User Reviews (1 - 11 of 27)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Pinball video games get no better than this one!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 39 / 42
Date: November 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Metroid Prime Pinball (2005.)

INTRODUCTION:

Metroid. The series is one of the finest ones Nintendo ever created, despite a relatively small number of games. Just the same, though, the series has remained consistently popular and has always had a huge following amongst Nintendo fans. With the arrival of the Nintendo DS, gamers were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Metroid Prime: Hunters, which would be a first-person shooter for the handheld in the style of the two Prime titles that came before on the Gamecube. Unfortunately for gamers, that title got numerous delays. On the good side, though, Nintendo was able to come up with a rather creative way to hold gamers over until the arrival of the first-person shooter - A Metroid pinball game! Pinball video games have been hit and miss, but Nintendo is the company who has made the best ones out there, over the years. How do they fare this time around? Read on for my review of Metroid Prime Pinball.

OVERVIEW:

Metroid Prime Pinball was released in America in the Fall of 2005. The game was released only for the Nintendo DS system, and retails for approximately thirty-five dollars American at the time of release. The game features traditional pinball-style gameplay, fused with some unique elements you won't find elsewhere.

REVIEW:

Pinball games have always been a questionable breed. Who really wants to play a pinball video game when they can just go to an arcade and experience the real thing? Well, Nintendo is the company that crosses that line and makes pinball video games worth experiencing. Kirby's Pinball Land, both Pokemon Pinball games, and Mario's Pinball land were all great handheld pinball video game experiences. And now, Nintendo has outdone themselves! Read on, and see my comments on the game.

-THE STORY:

Essentially, this game takes plotlines from the Gamecube Metroid Prime games, and lays them out in a new pinball game style. So, essentially, this game doesn't really focus on a unique story, but more on the gameplay itself.

-THE GOOD:

-NINTENDO HAS SUCCEEDED ONCE AGAIN AT MAKING A FUN, WORTHWHILE, PORTABLE PINBALL GAME! If you've played any of those aforementioned pinball games by Nintendo, you know that they make the best pinball video games on the market. This one is no exception to the rule.

-EXCELLENT GRAPHICS THAT ARE TRUE TO THE GAMECUBE METROID PRIME GAMES. Many elements of this game are ripped right from the Gamecube games, and the DS uses its graphic hardware very well on this game.

-EASY TO LEARN AND TOUGH TO MASTER. These are the best kind of video games out there. The controls are extremely easy to learn and to use, and you can pick them up in just a few minutes. It doesn't take long to get the hang of this one. But it doesn't stop there. The game gets harder and more diverse as you go along, keeping the experience fresh all the while. It's easy to learn, but it's gonna take a lot of time and effort to master this one.

-METROID INNOVATIONS! This is the thing that makes this game uniquely a Metroid game. Despite being a pinball game, it's a Metroid game all the way through. The ball is Samus in Morph Ball form, and she can drop bombs to destroy enemies! Likewise, enemies can destroy you - unlike normal pinball games, your ball is alive in this game (it's Samus after all), and she can be destroyed if you're not careful! I said it once and I'll say it again - only Nintendo knows how to take an age-old concept like pinball and keep it fresh!

-MULTIPLE TABLES. The game features a variety of locales from the Metroid Prime universe, and all of them stay true to their Gamecube counterparts. As such, despite its being a pinball game, the game is uniquely Metroid all the way through. Each tables has its own obstacles, foes, and all sorts of other things to deal with, keeping the experience fresh!

-IF PURCHASED NEW, THE GAME INCLUDES A NINTENDO DS RUMBLE PAK ACCESSORY! This accessory fits right into the Game Boy Advance game port on your DS, and it works surprisingly well. It definitely works better than those damn Game Boy Color games that had a rumble feature built in.

-THIS IS THE GREATEST PINBALL GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED. Combine tried and true pinball gaming with the innovations only Nintendo could serve up to the genre, and the end result is a gaming masterpiece that will give gamers the best of both worlds!

-THE BAD:

-MINOR CONTROL ISSUES. The touch screen usage in this game is definitely among the weakest in a DS title. You CAN NOT use the touch screen in menus. The only time you can really use it is on a table, to shake the table. And you MUST use the touch screen for this. Why couldn't they just assign a button for it?

