Why Kid Icarus Uprising is an Underrated Masterpiece (By Schaffrillas Productions)

[TheGamingNewsGuy]

Reveiwer, Schaffrillas Productions usually known for his movie reveiws and movie analyses decides to take a look at his favourite game by Masahiro Sakurai - Kid Icuras Uprising and why he feels it is an underated masterpiece. He looks at the story,controls,gameplay humor and compared it to other games Sakurai has made to give across his views (also i saw this video on Patreon)

 

[QisTopTier]

The game being stuck on 3ds will always suck to me, I played it so damn much. Best game on the system

 

[Doctor Phishshoe]

my fav game for sure, even with the questionable controls. it is just so incredibly high budget in every way

 

[eddiemunstr]

I recently started playing it again about a week ago and still love the game, but this really needs a port with better controls. I originally played the game on the first model of the 3ds and didnt find it too uncomfortable to play, but playing it now on a new 3ds xl its hard to play more than a chapter or two in a row. The game itself is top notch though and Just has so much personality with all the banter between characters and the soundtrack.

 

[theAllseeingEYE]

This game always looked awesome, I just passed it over back in the day, likely due to the things I heard about awkward controls, and perhaps Nintendo pricing.

I'd still love to play it. It sounds like Sakurai was able to do some amazing things with weapon customization (incredible variety of gameplay styles), and I'm always compelled to find games that can mix projectiles and melee well.

 

[Herb Alpert]

This game would be even more awesome with pointer controls.
It's one of my favorite games, it's incredible.

 

[Greywaren]

If you can get over the shitty controls, it's one of the very few games I can call a true masterpiece.

 

[Nisaba]

I really enjoyed playing it too, I hope Sakurai gets a chance to direct another non-Smash game one day

 

[Dreamboum]

I wish I could play it but it's the only game I have been utterly unable to as a left-handed person.

 

[Deleted member 36578]

It is INDEED a masterpiece. If it ever gets a Switch port with updated controls the gaming world should rejoice.

 

[Dice]

He's right...he's really right. T__T It's such a complete package. Characters, plot, customization, music, story... it's honestly amazing and I'd double dip on it in a heart beat.

I do agree that Sakurai is too talented to keep on Smash Bros. A change-up for him and the Smash series might be good going forward.

 

[Hallucinations]

I for some reason thought reviewers were harsher (83 on Metacritic doesn't seem too bad).

I remember being hyped for it, visually it's pretty crazy. I hope they're is a port/remaster.

 

[McNum]

Kid Icarus uprising is an awesome ride. It just never lets up in a good way.

I get why some people don't like the controls, they worked for me, but that doesn't mean they will for everyone. But if you can play this game, you'll get a game unlike most others.

Just a shame that some of the biggest spoilers are out in the open already. That video spoils one of the really big ones, (that the game has 25 chapters, not 9), but it's still a game worth playing.

I do kind of want a Switch remaster, just to see some of the flying stages in HD. Could look amazing.

 

[Deleted member 17627]

Really is a perfect game in so many aspects: soundtrack, art direction, dialogue, characters, story, and gameplay. Only real issue was the controls.

I wish this game would get ported to the Switch.

I also want to say I wish Sakurai would work on something other than Smash. But at the same time, he needs a break after working on Smash for like, the past eight years.

 

[ACL]

Excellent game, definetely one of my favourites, not just on 3DS but in general. Too bad that many people didn't give it a chance, because of its unconventional controls.

 

[Wreckord Collection]

Excellent game, definetely one of my favourites, not just on 3DS but in general. Too bad that many people didn't give it a chance, because of its unconventional controls.

Click to shrink...

It wasn't a lack of trying...

I wish I could play it but it's the only game I have been utterly unable to as a left-handed person.

Click to shrink...

I will never not complain about this. I wanted a Kid Icarus update for years and was super excited about this game, but it is an unplayable mess for me as a left-handed person. I'm still shocked that Nintendo released it in this state and hope that it gets adapted to another system with better (not necessarily more "conventional") controls.

 

[Ballpoint Ren]

Never played it, but I heard stories about how the game's controls has wrecked wrists

 

[Fantastical]

I was excited for it and still shocked by it. It's a delightful game that needs to be freed from the 3DS.

 

[Neoleo2143]

I mean yeah. It is, on its own terms on par with RE4 as a shooter.

 

[Duane]

Sad thing is, I have KIU, my 3DS is still on the charger out in the garage, and yet I've never played it beyond about half an hour. I really need to.

 

[bionic77]

It really is a brilliant game. Wish it was a little more accessible and more people had a chance to try it.

 

[MDSVeritas]

It's an absolutely incredible game. Maybe my favorite 3DS title. And I'd agree it feels like Sakurai really expressing himself. I was sad to see him work on so much back-to-back Smash content after Uprising because him directing his own open-ended title like this was spectacular.

It also has one of my favorite Nintendo storylines EVER. The characters, as this video points out, are spectacularly done.

 

[Ed.]

It's been a while since I have played this, so I can't quite remember. Why is this unplayable for left-handed people? I thought you could mirror the buttons.

 

[tohlew]

I wish I could play it but it's the only game I have been utterly unable to as a left-handed person.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, at launch I didn't mind, as I had a 3DS XL and the Circle Pad Pro XL, so as a lefty it was great! But now I only have a New 3DS XL...so I'm left playing it pretty uncomfortably. I've flirted with the idea of getting an old XL again, but Nintendo isn't selling the CPPXL on their online store anymore, and eBay yields some expensive results.

 

[PickledCucumber]

If you can get over the shitty controls, it's one of the very few games I can call a true masterpiece.

Click to shrink...

