Kid Icarus (game)

From Icaruspedia, the high flying Kid Icarus Wiki
Revision as of 19:24, 13 October 2017 by Sebastian (talk | contribs) (Undo revision 20791 by ΤΗΙς ωικι ις ςΗΙΤ!!! (talk))
Jump to navigation Jump to search
"Kid Icarus" redirects here, for other uses see Kid Icarus (disambiguation)
Kid Icarus
光神話 パルテナの鏡
Hikari Shinwa: Palthena no Kagami
KidIcarusCover.png
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer:

Nintendo R&D1

Console: Family Computer Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Advance, Wii Virtual Console
Genre: Action, Platforming
Release: Famicom/NES:
JP December 19, 1986
NA July 1987
EU February 15, 1987

GBA:

JP August 10, 2004

Wii Virtual Console:

JP January 23, 2007
NA February 12, 2007
PAL February 23, 2007
Ratings: ACB: G
CERO: A
ESRB: E
PEGI: 7+
Predecessor: N/A
Successor: Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters


Kid Icarus, known in Japan as Light Mythology: Palutena's Mirror (光神話 パルテナの鏡 Hikari Shinwa Parutena no Kagami), is a video game released for the Famicom in 1986, and the NES in 1987. It features Pit, the main protagonist of the series. Kid Icarus had two successors, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, and Kid Icarus: Uprising. Kid Icarus re-released on multiple Nintendo consoles and also has a 3DS Remake, 3D Classics: Kid Icarus. Much like Metroid, the game featured saving through the use of passwords. It was directed by Satoru Okada.

Plot

There once existed a land where man and gods coexisted peacefully. This place was known as Angel Land. This land was ruled by two beautiful goddesses: Palutena, the Goddess of Light and Medusa, the Goddess of Darkness. While Palutena loved the mortals and helped them cultivate their crops, Medusa despised them. In her hatred for them, she destroyed the crops that the mortals toiled to grow, and turned humans into stone. Enraged, Palutena turned Medusa into a hideous monster and banished her into the Underworld.

Medusa would not go quietly, however. She began building an army of demons and monsters. With this army, she broke out of the Underworld and waged war against Palutena's army. The latter's army suffered many casualties and Palutena herself was imprisoned in the Palace in the Sky.

Medusa’s army also killed off most of Palutena’s angel followers, leaving only a young angel named Pit because he lacked the ability to fly. Using the last of her power, Palutena granted Pit a magical Bow and entrusted him with the duty of defeating Medusa and saving Angel Land. To do this, however, Pit would have to reclaim the Three Sacred Treasures. These sacred items rightfully belonged to Palutena, but Medusa stole them and gave them to her three most powerful minions. Pit would have to escape the Underworld, which would prove easy since most of Medusa's forces were in the Palace in the Sky. Pit must also travel through two other realms, the Overworld and the Skyworld, before reaching the Palace in the Sky.

The game also has five different endings, depending on how well the player did throughout the game. In the NES version, the "worst" ending has Pit rewarded only a helmet, while in the "best" ending, he becomes an adult and receives a kiss from Palutena. In the Famicom version, Pit is turned into a Specknose for the "worst" ending, and becomes a grownup in the "best" ending, but does not receive a kiss from Palutena.

Gameplay

Kid Icarus is a side-scrolling platformer, though the last stage undergoes a genre shift and becomes a side-scrolling shooter, with a small looping twist.

Pit's arrows have only a short range and he has a jump height of about three times his height; despite having wings, he cannot fly naturally. He can crouch to avoid enemies and even move while crouching at the same speed (which looks rather comical, even more so when under the Eggplant Curse). However, there are many platforms, such as ice and clouds, that Pit will fall through should he crouch while standing on them. Being damaged will result in a small amount of knockback and very brief invulnerability (even less so when standing on a damage tile, such as lava). Pit can walk behind certain objects, such as pillars and plants, but this won't protect him from being damaged by an enemy.

Pit starts off with one block of health that contains 7 Hit Points. He can earn more blocks, each of which contain 8 additional HP, upon reaching certain score values:

  • Level 2: 20,000
  • Level 3: 50,000
  • Level 4: 100,000
  • Level 5: 200,000

All weapons require Pit to be at a certain "experience level" in order for them to activate, and have full health for that bar, so a high score is a must. The first weapon (after being obtained) activates when Pit reaches two bars, the second weapon requires three, and the third weapon needs a total of four full health bars to activate. Once activated, a weapon stays active even if Pit should fall below the required health level needed to activate it.

