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Most Nintendo DS owners have already played Metroid Prime Hunters. A demo was packed in with a large number of DS consoles and for many people, that demo was the best game at the console’s launch. It showed off the DS’ graphical abilities and showed that playing first-person shooters using a stylus was both doable and fun. A few months have passed since then, and the newest version of the game is looking very promising.
The controls seem to have changed very little from the demo. You still control Samus using the d-pad for movement and the stylus for aiming, with the left shoulder button for firing and double tapping the screen for jumping. If you haven’t played the demo, this sounds rather awkward. In truth, it is – at least at first. It does take some time and a new grip on the console to get the controls feeling right, but they are great once you get the hang of them. There are also a number of other control methods should you not like the standard set up.
Upon starting the multiplayer game we were given the choice of four playable characters: Samus Aran, Noxus, Spire, and Kanden. Each character has a slightly different HUD while playing the game and each has a different second form. While Samus has her morph ball, the others change into rather different things, which to be honest, look far more dangerous than a ball – even if it can drop bombs. Still, it’s good to see that there is going to more to the character choice than whose name you like the best.
The First Hunt demo was no slouch graphically, and the latest build of the game looks even better. The environments are large and multi-tiered, colours are bright and the frame rate seems to be pretty smooth. Scattered throughout the levels are weapon pick ups; while we didn’t get to try out all of them, there appears to be a good variety on offer.
So, multiplayer is shaping up very well. The DS handles the large environments very well and the control is excellent thanks to the stylus – and the learning of a new grip. It doesn’t appear that the game will be one of Nintendo’s online enabled titles, which is a real shame, but the local WiFi support should still be great. We didn’t get to play any new single player components to the game, so that is still a pretty unknown quantity. If the game can ship with a lengthy and absorbing single player campaign as well as an entertaining multiplayer mode, this could be a real killer app for the DS this winter.
Check out our exclusive gameplay footage of the game.
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