Topic: Metroid Pinball DS, Metroid Prime: Hunters Delayed

[GoldenPhoenix]

Ian complaining? I am indeed shocked . Personally I am going to wait and see, it could be fun a blast, it wouldn't be the first time a mature themed game has been pinballized, House of the Dead was.

[mantidor]

O_o this is so awful, Mario is the type of franchise that fits anywhere just for its randomness, it doesnt feel odd to see a mario pinball, but most Metroid fans will be less than exited about this game, and in fact Im in the group that think this is blasphemy. It could be an outstanding pinball game, but it will never be a metroid game. Why they cant just invent a new pinball franchise? I dont think this decision will make the game to sell more at all.

[thepoga]

i would have liked nintendo to make a totally new pinball franchise though. Like Odama...

[Savior]

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Metroid pinball game?! Does anyone else see this as total blasphemy

It was posted already but yeah its not the first time i dont see the problem with it...  i have more of a problem with Hunters being delayed.. Its a game that needs to be releasd SOON

[Bill Aurion]

I'd rather Metroid Hunters be worked to perfection(with elements from Prime, such as scanning, and added morphball puzzles/races) than for it to be rushed...  

[Djunknown]

Metroid Pinball? After those morph-ball puzzles and mazes in Prime and Prime 2, no real surprise here. Let's see where they're going with this...

Maybe Prime Hunters will support De-Masked when its released? If so, that would make it a super-killer app. If not, its a missed opportunity. Already Sony has Teh Online as a viable option, whereas the Big N is twiddling their thumbs. Will E3 prove me wrong?

[Infernal Monkey]

"Nintendo's publishing a new game"
"I already don't like it"
"I haven't told you what it is yet, it's a Metroid pinball game"
"Oh, it has a Nintendo character in it? I don't like it"

What's the deal, yo? DS is crying out for some new games, here's one. Boo hoo it's going to have Metroid themed tables, that's awful. How dare Nintendo use the characters they've created in games that aren't epic bore-a-thons.

[Ages]

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Originally posted by: kingvudu
Is anyone else excited about the possibility of a metroid-themed pachinko mini-game?

eh, only if i can win up to $50,000 and a chance at the showcase showdown

[GoldenPhoenix]

I don't understand one of the poster's comment about this showing DS is the gimmick system and PSP is the true handheld. If I recall GB and GBA both had their share of pinball games, in fact one of the main reasons for portables is something you can pick up and play, which means it is nice to have games that are simple to get into. YOu don't need a billion platformers or action games, but simple pick up and play games are great too!

[Caillan]

This absolutely proves Nintendo will use their frachises for nothing but sales. We've had Pokemon Pinball, Maro Pinball and we're getting something original in Odama: this game has no relevance to the current market other than that it will sell on Metroid's new fame in America. The worst part about this game is that it's a waste no matter who's developing it: if it's someone like THQ it's a waste of a franchise and if it's someone Camelot it's a waste of talent.

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This is insulting, especially considering that Nintendo's characters aren't very likeable in first place.

Nintendo's characters are all fine. Link shouldn't be compelling. He shouldn't talk and he shouldn't cry, he should shut up and do what you say. In terms of telling a story, I feel few games have surpassed Majora's Mask or Chrono Trigger. Both games feature a mute main character but complex characters around them. Occasionally a 'big' decision will be made by Link or Crono, such as when Link is following Navi at the start of Majora's Mask, or when Crono kills himself in the underwater palace, but the little bits can be filled up by the player. Random grunts are fine because they express no emotion.

As for their designs, Mario is an Italian plumber saving a princess, and Link wears a funny hat and a green tunic. Samus is a stereotypical kitsch sci-fi bounty hunter, but she has unique abilities and is female, setting her apart from the cliche. Kirby is even more obscure in appearance. Nintendo has not one franchise character that is generic to behold.

[anubis6789]

I like pinball, I like metroid , I actually like my DS, I guess this is the game for me.

What saddens me about this is that after reading through most of the posts here I have come to the conclusion that most Nintendo fans have become elitest purist old men who are frightend of change with nothing better to do than to moan and groan about anything Nintendo does. I think the major problem that Nintendo has are us, the Nintendo fan.

Look at donkey Konga, everyone said that it was going to be stupid because it straied to far from the DKC formula. I think it turned out pretty good. Then everyone gets on Nintendo's case for letting EA use some of there characters in a few of there games when just having Link in Soul Calibur sold way more copies then I bet Namco thought would sell. I personaly think these are good things for Nintendo, It helps them get third party games to come out on the GCN and it allows these games to sell more than they would of without such bonuses, thus more third party support.

Sorry, just had to get that out, anyway I'm just a little upset about MP:H being delayed, but I would rather it be good than a thrown together peice of junk.

*EDIT* Also I would love for a game like metris to come out, and no I am not kiding!