-THE GAP BETWEEN SCREENS CREATES SOME SMALL PROBLEMS. Nothing big, but it's definitely going to be noticed after you play the game a few times.

-IT WON'T HOLD YOUR ATTENTION FOREVER. Granted, all pinball games suffer from this flaw, so this isn't entirely this particular game's fault. Still, it will keep you occupied longer than any other pinball game.

OVERALL:
Overall this game is a triumph for video game pinball. Never before have I played a pinball video game so excellent and innovative. If you like pinball and/or Metroid, this game will give you the best of both worlds. Don't hesitate to give this one a whirl if you're a fan of either one of those factions!

EDITION NOTES:
Not a lot to say here. At the time I write this review, the game is readily available in stores all around America that carry video games. If you want the game, you really should have no trouble finding yourself a copy.

Metroid Between The Bumpers

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: December 10, 2005
Author: Amazon User

There happens to be so much going on with the handheld world these days. Nevertheless, the guilty pleasures from the arcades always find a unique way of creeping into some great games, especially from pinball. That has been the case with Nintendo during the past year. For Nintendo's Game Boy Advance, they really hit it big with the success of Mario Pinball Land. It just really brought to life the adventure pinball franchises again. That has also been the case recently with Nintendo's DS system. They had to find a great way to conjure that pinball action again, and it is right here from the brinks of Samus.

Metroid Prime Pinball for the Nintendo DS brings out all the action of the Metroid series, and the uniqueness of pinball. The game offers all sorts of great action with unique different tables that range from traditional, to battle-style matches. The graphics in the game are truly remarkable, and absolutely bring out some of the most remakrable gameplay for a video pinball game ever. The controls for the game also are very simple and easy to operate. While there happens to be little to nothing with the stylus attachment that can be of use here, it doesn't change the fun. The game also makes full use of the Nintendo DS rumble pak, which is also featured as a attachment with the game, by bringing all the action with each motion of the bumpers. While you sometimes lose some motions when you lose sight of the Samus ball, especially for when it turns back into Samus, especially for the boss battle tables. Although it is on some, but not all the tables, it can be a bit of a hinderence.

Nevertheless, many times when it comes to video pinball games, Metroid Prime Pinball for the Nintendo DS is a great buy, and a must have for anyone who is into the need for a classic case of pinball mania. I loved playing this in Toys R' Us, and I can't wait to own it soon. I also hope you do the same thing too.

Graphics: B+

Sound: B

Control: A-

Fun & Enjoyment: A-

Overall: B 1/2+

Highly addictive, but not enough of it.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: February 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

It doesn't make much use of the touch-screen feature of the DS but the dual-screen fits perfect for the tall nature of a pinball table (though there is annoying unseen space between them).

I've never played any of the other Metroid games but I do know that the main character can turn into a ball. You play that ball in this game (or just control the flippers that move it) and the tables are brilliantly done and are full of wild features. However, there are only 2 main tables, with a couple of extra bonus tables. Which is a bit of a let down since they could have crammed loads of crazy environments on there but we only get 2.

Yes the game is very, very addictive but since it's so short it will only have a limited lifespan. Pick it up cheap.

Graphics A-
Sound B
Gameplay B
Lasting Appeal C

First DS Metroid game an unexpected gem

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: December 22, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I've never really understood entrepreneurship and risk-taking. It's too, uh, risky for my tastes. Luckily, I'm not the one in charge of developing games for Nintendo, because once again they've completely blindsided me by taking one of their top franchises, Metroid, and mixed it with a completely random genre, pinball, creating a game that is simply one of the best of its kind. My first thought was, "Who wants to play a Metroid pinball game?" Well, I sure as hell wanted to once I tried the game out for the first time. After that, I was hooked. One pinball session turned into ten, minutes turned to hours, and as I learned the ropes...er, ramps of Metroid Prime Pinball, I've been made a fan.

In the game you roll through seven of Metroid Prime's different environments to collect artifacts and eventually destroy bosses like Omega Pirate, Meta Ridley, and Metroid Prime. Of course, in typical Metroid style, you'll collect power-ups and backtrack through the different levels in order to progress. This makes the game quite challenging, but most pinball video games have a steep difficulty anyway.

