Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters
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| Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters | |
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| Developer(s) | Nintendo R&D1, TOSE [1] |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Series | Kid Icarus |
| Engine | Metroid II |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy |
| Release date(s) | NA November 1991[2] EU May 21, 1992[3] |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Media | 1 Mbit cartridge |
Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters is a video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It was first released in North America in November 1991 and later in Europe on May 21, 1992. It is the only sequel to the original Kid Icarus and uses the same engine as Metroid II: Return of Samus. Unlike its predecessor, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters was never released in Japan. Pit's laurel crown was added to his slightly more anime-inspired design
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[edit] Plot
One night, the Goddess Palutena was startled by a horrible dream. In it, her beloved Angel Land was under attack by an army of demons. She summoned a soothsayer, who told her that this was not just a dream. It would soon come to pass that demons by the name of Orcos (named after and based upon Orcus) would soon attack Angel Land. Palutena quickly summoned the hero, Pit, and told him of the crisis at hand. She then sent Pit on a mission: to obtain the Three Sacred Treasures (the Wings of Pegasus, the Silver Armor, and the Light Arrows) and to become stronger so that he may be worthy of using them when the Orcos finally attacks. The manual refers to Orcos as if there are many demons known as Orcos, but the game reveals that there is merely one powerful demon by the name of Orcos.
[edit] Gameplay
Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters is a platform-action style game. Scrolling can occur in all directions, unlike the original NES game (which limited the player's ability to backtrack). Like most platformer heroes, Pit can jump. As a new addition to the series, he can also flap his small wings while in the air to slow his descent, reminicent of the Raccoon power used by Mario in Super Mario Bros. 3. Pit's main weapon is his bow, which comes with an unlimited supply of arrows. He can also collect Hammers from various places, which can be used to smash certain destructible walls and Centurion statues. Hammers disappear after one use. Pit's life is gauged by a vitality bar made up of up to five "Live Blocks" in the corner of the screen. When he takes enough damage to empty it completely, Pit dies. If the player has a continue (called a "Credit") remaining - and only two are given - Pit will start back at the stage entrance. If both extra Credits are used up, the game ends and the player must start from where they last saved.
Throughout the game, Pit can find shops where he can buy items (such as Hammers or recovery items) using Hearts. Hearts are the game's currency, and can be obtained by defeating enemies. Pit also encounters the god Zeus, who judges his strength, and also will grant him a special weapon if he passes a test of endurance. Pit's training takes him through three stages: the Underworld Tower, the Overworld, and the Sky World Tower. