Kid Icarus:Uprising

[The Mole]

After some very mixed reviews, ranging from 50% to 95% thought I would post my first impressions.


First up i want to address the controls, as this is the major reason for the huge differences in ratings from the reviews I have read.

They have no doubt made a strange choice here, however this is not a fault of the game and more a flaw of the 3ds not having that extra circle pad. Both sections of the game require you to move and aim at the same time, the only way this can be done is with the touch screen being used to aim. If the 3ds had an extra circle pad this would not be an issue, however the control system we have got is functional it just takes some getting used to.

With that issue addressed onto the game......

Each level has a flying bit to begin with, followed by ground based action once at the location. The flying bits are similar to starfox where you have enemies attaching and you have to take them out while avoiding counterfire and obstacles. Once at the location the action is very similar to a dungeon battle in a typical Zelda game finding and hitting switches to open doors ending in a boss battle.

Along the way you will come across difficulty locked doors that will only be opening you play at a high enough difficulty, these contain bonus items that can be merged with existing weapons to give you a super weapon.

The game has a very good weapons upgrade system which you access between levels. Each time you kill an enemy you get hearts depending on the difficulty depends on the amount, these are then used to buy new weapons for use in action.

Also between the levels you can change the difficulty anywhere from 10 being the hardest to 1 decreasing by 0.1 giving loads of options and making sure you can get the optimum hearts in each level for your skill.

The game does a fantastic job of telling the story through voice overs as you are playing the levels meaning you are always in the action.

I am yet to try the comprehensive online and multiplayer but will post back when I have.

This is a must own for any 3ds owner that likes action games.

[SUMIRE]

Can't you use the circle pad pro?

[The Mole]

Yes but it is only used for left handed play with the touch screen still used to aim

[dataDave]

Did no one ever play Metroid Hunters? I thought the aiming was perfect in that.

If they add a second analogue they way as well remove the bottom screen.

[The Mole]

Yes I did it is the same control system here.

[Neon Ignition]

How does it come across length wise? I loved replaying Starfox on it but ?30-?40 is a lot of notes for very short action games.

[The Mole]

Most online retailers have it for ?29.95 Each level is about 10 minutes I am through the first 2 levels and am 4% done. The game does appear to offer a lot of replay value, playing on higher difficulty to unlock some doors as well as the online and multiplayer. The online mode is one of the most robust online offerings from nintendo.

The game also comes with a stand that is very well made.

[elaniel]

Don't forget also you can spend Nintendo Stars and get 12 AR cards for 250 stars points. First thing in ages I've wanted from the store so bought 20 packs.

[The Mole]

I have been playing online and it's great fun but already the Japanese are experts. The online game plays very like Unreal Tournament mixed with Smash Brothers.

You have a team life bar and depending on the power of your chosen weapons depends on how much the team bar loses when you die. You can also earn bonus hearts which is the in game currency for buying items and upgrades.

Each map also has a super weapon that is broken up into 3 bits, get all 3parts and it is yours to use until you die.

The single player has you gamble your hearts on your ability, as if you want to up the difficulty you have to put your currency on the line and if you die you lose some of it.

[The Mole]

Cheers for the heads up on the cards just ordered 12 packs, they are going for a pritty penny on ebay also.

[briareos_kerensky]

Played a bit, up till the third stage. So far I've very few issues with the controls, maybe the camera control could have been slaved to the cursor to avoid forcing swiping left and right on the touch screen.
If anything, the bosses seem a bit too easy at the standard difficulty level and to open harder levels you have to offer hearts that are used as a currency for essentially everything in the game...grind time!

[rmoxon]

Got this earlier, so far seems brilliant but also technically flawed.

I love how the game is structured and don't mind the grinding asspect one bit, the amount of equipment and special abilities to unlock makes it all worth while, plus every second of gameplay, from the moment the tutorial starts, is charmingly enjoyable.

Yet there are a few massive niggles tha hold it back a bit. For one thing the controls, while not that bad as far how the game plays goes, are giving me ridiculous hand cramps due to the way I have to hold the 3ds to play. Then there's the 3d which I have now simply turned off becuase it's impossible to hold still while playing it so the screen becomes a constant blur.

Granted both these issues could indeed be fixed if I use the stand that came with with the game, I don't know, I've yet to try it, this is a handheld game, surely it shouldnt require a stand to play properly?

[briareos_kerensky]

I've tried the stand once and immediately went back to handholding the 3DS: the firing button is way too uncomfortable and I don't move the console too much when playing.
I've found that the best grip is to have the lower right edge of the console rest on the leftmost edge of your right palm, left hand gripping the console with index on L and thumb on the circle pad.
I'm enjoying the game but I'm not into grinding and going forward with weapons I find or fuse; the biggest flaw for me is that bosses are way too easy (and I'm playing at the difficulty level proposed by the game at each stage). The camera could have been slaved to the aiming reticle, but it's not as bad as it's painted by some.

[rmoxon]

As much as I like this I think I'm going to have to simply give up on it, it's just too painful to hold the 3ds while you play it.

Does the circle pad pro work with this? I may have to get one if it does, if it doesn't I don't see me making it through the game, my wrist feels like its broken after playing for half an hour.

[SCCAAMMM]

The circle pad pro just gives you the same control, but for left handed people. You cannot use it to control camera / aiming.