In the catalog of Metroid games, Prime Hunters to me is like the perfect anthitesis to Other M.
Other M has an incredibly underwhelming narrative and presentation that is balanced by the really cool actions, gameplay and bosses.
Prime hunters on the other hand presents itself with an incredible premise and introduces so many snew stories and characters that are really cool and fit the Metroid universe, so much so that one of them apparently will come back in other Prime games.... but actually playing the game can feel to odd.
Just like in Other M, you are forced to move around in a 3D space by using the D-pad, and while it kinda works for Other M, it works way less for Prime Hunters unfortunately, and this coupled with the first person perspective can lead to some clunky and irritating moments.
THis games excell if played with other people (since you can have fun while both having the same clunkyness, but battling against CPUs can turn you mad in seconds.
That said.... I still liked it a lot at the time: it's not the same enjoyable experience from Ninteno's shooters (Kid Icarus: Uprising multyplayer is what this title should have been imo) but I will not mind if Nintendo tries a similar take to the Metroid series in the future.
....Or at least bring back Weavel, I freaking love Weavel he is my fave of the Hunters!
Other M has an incredibly underwhelming narrative and presentation that is balanced by the really cool actions, gameplay and bosses.
Prime hunters on the other hand presents itself with an incredible premise and introduces so many snew stories and characters that are really cool and fit the Metroid universe, so much so that one of them apparently will come back in other Prime games.... but actually playing the game can feel to odd.
Just like in Other M, you are forced to move around in a 3D space by using the D-pad, and while it kinda works for Other M, it works way less for Prime Hunters unfortunately, and this coupled with the first person perspective can lead to some clunky and irritating moments.
THis games excell if played with other people (since you can have fun while both having the same clunkyness, but battling against CPUs can turn you mad in seconds.
That said.... I still liked it a lot at the time: it's not the same enjoyable experience from Ninteno's shooters (Kid Icarus: Uprising multyplayer is what this title should have been imo) but I will not mind if Nintendo tries a similar take to the Metroid series in the future.
....Or at least bring back Weavel, I freaking love Weavel he is my fave of the Hunters!
It was aight... I WOULD'VE SAID THAT IF IT WASN'T SO GOOD.
Prime Hunters was an interesting attempt at putting an FPS on the DS. The problem is that's all it really is. It sideliens a lot of traditional Metroid elements that worked really well in the other Prime games and trades them for a set of much worse level designs and repetitive bosses. The only part of the game I particularly enjoyed was the Defense Outpost just before halfway in the game. It's definitely skippable, especially since the story is never referenced again despite its high stakes.
This is primarily a multiplayer deathmatch FPS game in a style of Quake and Unreal Tournament, with a Metroid Prime-like campaign attached on top, stitched together from multiplayer maps to various degrees of success. Still a fun experience, has some cool lore, introduces a lot of cool Hunters, but still. The main reason you want to be playing this is the multiplayer, as it is clearly the focus. Try it out if you have friends with DS consoles on them.
In some universe, Nintendo follows up on this with a proper remaster or sequel to capitalize on what good this game had.
Nobody plays these games for the multiplayer, so the target audience is a bit questionable to begin with, especially during an era where online gaming didn't hit that exact point of being commonplace yet and local multiplayer was still king. I think there's a place for a modern take on Metroid Prime Hunters because the game did get a lot right, and what it got right are things that gamers are more open to nowadays. Having a variety of hunters to choose from all with their own distinct weapons, movement options, unique weapon effects and whatnot doesn't create for a balanced play experience, but it sure creates for a fun one, especially for maps that range from enormous to impractically small.
It was Nintendo's stab at creating a competitive shooter back in 2006. Before they decided to get weird with Splatoon, Metroid seemed like an obvious choice even though most people playing Metroid games sought out solitary gameplay experiences and Metroid Prime Hunters had a lukewarm campaign at best.
But I think we're finally in a world where fans would accept a Metroid Prime spin-off, right? Right?pls ignore federation force
Nobody plays these games for the multiplayer, so the target audience is a bit questionable to begin with, especially during an era where online gaming didn't hit that exact point of being commonplace yet and local multiplayer was still king. I think there's a place for a modern take on Metroid Prime Hunters because the game did get a lot right, and what it got right are things that gamers are more open to nowadays. Having a variety of hunters to choose from all with their own distinct weapons, movement options, unique weapon effects and whatnot doesn't create for a balanced play experience, but it sure creates for a fun one, especially for maps that range from enormous to impractically small.
