Metroid Prime Pinball

"Nothing, and I mean NUH-THING, can compare to this pinball game!"

Of all the pinball games I've seen in my life, this game takes the whole cake, and then some! One factor is it being 50% Metroid Prime. I've played Sonic Spinball for the Sega Genesis, and I got my hands on Mario Pinball Land for brief moments: their style was good, but THIS game is an ass kicker from heaven!

-Story: 10/10-
Being 50% Metroid Prime, the game features different tables using different regions in Tallon IV. You have the Space Pirate Frigate, Tallon Overworld, Phendrana Drifts, Phazon Mines, and more! You will even be fighting huge boss enemies like Thardus and the Omega Pirate!

-Gameplay: 10/10-
Another thing of this being 50% Metroid Prime is that Samus in her Morph Ball form (which you control) will take damage from enemies. See, this doesn't happen with Sonic Spinball or Mario Pinball Land. It's a new excitement to know that holding the ball in one position with your flipper is no longer safe. You can restore health by snagging the energy orbs that enemies will drop.

Most of the time, you will be controlling Samus in Morph Ball form. But you CAN exit Morph Ball form and go into Combat Mode, where Samus rapidly fires at an onslaught of enemies, all from a fixed position on the table.

Samus can acquire Power-Ups just like in any Metroid game. You can use bombs to damage enemies, fire Missiles in Combat Mode, and blow away all enemies with the Power Bomb.

To progress in the game, you need to find 12 Chozo Artifacts. You can acquire these artifacts by completing various tasks that involve engaging Space Pirates, burrowers, parasites, and Metroids. There are also objectives that involve shooting the ball through a specific ramp in a quick fashion, doing a series of wall jumps, and smacking particles of Phazon. Plenty of ways to rack up major points for this game.

Did I mention the Multiplayer? Up to 8 players play the Magmoor Caverns table trying to reach a target score! There are even opportunities to cause havoc on other players' tables.

-Graphics: 10/10-
That Omega Pirate never looked so much better!

-Sounds/Music: 10/10-
Everything from Metroid Prime (and a few things from Prime 2) is here for the music part of it all. Love those tunes!

-Replay Value: 10/10-
And why no less than 10? Just challenge yourself to see if you can top your own score, or other players scores! And the facts that you can't save really drives me to pull an all nighter on it (though I didn't need very long to whip this game's ass).

-Overall Score: 10/10-
You love pinball: you buy this game. You love Metroid: you buy this game. You love both: you will almost pay double!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/28/05