Here’s a fun fact: The majority of the smartphone
apps made and sold today are games. Lots of people, it seems, are
spending lots of time at play on their phones. The same will
undoubtedly be true with Windows Phone 7, which is shaping up to be one
heck of a portable game machine.
The Games hub is the place to
play on your phone. The hub is divided into four areas: Collection,
Spotlight, Xbox LIVE, and Requests. Collection is where all your games
are kept. Spotlight is a feed, providing game news and tips. The Xbox
LIVE area is where members will find their gamer profile, including
avatar, gamerscore, and achievements. Finally, Requests is where you’ll see invitations to play or reminders from opponents that it’s your move.
Playing a Game
There
are two ways to play on your phone. You can play solo or against other
people. Games you download from Marketplace all show up in Collection
within the Games hub. You won’t find them in the Apps list.
14.10.1. Play a Game
On the Start screen, tap Games.
Find the game you want to play, and then tap it.
Tip:
Pin a favorite game to the Start screen. Press and hold the title you want to pin, and then tap Pin To Start.
Responding to Requests
Windows
Phone 7 supports multiplayer games, so you can play against other
people. Initially, the only kind of multiplayer game you’ll be able to
play on your phone is turn-based games. Microsoft has said there won’t
be any real-time multiplayer games, but that may change in the future.
Until then, your friends can send you invitations to play and remind
you that it’s your move.
1. Answer a Game Request
On the Start screen, tap Games.
Flick left to Requests to see if a friend has invited you to play with them.
Tap the invitation to accept it and start playing.
Tip:
If you don’t have the game installed, tap the invitation to automatically search for the game in Marketplace.