It was Nintendo's stab at creating a competitive shooter back in 2006. Before they decided to get weird with Splatoon, Metroid seemed like an obvious choice even though most people playing Metroid games sought out solitary gameplay experiences and Metroid Prime Hunters had a lukewarm campaign at best.
But I think we're finally in a world where fans would accept a Metroid Prime spin-off, right? Right?
The best multiplayer FPS to ever not be available for PC.
The rating is for the single player. Multiplayer gets 4 stars.
Metroid Prime is a series known for adapting the engrossing atmosphere and puzzle-like exploration of the 2D metroid titles into a first person, 3D perspective. It’s not known for its list of successful spin-offs. However, my potentially hot take is that this is the best of those spin-offs.
Hunters was designed as a direct response to the boom in multiplayer-focused FPS titles during the mid 2000’s. Evidence of this ranges from the multiplayer focus of Hunters to the “Headshot!” text that appears in-game when you make your mark. The multiplayer focus was the main marketing draw, promising local and online deathmatches and, at the time, exciting features like voice chat. To add variety, a cast of space bounty hunters with unique weapons, abilities, and morph ball-esque forms were introduced. Unfortunately, this aspect of the game can no longer be experienced the way it was designed, but my memories of this mode are very fond. Each hunter has a unique style of play and local matches were always a blast. These character designs are really strong and it’s a shame that they haven’t been used more since!
When playing alone, the promise of this game was a stripped back, handheld metroid prime campaign. Despite the technical limitations of the system, I think this was mostly delivered on. Some rooms feel repetitive and long hallways or slow doors often mask loading times, but given the game’s 2006 release, I still find it surprising how technically competent it is. Hunters takes a level based approach by having you visit several points of interest across the Alimbic System. Each of these areas feels distinct and the music enhances the sense of atmosphere in each of them. In each area, you’re tasked with unlocking a portal to the boss, defeating said boss, and escaping in a set amount of time. It’s simple, but functional, if a little repetitive (especially when it comes to the boss fights). Throughout these levels you may come across a hunter who you’ll fight or pick up one of the hunter’s weapons. The level based approach, mixed with the hunters and their varying weaknesses to the weapons give this the flavor of a Mega Man game. The missed opportunity here was not having the hunters themselves act as the boss for each mission.
This game is not for everyone. The controls are kind of wonky and the stellar quality of other Prime titles makes it a hard recommendation. Nevertheless, this is a unique take on Metroid Prime and doesn’t get the credit it deserves from fans of the series. Even though it’s highly unlikely, a Hunters sequel with full dual stick controls, a campaign that leans into the Mega Man vibes of the original, and a fully modern online multiplayer mode is something I want desperately. If you’re interested in what Samus was up to between Metroid Prime 1 and 2, I think you’ll find a fun distraction in Metroid Prime Hunters, and a multiplayer mode begging to be revived.
Hunters was designed as a direct response to the boom in multiplayer-focused FPS titles during the mid 2000’s. Evidence of this ranges from the multiplayer focus of Hunters to the “Headshot!” text that appears in-game when you make your mark. The multiplayer focus was the main marketing draw, promising local and online deathmatches and, at the time, exciting features like voice chat. To add variety, a cast of space bounty hunters with unique weapons, abilities, and morph ball-esque forms were introduced. Unfortunately, this aspect of the game can no longer be experienced the way it was designed, but my memories of this mode are very fond. Each hunter has a unique style of play and local matches were always a blast. These character designs are really strong and it’s a shame that they haven’t been used more since!
When playing alone, the promise of this game was a stripped back, handheld metroid prime campaign. Despite the technical limitations of the system, I think this was mostly delivered on. Some rooms feel repetitive and long hallways or slow doors often mask loading times, but given the game’s 2006 release, I still find it surprising how technically competent it is. Hunters takes a level based approach by having you visit several points of interest across the Alimbic System. Each of these areas feels distinct and the music enhances the sense of atmosphere in each of them. In each area, you’re tasked with unlocking a portal to the boss, defeating said boss, and escaping in a set amount of time. It’s simple, but functional, if a little repetitive (especially when it comes to the boss fights). Throughout these levels you may come across a hunter who you’ll fight or pick up one of the hunter’s weapons. The level based approach, mixed with the hunters and their varying weaknesses to the weapons give this the flavor of a Mega Man game. The missed opportunity here was not having the hunters themselves act as the boss for each mission.
