Metroid Prime Pinball [DS]

Many Nintendo fans never thought this day would come: the new Metroid game is finally available for the Nintendo DS. Well, sort of. Before you pull out your Samus Aran bobbing head doll or "I hail from Zebes" T-shirt, it's not the eagerly-anticipated first-person shooter, Metroid Prime Hunters, which is now delayed to early 2006. Rather, it's Metroid Prime Pinball, a silver ball simulation with a familiar space theme to Metroid fans.

Don't pout, the game is actually quite good. Metroid Prime Pinball is a pinball game that uses both Nintendo DS screens as one long vertical table. The copper-colored ball resembles Samus when rolled up. All the ramps, jumps, and bumpers are all related to the beloved series. And you can also expect other familiar pinball mainstays such as ball lock, jackpots, multi-ball, words to spell out, and high-score boards. Do well and Samus unrolls into a gun-toting soldier ready to blast away alien thugs, like Space Pirates, Triclops, Parasites, and Metroid itself.

Gamers can also choose from different tables to play in and more than 10 mini-games, playable on side-screens, including Phazon Frency (hit as many of the Red and Blue Phazons as you can before the timer runs out) and Wall Jump (jump from one wall to another in order to reach a prize at the top). Power-ups, such as missiles and power bombs, can be rolled over for extra ammo, while collectible artifacts and extra balls will help increase your overall score.

Want to nudge the table like a real pinball game? Simply tap the touch screen on the Nintendo DS but don't be too rough with it or it'll tilt the table.

Metroid Prime Pinball also has two cool extras worth mentioning. One is the Nintendo DS Rumble Pak, a Game Boy Advance-sized cartridge that ships with the game and snaps into the secondary slot on the DS to make the machine rumble, shake, and vibrate like a real table. This cartridge can be used with other compatible Nintendo DS titles in the future, including , due out at the end of November.

The second call-out feature is a wireless multiplayer option for up to eight players in the same room with one game card; hit specified drop targets to release enemies on your opponent's tables in real-time as you all vie for high score.

As impressive as the game is, there are a couple of beefs. The biggest one is a hardware shortcoming as the silver divider between the two screens is not only aesthetically annoying but can make you lose sight of where the ball is when it rolls from one screen to the other. You get used to it after a while but it can be distracting. Also, the boards look very similar. A few more would've been great, too.

In typical Nintendo fashion, Metroid Prime Pinball is a fun title that's perfect for players seven to 107. It's also a great game of pinball.