New Kid Icarus: Uprising Details

Nintendo Power has been a source of juicy 3DS information over the past few months. The latest edition of the magazine, issue 258, features some interesting new details about Kid Icarus: Uprising as well as a few revealing quotes from the game’s creator, Masahiro Sakurai.

Pit's back in action.

Controls, accessibility, and depth beyond the main game

The team claims that the game has been made “accessible to a wide range of players,” including simple, easy-to-learn controls, but it’s reassuring to hear that the game will offer depth for more experienced gamers. Apparently, the motion and gyro sensors are unused in the main game, probably to prevent possible player confusion (imagine tilting the 3DS too far and losing the 3D effect in the middle of a heated mid-air chase), but there will be a number of “additional features and attractions” to play with once you’re done the “story mode.”

The statement sounds like a hint at a possible mini-game collection à la Super Mario 64 DS. The remake of the fabled game did something similar, intentionally keeping the DS’s new abilities out of the game so as not to ruin it with gimmicks; rather, it saved the majority of dual-/touchscreen functionality for the mini-games, which, as smaller, shorter experiences, could retain the “wow” factor of the gimmicks without becoming tedious. Kid Icarus: Uprising may choose to do the same, focusing on a straightforward experience unplagued by possible control issues from the 3DS’s new motion sensors.

Speaking of controls, we now know what they will be. The L button will be used to fire, movement will be by slide pad, and the stylus will both aim and control the camera. The set-up sounds very much like that of Metroid Prime Hunters, but with the notable replacement of the D-pad with the analog slide pad, a change that will be welcomed by many.

Other details

Regarding Pit’s moves, it is now official that he can fire while diving to the side, and that many of his moves are being kept secret. It has been announced that part of his moveset from Super Smash Bros. Brawl carries over into his latest solo adventure, though which exact moves made the cut is currently unknown.

Story-wise, the game officially takes place 23 years after the first Kid Icarus on the NES. It has also been confirmed that the final boss fight is a showdown against Medusa. It looks like she’s back, even after Pit allegedly defeated her once and for all back at the end of the original game.

You can put speculation of the meaning of the game’s name to rest now, too, as there is now an official explanation: namely, “Uprising” refers to the “revival of Pit/Kid Icarus,” the rise of the underworld army, and the literal rising of Pit into the sky. Hopefully, these meanings will satisfy those who have been debating what the title could possible mean.

Rising up into the sky...

Sakurai’s words

“At the time when the original Kid Icarus came out, there was an overall trend of very serious games like The Legend of Zelda and Metroid. But Kid Icarus was a slightly mroe [sic] comical, lighthearted type of game. So it was important to maintain that. For example, in this new game, Pit talks a lot as he’s fighting. And rather than being serious and steadfast about the mission at hand, you’ll find him joking and being more relaxed and casual.”

It’s nice to hear that we’ll be getting a talking Nintendo character for once (a rarity as the majority of them—Mario, Link, Kirby, and Samus, for example—are all silent), but the statement sounds like Pit will be quite the chatterbox. Let’s just hope they don’t pull a Sonic on us and give him an annoying attitude…

“One thing you might notice in the trailer is that Pit changes weapons a lot. You might even see him without a weapon at all, but with a sort of tattoo pattern on his arm. I can’t go into a lot of detail, but the weapon variation is a very key and interesting part of the game. And another thing to draw attention to is the way that Pit’s shots sometimes curve – that there seems to be a sort of auto-aiming going on.”

Weapon variation is nothing new; these words echo previous statements that the swapping of weapons will play a key role in the gameplay, but the second part of Sakurai’s quote may be an example of the accessibility factor that I discussed earlier. Auto-aiming, or aim correction, is an easy way for more casual (or lazy) players to do less but still feel like they’re part of the game. Perhaps it will be possible to turn this feature off if you’re feeling confident; maybe the game will offer certain bonuses or unlockables if you finish it without relying on “auto-aiming.” Again, this is purely speculative; how “intrusive” this function is and whether it is optional or not is unconfirmed at this point (though it’s highly likely).

“The game has a relatively simple design for a reason: we wanted it to be ready close to launch. Of course, there are a lot of hurdles to overcome during the course of any game development, so I can’t say with certainty that it will be ready at launch, but I’m definitely working with the intention of releasing the game as soon as possible.”

Kid Icarus: Uprising was originally said to be a launch title, and the one that would sell the Nintendo 3DS’s headlining feature, 3D graphics, but this statement, if anything, proves that it may not be there on Day 1. Still, optimistically speaking, this is probably for the better; the studio is taking the time to make sure they overcome said hurdles. Too many developers have rushed to release games with consoles, often turning out an allegedly “finished” game that is plagued by unrefined controls, poor design, and glitchy programming. I’m actually quite glad Sakurai is ready to delay the game’s release if necessary, because the last thing we want is angry Kid Icarus fans complaining about non-functional controls or rushed development, right?

Whatever awaits our favourite angel, it's gonna be good.

“In a word, I was touched [by the reaction at E3]. A lot of effort was put into the trailer – fitting everything into two minutes and pacing the scenes to show them at the right time; having them match the music, the mood, and achieve the desired effect. A lot of thought was given to how the fans would react to certain elements. So, my most earnest reaction to the fans’ response is that of utmost happiness; I’m absolutely, totally happy about it.”

Lastly, we get a personal comment from Sakurai. It must feel great to have spent two years developing Kid Icarus: Uprising in secret, preparing that trailer, and then seeing the fans’ overjoyed reaction at E3. I especially like that he put a lot of thought into “how the fans would react to certain elements.” If he is creating the game itself with a mindset like that, you can be sure that it won’t disappoint.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is definitely one to keep on your radar. Whether you have been a  fan of Pit’s from the glorious days of the NES or are simply looking for a great game to buy with your shiny new 3DS when the day comes, you’ll be getting a title produced with the utmost care and dedication.