Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt

Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt is the official demo of Metroid Prime Hunters, the first Metroid game for the Nintendo DS. It was included in Nintendo DS packages at the time of release, but has long since been discontinued. The game includes three short single-player games, a trailer for the full game, and a small multiplayer section.

The game is a collection of trials to test Samus's abilities. These include Regulator, Survival, and Morph Ball Training. Points are gained based on performance in these trials, and by combo-ing enemies without missing a shot.

Regulator (Type A)
"Combat training within a holographic arena. Destroy all of the hologram targets before time expires."

Regulator can be counted as the 'main' mode of this demo. In it, Samus must reach the end of a "holographic arena" teeming with enemies before the 10 minute Countdown ends. These include (what appear to be) Mochtroids, Metroids. and Zoomers. She must destroy all the enemies in one room to unlock the doors and progress to the next. At the end of her path there is a room in which she has to face a green doppelgänger of herself to Meta Ridley's music to complete the mode.

This mode is called "Power Suit Performance Analysis" during gameplay. Samus can gain the Missile and Super Missile upgrades throughout the course of this training exercise. The highest possible point-score is 46,240, though time is kept as well.

The weapons used in this mode are Beam and Missile. The beam, unlike other games, has limited ammo, but will regenerate back to 1 if you deplete it. The missiles don't have their own separate ammo cache, but instead us 5 Beam ammo.

Survival (Type B)
"Survive as long as you can against creatures growing in ferocity. Exterminate the Xenomorphs before they exterminate you."

The player must defeat as many enemies as possible before dying on the Assault Cradle level. The player faces an abundance of Mochtroids and some Metroids and Zoomers. Oddly, in the final version of the game Metroids do not appear at all. The music accompanying this trial is a remixed version of the Meta Ridley battle theme. Samus can gain the Missile upgrade in this mode, as well as a temporary Damage power-up in the highest room.

Morph Ball (Type C)
"Navigate obstacles and dangers as you control the Morphball through the use of the Touch Screen. Test your Morph Ball abilities as you collect modules."

Morph Ball training requires the player to guide Samus through a series of modules to reach the end of the area in 55 seconds. The use of the Boost ball is required to reach the goal and is activated by pressing up on the d-pad twice. The music for this trial is a remix of the Parasite Queen's battle theme. The level in which this takes place appears to be an early form of the Stasis Bunker level in Metroid Prime: Hunters and has only Zoomers in it as enemies. This challenge is called the "Morph Ball diagnostics program" during gameplay. The highest possible point score is 72250 for collecting all of the modules.

Multiplayer
The game also includes a wireless multiplayer mode for up to four players, each of which play as a Samus doppelgänger, but there are no in-game bots to play against. There are three levels available for multiplayer. They are Trooper Module; Assault Cradle; and Ancient Vestige.

Trooper Module
This level appears to be an early form of the Data Shrine level in Metroid Prime: Hunters. There are several key differences, however:
 * In the middle of the level are three floating platforms, as opposed to the bridge seen in Metroid Prime: Hunters.
 * To either side of the platforms was a Morph Ball Cannon, similar to the Morph Ball sized tunnels in Data Shrine. They would launch players to the centre of the map.
 * The ring going around the outside of the level was accessed at the corners of the main room, not the sides.
 * This level also featured the Electro Lob gun.

Assault Cradle
This levels appears to be a very early form of the Harvester level in Metroid Prime: Hunters. There a lot of differences between the two, but the fundamental level design remains the same:
 * Like Harvester, Assault Cradle has a large tower in the middle flanked by a pair of external platforms.
 * In Assault Cradle the middle room appears to be a lot wider, and a little narrower. It was also open at the sides.
 * There are a pair of Morph Ball Cannons on the external platforms, as well as a pair of jump pads towards the outer edges. These could be used to access the top of the tower.
 * Unlike Harvester, the top of the tower was a fairly small room, but had a pair of exits on wither side which led to a pair of smaller external platforms. These could then be used to drop down into the lower middle room.
 * This is the level that the Survival mode takes place in, although the Morph Ball Cannons cannot be accessed.

Ancient Vestige
This level appears to be an early form of the Combat Hall level in Metroid Prime: Hunters. There are very few differences, as this level remained largely unchanged:
 * Both ends of the hall had jump pads, allowing easier access to the upper levels.
 * The bridge in the middle had a missile pickup, and it was very easy to obtain Super Missiles on this level.
 * The shielded corridor at the side of the level had a damage amplifier in it.

Secret Video
If a high score is obtained in any of the trials, a secret video can be viewed. It depicts Samus, who sees a Power Trooper being killed above her from a beam as the Pirate Battle theme from Metroid Prime plays. Samus turns to see a group of shadowy figures resembling Noxus, Weavel, and Spire from left to right. The screen turns blank and prompts the player to visit a Nintendo website with the slogan: The Real Hunt Begins. This video can be viewed any time after it is unlocked by tapping a glowing hexagon at the title screen.