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Metroid Prime: Hunters to support voice chat

  • By Staff, GameSpot
  • Posted Feb 9, 2006 10:29 am PT

Nintendo unveils new DS capability at DICE Summit; chat limited to game's lobby area.

It's been known for a while now that Nintendo's upcoming DS first-person shooter Metroid Prime: Hunters was going to make use of the system's Wi-Fi adapter for online intergalactic bounty hunter fragfests. But many gamers assumed that's all the adapter would be used for.

During a presentation at the DICE Summit in Las Vegas today, Nintendo announced that not only will players be able to hop online with Hunters and blast each other to Zebes and back, they'll also be able to taunt each other about it, too. Just not during gameplay. When it releases in March, Metroid Prime: Hunters will use VoIP and the DS's built-in microphone to allow users to chat with each other in the pre- and post-game lobbies.

While the system has had the basic requirements for voice chat (microphone, speakers, Internet connection) for a while now, Hunters will be the first DS game to put them all together to support voice chat. No other games were announced as supporting the voice chat functionality.

For more on Nintendo's presence at the DICE summit, read GameSpot's report on Nintendo executive vice president of sales and marketing Reggie Fils-Aime's speech.

211 Comments

  • coolest_boy

    Posted Aug 12, 2006 11:00 pm GMT

    ohhhhhhh maaaaaaaaaannnnn im soooooo mad i didnt buy ds .i want a ds for the online games. why dont they make cool games for gameboy advance sp ????? . i want it sooooo bad .sometimes when i think about my head starts to begin 2 exploooooooooode .

  • love2surf

    Posted Feb 23, 2006 10:17 am GMT

    that is so cool I am going to get it as soon it comes out

  • gamerzunited101

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 12:38 pm GMT

    SWEET!!!.....ds will own t3h psp!!!

  • Alucard7321

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 4:43 am GMT

    7 out of 10 people who play PS2 have a DS....damn its so moorish its like Heroin! Good on you Nintendo!

  • cesarotromundo

    Posted Feb 20, 2006 8:27 pm GMT

    dude! I want this now, big time! gimme gimme now!

  • rodney2003

    Posted Feb 20, 2006 8:11 am GMT

    this is the reason im going to buy a ds.
    i feel so ashamed i didnt did already.
    eat that sony.

  • MonkeyFodder95

    Posted Feb 19, 2006 1:50 pm GMT

    cant wait until it releases, hope it gets good reviews

  • slayer_9

    Posted Feb 18, 2006 5:12 pm GMT

    And now whos laughing at Nintendos two screen system, some people consistantly mock Nintendo for their inovations but just look at the Nintendo DS. When has there ever been such huge possiblities in a handheld system or such a huge difference between realease games and these amazing technically genious games were seeing now that the full potential of this handheld is begining to be realized. And sony thought they could beat nintendo on the handheld market, fools.

  • xx_Metal_xx

    Posted Feb 18, 2006 6:32 am GMT

    Fact remains that DS is outselling PSP all over the world. I'm very happy with this news. Anyway, I think it's a great idea what Nintendo is doing. They're making their products affordable, and if you wanna use it for internet or tv etcetera, too, you can just buy it. Same with the Rev, it won't have internet options from the start, but you can buy it.

  • Sexyhombre812

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 2:29 pm GMT

    Why is everyone so Hype over this, you can't even talk during the game! Nintendo is so trash. And to all the people who think this is a PsP killer, last time I checked, I was able to trash talk WHILE PLAYING socom online on PsP.

    Happy Fanboying!

  • Deathwish344

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 1:19 pm GMT

    so friggin sweet. im so buyin this game. the only thing that sucks is that i have to get three cavities filled before i can buy it.

  • sonic_xa

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 10:14 pm GMT

    MP:Hunters + voice chat + online gaming = PSP dead

  • Insanitymanitee

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 6:42 pm GMT

    Its great that theres no VO during gameplay cuz thatd get too distracting while lying in wait listening for unsuspecting noobs to wonder by.

  • Mastah_Lewis

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 10:57 pm GMT

    My fun fuse just blew up...no, wait...it 's only my brain melting in happiness, phew!

  • promano3

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 7:39 pm GMT

    Fantastic. But I wish that you could chat during gameplay. That would put the DS really close to even the X-Box with similar X-Box live capabilities. I really hope this game is gonna blow other systems out of the water. Make way, everybody, DS comin through!

  • Mike_06

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 2:47 pm GMT

    this going 2 kik ASS

  • BassForever2

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 2:04 pm GMT

    1337!

  • BatmanBegins24

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 6:26 am GMT

    YES!!!!!!BEST DAY OF MY YEAR SO FAR!!!!!

  • Mdray23

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 6:19 am GMT

    ohh yes hell yeah

  • karzon89

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 5:30 am GMT

    Question: I hear that it's not real-time conversations. It's just recording your voice for a short while and submitting it for people to hear in the lobby, is this true? I was was hoping for real -time conversation, but i really don't mind too much, it's gonna be so awesome anyway!

  • AlbertoML

    Posted Feb 14, 2006 10:58 pm GMT

    Yeah, a very good move... long live Nintendo!

  • kingofgames4000

    Posted Feb 14, 2006 8:38 pm GMT

    CAN"T WAIT!!!!
    but i hope it does not have any problems.

  • Sanpastrana

    Posted Feb 14, 2006 8:34 pm GMT

    VolP what´s that??? Still it sounds very good to me.