This game is not for everyone. The controls are kind of wonky and the stellar quality of other Prime titles makes it a hard recommendation. Nevertheless, this is a unique take on Metroid Prime and doesn’t get the credit it deserves from fans of the series. Even though it’s highly unlikely, a Hunters sequel with full dual stick controls, a campaign that leans into the Mega Man vibes of the original, and a fully modern online multiplayer mode is something I want desperately. If you’re interested in what Samus was up to between Metroid Prime 1 and 2, I think you’ll find a fun distraction in Metroid Prime Hunters, and a multiplayer mode begging to be revived.
Making this game for the DS was a huge mistake, the controls just dont work, no auto locking making the game more frustrating than it needs to be, hand cramping is very real especially if you use original hardware like me.
This game supports the rumble pak, and playing this game on the first model of DS was nice, each time you get damage you feel the rumble working, but what's most impressive is the rumble enhancment of the cgi cutscenes when there are big explosions, so this is cool.
Overall I had a very bad time with the game, copy pasted areas, only 2 normal bosses copy pasted 4 times each.
Final boss was a breath of fresh air with his 2 phases if you go for the true ending, best thing about him is that you dont need to run away with a timer, something you do after each boss and that too is one of the terrible decisions the devs decided to implement, the runaway sequences with a set timer.
The hunters were just there with their bad AI, if you get defeated by them while figuring out the terrible controls, they steal your octolith so you need to defeat them to retrieve it, so that's... cool I guess?
I dont recommend playing this game, its a novel thing having a metroid "kinda" prime game on a ds, but nothing more than this, they shouldnt have made this game for the DS in the first place.
This game supports the rumble pak, and playing this game on the first model of DS was nice, each time you get damage you feel the rumble working, but what's most impressive is the rumble enhancment of the cgi cutscenes when there are big explosions, so this is cool.
Overall I had a very bad time with the game, copy pasted areas, only 2 normal bosses copy pasted 4 times each.
Final boss was a breath of fresh air with his 2 phases if you go for the true ending, best thing about him is that you dont need to run away with a timer, something you do after each boss and that too is one of the terrible decisions the devs decided to implement, the runaway sequences with a set timer.
The hunters were just there with their bad AI, if you get defeated by them while figuring out the terrible controls, they steal your octolith so you need to defeat them to retrieve it, so that's... cool I guess?
I dont recommend playing this game, its a novel thing having a metroid "kinda" prime game on a ds, but nothing more than this, they shouldnt have made this game for the DS in the first place.
I cant do the multiplayer so like the main appeal of this one is not there anymore
Gonna put this on hold for now. It’s alright and the multiplayer is cool as fuck (even if I’m just playing against bots). Just don’t play it for too long or you might develop early onset arthritis.
controls are a little weird but once you get used to them it's a surprisingly decent game and impressive that it was on the DS. The hunters are all goated.
Fun and long game considering its on the DS.
People really like to trash on this game but it’s genuinely a really fun game in the series, and is really impressive for the DS. There’s not as much of an atmosphere as in the prior to entries into the Metroid Prime series, but the game succeeds on everything it’s meant to be: a portable and innovative 3D Metroid game on the DS.
What if the early concerns about Metroid Prime turning Metroid into a boring FPS were warranted?
Honestly just skip this one.
Though I feel I should mention I'm left handed, which likely hampered my enjoyment. Not a comfortable game to play on top of being monotonous.
- - -
Recently replayed via emulation, and my opinion has softened somewhat. Turns out there is actually a left handed stylus option. But as I only ever had the loose cart and never checked the options like a dolt, I didn't know better.
Hunters upscales very well. On PC it's a serviceable Metroid themed action game. However collecting the full scanlog without a guide is inadviseable. Every miscellaneous scan object in the game is part of the log. Many of these "objects" are identical to surrounding level geo, except one in particular will have a scan-square attached to it. Lore scans are also often unmarked in the levels and only appear with the scan visor equipped.
Sylux is admittedly a cool design, and I'm wondering what Prime 4 has in store regarding him now.
Honestly just skip this one.
Though I feel I should mention I'm left handed, which likely hampered my enjoyment. Not a comfortable game to play on top of being monotonous.
- - -
Recently replayed via emulation, and my opinion has softened somewhat. Turns out there is actually a left handed stylus option. But as I only ever had the loose cart and never checked the options like a dolt, I didn't know better.