Pit's mission will take him through four worlds, each with four stages culminating in an intimidating Fortress. Here, Pit must defeat the guardian and obtain the Sacred Treasure. In the last area, Pit must fly through the remaining forces of Medusa. After defeating Medusa, Pit will restart the game at level 1-1; however, his score, weapons, hearts, level, strength, and Credit Card debt all remain intact, making the next playthrough much easier (especially since the Sacred Chamber in 1-1 will now likely grant Pit a strength upgrade if he's not already at 5). However, any password for 1-1 will override Pit's status and restart the game as though it were a new one. Therefore, players should proceed to 1-2 before acquiring the password.

Rooms

Pit's quest will allow him to explore many chambers. Once Pit leaves a room it's forever sealed, with the exception of Fortress rooms. They include:

Items

Pit has a variety of items at his disposal. Some are earned in Sacred Training Chambers, others discovered in Treasure Chambers, others must be bought with Hearts in a variety of Stores.

Weapons

The three weapons.

Pit's weapons do not necessarily activate when obtained; they require him to reach a certain level of health before they'll activate automatically (which in turn requires him to increase his level; see the Gameplay section above). Pit must reach 15 HP to activate the first weapon he picks up. The second weapon requires 23 Hit Points, the third demands 31.

Regular Items

Fortress Items

Fortress items disappear when Pit leaves the Fortress that they were found in.

Recovery Items

Enemies

Pit will encounter a vast variety of monsters in his quest, including Fortress guardians protecting the Sacred Casket.

Underworld

Overworld

Skyworld

Palace in the Sky

All Areas

Differences Between the Nintendo Entertainment System and Famicom Disk System Versions

  • Due to the FDS's advanced soundfont, most of the music and sound effects are more enhanced compared to the NES version.
  • There is a file select and naming system similar to that of The Legend of Zelda.
  • Medusa isn't seen in humanoid form after her defeat in the FDS version; the eye simply vanishes, and Pit walks into the opening.
  • The worst ending in the FDS version features Pit being turned into a Specknose for taking too long to rescue Palutena instead of being turned into a farmer. Likewise, the best ending in the NES version (where Pit becomes a full-grown angel and receives a kiss from Palutena) is removed. In its place is the second-best ending from the NES version, where Pit simply becomes a full-grown angel.
  • There are no credits in the FDS version, and the background for the ending is stark-black instead of a temple setting.
    • On a related note, the ending in the FDS version is a static screen, whereas the NES version's ending is fully animated.
  • The haggling system is altered; someone must shout into the microphone on the Famicom's second controller, instead of pressing A and B on the NES's second controller.

Trivia

Mythology

The universe of Kid Icarus borrows heavily from Greco-Roman mythology, as is evidenced by the items, monsters, and characters within. The story itself is (very) loosely based on the legend of Perseus, a human youth who made the dangerous boast of being able to kill Medusa. Aided by Athena, and a few fetch-quests to obtain powerful magic items later (Mirror Shield included), he finally slew her.

The appellation "Icarus" is from a story of a separate youth, the titular son of the famous inventor and genius Daedalus. While kept prisoner, Daedalus created set of human-sized wings, crafted from wooden straps with bird feathers stuck to the frame by wax. Icarus borrowed the wing frame and flew high into the sky, over the seas. Though Daedalus warned his son not to fly too high to the sun, Icarus disobeyed him and kept flying higher. The intense heat from the sun melted the wax binding the feathers to the frame and Icarus fell, dashing himself upon the ocean and dying instantly.

Metroid

Kid Icarus was released on the same month as Metroid in North America and functions on the same game engine. Kid Icarus even includes an enemy from Metroid, a Komayto which is said to have come from another planet. Unlike Kid Icarus, the Metroid series has been highly successful, with several sequels on many different consoles.

External Links


Kid Icarus series
Main Series Kid IcarusKid Icarus: Of Myths and MonstersKid Icarus: Uprising
Remakes 3D Classics: Kid Icarus
Related Games Super Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii USuper Smash Bros. Ultimate
Related Media Captain N: The Game MasterKid Icarus 3D Anime
Key People Toru OsawaYoshio SakamotoMasahiro SakuraiHirokazu TanakaGunpei Yokoi