PixlBit

A game that surpasses its predecessor in many ways

The original Kid Icarus on NES is a classic, but it's also brutal. I've played it, but have not gotten very far. The game is just too challenging, plus there's no way to make it easier and you can't even save. This is not the case, however, with the sequel, which appeared on the Game Boy in 1991. Developed by Nintendo and TOSE, and published by Nintendo, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters is an action platformer which fixes many of the mistakes of the first game. Not only that, but it's all around a better game. While it's an action platformer, it's also got some Metroid-style exploration in there too. 

The story goes that Palutena is worried some evil monsters will invade Angel Land, so she has Pit begin some rigorous training and collect three important artifacts for safekeeping. Due to this, Zeus will pop up every now and then to either reward Pit or to remind him that he needs to train harder (depending on how many points you have). Each area is broken into sections (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) with a fortress level at the end (which is much different from the first three levels). You'll fight a boss at the end of the fortress. 

As Pit, you can jump, flutter your wings as you descend, and shoot your bow (in three directions--left, right, and straight up). The flutter is immensely helpful, especially in making long jumps. Pit can also use items he finds along the way, such as hammers (which can break statues and even break certain walls). In the fortress levels, you'll want to find the map, pencil, and torch in order to navigate the maze-like fortress. You'll also enter doors that will take you into shops in which you can buy potions, keys, hammers, etc. using hearts, which is the currency of the game. 

The great thing about Myths and Monsters (M+M) is the fact that the screen scrolls in all four directions for the outside levels. You can freely go anywhere and even backtrack as far as you want. These levels are more linear, but still have some doors and items you can find which are optional. The first three levels are simply vertical, having Pit go up and up, which I really enjoyed. You'll recognize some baddies from the previous game, such as snakes, Death, and the infamous Eggplant Wizard. Another welcome new feature is the fact that you can save after each level! 

Over the course of the adventure, you'll want to rack up as many points as possible by killing all the enemies you can. If you can get enough points, Zeus will reward you at the end of the level by increasing your health bar! You can also find Zeus in certain rooms, and should you have enough points, he will reward you with stronger arrows that shoot farther. If you don't have enough points, he will say, "You need to try harder, Pit." Believe me, you want these upgrades as they make the game much easier and more enjoyable. M+M manages to find a great incentive for racking up points, making points an absolute necessity. 

The fortress levels are another beast altogether. These are non-linear, exploration-based levels which feel like you're playing Metroid in a mythological setting. These levels can be long and challenging, but if you spend enough time moving around and checking the map, you can make it to the end. The bad news is, if you die at any point (even at the boss), you'll have to start at the beginning and do everything again. But this shouldn't happen because some enemies will drop health and you can find shops which sell potions, meaning you should be able to keep your health up. 

The bosses are the only sticking point in the game, not because they're bad, but because they have huge amounts of life. The bosses are quite simple, usually moving around and shooting some projectiles at you. BUT you'll have to hit them A LOT to bring them down, so much that the battle becomes monotonous. No kidding, it'll take ten minutes or more before you defeat a boss. This is only made worse by the fact that there's no boss health bar, so you won't know how much longer it'll be before you beat him. Bosses include mythological monsters such as the Minotaur and a giant flying skull monster (okay, they made that one up). 

M+M is a very good-paced game. The game slowly becomes harder as you progress and the fortress levels get a little bigger each time. Enemies will fly in from all sides of the screen, keeping you on your toes. The game is not hard, but rather fun, and due to saving, you can always pick up on that last level if you have a game over. Action and exploration found a heavenly combination in this great sequel. 

Final Verdict--4 Stars: Recommended

This is the Kid Icarus game to play! If you didn't like the first game, you're not alone, but try this one: it's easier, more fun, and mixes action and exploration well. This is also Pit's swansong before he would disappear for 21 years only to come back with a completely different type of game. So you owe it to Pit to play this classic. It's available on the 3DS Virtual Console, and I whole-heartedly recommend it. If anything, it's much better than Metroid's sequel on the Game Boy. 

Join me every Saturday as we take a look back at all kinds of retro games, good and bad.