Nokia has launched its N-Gage internet gaming service, allowing videogames to be downloaded directly through Nokia mobile phones.

The Finnish handset giant made the announcement through a blog post on the N-Gage website. The post said: “The games, the devices, and the community are all here for you to finally get your teeth into. The Forums are back up and the new N-Gage application is here”.

Nokia claimed it chose to launch the application through the N-Gage website in order to satisfy the “N-Gage faithful”. But the company added that it will make an official announcement on Monday.

N-Gage requires Nokia handset users to download the application, but so far, the service is only available for the N81, N81 8GB, N82, N96 and N95 8GB. Nokia is also planning to launch N-Gage for other phone models, including the N73, N93 and N93i.

Several videogame publishers, including Electronic Arts, have signed agreements get their games onto N-Gage, and Nokia reckons up to 30 games will be available by mid-2008. Asphalt 3: Street Rules and World Series of Poker Pro Challenger are already available, while Fifa 2008 and Worms World Party are “coming soon”.

More information about the N-Gage platform is available online – here.