Metroid Database.com

A happy Metroid Day of a different sort than usual -- the series' first spin-off title, Metroid Prime Pinball, is now available in many -- but not all -- stores. My usual EB Games did not receive it today (in the couple weeks since the GameStop takeover went into effect, their shipping schedules have been changed for the worse and a few games have already shown up late -- they had best do something about this because it's already creating more disgruntled customers than they already had), however I did find plenty of copies at Best Buy. If you didn't find it today, you should be able to find it Wednesday at most major game retailers.

Sour grapes about the retail situation aside, hopefully many of you will give MPP a shot, because it's a fun pinball game that really retains the Metroid Prime feel and incorporates a surprising number of Metroid elements into the gameplay. MPP also includes the new Rumble Pak for the DS, which actually adds a subtle but effective feedback, making the game even more enjoyable.

As you can see, an icon for MPP has been added to the nav bar up top, but I haven't had time to start construction on a section for the game just yet, so it's not an active link right now. I hope to get that section rolling in the next week. Meanwhile, enjoy the new game!

--TJ

Our very own CapCom (aka Devin Monnens) was quoted in an article for Escapist Magazine about Nintendo's "forgotten" franchises. Cap threw in his two cents regarding Metroid and Kid Icarus. Read the article here!

TJ was interviewed too but they didn't use anything he said, prolly cuz he's a dork. D'oh. Go Cap!

--TJ

A couple days ago, Nintendo announced that Metroid Prime Huners, along with Zelda: Twilight Princess, would be delayed until spring of 2006. While this wasn't a huge shock since MPH has already been delayed, Nintendo also recently revealed that the game will now support Wi-Fi play in addition to the previously planned LAN play. More information about Hunters is available at metroid.com, where the official MPH site is up and running and you can check out all the other bounty hunters whom Samus will be competing against.

Incidentally, Metroid Prime Pinball is still on schedule for release this October 24.

--TJ

That got your attention, didn't it? Well, the skinny is, I've recently been informed of a fan project called the Metroid Online Map Team which is creating Metroid maps for Halo CE. They're actually implementing Metroid gameplay into the Halo engine, including Morphball, double-jump, Power/Ice/Wave/Plasma beams, maps based on Super and Prime, and more -- and did I mention it's online as well? Check out what they're doing over at metroid.4lifenet.net.

--TJ

With E3 2005 ending last Friday, debate has raged for the past few days over which company came out on top. Much criticism has been leveled at Nintendo for showing an empty box and no software, but really, none of the big three showed us anything that's gonna be playable tomorrow. I'm sure Tokyo Game Show will bring us more news and information on the hardware of the next generation.

Games-wise, we did get to see a little more of Metroid Prime Pinball and Metroid Prime Hunters, both slated for a Q4 2005 release on the DS. No word, however, on the rumored 2D "Metroid Dread" -- all signs point to BS on that one. Hopefully I'm wrong. We also found out that Metroid Prime 3 will in fact be a Revolution title, though there's no information on it.

To that end, however, Nintendo is currently running a poll at forums.nintendo.com asking what features we'd like to see in Metroid Prime 3. Features such as a third-person option (my favorite, obviously), ship-to-ship combat, classic weapons, armorless Samus, and more are on the list, but currently the clear winner of the poll is "All of the above." Head over there and cast your vote, and let them know what we want from Prime 3!

--TJ

In Nintendo's E3 press conference this morning, NCL president Satoru Iwata showed off the Nintendo Revolution console and revealed some details about the upcoming system. "Next generation versions of Mario and Zelda are already underway," said Iwata, leading into a brief video clip of Samus Aran and her newly-redesigned ship. "We also have big plans for Metroid in our Revolution, a franchise that has evolved constantly with each appearance. And with Revolution, Samus will take you places you've never gone before." The clip ended with a large numeral "3" filling the projection screen, probably implying that Metroid Prime 3 will be a Revolution title.

Although over 700 upcoming titles have been made known at E3 already, and both Metroid Prime Hunters and Metroid Prime Pinball are on the list, there's still no word of the rumored "Metroid Dread."

Watch Nintendo's press conference in its entirety, as well as Sony's and Microsoft's, at Gamespot.com. More as it happens!

--TJ

Yeah, the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo begins this week, and the rumors are already flying. Will we learn the secrets of Nintendo's Revolution? What about Metroid Pinball? Will Hunters finally get a real release date? And what's this we're hearing about a 2D Metroid game for the DS called Metroid Dread? How many more frickin' icons are we gonna have to add to the top of the MDb?

I love E3 week. Whether you keep up with news sites like Gamespot or IGN, or the coverage from G4TechTV, or if you're actually lucky enough to finagle your way into the show, it's always exciting to get a preview of our favorite hobby's upcoming year. And with all that new hardware coming down the pipe and the potential for lots of new Metroid, this year should be a barnburner!

--TJ

This is probably common knowledge already, but I stumbled across it by chance. I happened to pick up the new Nintendo DS catalog at a retailer (pictured right), and lo and behold, Project Code: Metroid Pinball is shown on page 25 with 8 li'l-bitty screenshots (also pictured right). (Wait, with the dual screens, does that technically make it only 4 screenshots, or 8? Whatever.)

Looks pretty cool! Due to the lack of an actual logo, I don't know if "Project Code" is actually part of the title or if they're saying "Metroid Pinball" is a tentative title, although I don't know what else they'd call it...

Hunters is also featured in the same catalog, on page 22, but it's nothing we haven't seen already. But that new DS Castlevania is looking mighty fine...

Next week is a huge week for geekery, what with both E3 and Star Wars Episode III on the calendar. Hopefully neither will disappoint, what with all three console manufacturers supposedly having new hardware to show off, coupled with the ultimate demise of Daddy Skywalker at long last revealed to us...

Finally, the splash graphic up above doesn't really represent anything new on the site, it's just a little photography I put up to get the last one off there. Bit of Metroid photo-fetishism, if you will. I've taken a few of them, I'll try to post them periodically when there's not a new feature to...um...feature. Enjoy that then.

--TJ

So EB is showing a Metroid Pinball DS title on their upcoming release list. N has no comment. Whatever, sounds fun, I'm for it. Maybe they've been looking at that list I made up a couple entries down. You watch, they start milking the franchise, we're gonna be able to preorder that Mother Brain Beach Volleyball yet.

What's that intro graphic up above all about? I dunno. There's some rambling going on over in the MP2 Review Diary or something.

--TJ