Welcome to the 98th issue of the GBAtemp Recommends Revival Project! This is a weekly feature where we talk about some of our past favourites. Some may be famous, others have been ignored when released against larger titles but all are a worth your time.
Even if the Nintendo DS is only a generation old, I think there are already some titles that need re-recommending. Metroid Prime Hunters was dabbled with at the beginning of the DS era then promptly forgotten, first in the form of a demo with Metroid Prime Pinball and later into a shooter-type game. The game was forgotten quickly probably due to the fact that Hunters was considered a miserable failure. Nintendo was able to rectify some of the situation with a spin-off of the Prime series with a well-done pinball game.
Most pinball games are pretty simple and straightforward, with nothing too surprising. Whack the ball here, get points, whack it over there and get more points. Metroid Prime Pinball is a bit more in depth than your average silver ball machine. There are the usual multipliers, ramps, lights, and bumpers. You can choose to play a specific table and earn a high score, like a normal pinball game. Where Prime Pinball shakes things up is with Adventure mode. You pick one of two tables to start. After completing a certain number of challenges, anywhere from fighting space pirates to fending off stray Metroids, you advance to another table, collecting artifacts as you go. When you collect all of them, you are taken to a special table where you activate the artifacts one by one while trying to steer clear of Ridley.
While it is still true that Samus spends most of her time as the morph ball, there are lots of other element thrown into the mix to make up an interactive experience. You fight off bats, space pirates, stray Metroids, and collect artifacts by wall jumping mini games. Bat fights require you to stand stationary in the center of the table and shoot the bats as they swarm towards you. Take too many hits and you will fail the challenge. Space pirate fights consist of pirates appearing around the board and firing missiles at you. All you have to do is whack Samus into them with the flippers. The tough part is getting Samus into the right lane to hit them. Artifacts can also be gathered by doing the wall jump challenge (Pirate Frigate) or the Phazon bugs (Talon Overworld). There is also a multiplayer table that alloys you to play head to head with a friend and compete for a high score. The multiplayer table does not require any skill, so anyone can play and win without prior knowledge of the game or franchise.
This is also one of the very few games that comes with a rumble pack. While it doesn't make or break the game, I always liked the little rumble, even if it does drain my battery quicker. It is a unique little add-on that adds a more organic feel to the experience.
If you want to submit a game, please let me or Hadrian know first and we'll discuss it.
For a look at all the games we have covered, please visit our Wiki page for a complete list with links.