[Caillan]

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What saddens me about this is that after reading through most of the posts here I have come to the conclusion that most Nintendo fans have become elitest purist old men who are frightend of change with nothing better to do than to moan and groan about anything Nintendo does.

This isn't anything new. This is an opportunuty to sell a game becasue it is associated with a franchise. Odama and Donkey Konga are new. Nobody here is bitching about Donkey Konga, and nobody here is bitching about Odama.

Link in Soul Caliber is fine because it fits: a guy with a sword and shield just fits in a fighting game. Also, Soul Caliber 2 had exclusive characters for each console, so Nintendo would have been missing out if they didn't allow the highly competent developer to use their character. I don't like Nintendo giving their characters to EA becasue EA is jerks.

[Mario]

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Link in Soul Caliber is fine because it fits: a guy with a sword and shield just fits in a fighting game.

Just like how Metroid fits with Pinball, since Samus can turn into a ball.

[anubis6789]

I would like to clear one thing up to anyone who thinks I like EA and the fact that they are using Nintendo characters.

EA is number two on my list of most hated companies, right after De Beers, and you don't even want me to go into that.

Who is to say that Metroid Pinaball won't be something new and inventive? we have no pictures no info outside the fact that EB has it listed.

It didn't really happen here to my knowledge but every other board I went to was like "Nintendo is teh DOOMED" after Donky Konga was anounced, and that is not even counting all the crap that was said when they showed off Metroid Prime, and when they anounced multi-player in MP2,  Wind Waker, Double Dash ect...

I'm just saying that people need to have a little faith, I mean everyone here wants everything to stay the same, but if everything did stay the same then everyone here would say that Nintendo is not inovative enough.

*EDIT* Har-har, I didn't know that if I used the word that begins with cel and rymes with Zelda that the board would turn it into I am a tremendous clownboat.. I am amused beyond words, and no I'm not being sarcastic, the forums got me, and it was a good one. Are there any other words that do this?

*EDIT* I also added a few things into the last few sentences of my post.

[Caillan]

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Just like how Metroid fits with Pinball, since Samus can turn into a ball.

Good point. I didn't say what I meant very well, here is a comparison: if a giant morph ball was unlockable as a replacement to the odama, that would be the equivilent of Link in SCII. A 2D fighting game set in the Zelda universe staring Link wouls be the equivilent of Metroid Pinball. A morph ball in a pinball game may be cool, but it doesn't need an entire game made around it, especially when there are so many pinabll games available or in development anyway.

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Who is to say that Metroid Pinaball won't be something new and inventive?

Maybe I just lack imagination, but I really can't see a pinball game fully utilising the DS' hardware. The touch screen could be used to draw parts of the face I guess, but that would be neither fun or significant to the gameplay. Wireless multiplayer and the microphone cannot be used effectively either, and the seperation of the two screens will probably make it less playable. I think this is the DS' main problem right now: a game like Super Mario 64 DS plays fine on it, but it doesn't offer anything new. After being promised a new and innovative way to control games, having to spend spending 20 minutes getting used to using the stylus didn't impress me, especially when it played better with an analouge stick.

[Hostile Creation]

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This is an opportunuty to sell a game becasue it is associated with a franchise.

This is not Nintendo making a pinball game and tacking Metroid on for sales.  This is Nintendo saying "Hey, morph ball this could make cool pinball" and developing a game from that point.  Believe me.

And I could think of plenty of innovativey stuff for a Metroid Pinball game and Nintendo will doubtlessly put more thought into it than me.

Edit: Also, Hunters has excellent control on the DS, so you're not going to get off insulting the DS by pointing out one factor in one game that isn't that good.  However, Odama with morph ball is awesome/funny.

[anubis6789]

I don't know why people keep dissing the controls in Mario 64 DS. I found using the thumb strap and touch screen as an analog input far more acurate and controlable then the stick.

Maybe I  am just weird or something.

I wonder though if Metroid pinball is going to be more like Pokemon pinball or Mario Pinball, I would prefer the former, although it my be like neither of them witch would be cool.

*EDIT* Forgot to put in something.

[Caillan]

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This is not Nintendo making a pinball game and tacking Metroid on for sales. This is Nintendo saying "Hey, morph ball this could make cool pinball" and developing a game from that point. Believe me.

Why? Nintendo have already made Pokemon and Mario pinball games that have little to do with their respective franchises. I'm not attempting to imply that this game will be bad, I just mean to say that they've done it in the past when franchises have become popular, and I believe they will do it again. If this game turns out to be a collection of levels similar to the morph ball areas in the Primes I will be impressed. If it's pinball with super bombs I will be much less so.

The DS was meant to show how new input devices can be used effectively. Pinball machines have incredibly simple input: left flipper, right flipper, and smacking the machine when the ball gets stuck. All of these functions can be emulated on the GBA.

