It’s been 20 years since the last Kid Icarus game was released on Game Boy, and that’s a very unknown about game to this day. To have a highly marketed, highly publicized Kid Icarus game released at this day and age is a bit strange to say the least. But considering the name behind it and his relationship with the current Nintendo CEO, it shouldn’t be surprised that Kid Icarus gets a grand re-introduction to the world on the 3DS.
Kid Icarus: Uprising is a schizophrenic game, combining an on-rails shooter style game with on land action game. The controls for the on-rails flight sections are simple and work fantastically. These sections do get pretty busy later on. None of these segments last more than five minutes however, given the game’s context that Pit’s wings will burn up if the limit is reached. After each flight section, you’ll move into the proper action segments. The controls here are mostly functional, but will probably require some tweaking since you control Pit’s firing reticule and camera at the same time. This is the only part of Uprising that could’ve been done better, and it’s a shame since these segments take up the majority of the game. Even during the latter stages of the game I never felt I had mastered them, but only managed to make sure I didn’t die because of them. It’s a shame really, as the remainder of the game never fails to shine.
The one surprising aspect of Uprising is its’ story. Pit and Palutena are the definitive stars of the show, with their almost natural quips towards one another, coming across as being extremely charming. The story is well put together and is an overall fun ride due to the dialog and story that doesn’t stop the action. While the game does give you an option to turn off the dialog after beating it, I couldn’t bring myself to do so when replaying levels, and I’m sure many will feel the same way. The story is bittersweet however, since it will leave you wondering where they could go from there.
In addition to the single player mode, there is also multiplayer, supporting online and offline play up to 6 players. There are two modes, one team-based called Light vs. Dark and the other is free-for-all. The multiplayer plays like the game’s on-foot sections, and also allows you to bring in your loot from single player to use. It’s a nice feature, but it does make you more vulnerable to losing despite having more powerful gear. It’s a nice distraction, but it wasn’t something I felt like I had to play to get my money’s worth from the game.
Uprising also offers a multitude of additional content to promote more playthroughs of chapters as well as the multiplayer, including Challenges, a Music Gallery as well as Idol Mode, which gives you in-game models based on AR cards you’ve collected. Challenges give you rewards such as weapons, music and Idols by completing chapters in single player in specific ways, such as defeating any level at 9.0 Intensity. I like that the game offers a reward to keep me playing the game, especially when there’s nothing to hang my head in shame about. It’s just offering more ways to teach you how to play the game, and maybe you’ll find something you didn’t think you’d like about it that way. The sound tracks is also another highlight of the game, and thanks to the Music Gallery you’ll be able to listen to all of your favorite tracks whenever you want, even after you beat the game.
Kid Icarus: Uprising is almost everything a game should strive to be. Despite its’ steep learning curve, it is ultimately a must buy for any Nintendo 3DS owner due to the longevity and enjoyment you’ll get out of this little bundle of joy at almost every turn.
Score: 8.5/10
Pros:
+ The Story
+ The Visuals
+ The Replay Value
Cons:
+ The Controls
+ The Replay Value
+ Losing the 3D Effect
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