Hunters upscales very well. On PC it's a serviceable Metroid themed action game. However collecting the full scanlog without a guide is inadviseable. Every miscellaneous scan object in the game is part of the log. Many of these "objects" are identical to surrounding level geo, except one in particular will have a scan-square attached to it. Lore scans are also often unmarked in the levels and only appear with the scan visor equipped.
Sylux is admittedly a cool design, and I'm wondering what Prime 4 has in store regarding him now.
This one's weird to judge. The multiplayer was a fun Sorta-Kinda-Quake-Thing, almost like a hero shooter a decade before hero shooters took off. Each hunter has their special quirks and unique alt-forms, and there's something inherently cool about giving Samus a rogues' gallery of competing rival bounty hunters when she's not taking on her more personal/serious-business missions.
But in an era after Nintendo Wi-Fi is gone and Nintendo has still yet to rerelease this game, (and you're not using netplay or whatever), you're stuck with either playing against bots, or doing the single-player campaign.
And. The devs admitted it's an afterthought and it shows. This was apparently going to be a multiplayer-only game until they cobbled together a story mode that's very obviously made of hallways connecting multiplayer maps together. It's an ankle-deep Metroidvania, because basically the only upgrades in this game are the other hunters' beam weapons, and those are just glorified keys in a lot of cases.
Conceptually it's cool that you can run into the other hunters just randomly, but they're comically easy to ignore in some situations, and in situations where you HAVE to fight them, well, they're bots in a mid-2000s multiplayer shooter.
And god the actual bosses are so lame. The tower and the eyeball were already nothing to write home about, but then you realize you gotta fight both of them three more times after than and Jesus. Then of course after collecting The McGuffin Whatever, an escape sequence starts, except it's never clear what you're even escaping from. The planet's not blowing up or anything, and you just die randomly when you run out of time. What's Samus running from? Her performance anxiety???
It has its moments of atmosphere and having Metroid Prime on a handheld system in 2006 was nothing to sneeze at, but. Eh. S'alright.
But in an era after Nintendo Wi-Fi is gone and Nintendo has still yet to rerelease this game, (and you're not using netplay or whatever), you're stuck with either playing against bots, or doing the single-player campaign.
And. The devs admitted it's an afterthought and it shows. This was apparently going to be a multiplayer-only game until they cobbled together a story mode that's very obviously made of hallways connecting multiplayer maps together. It's an ankle-deep Metroidvania, because basically the only upgrades in this game are the other hunters' beam weapons, and those are just glorified keys in a lot of cases.
Conceptually it's cool that you can run into the other hunters just randomly, but they're comically easy to ignore in some situations, and in situations where you HAVE to fight them, well, they're bots in a mid-2000s multiplayer shooter.
And god the actual bosses are so lame. The tower and the eyeball were already nothing to write home about, but then you realize you gotta fight both of them three more times after than and Jesus. Then of course after collecting The McGuffin Whatever, an escape sequence starts, except it's never clear what you're even escaping from. The planet's not blowing up or anything, and you just die randomly when you run out of time. What's Samus running from? Her performance anxiety???
It has its moments of atmosphere and having Metroid Prime on a handheld system in 2006 was nothing to sneeze at, but. Eh. S'alright.
