Before you give me a lecture about how Metroid doesn't need online multiplayer and how its a first person adventure etc etc. Sit down and hear me out. But before that i would like to apologize that the title is a bit 
misleading. Only a bit.
Anyway im sure most people here would argue that theres no need for online multiplayer; I would have to disagree, Metroid Prime Hunters showed me that there is potential for a metroid multiplayer to be successful (as long as you dont try to slap a shoddy watered downone player experience). If it were up to me, I would release a all mutiplayer metriod game for the ds ( a la warhawk) and drop all attempts to making a story with it in order to polish the online multiplayer.
Ive played my share of several ps2, ds, gamecube, ps3, xbox, and xbox360 online fps's and I have a pretty decent understanding of what creates a fluid and engaging multiplayer.
If that is to happen tho, these need to be addressed:
- Health
Health needs to be regenerative and not based on health orbs/kits. I honestly dont know how they would incorporate this but its the only way to create a fun mutiplayer expierience. People abusing health spawn locations is no fun, and kills the whole game. If I was desperate, i would do the original halo approach (sorry for quoting halo for a metriod game but its original layout is perfect for metroid). Have a rechargable shield but also with a health bar that deteriorates afterwards once your shield is down. (health bar cannot be recharged). Players would have to play carefully but aggressively trying to defeat enemies before their shields fail and they take actual damage.
- Ammo
Screw it , I lost my train of thought and im just blabbering. Edit it later.
Heres a video of a few passionate and talented freelance programmers spending years just to perfect a Metroid Online game. Nintendo needs to pay attention to these talented guys/girls.
Full Video: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/80867.html
I honestly hope nintendo makes a 2D metroid and a online metroid minus the story mode, for the ds.
