Metroid Prime Pinball certainly raised some eyebrows at this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo. Skeptics assumed that it would be a mediocre pinball game with the Metroid license tacked on, a cheap way to capitalize on the growing popularity of the Metroid universe. Instead, they got a really solid game that utilized the previously unannounced DS Rumble Pak accessory. The Rumble Pak has since been confirmed to be compatible with the game when it launches in October; whether or not it will be included with the game is currently unknown, but bundling the two makes perfect sense.

Metroid Prime Pinball is, as its title indicates, a pinball game set in the Metroid universe. Samus's morph ball is the pinball, and it is controlled using two flippers at the bottom of the touchscreen. The left flipper is controlled with Left on the D-Pad while the right flipper is controlled by the A-button, and you tap the touchscreen to tilt. Gameplay spans across both the top and bottom screens, resulting in some elaborate board layouts.

The various elements of the Metroid franchise have allowed Fuse Games to get pretty creative in terms of bonus rounds and extra challenges. Bonus rounds have you battling alien larvae, Space Pirates, and even controlling Samus as she fights off swarms of flying insects. Boss battles pit you against some of the larger villains of the console games, such as a missle battle with an Omega Pirate that offers huge points for victory. There's also a slot machine activated by a trigger on the board that lets you win point bonuses, control several balls at once, or collect Chozo "Artifacts". Players will certainly be kept busy at all times.

The game also supports 1-8 players. We aren't sure how this multiplayer aspect will be incorporated into the design, but having some sort of battle mode would be an excellent idea. We'll know more about Metroid Prime Pinball as we get nearer to its release date in October.

Last updated: 05/17/2005

Metroid Prime Pinball is being developed by Fuse Games, the creators of Mario Pinball Land, which was released last year. During the game you control Samus, who is in morph ball mode. After completing certain events, you can catch Samus in a circular pad on the bottom screen, which causes Samus to transform into her normal self. At this point, you can start shooting at enemies by using the B Button. You can also aim at the enemies that rapidly close in from the top screen by using the left and right flippers.

As the game is based on Metroid Prime, you can expect references to the games from that series. Samus' goal appears to be to collect artifacts, multiball is activated with Phazon, and the missile powerups look like those that you'd find in the game. Swarms of bugs attack, heading towards the bottom of the screen. Metroids (as you'd expect) make an appearance, with a couple of them floating around the board and occasionally diving down, trying to snatch your morph ball. The key is to attack them when they're close to the ground.

Metroid Prime Pinball is due out later this year.