Metroid Prime: Hunters

Metroid Prime: Hunters takes the focus away from exploration and upgrades and more towards FPS multiplayer combat. The game also moves away from the isolation that Samus Aran has put up with in most other games, by adding new characters that will hunt or be hunted by Samus. These other hunters are: Noxus, Sylux, Trace, Spire, Kanden, and Weavel. Once again, the plot involves a mystical, enlightened race (known as the Alimbics) that has mysteriously disappeared. It takes place between Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

Hunters was originally only supposed to allow 1-4 players to play against each other locally and wirelessly. Originally intended to release in October of 2005, development on the game was extended, in part, to allow Metroid Prime: Hunters to work through Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection service to allow gamers to play against each other online. It was revealed at DICE 2006 that Metroid Prime: Hunters would be the first Nintendo DS game to feature voice chat. Voice chat will be available before and after matches.

A demo of Metroid Prime: Hunters (Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt) was included with the Nintendo DS at launch.

Metroid Prime: Hunters is rated Teen by the ESRB for Animated Blood and Violence.

Story
Samus Aran receives the following transmission from the Galactic Federation. Mission File 79109

"The secret to Ultimate Power lies in the Alimbic Cluster."

This repeating neural thread, originating from an uncharted region of the Tetra Galaxy known as the Alimbic Cluster, was recently intercepted and translated by Federation empaths.

1. Discover the meaning behind this mysterious telepathic message. 2. If the "Ultimate Power" can be secured, ensure Federation control 3. If the power cannot be secured, ensure that it remains secret or destroy it.

This operation must remain covert. The Tetra Galaxy is outside of federation-controlled space, and the Alimbic Cluster is a wild and uncharted region.

While we have kept our communications classified, we know other entities have intercepted the thread.

The lure of ultimate power will be irresistible to many, disposition of rival interests is presumed hostile.

Uploading known coordinates: She uses the coordinates to warp to the Tetra galaxy, but her warp signal is traced by another bounty hunter, Kanden. Presumably, five other Bounty Hunters (Noxus, Sylux, Trace, Spire, and Weavel) followed either Samus's or Kanden's ship to the Tetra galaxy. Samus follows the signal to its originating space station, where she learns that the Octoliths are the key to unlocking the Ultimate Power. She must then track down all 8 Octoliths to awaken the power, fighting off the Alimbic technology guarding them, and the other six hunters.

The Octoliths are the crystallized souls of Alimbic Elders that contain data for operating the Alimbic Cannon. But the cannon itself is not the 'Ultimate Power'. The cannon was used as a last resort by the Alimbics in their battle against Gorea. It fired a blast of antimatter faster than the speed of light, causing Gorea to be sealed within the Infinity Void that lies between dimensions. The Cannon was left so that the rift could be opened once more if a warrior had the power to defeat Gorea, and ensure it never escapes.

Metroids?
No there are no Metroids in this game. There are, however, 'Quadroids', four-legged creatures that do the whole face-latching thing that the Metroids did in the First Hunt demo, and look kind of like Metroids, but there are no "real" Metroids.But then why is it called Metroid Prime: Hunters? Mainly because it's an intersection within the Metroid Prime trilogy, a side-story rather than a continuation of the main storyline.

Phazon?
No phazon.

Chozo artifacts?
Nope. (I know!)

Multiplayer
Though Metroid Prime 2: Echoes featured a sort of tacked-on feeling multiplayer mode, MPH has been about multiplayer from the get-go. While its control scheme is more analog like PC shooters (as opposed to the lock-on system previous Prime games have used) it still pulls off unique gameplay with 'altforms' and it's wide variety of high-tech weapons.

Weapons
Each player starts off with the Power Beam and five missiles. The Power Beam is weak but has unlimited ammo. Missiles explode on contact and deal heavy damage, but consume missile ammo. Sub weapons consume UA (Universal Ammo) and must be found in the arena before they can be used.

Sub-weapons:
 * Battlehammer: A rapid fire mortar torrent.
 * Judicator: Shoots super-cooled particles that bounce off walls.
 * Volt Driver: Fires a slow moving but powerful electric shot.
 * Shock Coil: Connects the target to an inescapable electric current.
 * Magmaul: Fires a chunk of lava and rock that explodes when charged.
 * Imperialist: Shoots a lethal sniping laser. Can be used to zoom in.

Hunters
There are seven hunters to choose from. Each hunter has its own unique 'altform' that can be activated by touching an icon on the touch screen. Each hunter also has an affinity for a certain weapon, and obtains that weapon when they pick up the affinity weapon power up, or when affinity mode is on. They'll gain special abilities while using their affinity weapon.

Wireless
The wireless mode allows you and your friend to battle online. Only the owner can change Hunter when in single card play.

Friends and Rivals
Metroid Prime: Hunters is the first game to allow you to 'remember' people you randomly meat on NWFC. After fighting someone, you can check a box to add them as a 'rival', and if they agree you can continue to track their stats, and they can join in on "friends and rivals" games, but will be unable to communicate with you like friends can. In this mode, you can alter many settings and play modes, much like wireless mode.

Voice Chat
This is the first Nintendo DS game to use the system's built-in microphone for voice chat. The feature is only available in Friends and Rivals mode, and can only be used between friends, not rivals.

Ranking
Metroid Prime: Hunters is the first Nintendo Wifi Connection game to feature relevant game statistics on their website. You can now track your own stats, and the stats of your friends, your rivals, and your friends' friends, and the top players in the game.