Kid Icarus Review

Summary:

An inspired but technically flawed cult hit.

Pros:

+ RPG elements worked into an NES action/platformer

+ Catchy and epic if short soundtrack

+ Rewards expert play

Cons:

- Environments feel lifeless and bland

- Glitchy engine muddles experience

- Needlessly punishing gameplay

Review:

[Originally written for TheHylia in June of 2007.]

Back in 1986, a game was released that went on to become a cult classic, an adventure whose name inspired awe in the hearts of gamers. The title went on to have an unnoticed sequel on the Game Boy, and since then, its name carried on the whispers of retro gamers and fans continue to wait to this day for Nintendo to make a true sequel. That game, featuring a quirky protagonist in a grand adventure, was called Kid Icarus.

Many will download this simply for nostalgic value, but what about those of us who never experienced it back in its prime time? The game may not be quite as amazing as cult gamers make it out to be, but it certainly earned its reputation for a reason.

Kid Icarus stars a winged boy named Pit who has been tasked with saving Palutena, the Goddess of Light, from Medusa. Naturally, it’s not an easy job to undertake, and Pit has to collect three mystical treasures with which to arm himself and defeat the foul beast causing a ruckus. What this leads to is one of the NES’s biggest adventures.

Pit will travel through temples, icy lands, mountains, and more, picking off enemies with his bow as he goes. The game has an equal focus on action and platforming, with some RPG elements to tie it together, resulting in character growth as you progress.

The winged hero is armed at the outset with nothing but a puny bow whose arrows don’t travel far. Of course, this issue can be remedied as you play through the game, but it’s difficult to attain power. Players must collect plenty of hearts dropped by enemies, which you can use as currency to buy items to refill health, help lift you from pitfalls, and more. As Pit progresses through this side-scrolling (and often vertical) game, he will encounter various chambers: shops, enemy ambushes, healing spots, endurance trials…Until the player enters, they won't know which kind. Purchase various items to bolster the would-be hero's power, and through skillful playing, earn experience points which can level up his maximum health. There are a lot or RPG elements at work here, and, for an NES game, they’re wonderfully incorporated.

All of this character growth is paramount, and nimble fingers are a must in order to play this game in general, as it is quite difficult. Pit is appropriately named--he tends to fall into holes easily due to the constricting screen and awkward controls. Kid Icarus's brutal difficulty may turn off some, and is something to keep in mind when considering this as a purchase.

The graphics are good for the NES as far as technical specs are concerned–characters are large and colorful. However, the environments leave something to be desired–at times, the game looks awesome, but others, it looks lifeless. Some more artistic detail could have been paid to the game, though it's not too awful looking.

The sound, on the other hand, is brilliant for the era. The sound effects are true NES quality, and the soundtrack composed sounds like a labor of love. The title theme and overworld anthem are catchy, memorable, and quite adventurous, helping to create the epic atmosphere the developers were aiming for.

My biggest complaint with this game is its engine. Based on the Metroid engine, Kid Icarus can be a bit clunky at times, with enemies appearing where they shouldn’t, Pit getting caught in walls, and more. It just feels flimsy in its execution, which is a shame, considering its masterful blending of ideas. At least Metroid was more forgiving in enabling the player to stay alive. Kid Icarus can be rather hard, which is enticing for core gamers, but a bit too much of that difficulty stems from the game’s mechanics rather than the player’s lack of skill. Furthermore, the cheat code element found in the original classic has been removed from the Virtual Console release–a decision that makes no sense at all.

Bottom Line:

While the game is rewarding, it’s only if you can overcome the steep skill curve, brutal difficulty, and awkward physics/controls. A lot of interesting ideas for the day (1986) are thrown in to create a Zelda/Metroid hybrid that falls short of masterpiece status due to its flaws. For nostalgic purposes, it’s still very playable and is a fun game regardless, but newcomers may want to consider its blemishes and relentless challenge before giving it a purchase.