuff about this a while ago in our "N95 as a gaming device" review but there are still people who claim it isn't possible, so this video proof seemed an appropriate way of showing that it does work.


Quote:
But you have to admit, gaming with those flat keys sure is hard.
They're not as immediately useable as the N81 gaming keys, but IMHO you do get used to them, or at least I did. :-)


Quote:
Its a pity that it uses only 2 of 4 multimedia keys.
Well, the games have to be designed for two gaming buttons because some phones (the N81, the 5320) only have two gaming buttons. It's not that bad though, most of the games barely use the second button (and technically you don't actually need the gaming buttons on COTD because the d-pad button does the same thing).

Someone suggested allowing the other two buttons to be redefined as personal shortcuts (for example mute sound or stuff like that), which might be an interesting idea.
Unregistered
On my n95 8gb(n95-2) they work and i've never even upgraded my firmware im still on like v10 something.
malerocks
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
On my n95 8gb(n95-2) they work and i've never even upgraded my firmware im still on like v10 something.
Why? Dont you want the improvements that Nokia has brought in the n95 with firmware updates???
Zii
Well this is nothing new to me. I have discovered this and posted on my blog months ago.

Here’s the link:
http://voiceofteenagers.blogspot.com...or-n-gage.html

Anyway, congratulations on discovering it, i’m sure you’re enjoying the N-gage experience much more than before.

One thing i notice is that on my N95-1, the buttons are a little stiff (even after i sent them to NSC for a replacement recently). Making my fingers and wrists a littel sore after gming for too long. I guess Nokia didnt really give console-like gaming comfort much tought into their design.
krisse
Quote:
Old news... Well this is nothing new to me. I have discovered this and posted on my blog months ago.
It's nothing new to us either, we've posted about this before too (see our N95 All About N-Gage page for example), and I'm sure many others have.

The reason we're posting this video is there are still so many people who are unaware of this feature, or who claim we are mistaken. The video seems to have settled the matter. :-)

As for the "old news" comment, the fact that this story got thousands of viewers yesterday alone, was our top-rated item, and was linked to by quite a few sites and forums (including Nokia's own WOM World and official N-Gage blog), shows that a lot of people were clearly unaware of this gaming button ability.

If most people don't know about something important, then it's well worth repeating. There shouldn't be this "old news!" snobbery, it doesn't help anyone.


Quote:
I guess Nokia didnt really give console-like gaming comfort much tought into their design.
The N95 was designed two years before the N-Gage platform even launched, they probably didn't have gaming in mind at all when they designed the N95 multimedia buttons.
Unregistered
works good on my N95 8GB
Unregistered
I think this depends of game, if the game has support for the keys then they work?
Unregistered
It does work for my N95 8Gb, but sadly, having only two keys make it of little use for Fifa08 (one needs at least shoot, pass and run ;-). I did not get the comment on a post above that the keys are technically not needed because the d-pad can do the same, so I'd be grateful if someone could suggest a solution to this issue of being only able to use 2 keys - thanks!
R
Unregistered
My N95-4 unfortunately does not let you use the multimedia keys for gaming. They just play music whenever I try and use them in the N-Gage app. The feature is most likely disablde by the Rogers branded firmware.

19 Comments / Post New Comment

Copyright Notes || Contact Us || Privacy Policy