Nokia has unveiled Space Shooter, a massively multi-player online game available on selected Java-enabled mobile phones through the handset giant's Snap Mobile service.

The firm promised that hundreds of thousands of mobile gamers will soon be able to take part in the "persistent online co-operative 3D game" which pits humanity against alien hordes from outer space.

Developed by Monkey Business, the game is set in an online world where players take part in a co-operative, ship-to-ship war against attacking aliens.

A live moderator keeps the game fresh by guiding the alien fleets and adding fresh star bases, alien nests and other challenges.

"Space Shooter breaks new ground by requiring players to team up in order to counter actions taken by the moderator," said Burt Sloane, 'top banana' at Monkey Business."

All online Java games currently created for the Nokia Snap Mobile platform are supported by Series 60 Java MIDP2.0 capable phones from Nokia, with handset support for other Nokia and non-Nokia handsets promised "shortly".

Lisa Waits, head of Nokia Snap Mobile, said: "Because our service can run on any carrier and Java handset our community of users has huge potential."

Space Shooter is expected to be available on mobile phones later this year.