The History of Snake: How Nokia Changed Gaming

In an era dominated by 4K graphics and ray-tracing, it is hard to imagine that the most influential mobile game of all time was nothing more than a pixelated line moving across a monochrome green screen. Yet, Snake is arguably the "Super Mario" of mobile gaming—the title that started it all.

Origins: It Didn't Start on a Phone

While most of us associate Snake with Nokia, the concept actually dates back to a 1976 arcade game called Blockade. It was a simple two-player game where the goal was to survive longer than your opponent without hitting the wall or your own tail.

It wasn't until 1997 that a Nokia engineer named Taneli Armanto was tasked with finding a cool little app to show off the processing power of the new Nokia 6110. He adapted the arcade concept, and history was made.

The Nokia 3310 Era: A Cultural Icon

When the Nokia 3310 launched in 2000, Snake II became a global obsession. It wasn't just a game; it was a social currency.

• The Controls: The tactile click of the '2', '4', '6', and '8' keys.
• The Features: Snake II introduced walls you could pass through (the "infinity" effect) and bonus bugs to eat.
• The Legacy: It is estimated that over 350 million people played Snake on Nokia devices worldwide.

Why It Still Matters in 2025

Today, the "Retro Gaming" market is huge. Modern versions like Snake '97 and Slither.io prove that the core gameplay loop is timeless. For developers and gamers alike, Snake represents the purity of gameplay over graphics—a lesson that many modern "pay-to-win" games could learn from.

If you are feeling nostalgic, you don't need to buy an old phone on eBay. You can play verified versions of these classics right here in our Classic Collection.