  • remmbermytitans

    Posted Feb 14, 2006 10:52 am GMT

    bout frickin time....

  • lageasy311

    Posted Feb 14, 2006 10:43 am GMT

    sounds neat!!! Hope it works out.

  • danny15

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 9:30 pm GMT

    I can not wait for it at all. I think Metroid Prime Hunters is the best game to feature it all the way. Please gear up to battle with me soon. Thanks...

  • Ddestroyer

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 8:25 pm GMT

    More reasons to buy

  • cfamgcn

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 3:59 pm GMT

    That's good, Nintendo!!!

  • casan02

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 3:24 pm GMT

    One small strike for Sony...One giant killing blow for PSP

  • Sneakz7

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 2:52 pm GMT

    wooooooooooooooooaaaaaaahh talkin bulshiit online wow das good enough for me oo yah while were online people should make teams (2 on 2) befor it starts that would be cool nd if u want to be on my team ( abdi will be my name or JUS SAY SNEAKZZZZZZZ nd were set (ultimate fps allllllive )

    ps not a psp hater jus a ds lover

  • Sheegot

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 1:59 pm GMT

    Made my DS grow...

    (wtf not meant to be misunderstood)

  • elpuertorican

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 11:44 am GMT

    Cool....i wish i had broadband, thought

  • gjoco

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 9:48 am GMT

    Its about time!

  • Sacrush

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 7:59 am GMT

    Sounds alright, but gameplay is more important. Still gonna buy this game.

  • lordcarbo

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 6:02 am GMT

    Oh god, racism, anti-semitism, and plain out being a *****. Yeah, like I need to hear that from a Nintendo game. What is this, Halo?

  • Anask

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 4:21 am GMT

    this game is gonna make it big in the $$$$$

  • Clabton

    Posted Feb 12, 2006 4:34 pm GMT

    This is just what the Ds Needs

  • Type_Zero_X

    Posted Feb 12, 2006 2:46 pm GMT

    too bad you cant talk during the game then u could say stuff like look behind you or something or annoy the cr*p out of them haah, but prob make it later when the mic is perfected

  • Ahrel

    Posted Feb 12, 2006 2:41 pm GMT

    If you thought cell phones weren't bad enough, now the DS players will be talking to people in McDonalds or wi-fi parks and be able to hear the other side of the converstaion too!

  • JACKEDLAV

    Posted Feb 12, 2006 1:15 pm GMT

    As long as the game is stellar idc

  • stiker71

    Posted Feb 12, 2006 11:14 am GMT

    NICE!!

  • Ebon_Blade

    Posted Feb 12, 2006 5:57 am GMT

    cool, i hope it will, but what about different languages?

  • Bluestorm-Kalas

    Posted Feb 12, 2006 12:13 am GMT

    THE NINTENDO DS SUCKS IT WASTED 300 OF MY DOLLARS NINTENDO RIPPED ME OFF!! STUPID TOUCH SCREEN!

  • SteveTwo

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 11:16 pm GMT

    The old Metroid DS tech demo and Metroid: Hunters demo are not the same thing. The Metroid Hunters demo will be downloadable from the new Nintendo HotSpots soon enough. From reviews of that new game demo (not tech demo) things seem to be greatly improved.

    Voice chat will be great. It'll be nice to give a 'good game' or 'luck bastich' comment after a match. I'm sure G4 will be having a "It Came from Metroid: Hunters" segment before long.

  • Agreb91

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 10:48 pm GMT

    THINGS JUST GET BETTER AND BETTER.... WHATS NEXT NINTENDO?!?!?

  • fiercedeity901

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 9:46 pm GMT

    the first, first person shooter killer app for any hand held

  • lilsamuraijoe

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 9:17 pm GMT

    Who cares if you can only speak in lobbys, Voice chat is a pain in the ass when you are playing. And since you can't really make clans and tourney's with the networks design (a big flaw) in which you have to have friend codes to play each other, voice chat during the game is useless. Unless some one had a heart attack and your phone doesnt work but you cant talk to you friends over wi -fi to tell them to call 911 since your in the middle of a game.

  • jaanusd

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 8:49 pm GMT

    How cool is this? Very. It's funny that some have pointed out that SOCOM for the PSP (fine game i' m told) has VOIP during the game, and thus is a better shooter. However, you can also jump and aim your gun in MP hunters, which you can't do on SOCOM. with the DS lite coming out soon, I won't be getting a psp soon after all >

  • soppderock

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 6:41 pm GMT

    I don't get all the hype about this announcement.
    What sense does it makes to chit-chat before and after battles in "lobbies"?
    Even despite the fact that they're ur friends. Or the fact that the DS won't be able to handle in-game chat.
    Tactical discusions should be done in-game (if ur able to cooperate in group battles. I suppose the multiplayer part will handle it ,right?), and ur supposed to talk with friends in ur sparetime. When playing, ur supos to battle with strangers, giving u more flexibility to calculate situations and make new friends.
    Anyway, this announcement surely was entirely up, to keep some attention for Nintendo's next upcoming Hit-on-the-shelves release. Personally I don't like FPS at all, and will buy this game only, if it has an above avarage meaty story.

  • redsoxfan123

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 6:27 pm GMT

    i was already set to buy this game anyway, but now i want it even more. i wonder if that little rectangular opening on the side of the headphone jack is for a headset! *crosses fingers*

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