In order to collect these artifacts, you have to complete challenges that are almost always involved with destroying a certain number of enemies in a limited amount of time without sending your ball into the gutter. These challenges get pretty difficult but maintain a level of excitement as you try to kill off as many enemies as possible without losing a ball. Essentially that's what it always comes down to. I was surprised that my blood was pumping while playing a pinball video game, but it's that gripping and it's that exciting.

I'm really impressed with the graphics and the sound that come from Metroid Prime Pinball. Nintendo almost perfectly captured the look and feel of the GameCube classic, from the wet-looking, rainy Tallon Overworld to the powdery, snowy Phendrana Drifts. Even the tiny enemy sprites look and act just like their slick GameCube counterparts. Of course, they make the exact same sound effects as well while the game's atmospheric music pounds in the background. Somehow a 2D pinball game captures the same feel as a super-detailed first-person shooter. It sure caught me off guard.

I've mentioned it several times that I can't believe I enjoyed a pinball game so much, but it's really not all that surprising when you consider how well it captures the feeling of the source matter, Metroid Prime. Once you're finished with the final boss in the game's Multi Mission mode, there's the score-based Single Mission mode and a Wireless Multiplayer mode. That's all there is, so unfortunately there aren't many different modes of play. The Multi Mission mode is difficult but once you get the hang of the different levels, I'd say it only takes a few good sessions before you've completed the game. Still, this is the best pinball game you're going to play for a very long time. Even after one play-through, you'll want to play it over and over to get the highest score you possibly can. That's the charm of pinball, and Metroid Prime Pinball does it perfectly. Check it out if you're a Metroid fan, you might find yourself as addicted as I was.

Two great themes that may not be that great together

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 13
Date: March 05, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Have you ever wondered if Samus' morph-ball form would give developers some crazy idea? I think this should answer your question unless what you wanted to know was ... never mind. It's not appropriate for this website.

Sure, I like pinball, and yes, I like at Super Metroid and Metroid ZERO Misson. I also like red salsa and ice cream, but I wouldn't pour salsa over my ice cream. Do you see what I'm getting at?

Granted, this game is fun. Why else would I give it four stars? It's got the look and feel of a pinball game, it rumbles with the black GBA-looking cart that comes with it, and you can even tilt the table by touching the screen.

One of the main problems I have with this game is a problem that cannot be helped. Well, it could be helped, but it would reduce the realism of a pinball board. Since Nintendo wanted a long board without having to scroll, the top screen shows the upper half of the board, while the bottom screen shows the lower half. That leaves a small invisible space between the two screens that is there but is never seen. It's not a big problem, but it can sometimes leave you with blind spots when you're trying to aim in shoot mode.
There is another problem with the game that also can't be helped unless you have big hands. Otherwise, learn the value of your pinky fingers for now is when you need them the most. They'll support the bottom of the DS while your index fingers press the shoulder buttons. Or you could just press two of the face buttons, but what fun is that?
My third problem with the game is that I don't like having to deal with attacking enemies while I try to stay on the board. That's what I meant by two good things not really being great together.
This is still a Metroid game, however, and most people wouldn't bother with it if it didn't have the extra spice. I wouldn't change a thing. On the other hand, I wouldn't develope a pinball game with a theme from an action game either.
If TetrisPhere didn't turn you off, neither should this.

Like I said, this is not a bad game. I did buy this game ... sort of. I chose it as the free game at an offer from a store. It's not perfect, but it's good enough to buy, especially with the included rumble pak.

Great game... once you get used to it...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: August 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game a couple of months after it had been in the stores and I'm glad I waited. I had just gotten over the loss of my Pinball of the Dead game when I saw this in Sears for $17. I thought "hey! it's a pinball game for the DS! And it comes with a Rumble Pack!" and I'm glad that I bought it. This game, just like any other pinball video game needs time to get used to the gameplay. At first, you can barely keep the ball from going through the paddles, but thankfully they have a force field between the paddles ever so often so that you don't loose your ball as easily. This is a great pinball game for anyone, and my only 2 complaints was that the Rumble Pack could've been used a little bit more, and that they should've made it easier for first-time players.

Innovative pinball

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I'm going to try and keep this review short. I think part of what makes this game so fun is how smoothly it integrates the game experience and imagery of Metroid Prime with pinball. The sound on this game is topnotch and is icing on the cake of a very fun pinball experience.

