Do you want a high-score with that?

Proletarian grill joint Burger King has announced its intention to broaden its brand into mobile phone games, to be developed by Mobliss and promoted in US branches.

The games will be (shock) burger-related, with the first requiring the user to complete tasks within a Burger-King-themed city in order to become the protégé of "The King": not Elvis, but Burger King's slightly-creepy brand mascot.

It's not the first time "The King" has been seen in a computer game: Sneak King for X-Box has the rubber-masked monarch sneaking around giving burgers to the starving masses, and was sold in-store for $3.99. For the less charitable (or more republican) player there's also the opportunity to beat the living shit out of the character in "Fight Night Round 3".

All of these are, of course, pale imitations of Mr. Wimpy - released in 1984 for the 48K Spectrum. Mr. Wimpy could take The King any day of the week (just as soon as he can get the volume set right on the tape player).

Plotting computer games around brand characters isn't new, but players will expect exceptional gameplay when they're asked to pay for what is, ultimately, an interactive advertisement.

The mobile games will be promoted in-store, on menus and such, with punters able to buy the games using an SMS shortcode. The first title should be available by spring next year. ®