Title: Kid Icarus: Uprising
Format: 3DS
Release Date: March 23, 2012
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Project Sora
Price: $39.99
ESRB Rating: E
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" -Pit Kid Icarus: Uprising is the follow-up to Kid Icarus: An Angel Land Story the 25 year-old NES game. Oh sure, there was a Gameboy game called Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters. Ask any of the characters in this game, however, and the last game was released 25 years ago. That doesn't keep Pit from being as beloved as Mario, though. His media appearances and game cameos have made him the darling of any gamer who grew up on Captain N… -icus. So, Project Sora bravely sets out on its maiden voyage in a sea of nostalgia with a ship of reworked gameplay and art. If you can decipher the system and find your own way to play, you too will learn to put down the rose-colored glasses and just enjoy the ride.
Presentation: There's two things Masahiro Sakurai does well: use of Nintendo hardware and fan service. Kid Icarus: Uprising not only marks the 25 year anniversary of the game series. The game is also released on the first anniversary of the system. Branded with a "Nintendo Network" icon instead of the deprecated Nintendo WFC; KI:U is an announcement of bigger things to come in the year of the Wii:U. The presentation leaves the gamer with the idea of, this is how Nintendo games are going to be from here on out. For the most part, it's a fair assumption. If there's any sort of control scheme on the 3DS for a shooter, Project Sora has made it available. The default scheme is a bit of a hand cramper. The circle pad pro functions as an adapter for left-handed players, but also provides a suitable grip for any player. Currently, my preferred layout is: movement with the circle pad, aiming with ABXY buttons, and shooting with the right trigger. The gamer is still afforded the option of stabilizing the system with an included plastic stand. Bicycle playing card-style tradable AR cards are included in the game for an extra battle mode.
Sakurai's last outing Smash Bros. Brawl still resonates today in games like Mario Party 9. That's due in part to Sakurai's fan service. There's a definite love of the subject matter in Uprising. The cute cartoony artwork effects a kid friendly experience. Character dialog drips with winks and nods and punches through the fourth wall. Pit and Palutena rattle on like Moneypenny and James Bond with sexual tension and quips. True to the spirit of the original, this is an endearing odyssey that does not take itself seriously. Uprising does take fans of the original game seriously as evident by screenshots and sprite artwork from Kid Icarus. A very much appreciated touch is a 12 minute tutorial selectable by "chapter" in-game. Palutena and Pit trade one-liners while discussing an overview of the gameplay. In the latest Nintendo Direct, Sakurai is almost apologetic in his presentation of the game's multiplayer and its chaotic nature. Still, he encouraged gamers to try to decipher the chaos and warm up to the game. That same image of the game designer has to be employed when playing the full game. As chaotic as the multiplayer mode is, the first stage of the game is an explosion. I'm adapting to a new control scheme and at the game tempts to peruse the character art and sprites that splash across the bottom screen. It was as if Sakurai himself stood before me with a Rip Taylor bucket full of glitter saying, excuse me but I have to do this; and then chucked the glitter in my face. If you can decipher the experience, you learn to play the game.
Core Gameplay/Multiplayer: In this explosion of fan service, you have a game along the lines of Sin and Punishment or Starfox Assault. The gamer's perspective is behind Pit in a third person 'shmup. You define the difficulty of a level by placing bets of hearts in a Fiend's Cauldron. It's almost an analog way of defining the experience as gamers can increase the intensity on a scale of one to nine on a decimal level. Controls are defined outside and inside of levels in menus. Gamers can select between three configurations of movement (without the circle pad pro attachment), and then select between three configurations of reticule aiming. The customization goes further with button assignments for shooting and power-up selection. Playing through a stage earns weapons, power-ups and hearts. To buy weapons and fuse weapons, gamers can visit Palutena outside of levels. Gamers are encouraged to take bigger risks to earn greater rewards. In fact, Pit smiles at the camera and says, "That's a good life lesson, too!" (cue NBC's More-you-know shooting star.) The weapon fusion is on a grid. Weapon types are laid out and there is no need for gamers to guess at random recipes. That said, it's best to play attention to range and melee ratings and the resulting weapons augmentations. Still, it's easy enough to sort the grid and just select the strongest weapon on the top left. Multiplayer or "Together" is available as a team match mode where six players are divided into two teams. Both teams vie to have the last man standing. The mode extends the gameplay and gives each team and extra chance. When the last player dies in a team of three, the player is resurrected as the team's angel (either Pit or Dark Pit). Players are rewarded in this mode with more weapons and power ups. The game's achievement system is similar to the system in Smash Bros. Brawl. A grid of puzzle pieces is gradually revealed as each of the game's over 120 missions are accomplished. Feathers are earned through playing to reveal some of the more elusive goals. Not only does this system reveal artwork, but game music, figurines and weapons and power ups. With the different ways to acquire weapons, gamers are provided with methods of disposal. These weapons can be sold back to Palutena in the shop or traded through the game's Streetpass function after being converted to gems.
Final Thoughts: Kid Icarus: Uprising blazes a path for the 3DS that I want more games to follow. It's presentation is chaotic and rich and encourages multiple playthroughs of stages. Accessibility is this game's biggest issue. You have to pick through the chaos and define your own playstyle. The default playstyle is one that is not the most friendly. Yet, there's plenty of tools to get you to where you have to go. The multiplayer and AR modes present a complete package of what a 3DS game can be. Gamers will want this game as a mark of a milestone for the system, and the overall game excels at that. Final Score = 9.5/10 Email: jeanlucpierite@gmail.com Twitter: @jeanlucpierite Apps: S&S Reviews on Apple and Android Stores PSNID:neshoba78 XBLID:neshoba78