Metroid Prime's first foray onto the handheld comes across as a positive experience. Though it is lacking in some areas, it compensates with superior graphics and multiplayer game play.
MPH has two main modes, Adventure and Multiplayer.
Single Player Mode:
MPH has two main modes, Adventure and Multiplayer. In the adventure mode, you play as Samus Aran, a bounty hunter on an assignment from the Galactic Federation. The mission is to go to the Alimbic Cluster, to find a so called 'ultimate power' and either secure it or ensure that it does not fall into enemy hands.
As the game progresses, you will encounter other bounty hunters who are also searching for the power. By defeating them, you will unlock them to play as in multiplayer mode. In each area, there are three artifacts that must be acquired by defeating enemies and solving puzzles. However, MPH focuses more on the fighting than previous Metroid Prime games, and there is very little of the puzzle solving which was so prominent in those games. Once you have obtained the artifacts, a portal will open that leads to the boss. As in previous Metroid games, you will have to acquire various special weapons, each with different capabilities. With each new weapon you acquire, you are able to access new areas by opening new doors and destroying force fields.
Compared to the single player modes of Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, MPH is somewhat lacking. The story is very simple, and the enemies and bosses are mostly just stronger repetitions of previous foes. There are only two different types of bosses (excluding the final one) and a somewhat small amount of normal enemies. Hunters' single player mode is still an enjoyable experience, but it isn't nearly on par with previous games.
Multiplayer mode:
The best part of MPH is in the multiplayer mode. MPH features single-card, multi-card, and wifi play. In single-card play, players who have a DS but not MPH can download the data and play a multiplayer match. Character selection is limited to only Samus, though. In multi-card and wifi play, however, there are 7 unique hunters to choose from, each with different abilities and alternate forms. Each hunter is more efficient with a certain weapon. When they use their weapon, it is more effective than when others use it, and it has special capabilities. Alternate forms, like Samus' morph ball, can be used both to attack (each one has a different way to fight) and to move through small areas. There is a wide selection of arenas from which to choose from, as well as various different modes and settings.
Overall, the multiplayer mode is awesome. With plenty of hunters to choose from, arenas to fight on, and people to play using the Nintendo Wifi Connection, MPH is the best multiplayer game I have played in years, possibly ever. It easily outdistances the other DS wifi games in both game play and design (Every player has their own Hunter's License that other players can view).
In conclusion, though MPH Metroid Prime Hunters may not live up to its Game Cube predecessors, it is still one of the best games for the DS, especially if you have the ability to play on wifi.
Other Areas:
Controls:
The control system in MPH uses a combination of the stylus to aim and the control pad to move. It takes a lot of getting used too, but once you get into it, it works great. It is a lot easier to aim with the stylus than it was in the Game Cube games, and you can move and aim at the same time. They took away the lock on feature, though, so it balances out in the end
Sound:
MPH has a very nice soundtrack. There aren't many spectacular tracks, but it all fits together quite well. The only problem I have with it is the announcer's voice. It is very difficult to make out what is being said most of the time. Luckily, nothing it says is necessary to the game.
Graphics:
MPH has excellent graphics for the DS, and it also makes use of CG movies. The movies are spectacular, but most of them are fairly short, with the intro and ending being the only ones of significant length.
Scores:
Gameplay: 9/10
Single Player: 7.8/10
Multiplayer: 10/10
Sound: 9/10
SFX: 8.5/10
Music: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10
In-game graphics: 10/10
CG Movies: 10/10
Metroid Prime Hunters Overall Score: 9/10
If only the single player mode had been better, MPH would have been the best game on the DS, but as it is, I have to say the Mario Kart still tops my list. Though MPH's multiplayer far outdistances MKDS, it lags behind in single player.
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