It's a great way to pass some time, and a very good shooter-to-pinball translation.
Right at the start, you are presented with a choice of tables to go to, Space Frigate or Tallon Overworld. Both are good, and throughout the game you’ll be able to travel to other locations found in Metroid Prime such as Phendrana Drifts or Phazon Mines. The level of detail in the graphics is fantastic. Each table looks like the area of Tallon IV it’s modeled after.
The sound in the game is another area where Metroid Prime Pinball really shines. If you can remember the theme music from the title screen in Metroid Prime, you can bet it’s in the title screen for the pinball game for it! It’s incredible what Nintendo did for this game sound-wise. There are plenty of sounds that come straight from Metroid Prime, such as when you get an artifact or when you use a morph ball bomb.
As I’ve said before in this review, the shooter-to-pinball translation is incredible. There are the locations from the actual game, and you even have to collect 12 artifacts in this pinball game, just as you do in Metroid Prime. There are bosses to fight, like Thardus, and you can move from area to area, like from the Frigate to the Tallon Overworld. Just because its pinball doesn’t mean the other buttons on the DS are ignored. Throughout the game, you’ll break away these glass barriers around power-ups, which are added to Samus’ power suit. You can collect the power-ups like missiles and the power bomb during your journey.
Of course, pinball isn’t the only thing you’ll have to do while playing. There are various minigames to do in-game, and most involve Samus coming out of her morph ball. These minigames are very short, and include things like wall jumping with the L and R shoulder buttons, and eliminating all metroids on the table. Each of these minigames rewards you with a Chozo artifact and a nice points bonus.
The only problem I had with the game is that it’s very short. You can collect all twelve artifacts in a good 10 or so minutes, and it feels kind of like, “man, that’s it?” However, the fun factor of the game easily beats the small amount of time it takes to beat the game, as you’ll find yourself playing it over and over again.
Overall, Metroid Prime Pinball is a great way to pass some time, albeit only a short amount of time, and it’s a great way to experience the locales of Metroid Prime in a game that finally realizes Samus’ potential as a pinball.