The Sublime Insanity of Kid Icarus Uprising

Kid Icarus Uprising has been the subject of much debate over the past several months here at IGN. As Nintendo's first project of 2012, and a critical release for the 3DS, we've been focused on the game as it's made the rounds through various trade shows. Our consensus? We weren't sure it was going to deliver.

Flash forward to 2012, where we've had a chance to play a version of the game that is effectively complete. To say this more polished version is more impressive is an understatement. Despite a few nagging issues, the return of Pit just might signal the arrival of a potent new Nintendo franchise. Here are some general thoughts about our time with the game.

We've been making a great deal of noise about Resident Evil Revelations and how it sets the benchmark for 3DS graphics. That's probably still true at this point, but there's little doubt now that Kid Icarus Uprising will give Revelations a run for its money, albeit in a very different way. This game is breathtaking, both in its action-packed ambition and world design.

Uprising is fast, colorful and dazzling. The environments are diverse, the enemies bizarre, and the speed at which you move through a level can truly be breakneck at times. Part on-rails shooter, part ground-based action game, Uprising concerns itself with only one thing - putting a lot of bad guys on your screen, then having them shoot at you and forcing you to deal with the ensuing chaos.


The pacing of the game is one of its biggest assets, but can also undermine it at times. Without a doubt, having calm skies or serene landscapes turn into all battlefields is thrilling. Yet there are moments where you'll struggle to understand what the heck is happening, as beams, blasts and everything else imaginable flashes across your screen. It's one thing to have this happen in a 2D game, where your perspective gives you a certain tactical advantage. With the camera often directly behind Pit, that's not the case here.

Having the 3D effect turned on adds a fantastic sense of depth to the game, and will certainly help you gauge proximity. But sometimes a level is so busy you'll simply lose track of what's happening - and get really hurt. Over time we found ourselves adjusting to the game's unique insanity, though it's undeniable the game is a bit manic.

On-screen action aside, Pit controls incredibly well, both in the air and on the ground. Basic movement is done with the circle pad, while using the stylus on the touch screen will aim Pit's reticule on the top screen. The D-pad is used to scroll through a limited set of special powers (allowing players to heal their character or activate a wing-powered jump), while the L button executes attacks.

Uprising's combat is surprisingly complex, allowing for a variety of different attacks that are also greatly affected by the many weapon classes in the game. Pit always has access to long and short range combat options, though the effectiveness of those attacks is again affected by the arms at hand. The on-screen reticule provides a great deal of information, as its color and shape will determine what attack Pit is capable of executing. Patient players will be able to pull off more powerful charge shots, while those using the game's dash attacks will be able to pull off Uprising's version of a "Smash Attack," which can be very, very heavy hitting.


All of this is to say that Icarus not only controls well, it is designed with layered combat in mind. Enemies also require a variety of strategies to defeat - some need to be attacked up close, some from far, and some simply must be avoided.

The only real downside to Uprising's control comes with its camera. This isn't necessarily because it handles poorly. A flick of the stylus will cause the camera to rotate, and the speed of that turn can be affected by the player. A tap on the touch screen will cause the camera to immediately stop. Despite that flexibility, the game is designed in a way that makes the camera inadequate. Several times we found ourselves turned around, ambushed off-screen by enemies and generally annoyed that the game couldn't give us a decent perspective on the action at hand. Adapting to these small shortcomings was possible, particularly if we started pushing Pit to his limits, dashing and dodging all over a stage. This, however, was only so effective, as our hero tires just as Link did in his latest adventure.