A New Kid Icarus Can Be The Perfect Celebration For The Switch 2

Exclusives are a powerful weapon, they’ve always been. If you see two competitive platforms, one has better hardware and features, while the other has a superior game library, which one are you going to pick? If you ask me, I’d be leaning toward the latter. 

A console’s library defines it. Let’s take the recent 3DS and Wii U closure to paint a picture. The 3DS is a legendary console and one of the best of all time, one reason being you can play an absurd amount of games on it, including the 3DS, DS, and Virtual Console features. Wii U on the other hand, though a lot more powerful than 3DS, was quite a flop majorly because it had no quality games to its name.

At the end of the day, you’ll remember a console by the games it offers, and I don’t think the 3DS will be forgotten anytime soon. It has a strong collection of games and some pretty exciting exclusives, one of which happens to be my topic today, Kid Icarus: Uprising.

Kid Icarus: Uprising — A Showcase of 3DS’ Prowess

My first question is, do you know the name “Kid Icarus”? You don’t? What about Pit and Palutena? Oh, yeah those winged characters from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. If you started with a Switch, that’s probably how you’ll know them.

However, if you’re an old-school gamer like me, you’ll be very familiar with the iconic Nintendo franchise which is Kid Icarus, especially on the 3DS. Why this one specifically? That’s because the last game of the series, Kid Icarus: Uprising, was designed to be a showcase for the console’s unique hardware, and boy did it do a great job at that.

Kid Icarus was a pretty old series, existing back in the late 80s to early 90s. In 2012, it was revived to create a title for the 3DS, and that ended up breathing new life into this curious take on Greek Mythology. Kid Icarus: Uprising is one of, if not the most creatively unique games on the system.

These past couple of months playing Kid Icarus Uprising with everyone have been mad fun. Thank you all for watching to the end.

I played this game a ton a decade ago, but it was great that even in 2024 it could surprise me like in this clip. I love this game so goddamn much. pic.twitter.com/Ap60CKsTn5

— Savage Khayyaam Fury (@KhayyaamButt) April 9, 2024

Kid Icarus: Uprising was designed to make use of the console’s touch screen and Stylus, the new multi-directional analog stick, the StreetPass integration, and the 3D capabilities to deliver a phenomenal adventure. The controls were a little problematic, sure, but it’s no reason to dismiss all its other feats.

The gameplay involved aerial segments that worked as a third-person rail shooter, where you control the angel Pit against the dark forces of Medusa and later Hades. When you were not flying around shooting enemies, you navigated creative levels with superb platforming elements on the ground doing the same. From its creative dual gameplay styles, versatile enemy design, and fascinating arsenal of guns at your disposal, Kid Icarus: Uprising was my entire reason for getting a 3DS.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is one of the best action games I have ever played, and you should play it too.
by inGames

The Series’ Past Is Not Exactly A Bed Of Roses

Unfortunately, that was the last we heard of Kid Icarus; the franchise has gone completely cold, other than Pit and Palutena appearing in Smash Bros, as I mentioned above. And it’s not the first time this has happened. Kid Icarus has been kind of an “on-and-off” series ever since its creation. It remained a victim of Nintendo’s whims and was used when need be.

I’ve been dying for Kid Icarus Uprising to be remade on switch, so I created my own fake box art. Thought you’d enjoy what I’ve created here
byu/mimichiku inKiDIcaruS

Created alongside Metroid and sharing many features with it, the original Kid Icarus dates back to 1986, released for the NES. It was a 2D side-scrolling platformer, vastly different from the 3D-fied Uprising you may remember. Despite comparatively lower sales, Kid Icarus became an icon and garnered a dedicated following. This led to a sequel five years later, Of Myths and Monsters for the GameBoy.

And that’s when it began, the series’ abandonment. Kid Icarus: Uprising came out in 2012, which puts a whopping gap of two decades between the two entries. During this period, there were a ton of rumors that the series might be getting a new entry. First the SNES, then the Nintendo 64, and then the GameCube and Wii; none ever came true regrettably.

It took Nintendo 20 years to remember “Oh, we have Kid Icarus.” Uprising came and blew everyone away, yet the series’ bad luck didn’t end. Once it served its purpose, it was shelved once again, and the team behind it, Project Sora, closed. That day and today, I’m still waiting, seeing if lightning will strike the same place twice.

Kid Icarus Uprising was cool.

It was one of the biggest Nintendo games to date and felt like the (re)start of a new Nintendo franchise.

The whole stand thing really cause a ton of drama. Over a full decade later and no port nor sequel pic.twitter.com/1D6sO5UKIi

— CartridgeGames (@CartridgeGames) November 23, 2022

Kid Icarus Can Make A Fabulous Title For Nintendo’s Next Console

It has happened before, I see no reason why I can’t hope for it once again. If Nintendo can remember the series exists after 20 years, it can do so now, too. Especially considering the circumstances can be similar to when Kid Icarus: Uprising was released.

Nintendo revived the series to create a title for its new console, the 3DS. Now, a similar need might be arising, considering the company’s next console is supposedly right around the corner. Let’s say it’s Switch 2, Kid Icarus can be a splendid game for it. It can serve the same purpose its predecessor did; serve as a showcase for Nintendo’s new hardware and its various features.

We need a new Kid Icarus game. Uprising was legendary.
byu/Spider-Tay inNintendoSwitch

The Switch was indeed a phenomenal console with no shortage of good games, and there isn’t much to worry about for the next one, either. However, there’s nothing wrong with demanding specific games, especially when the title in question is a highly creative and ingenious adventure that 100% deserves the spotlight.

Please bring back Kid Icarus, Nintendo. Give the series a long overdue break from its misfortune.