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Also, Hunters has excellent control on the DS, so you're not going to get off insulting the DS by pointing out one factor in one game that isn't that good.

I like how Hunters controls. I actually forgot about the demo because only my EB has the demo unit; my store of preference has a Japanese DS with Super Mario 64 DS. My point is still valid, however: Super Mario 64 DS, as the big first party launch title, does not demonstrate how the DS can revolutionise input and interface. First of all, it takes a long while to get used to and secondly, even if the touch screen is preferable to an analouge stick for some it certinally isn't for others. Something like Wario Ware also needed to be available at launch.  

[KDR_11k]

They should make a Nintendo Pinball Collection instead where you have various tables themed after the various Nintendo franchises instead of making individual pinball games out of them. Especially since that would make a difference between somehow claiming that is actually Samus or Mario rolling around or just a ball painted like a morphball. Keep the tables as pinball tables, don't try to make them "believable adventures" because it just isn't believable.

[KDR_11k]

Screw the server.

[Nephilim]

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They should make a Nintendo Pinball Collection instead where you have various tables themed after the various Nintendo franchises instead of making individual pinball games out of them. Especially since that would make a difference between somehow claiming that is actually Samus or Mario rolling around or just a ball painted like a morphball. Keep the tables as pinball tables, don't try to make them "believable adventures" because it just isn't believable.

Sega tried that just 6-12months ago on the GBA with Sega pinball (spin ball?)
Really awful game with only 3 boards and Chao garden

The thing is about pinball games u need luck, on the sega one u had to hit a  little panel to move on within a time limit
I really cant see how they can get around that
Im guessing your going to have to get power up to beat bosses, meaning u have to hit the death ball panel and such panels....making it a game of luck and not much fun

[JonLeung]

Kirby's in a pinball game.
The Pokémon are in two pinball games.
Mario's in a pinball game.

Looks like they felt it was time for someone else, especially someone like Samus, who can actually turn into a ball, unlike Mario (WTF), to get into a pinball machine.  Sure, the world of Super Mario may be all happy and colourful and cheery and magical where something like this is more acceptable, but is it really blasphemy for Samus to try this out?

Sure, when I first read the header, I was like, what's the deal with this?  "Metroid pinball?  How wrong!"  I'm a Metroid fan myself.  But I think the problem is that so many fans of Nintendo are sort of niche-fans, not quite cult fans but they're not exactly the largest group out there any more.  And, as I've seen with things like the Neo-Geo, the more of a niche you are a fan of, the more you treasure it as it is.  Fans of Metroid have always thought of the games as following a continuity, so the first time Samus gets a spin-off game it's an outrage, apparently.  I remember people spazzing about Metroid going into 3D before Prime actually came out.

I'm sure the first impression of this game is going to be "WTF", but I'm guessing not many people are actually going to be fretting over it until the game comes out.  And if it's a good game, what's the problem?  Simply accept it as not part of the continuity, a little quirk, but if it's fun, then enjoy playing it.

I mean, look at Super Smash Bros. Melee.  Some crossovers make sense.  Several ones, especially the big ones, don't make sense.  Apparently no one seems to mind the fact that Samus is trading blows with Pikachu, but her being a ball like she already does in several Morph Ball puzzles is somehow weird.

[Michael8983]

The way I see it. If Nintendo is going to make a pinball game it might as well feature one of their mascots.
A generic pinball game wouldn't sell and it's really not the type of genre appropriate for launching a new mascot. And I find it hard to believe a little pinball game on the DS could possibly hurt the sales of the main Metroid titles. Consumers are smart enough to know the difference despite what some snobby gamers seem to think. Besides, adding Metroid elements to a pinball game could be really innovative. For all we know, it might not even be a straight-forward pinball game. There may be side-scrolling elements similar to Sonic Spinball on the Genesis. Though this will almost certainly end up being a MUCH better game.

This really could end up being the best pinball game ever.
The DS is the first console to really suit pinball games with its two screens.
The tables wouldn't even have to scroll vertically. This should be the first pinball game on a game console to have the entire table in view without having to severely compromise its size and shape. Something only possible on the DS.

[S-U-P-E-R]

BTW, for those who haven't played it, Galactic Pinball is actually awesome.

[darknight06]

I remember, that as well as the cosmic mini game where you used samus's ship to shoot metroids and skree I believe.  Only issue I had with it was that sometimes the tables felt a little limited in what they could do, no doubt the cartridge size had something to do with that, which the DS won't have to deal with.
 

" I don't know why people keep dissing the controls in Mario 64 DS. I found using the thumb strap and touch screen as an analog input far more acurate and controlable then the stick."

I feel the same way, and really I believe it comes down to most people having an analog stick ingrained in their minds for so long they can't see any other way of doing it.  Yeah, I had a few kinks to work out with it also at the beginning of the game, but once I've adjusted to it it's became second nature.