PixlBit

Light and Dark battle it out in Kid Icarus: Uprising

Kid Icarus: Uprising has been one of my most anticipated titles for the Nintendo 3DS since its initial announcement last year. While the 3DS has come out and Kid Icarus still hasn't, fans wondered what was in store for them once they finally get their hands on it. One thing I can say, is that the game is very fun and there's a lot more to it than expected.

Announced at this year's E3, is a multiplayer mode within the game in which three players on the light side and three players on the dark side face off against one another. Players pick from different weapons before a match and each weapon has different properties and abilities. For example, the sword is balanced and efficient, the hand blasters are best at a range, and theres even a cannon that is extremely powerful yet slows down your movement. During the match, the goal was to take out members on the opposing team, and once someone dies too many times, they come back as a more powerful warrior that can turn the tables. That one player becomes the target of everyone else, and once defeated, the game is over. It's pretty fun and gets hectic at times.

The gameplay is similar to any other DS style shooter. Players shoot with the L or R shoulder buttons while aiming with the stylus. One complaint was that the gameplay often gets very demanding of the stylus and its easy to lose your target in the middle of a fight. Also while having these battles with the 3D enabled, it becomes quite confusing since you're prone to accidentally moving the 3DS out of the optimal viewing zone. There's probably a learning curve in that department, but overall it works pretty well, but could work better.

While the game plays well, its presentation is even more impressive. The graphics are very stylized and a lot of the different creatures and special effects are complemented by the 3D. Some of the scenes and set pieces are, in a word, awe-inspiring. Kid Icarus is on pace to be the best looking 3DS title to date.

Kid Icarus: Uprising impressed me, to say the least. It proved it could provide a fun multiplayer experience, great graphics and a potentially great story. The gameplay is fun, though it proved to be rough at times with a potential for some improvement.

Kid Icarus: Uprising releases later this year.