No longer a standalone device, N-Gage is now the gaming portal of Nokia's new Ovi group of online services. "Ovi" means "door" in Finnish, and the company plans for Ovi to be a door to a variety of online applications. In addition to N-Gage, Ovi also includes a music service, online maps, and other social networking services.

N-Gage gives Ovi customers a way to try out, buy and download games to as well as access community services on supported smartphones. To access N-Gage services, users must download and install the portal as a standalone application first, which is what's now available for the XpressMusic 5320, N78 and N96.

Additional N-Gage-compatible smartphones - so far - include the Nokia N81, N81 8GB, N82, N95 and N95 8GB. According to Nokia, it will soon make N-Gage software client available for the Nokia N73, N93i, and N93 as well.

[via All About Symbian]