The tables and goals can be rather challenging, which is a good thing. I have yet to open up the other tables for play, but it is already a very enjoyable game. I have a feeling that young players may not be as enthralled playing this game as both screens are taken up with the rather statick pinball tables. However, for slightly older players, and especially those who are pinball fiends, there is a lot of enjoy and a good amount of depth and variation.

As a second or third game to own for the DS, this is a definitely sweet game.

NOTE: This game also comes with a Rumble Pack for the DS. It is inserted in the GBA slot of the DS. It is rather noisy in my experience and doesn't provide the more solid rumble feel of the Gamecube controllers or even the standard GB. However it is a good tactile enhancement for the DS. Chances are it will not be offered in conjunction with other games (probably just offered seperately).

Metroid prime pinball VS mario pinball land.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 16
Date: October 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Last year, Nintendo and Fuse made one of companie's almost sucedded pinball game for the game boy advance. The game was called mario pinball land. Mario pinball land wasn't a big hit like super mario 64/DS and mario pinball land didn't do too well. So that meant that there will be no sequall for mario pinball land at all. This year, Nintendo and Fuse has made a new pinball game for the nintendo DS. This game is called meteroid prime pinball. In this game, Samus Aran is the pinball this time. You can also shoot at enimies in Samus's human form. This game is great compared to the last year's mario pinball land. It has a high score rating, so that means there is a possible remake. Now I will compare this year's metroid prime pinball with last year's mario pinball land.

Graphics: Trully beats mario pinball land's graphics by alot. The details are excellent on metroid prime pinball. The graphics are trully sharper, faster and great looking.

Enimies: Well more desinged than mario pinball land's enimies. The enimies are at first easy than they get hard. Alot of enimies have minds like the machene pirates. Many enimies are desinged not to just be hitted by the pinball. Some are accurtate enough to throw you between the flippers. And you can shoot at all enimies that are varnable to missles and shots. And you can drop bombs at enimies like metroids.

Music: Trully awsome. The best to me so far is the pirate attack music. The music is really awsome compared to mario pinball land's music.

Bosses: Many of your favorite prime 1 bosses are back in metroid prime pinball. Some bosses are still awsome like Metal ridley. Each boss is desinged differently from each other. Unlike in mario pinball land, you can shoot at the boss's weak point when you have enough weapons and you can drop any kind of bomb in ball form at bosses.

Contrulls: They are desinged much better than mario pinball land's contrulls. One of them is tricky but not painfull. The shack feature is back in metroid prime pinball which was absent in mario piball land and was in pokemon pinball 2:Ruby and saffire.

Mini games: There are enough mini games to keep you busy. One of them is pirate attack which is my favorite mini game so far. They are not painfull like some of mario pinball land's minigames. Like in mario pinball land where you have to get all of the stars, you need to get all of the attifact peices in metroid prime pinball to advance to the last levles.

Protection: It actually works much better in metroid prime pinball than it did in mario pinball land. In metroid prime pinball, theres this purple electricy that will pervent you from falling off for a limated time. It covers 100% of the gap for a limated time.

Boards: There are seven diffrent boards that are big compared to mario pinball land's boards. They are desinged well. I think some are trully awsome like the chozo artifact temple.

Nintendo and Fuse did a great job on this game, It is popular and hpoefully in the future they will make a sequal. Right now, be happy that they did a much better job this year than last year. Until than, Bye!

Another innovative game for the DS

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: December 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I'm not a big fan of long reviews. You can read about the game and a "professional" review some place else. You've come here because you're looking to buy and wondering what other normal people think. Well, we all knew the DS was going to be an interesting platform when we bought the thing - otherwise we would have gotten PSPs.

That said, there are a handful of games that make the DS really shine - Mario Kart, Mario 64 DS and now Metroid Pinball. The system and the game go so well hand in hand that it's quite an experience. The premise is simple and if you've played any of the Metroid games, will make sense. Samus was made to be a pinball. That's it.

Get this game. It's well worth it.

great pinball game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: May 31, 2006
Author: Amazon User

this pinball game is great. it has a lot of fun effects and a worthwhile strategy that'll keep you coming back over and over. Lots of things to do and wonderful little soundtrack.

Review Page: 1 2 3 Next 

Actions