"Рубрика: незакрытые гештальты детства"
Худшая метройд-игра в которую я играл
Из плюсов: ну относительно неплохо перенесен основной Prime геймплей кор
Из минусов:
- абсолютное отсутствие исследования. Нам даётся 4 локации которые буквально кишка с одним отклонение в сторону. Метроидвания как таковая отсутствует. Беги-стреляй
- Боссы: ДВА БОССА, по 3 копии каждого с небольшими усложнениями. Nuff Said
- Бесконечные файты с охотниками и гвардианами к последней четверти игры начинают уже просто душить. Зашёл в комнату убил двух гвардианов - зашёл в следующую опять два гвардиана и так в половине комнат. Абсолютно наглейшее растягивание геймплея
- Управление, ну это отдельный разговор. Я честно не помню как оно чувствовалось на консоле ибо прошло уже 15+ лет,но на эмуляторе вам нужно либо три руки, либо очень длинный, гибкий и прокачанный член, либо показывать как мне чудеса эквилибристики с подхватом мышки в файтах для переключения оружия и обратного свапа на геймпад
Итого: 6\10. ПО факту 5, но это метроид, меньше не могу уж извините
Пройдена +- за 8 часов на тру концовку
НЕ ИГРАТЬ
Худшая метройд-игра в которую я играл
Из плюсов: ну относительно неплохо перенесен основной Prime геймплей кор
Из минусов:
- абсолютное отсутствие исследования. Нам даётся 4 локации которые буквально кишка с одним отклонение в сторону. Метроидвания как таковая отсутствует. Беги-стреляй
- Боссы: ДВА БОССА, по 3 копии каждого с небольшими усложнениями. Nuff Said
- Бесконечные файты с охотниками и гвардианами к последней четверти игры начинают уже просто душить. Зашёл в комнату убил двух гвардианов - зашёл в следующую опять два гвардиана и так в половине комнат. Абсолютно наглейшее растягивание геймплея
- Управление, ну это отдельный разговор. Я честно не помню как оно чувствовалось на консоле ибо прошло уже 15+ лет,но на эмуляторе вам нужно либо три руки, либо очень длинный, гибкий и прокачанный член, либо показывать как мне чудеса эквилибристики с подхватом мышки в файтах для переключения оружия и обратного свапа на геймпад
Итого: 6\10. ПО факту 5, но это метроид, меньше не могу уж извините
Пройдена +- за 8 часов на тру концовку
НЕ ИГРАТЬ
I have no idea how they managed to get this working on DS hardware, really good singleplayer. Probably one of the best Nintendo DS titles.
The Metroid Prime series of games is revered as some of the best FPS games of its generation and in some ways of all time. So, trying to recreate that magic on a portable system was a massive undertaking and to be fair they did get pretty close. Unfortunately, the control scheme of this game couldn't save it from being a frustrating and janky mess.
Honestly, it is the controls that are holding this game back completely. You are required to use the touchscreen to look around and the D-Pad to move Samus or any one of the hunters around. Holding the console while trying to play this game was very difficult and uncomfortable even as a child.
Other than that, the game has a pretty interesting story, new and unique characters, and a pretty solid multiplayer mode with Wifi capabilities. It is quite a novelty, but I cannot get over the control scheme at all. It is a game to check out, if only to see how they accomplished this, but other than that I don't think it is worth anyone's time.
Honestly, it is the controls that are holding this game back completely. You are required to use the touchscreen to look around and the D-Pad to move Samus or any one of the hunters around. Holding the console while trying to play this game was very difficult and uncomfortable even as a child.
Other than that, the game has a pretty interesting story, new and unique characters, and a pretty solid multiplayer mode with Wifi capabilities. It is quite a novelty, but I cannot get over the control scheme at all. It is a game to check out, if only to see how they accomplished this, but other than that I don't think it is worth anyone's time.
Ds download play
Single player was kinda whatever, but online multiplayer? HOLY SHIT. Amazing memories on it. Too bad it's not avaiable anymore.
Samus knows her colors.
It was a long time ago since i played this game. But I do have a happy memory of me and my friends playing this one lunchtime in school. I do remember it being fun.
Thank you for reading this world class review.
Thank you for reading this world class review.
the absolute definition of "neat but go away"
Sandwiched between the prime trilogy, its honestly hard to say what the legacy of this game will be compared to the other prime games that'll be loved to the end of time. But honestly, I think it deserves to be up there with the rest. Yeah the campaign isn't the same kind of huge planetary adventure like Prime 1-2, but putting the prime formula on a smaller scale to be played in shorter bursts is so fun to see. I've always had a huge respect for NST as a studio, and seeing them push the DS to its boundries, and take risks within the Metroid world to make the game they want to create is so admirable. And being Nintendo's first online multiplayer FPS? Come on, the game deserves to be remembered for that alone.
Playing this for too long destroys your hand
points for the novelty and multiplayer
No voy a poder sacarme nunca de la cabeza la secuencia de opening de este juego. La sigo escuchando de vez en cuando a día de hoy, de no ser por ella no le pondría más que un 3 a lo sumo. La mayoría de los bosses son literalmente o penes o glandes. Qué cojones se os pasó por la cabeza, panda de enfermos.
Entretenido pero con un control tan feo como golpear un bebe
The singleplayer is really not worth getting this game for. The main attraction of this game is hands down the multiplayer. So many hunters with various abilities, tons of modes, fun kill cam moments, I had a blast playing the multiplayer for this game. The controls are wonky and can take a bit to get used to but that doesn't matter much when you're blasting friends in multiplayer.