I tweaked the controls and used the face buttons like another "circle pad."

Wasn't perfect, but worked WAY better this way.

 

[Deleted member 70647]

I love this channel so much, always does great reviews on animated films. Glad he did a video on such an underrated game!

 

[SirNinja]

It is indeed great...for most players. Would be great for me if it accommodated left-handed people. :-/

If there's any justice, the game will get remastered to Switch (or a successor) so that laterality won't be a problem anymore.

 

[EllipsisBreak]

It's been a while since I have played this, so I can't quite remember. Why is this unplayable for left-handed people? I thought you could mirror the buttons.

Click to shrink...

You can use the ABXY buttons for movement if you need to, but that's obviously not nearly as good as full analog control. It's unfortunate that the 3DS didn't have a right stick.

 

[Zolbrod]

The terrible controls made it almost unplayable for me.
If they had nailed the controls, it would've been an all-time great, for sure.

 

[Mekanos]

There's been a bunch of KIU threads lately and they make me want to replay it for the third time.

 

[Glio]

It is a fantastic game that could not be replicated with other controls.

 

[ShinUltramanJ]

It's not underrated at all. People either tolerated the shitty controls or they didn't.

 

[Jencks]

This game needs a re-release with a proper control scheme. The only mark on an otherwise god tier game.

 

[IronicSonic]

Nintendo missed the opportunity to bring this to Wii/U. Switch doesn't have a control scheme that suit the game :(

 

[Deleted member 17210]

This very flawed game still managed to get an 83 on metacritic as was noted before. I would hardly call it underrated.

 

[NazoNazoXLR]

I love the hell out of Uprising, but even then I can see how it's... non-standard control method makes it a hard sell for people who don't click with it. And I honestly don't think it would be as good without it's control scheme, which is my platonic idea for games where you have to shoot and run also around now

and yet I can't bring myself to actually go for one of those mouse+gamepad combos

 

[Mediking]

Any other company would have found a way to port the game from 3DS but Nintendo is gonna Nintendo. This should should to Switch

 

[Polyh3dron]

The controls are abysmal. Aside from that, amazing game I guess?

 

[krossj]

Got a 3DS around the time this launched, was great! need to get back to it at some point for a replay.

I really enjoyed the online too..

 

[Selphie]

I absolutely adore this game, it's my favourite 3DS game by far.
I know the control scheme is unplayable for many people but honestly I don't see the game working at all in something like switch, Nintendo missed out by not putting it on Wii U as well.

 

[Starwing]

I've been thinking about playing this game again lately. Probably will in the coming months.

This game needs a re-release with a proper control scheme. The only mark on an otherwise god tier game.

Click to shrink...

Unfortunately, this. The only reason why I was able to enjoy it was because I was already familiar with the control scheme playing Metroid Prime: Hunters. I don't think I would've lasted long otherwise.

 

[Biske]

The controls especially as a left handed person are just utter shit. Not worth struggling through

 

[bounchfx]

always wanted to play it but never got around to really, it was a little mixed on reception I remember but after that everyone always called it a masterpiece so im not sure where the underrated part comes from, unless theyre talking about mainstream I guess.

would definitely echo others in that a remaster with updated controls on switch would probably be amazing

 

[Mr. Shakedown]

Excellent game, definetely one of my favourites, not just on 3DS but in general. Too bad that many people didn't give it a chance, because of its unconventional controls.

Click to shrink...

Wouldn't be a Kid Icarus Uprising thread without someone handwaving legitimate grievances with the game's controls by framing it as "they're different therefore luddites won't even try it".

I'm left handed. I cannot play the game because it is made with right handed people in mind. An accessory that Nintendo made 6 of and only sold at GameStop isn't a solution. Even a lot of right handed people complained that they could only play in short bursts because their hands would start cramping. Nintendo included a stand with the physical game, they wouldn't have done that if play testers hadn't run into these issues on their end too.

I'm sure the game is great, if you can make it's awful controls work for you.

 

[Ed.]

You can use the ABXY buttons for movement if you need to, but that's obviously not nearly as good as full analog control. It's unfortunate that the 3DS didn't have a right stick.

Click to shrink...

That's right I completely forgot the 3DS only had a slider on one side.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Mr. Sakurai's best game easily. Its a shame he doesn't have the same kind of passion for the series as he does for smash.

 

[ryushe]

Best game on the 3DS, Nintendo's most ambitious title until BotW, and Sakurai's magnum opus.

The flight section of Chapter 8 with the 3D on still remains one of the most impressive things I've ever seen in my 30 years of gaming.

 

[MrWindUpBird]

It is a fantastic game that could not be replicated with other controls.

Click to shrink...

It absolutely could. They could make the controls like Sin and Punishment and it'd be just fine.

 

[MattB]

It is a fantastic game that could not be replicated with other controls.

Click to shrink...

Yes it can easily. Gyro aiming on switch will work.

 

[Bran]

It's probably my favorite game on the 3DS, but I have to echo other lefties here on the gimped controls. It is only by sheer force of will that I was able to see that wonderful experience through to the end.

I desperately wanted to spend more time pushing harder difficulties, but the controls were such a wall for me that I eventually gave up replaying chapters.

If I'm not mistaken, the game originally wasn't even going to have all of the control options it shipped with. ABXY movement was already awkward as hell with your right hand as a lefty, but if you preferred to use the circle pad as an aiming reticule like me (instead of the stylus), you were also locked out of dodging properly. And no matter how comfortable you got with the on-foot control scheme of your choice, you had to use the same controls for the flight segments which were quite frankly a nightmare with ABXY movement.

I haven't played since it came out, so I could be misremembering a few things, but I definitely know the controls never stopped being an issue for me. :(