Metroid Prime Hunters will feature online multiplayer

by Ross Miller { Aug 26th 2005 at 6:30PM }

Nintendo DS with Metroid Prime Hunters (225)

I want to say, first and foremost, that you know you have are a celebrity in this business when a major company makes an announcement at your convention – nice work, Penny Arcade, you guys deserve it. With that said, at Penny Arcade Expo today, Nintendo made an announcement regarding Samus' DS game. In fact, it is so nice that it might help people accept and understand the game's delay to early 2006. The good news is that Metroid Prime: Hunters will now feature online multiplayer via Nintendo DS' Wi-Fi services.

To me, this is a Nintendo game that has actively evolved in response to the reactions from the community. First it completely changed its look after a somewhat disappointing premiere at E3 2004, and now they have given the fans what they want with online play. Even if this feature was planned to happen anyways and not brought about by fan response, it is still good news.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Taavi Taijala @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Hurray!

Andy Grey @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Ha. You spelled planned wrong...

P.S. That was a pretty douche move on my part.

delerious @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

YESS!!!! AWESOME!!!

elbaso @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

I just wish more games (both DS and PSP) would support online multiplayer out-of-the-box. It's too much of a hassle to try to find like-minded players to play against in the real world.

Vance @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Nintendo really looks like it's listening to the community and giving fans what they want. Very nice.

Sony, on the other hand, has a long track record of believing that the customer is always wrong. Anyone who wants to use their PSP as an emulator machine knows firsthand how true this is. And let's not forget that the "sticking button" issue, according to Sony, was because users weren't handling their PSPs correctly.

PS360 guy @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY, HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY, HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY, HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!

Agent X @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Vance, before you try to convince anyone that Nintendo is some altruistic entity that "cares about you," don't forget this is the same company that once opposed all video game rentals, used strongarm tactics on video game publishers to limit output, censored content, and was found guilty of price fixing. Don't bother to lecture us again until you've brushed up on your video game history.

As far as "listening to the community goes," I think Sony listened pretty well when they decided to deliver powerful, worthy portable hardware with useful features for the discerning gamer. PSP has made Wi-Fi online gaming a reality since March 2005, while Nintendo is still stumbling around in the sandbox.

vance @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

I know my history just fine. And I agree that Nintendo has behaved like a money-grabbing company in the past. No one can deny that. But anyone who looks at the companies TODAY will realize that Sony is the one not listening to its fanbase. You're lying to yourself if you think the Sony of today is treating its customers better than the Nintendo of today. Nintendo still is a corporation, but they're certainly making all the right PR moves to convince us all that they care about video gamers as well as the bottom line.

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

wait.. is this like, PSP quality wi-fi online play?

like can i pick this thing up and play with someone in new york?

Agent X @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Nintendo and Sony are in business to make money, first and foremost. I don't truly know who treats their customers better, but I know that at various times both companies have made some good moves as well as some bad ones. I also know that right now, Sony's vision of the future of video games is more in line with mine than Nintendo's is. In that regard, I'd say they're treating me well.

Nintendo has made some particularly boneheaded decisions with regard to online gaming, so you'll have to excuse me if I express some doubt as to them doing a 180� turn and driving this segment of the market just because they made a few positive-sounding announcements. After all, they also talked up online for GameCube when the system first launched, but that didn't amount to anything in the end.

GuyManDude @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Agent X,
can you look up some numbers for me?
The number PS2 owners that are online versus the number of total PS2 owners. And, the number of XBOX owners that are online versus the total number of XBOX owners. After, you have found those numbers, tell me if you think it's worth it to pursue online gaming any further.

Retro @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

I have to agree that if online gameplay is your thing, Xbox Live is a far better system to buy into. You really have to be out of touch with the competition if you thing Sony's online strategy (console, that is) has reached any kind of maturation. They have a long, long way to go.

As for Nintendo, well, they're just starting, too, but the company does tend to really do its homework when venturing into something new. I think it's pretty fair to say that Nintendo's wi-fi network will work very well. (Great prices for gamers, too.)

Blarrrg @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

If this is history we're talking about, let's not forget that Nintendo was the first company to really even have some form of 'online' gaming. They had it with the Famicom but it was just a tad bit ahead of it's time.

Chris @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

"I think Sony listened pretty well when they decided to deliver powerful, worthy portable hardware with useful features for the discerning gamer."

Too bad all that powerful hardware is being used to watch pr0n and play NES games.

Bender @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Back on topic, I think this is a great move. I wasn't going to pick up Hunters because of the lack of local population but now with Wifi support I will be. I think this was Nintendo's intention - to convert those of us without DS owning friends to still gain the advantage of a multiplayer focused title.

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

i think that metroid prime hunters, castlevania Dawn of Sorrow, and Mario Cart DS will convince me to buy a DS and totally stop considering the PSP altogether.

this is so great.

Jody @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

I am excited by lost in blue

Kunami @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Agent X and Vance... you're both a couple of fucking bums. Yes, either of you bring up valid, even if somewhat biased points, but really... who the hell cares?

I, personally, had issues with Sony and its PSP the moment I had heard Ken Katuragi egotistically push it off as the "most beautiful thing in the world" and make comparisons between it and ancient Euro architecture. This is all in the same breath that he tells developers and customers that they need to quit whining about the sticky "square" button and just get used to it. That it was built that was intentionally. They MUST care about us, eh Agent?

And Nintendo, God bless them... I've been a fan of theirs forever... but they've always been stubborn and have rarely pursued any ventures that they weren't sure would bring them guaranteed profit. Well, save for that fugly, red headset. Maybe they thought Gumpei had the magic touch. Either way, Nintendo has a bad habit of Telling the public what they want, rather than listening and taking ideas into consideration. That, and they are dicks to the third parties. Complete dicks... even today. Why, when they are in the lonesome position that they are today, I haven't a clue. It makes no sense to me.

Who are we to complain, though? We all still buy their shit, so as far as they know, they're doing nothing wrong. The most recent two console makers I can think of who actually tend to give people what they ask for are Microsoft and Sega. The former has yet to pull in profit from their endeavor (and in fact, has lost over $2 billion thus far), and the latter... well... hey, I had fun with my Dreamcast. Maybe it'd be better just to let Sony and Nintendo keep doing what they're doing the way they're doing it.

The fact of the matter is that there's not much to play on either system right now. The DS has got a little more than the PSP in terms of content, but the PSP has power and some half assed multimedia features. Guess it's really down to preference. I just sold my PSP and picked up Advance Wars: Dual Strike, so we know where my preference lies. If you don't like what one system's got to offer, then just don't fucking buy it. Leave those who do to themselves.

Oh, and by the way, no game on either system out there has real infrastructure gameplay. Sure, the PSP has it on the back of a few of the game cases, but they make sure to leave the description very vague. Nintendo's got quite a few games coming now, but they're still a ways off. So the pissing contest here seems a little unfounded.

Jeremysmiller@gmail.comjeremy @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

"Yes, either of you bring up valid, even if somewhat biased points, but really... who the hell cares?"

First you say that they both bring up valid points, but no one cares.

Then you go into a long diatribe about Sony's egotistical comments, and Nintendo's profit-driven focus.

Q: How do you spell ironic?
A: K-U-N-A-M-I