Between the ages of 10-12 I had a really odd habit of tearing the advertisements out of gaming magazines and taping them to my bedroom walls to form a mosaic of marketing appreciation and game envy. I remember closing my eyes many a night to the ad for Miner 2049er (this one here) for the Atari 400 / 800. This is all coming back to me because today marks the release of Miner 2049er for mobile phones.

The game features both a faithful representation of the original computer game as well as an enhanced version featuring updated graphics, more levels, new hazards, and many other features you can find out by looking at the press release after the jump.

Miner 2049er was the bomb way back in the day, and while I'm not sure the gameplay can stand the test of time it is nice to see a classic older than the NES get a little play now and then. Warms me old cockles it does. Michael Fahey

1984's Video Game of the Year Goes Mobile

- Magmic's new Miner 2049er is two games in one. Can you dig it? -

Ottawa, Ontario - June 7, 2007 — Magmic Games, Canada's leading developer and publisher of mobile games, and the world's largest entertainment content provider for BlackBerry, today announced the immediate availability of 1984's Electronic Game of the Year, Miner 2049er™ for a wide array of cell phones and other mobile devices in North America, the United Kingdom and parts of Europe.

The new Miner 2049er is available today from Cingular, Telus, Bplay.com for BlackBerry handhelds, and will soon be on deck at T-Mobile, Sprint/Nextel, Rogers, Bell and more. True Bounty Bob fans are also invited to BountyBob.com, where a true eldorado of excitement awaits.

"Miner 2049er is a perfect game for mobile devices, and we spent a lot of time perfecting it for this platform," said John Criswick, Magmic CEO. "If you're a gamer who loves arcade classics like Donkey Kong and BurgerTime, then Magmic's new Miner 2049er will rank high on your must-play list."

Originally launched for Atari in 1983, Miner 2049er was the first cross-platform success story in video game history. It has the distinction of having beat out Donkey Kong as Video Game of the Year, and was the first game to be featured on the cover of Electronic Games magazine.

In addition to creating a pixel-by-pixel replica of the original, Magmic lead developer Wes Tam also invented an entirely new game, which is included in the price. It features ten new levels, brilliantly overhauled graphics, and a host of new hazards. Yet Tam and the Magmic team stayed true to the same game mechanics that made Bounty Bob a household name throughout the 1980s.

"The "classic" mode is incredibly faithful to my original Atari version, and the new "modern" look is glorious," said Bill Hogue, creator of the original Miner 2049er. "I love playing with the lift. I love the new scrolling function. Cool. Very cool. I am blown away by the new Miner 2049er!"

ABOUT THE GAME
Help Bounty Bob trail a dangerous desperado into an abandoned uranium mine loaded with hazardous radioactive wastes, deadly mutant organisms, and a whole minefield of dangers and tasks to perform-plus the deadline pressure of a ticking time clock that could end your life at any moment. Complete each stage by stepping on every inch of the area to change its colour and claim it as your own. Avoid those pesky radioactive creatures scattered about, or grab some mining gear and be rid of them.

GAME PLAY
There are ten screens in both the original and updated modes of Miner 2049er. It's not impossible to cover every inch of the mine, but it's not easy either. As Bounty Bob digs deeper into the caverns, the radioactive mutants multiply. Plus, you'll have to navigate elements like elevators, slides, and vats of deadly waste if you want to succeed.

The controls in this history-making game are simple yet responsive; even casual gamers can skip the instructions. Levels are well varied and each is designed to promote strategy and tactic-oriented thinking. In order to clear the later boards, for instance, gamers must decide whether it's time to grab some gear or take off down a slide.

KEY FEATURES
· Two different modes featuring vastly different adventures: Classic Mode: the original Miner 2049er in all its glory; and, Modern Mode: new graphics, levels, and brilliant, simple game play.

· Simple Controls: all aspects of grabbing, climbing, sliding and neutralizing radioactive enemies can be achieved with one button plus the direction pad.

· New hazards such as Radioactive Waste, Pulverizers, Acid Rain, Moving Platforms, Suction Tubes, Gravity Lifts, Utility Hoists, and Transporters.

· Networked High Scores: Players can challenge friends to post scores and participate in an online community that spans the globe.

· Beautiful 2D graphics, transitions and special effects.

· The original theme music, "Clementine."

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