--Nokia’s (NYSE: NOK) New N-Gage Pre-Release Next Week: Nokia will launch the new iteration of its N-Gage mobile gaming platform next week, with a “pre-release” version featuring “one or more” games available to owners of the company’s N81 handset. This sounds like it’s basically a trial run, as users will be provided an online forum in which they can give feedback and make suggestions about their experience (via N-Gage blog). This will likely include Creebies, a mobile pet style game that Nokia has announced will come out early next year through N-Gage. In the game you look after pets, which develop based on how much attention they receive, interact with other Creebies via Bluetooth and be sent to other people. (release)

--Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader Number Two on Verizon: Capcom and Fox Mobile Entertainment’s mobile game, “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” has climbed to the number two slot on Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ), displacing perennial bestsellers that have remained at the top of the mobile gaming charts for several years. The game, based on the popular Fox TV series, debuted as a top-ten-seller on several major U.S. carriers including Verizon Wireless, AT&T (NYSE: T), T-Mobile and Sprint (NYSE: S) (via release).

--Orange Portal Booster: Orange is rolling out an on-device games portal with the aim to address the issues of discovery and trialling. The portal will go across a couple of Sony (NYSE: SNE) Ericsson (NSDQ: ERIC) handsets in France and the UK, and is run by Mobile Scope. (Mobile Entertainment)

--Digital Chocolate Gets Greystripe Distribution: Ad-supported mobile games and applications distributor Greystripe has announced a deal to distribute free mobile games with games publisher Digital Chocolate. A selection of Digital Chocolate’s mobile games will be delivered through all 20 of Greystripe’s Catalog Platform partners in addition to GameJump.com, its free, ad-supported mobile game portal. Digital Chocolate will also earn money off of their content through Greystripe’s AdWRAP advertising network, which includes brands like Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), New Line Cinema, Progressive Insurance and Zagat (via release).

--Eidos Releases Mobile Version of Tomb Raider: Games publisher Eidos Interactive will release its game Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary on mobile phones. This is the fourth mobile version for the series (via release).

--iPhone Gets Blackjack: UK games developer Probability Gaming has created an iPhone version of the casino game blackjack. The game makes heavy use of the iPhone’s touchscreen; players, for example, tap twice on the screen to see their cards close up, and can drag and scroll the entire game with one finger (via release).

--Vivendi’s (EPA: VIV) Incredible Machine Wins Best Casual Mobile Game Award: Vivendi Games Mobile’s The Incredible Machine was named “Best Casual Mobile Game” at the Spike TV Video Game Awards (via release).

-- Orange Launches On-Device Game Shop: Orange has launched a new on-device mobile games catalog and shop, pre-installing it on two Sony Ericsson handsets in France and the UK, in hopes of improving the content discovery experience (via Mobile Entertainment).