Nokia announced today that the launch of its casual games collection for Java-enabled cell phones is expected to occur later this year. The first four titles in the series, all powered by Nokia's SNAP Mobile service, are Blackjack, Dominoes, Backgammon and Shuffleboard. Java-enabled mobile phone users will be able to play these and many of their other favorite casual titles in real time with other users of Java-enabled mobile phones.

The Nokia SNAP Mobile casual game portfolio is developed by Tucson, AZ based Octopi using the Nokia SNAP Mobile platform to enable the connected features.  All of the games will feature connected multiplayer gameplay over the wireless network, a friends list showing which friends are online to play, instant messaging with these friends, a customizable online avatar profile and image, and an in-game token system that rewards players for playing online.  

"The Nokia SNAP Mobile tools have really let us push the limits of what can be done with these titles," said Dan Kopycienski, founder of Octopi. "Developing multiplayer games for today's fragmented landscape of devices and networks is a difficult task.  The Nokia SNAP Mobile platform and support from Nokia has allowed us to focus on what is most important: designing and implementing the best connected game experience possible."

The Nokia SNAP Mobile casual games are expected to be available on Nokia and non-Nokia mobile phones later this year.