The Daily Grind: Do you play any mobile MMOs?

Pocket Legends -- Screenshot originally submitted to One Shots by Mark S.

A guildie of mine and I were discussing phones this week, and we came to the joint conclusion that for us, mobile gaming, especially the mobile MMO market, is no draw at all when it comes to our phone selection. Unlike Beau, who writes Massively's mobile gaming column, MMObility, I don't relish the thought of playing any serious MMO while peering at a tiny screen or trying to make a character run around with an awkward swipe of my finger. I'll play a little single-player time-waster to, well, waste time, but deep gaming is reserved for a big comfy chair and a jumbo-sized screen. I certainly wouldn't tailor a phone or slate purchase around gaming.

And yet the mobile gaming market is exploding, so someone out there must be playing these wee little MMOs, like Pocket Legends, shown in tablet form in the above screenshot. In fact, these games might just be the perfect snack while you're trying to surreptitiously get your game on at family holiday events or while waiting in an endless shopping line. So are you a mobile MMO gamer? And if so, what mobile MMOs do you play?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

Reader Comments (23)

I may be ignorant, but I think all mobile MMO's are terrible. Even browser based MMO's are better.

There are two companies, one got an article on Engadget, about a device that can hook up to your phone/IPad/Mobile device and hook up to your big TV so you can play "large and in-charge". (I can't find it; there is no sub to it; it's just a doohickey that connects your device to your TV for the price of the device).

Not sure on the controller, but I am positive you'd probably still have to use your phone/device, but you can just look at it as a pre-Wii-U type of thing.

Knowing me, I may be inclined to carry one around, if I were to visit a friend/relative and wanted to get some big-screen gaming going and work on my online stats (as per MMORPG).

But to answer, currently, not so much. I have NintendoDS and various portable systems from console manufacturers (PSP, etc.). I may get an IPad and try for either a Samsung Tablet or Asus Transformer. A bit of toy and a bit of comic reader and a bit of "let's try to sketch on the thing". Of course, I am a guy and I like such electronic doohikeys.

I do play Star Lengends and Pocket Legends on my Droid X but long play times does cause some eye strain for me. But Star Legends can now be played on the PC via Chrome browser and soon Pocket Legends should be able to also.

I do though use mobile MMOs to burn time when I am not at home, unfortunately they eat up the battery quick too.

I've tried Pocket Legends on my android tablet, and I couldn't stay engaged. Chatting in text without a keyboard felt awkward, and the gameplay and controls were too basic.

This week I've been playing Vendetta Online, which plays the same on my tablet as it does on my desktop. Again, I find the touchscreen controls to be pretty limited, but my 'droid has a USB port so I can just plug in my keyboard and Naga and play normally.

Still, after the novelty wears off I go back to my laptop or desktop. I might use the tablet for a few easy escort missions or a bit of mining, but when I sit down and get 'serious', I want better input controls and a bigger screen.

No, I don't. Are they good?

No and I don't intend to.

Mmorpg's are games I want to play comfortable and immerse myself, mobile games rather make that impossible for me, so nah.

Not yet... but I will when they are much much better, and completely free.

Ick. Yeah, I tend to stay away. I might do a mobile console one, but phone games I have a hard time playing even the simpler single player ones for long.

The closest I got was trying out Phantasy Star Portable 2, which technically isn't even an MMO. I suppose I also tried out Shadow Cities on my mother's ipad, but since I don't ever intend to own any Apple devices, it doesn't look like I'll get to play it again.

The money grabbing monster that is star legends eats up several MG on my vegacomb tablet, and i have played a tiny bit of it at work when bored but otherwise no i haven't found any to play on my tablet bar that

Having seen the tegra tablets power and the release of things like the unreal engine for them its only a matter of time though. I must admit nothing has pulled me in yet though

Just a quick point but all those people with children i know seem to be letting the little monsters play on the tablet/phone so maybe that makes up a fair few numbers.

No appeal. Want raw computing power on ultra settings. Gief high settings.

I have played and may still occasionally play Star Legends and that on my tablet, would not play it on my phone.

For me it is loosely associated with what I usually consider MMOs, but not the same thing. It is an action game that happens to share some features with MMOs really.

Order and Chaos is a surprisingly high quality and fun (if derivative) full featured, open world MMO. I played it for quite a while.

It was the game that showed me that a Tablet interface COULD be done well for a 3D MMO. I was shocked at how intuitive it was.

That being said... as an MMO it has a few problems. The way they incorporated PvP really made griefing commonplace and irritating. So much so that I quit.

But things may have changed since then. Haven't been following it.

I fire up Star Legends once in a while on my HTC Sensation (runs awesome) and my daughter is addicted to it - she plays from her Vizio Tablet. I also play Star Legends in Chrome.

I love the game for some quick action and it's much more polished and user friendly than Pocket Legends is.

I played Outer Empires for 2 years across iOS and browser, it was a full player driven economy spaceship based sandbox.

It was great to be able to dip into the universe wherever I was. Unfortunately it closed down last month.

Order & Chaos is fantastically made, great on iPad, shame I find themeparks dull, if you like WoW you should check it out.

No, and no wish to do so.

I've been known to sling my desktop around during my frustrating bouts of BG's in WoW at times. But I'm not sure that constitutes as playing a mobile MMO...even though it's game being played on something that's moving. :(

No. Its bad enough what they are doing to MMOs in general.

Never even been interested in them. All I want to waste time with on my phone are simple games like Wurms.

Order and Chaos is by far the best one out there IMO. Movement takes a little getting used to but once you get the hang of it, its very solid.

Is very much like WOW on your phone.

Should do a review on it.

-Howry

Hi I Play Pocket Legend Constanly I started on An IPod Touch and Loooovvvveeeee it it's a Brilliant Game I think One of the Best Out Their !!! I Nevere thought Anything about the Size of the Screen for a Long Time Over a Year Of Playing, Then I got the IPad 2 And Oh My God The Graphics In this Game Are Brilliant the Game Play Is Even Better If That's Possible I Connected up the IPad to my TV & Mirrored the Game But No much Point had to keep looking down to the IPad, I Really think Lots Of People Are Missing Out On a Great Game Just because it's On Mobile Devices It has the Best Community, The Devs Are Always On F/B And the Forums they Never Leave Anyone Hanging They Do Lots Of Great Offers on Holidays And Sale Of the Day !!! Just My Humble Opinion But I Think This Is A Lot More than Something to do When You Have 5Mins Or on Holiday or Shopping, And Lots Of People Are Missing Ou On The Best Game Out Their, If your Not up for Play Legends Give Star Legends A Go I can Assure Anyone They Won't Be Diisapointed Also It's Free What More Can I Say !!!

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The Daily Grind: Do you play any mobile MMOs?

Reader Comments (23)

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 8:37AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 8:50AM Space Cobra said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 9:06AM drsinister said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 9:08AM Borick said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 9:09AM Bramen said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 9:14AM smartstep said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 9:24AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 9:45AM myr said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 9:54AM PacketBurner said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 10:08AM dudes said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 10:09AM Sente said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 11:03AM Pingles said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 11:53AM Ripper McGee said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 12:16PM Ref Minor said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 12:41PM Seffrid said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 1:59PM Utakata said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 2:23PM oxlar said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 6:34PM Tristik said

Posted: Nov 26th 2011 10:20PM Howry said

Posted: Nov 27th 2011 8:21AM RosBud said

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