In recent times, mobile games have gained popularity for providing personal entertainment on the go. This popularity has mobile gaming playing a pivotal role in revenue generation for the cellular carriers, game publishers, and handset makers, while generating numerous opportunities for game developers and associated professionals. With the number of mobile gamers around the world expected to reach 220 million by 2009, the mobile gaming business is projected to expand to higher levels and constitute a bigger portion of the profit pie for the cellular carriers and handset makers.

Mobile games can be classified into three broad categories:

• Embedded games: Games that are hardcoded into the mobile handset's system and shipped with it. Soon to be outdated/obsolete. Example: Snake, shipped with all Nokia phones.
• SMS games: Games played by sending text messages—for example, SMS to game server—that process them and sends back the result through SMS. Often in the form of live contests and polls. Not very popular because the cost of gaming increases with each SMS sent to the game server.
• Browser games: These games are played using mobile phone's built-in microbrowser (net browser for mobile devices), either in online or offline mode. Players can play such games online through their cellular carrier's or a third-party game provider's game Web site, or download them for offline gaming. This category includes a wide range of games, such as solo or multiplayer games, network games, offline games, arcade games, and so forth

Among these three categories, browser games are today's most popular type of mobile games for their innovative and multimedia-rich content, appealing presentation, and lower cost of gaming compared to SMS games. This article discusses the development of browsing games. Throughout the story, the term "mobile games" refers to "browser games."

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