Metroid Blast is an attraction in Nintendo Land, a collection of Nintendo themed mini-games based upon some of Nintendo’s most popular franchises. There are twelve different mini-games in Nintendo Land which can be played in different ways and can support up to five players. Solo Attractions are a single player experience where other players can offer assistance. Competitive Attractions offer a multiplayer mode for beginners, yet a deeper and more challenging experience for players with more experience. Team Attractions feature full depth experiences that can be enjoyed in both single and multiplayer gameplay. The latter is where you will find Metroid Blast.
Metroid Blast has three different modes which allow players to experience the mini-game in different ways. Mission Assault mode is a co-operative mode which can also be played solo, where you and your friends work together to take down waves of enemies. You can use the Wii U GamePad to guide Samus’s gunship around the map and perform aerial assaults on enemies, while other friends can take on enemies from the ground using Wii MotionPlus Controllers and Nunchuks.
The GamePad allows you to control the Gunship using dual-analogue control allowing you precise movement. Other players using MotionPlus Controllers and Nunchuks can provide assistance by charging up their power beams and taking on enemies from the ground and use their grapple beam to get to new areas. You can enter first person mode to take down enemies with more accuracy. You can even grapple onto the Gunship and shoot enemies in second person mode as the GamePad user flies the ship around. This can be use tactfully so ground based players can reach and navigate areas faster than they would on foot. Ground based players can also enter morph ball and roll to avoid enemy attacks. All players can collect items to help them defeat enemies more easily.
Free Battle is a mode that allows 2-5 players to play against each other using the Wii U GamePad and MotionPlus Controllers while Ground Battle is a four player fight using just MotionPlus Controllers and Nunchuks. Details on these modes are still sketchy so we will be updating this in the near future, so check back!
Metroid Blast features plenty of classic Metroid enemies such as Geemers, Zebesians and bosses like Kraid and Ridley. There are several different environments in the game, one that was showcased during Nintendo of America’s Wii U presentation was a Norfair themed stage. Each of these environments offer different features to interact with. In one trailer we have seen a teleporter, allowing the player to transport to a different area. There are also some well known Metroid themes that play within these areas. So far, we have heard the iconic Brinstar theme from Metroid NES and a cool Lower Norfair theme from Super Metroid. We are quite intrigued to see what other areas, features, enemies and music Metroid Blast has to offer.
Nintendo Land also includes these attractions:
The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest
Pikmin Adventure
Mario Chase
Luigi’s Ghost Mansion
Animal Crossing: Sweet Day
Yoshi’s Fruit Cart
Octopus Dance
Donkey Kong’s Crash Course
Takamaru’s Ninja Castle
Captain Falcon’s Twister Race
Balloon Trip Breeze
Each of these attractions including Metroid Blast, allow you to collect stamps as you achieve various accomplishments throughout Nintendo Land games. If you want to collect them all, you’ll have to invest plenty of time in the game, which we at Shinesparkers are positive fans will be doing. The game includes Miiverse functionality, Nintendo’s gaming social network. How this will work is unknown but we will update the feature with information in the future once we have it.
If you’re undecided on which version of the Wii U console to pick up, Nintendo Land will be bundled with the Premium version of the system in North America and Europe, allowing you to enjoy the game right from launch day. We’re very impressed by Nintendo Land, and although we are still waiting for the news of the next Metroid game for Wii U, we feel Metroid Blast and Nintendo Land will keep us occupied until that happens.
© 2012 Darren
Special thanks to Falcool for additional information
This feature was originally published in September 2012. It has been edited slightly since its original publication.