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How the two control modes differ
The main distinction is how you control the viewpoint. Stylus Mode uses the Touch Screen as an active control surface; Dual Mode assigns viewpoint and direction to physical buttons. The same core actions are available in both, but their button assignments change.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Metroid Prime Hunters (Renewed) | $59.28 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Metroid Prime Hunters (Nintendo DS) (Pre-Played - Game Only) | $399.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Metroid Prime Hunters First Hunt (Nintendo DS) (Pre-Played - Game Only) | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Metroid Prime Hunters First Hunt (Renewed) | $6.45 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Metroid Prime Hunters | $69.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Mode | Movement | Viewpoint and direction | Jump, boost, and attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stylus Mode | Directional pad | Touch Screen and stylus | Assigned to face and shoulder buttons; exact mapping depends on handedness |
| Dual Mode | Directional pad | Face buttons in the right-handed layout | Assigned to shoulder buttons; exact mapping depends on handedness |
Nintendo’s instruction manual documents both modes and left- and right-handed configurations. Check the manual for the full mapping that matches your chosen handedness; assignments differ, and the regional manual edition may paginate them differently.
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What the stylus does in Stylus Mode
In Stylus Mode, the stylus is not just for menus: moving it across the Touch Screen controls Samus and the view. The buttons handle movement and actions such as jumping, boosting, attacking, or using bombs. Touch input also lets you select menu icons and items.
#1 Best Overall
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- Multiple control schemes take full advantage of the DS touch screen, giving all gamers an ideal way to play
- Compete head-to-head in a series of action packed arenas as you take on other bounty hunters
- Link wirelessly with up to three friends for intense multiplayer action off one game card
- Hone your skills against a slew of enemies in single-player training modes like Regulator, Survival and Morph Ball -- then put them to the test when you compete in Death Match arenas with your friends over a wireless connection
For example, in the manual’s right-handed Stylus Mode mapping, the directional pad moves, the face buttons jump, L boosts, and R attacks or uses bombs. The Touch Screen controls Samus. The left-handed configuration changes the relevant assignments.
What changes in Dual Mode
Dual Mode shifts viewpoint and direction control to physical buttons rather than relying on the stylus for that task. In the right-handed mapping, the directional pad moves, the face buttons control viewpoint and direction, R handles jumping or boosting, and L handles attacks or bombs. Left-handed play changes the relevant button assignments.
Rank #2
- Multiple control schemes take full advantage of the DS touch screen, giving all gamers an ideal way to play
- Compete head-to-head in a series of action packed arenas as you take on other bounty hunters
- Link wirelessly with up to three friends for intense multiplayer action off one game card
- Hone your skills against a slew of enemies in single-player training modes like Regulator, Survival and Morph Ball -- then put them to the test when you compete in Death Match arenas with your friends over a wireless connection
Why it feels different from a typical first-person shooter
The DS has a Touch Screen that can provide direct aiming input, but using it for viewpoint control means movement and other actions must be distributed across the remaining controls. That division is an inference from Nintendo’s documented layouts, not a stated developer explanation. It also means neither mode is simply a conventional shooter layout transferred unchanged to a handheld.
In a May 2006 review, Nintendo Life described an adjustment period, praised the precision of stylus aiming, and criticized Dual Mode’s precision in light of the lack of auto-aim. Those are one reviewer’s impressions, not a universal verdict: how natural either mode feels depends on the player.
Rank #3
- The famous Metroid series lands on the Nintendo DS with Metroid Prime: Hunters. A once-strong race has gone extinct, leaving powerful artifacts to be found by bounty hunters from across the galaxy. The game features a variety of bounty hunters, both old and new, to the series. It also features multiple competitive game modes--such as deathmatch and king of the hill--for battling wirelessly with up to three other players.
Which version includes the original wireless features?
Nintendo’s UK game page lists the Nintendo DS release date as 05/05/2006 and describes wireless play for up to four players. It also lists a Wii U Virtual Console release dated 15/09/2016, with a specific caveat: that version does not include the original game’s Multi-Card Play or DS Download Play wireless features. These release details apply to Nintendo’s UK listing.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
- The famous Metroid series lands on the Nintendo DS with Metroid Prime: Hunters. A once-strong race has gone extinct, leaving powerful artifacts to be found by bounty hunters from across the galaxy. The game features a variety of bounty hunters, both old and new, to the series. It also features multiple competitive game modes--such as deathmatch and king of the hill--for battling wirelessly with up to three other players.
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