No online mode for MP: Hunters

It's been confirmed that Nintendo will not include an online mode in DS title Metroid Prime: Hunters, according to US website 1UP.

Speaking in a recent interview, producer Kensuke Tanabe conceded that: "Really, we could have made this game online.

"But Nintendo's vision of online play is different from that of other companies. We wanted it to be free, easy, and easy to access for everybody.

"To set up this kind of infrastructure that we needed, and to meet the launch date we have for this game, the two just didn't match," he explained.

Commenting on Tanabe's, er, comments, Nintendo Software Technology designer Richard Vorodi confirmed that there will be no online mode, telling 1UP: "I don't think we look at it as a negative thing, because as we're not focusing on the Internet we got to focus on the Wi-Fi stuff, so four players can jump in like that," at which point he presumably snapped his fingers, or made a pelvic-thrusting gesture.

"And if only one person has the game, well, you can download it too, and then play with your friends.

"I think it's going to be the perfect multiplayer game because of that," he added.

We're not sure we agree with him, frankly. But there's always online Mario Kart DS to look forward to, at least.

Metroid Prime: Hunters is due out in the US next month, and in Europe by Christmas.