Hands-On with the Nintendo DS and Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt!

Think back. The year is 1986. The Nintendo Entertainment System is released. Within a few days, I get one and am experiencing the greatest game machine of all time. Revolutionary compared to the current Atari. The following few years are purely innovative. Everything you could want in a game comes out. Then around 1999, this revolutionary saga of gaming is over. Nothing truely innovative is being released, just half-ass games that sony releases to make a profit. Gaming was in a depression. Until now...

The year is now 2004, almost 6 years since we last enjoyed something "new". Then November 20 rolls around. It's 11:50pm and I'm standing at my local WalMart waiting patiently to get the item that they said they couldn't sell until the 21st. It's midnight... the manager walks up to the game case with a case... 20 people surround him...he hands out the systems and at that very moment ended the gaming depression. I knew something truely amazing was in my hands...

After suffering the long drive home, I finally remove the DS from it's box, insert the Metroid Prime: Hunters: First Hunt demo and am totally blown away! After powering the system on, you are treated with superb almost surround sound coming from two tiny speakers! After the initial warning, you are greated with the setup. You enter the date and time and some other personal information, such as your birthday, your favorite color, and other info. Upon finishing the setup, you come to a new screen (well, two screens actually). On the top is the clock along with a calendar. The bottom screen consists of the play DS game button, play GBA game button, DS Download Play (for multiplayer), a button to start the infamous PictoChat, along with your basic options. Anyways, I decide to start Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt... The visuals are A-MAZ-ING! The sound is crystal clear and perfectly fades between speakers! I go into the regulator mode and get out the stylus. I didn't think playing a game with a stylus would be this cool! It's flawless! You'd think that this method of play would take time to learn, but it feels incredibly natural. You aim with the stylus with the greatest of ease as you run and shoot with the directional pad and L trigger. Or the game buttons and the R trigger if you are a lefty. This is what true gaming is all about. If you don't like the stylus, you can also use the wristband that doubles as a thumb strap. Either way, it's pure gaming goodness! I sure can't wait for the May 8, 2005 (subject to change?) release date of Metroid Prime Hunters.

Super Mario 64 DS Review Coming Soon!!!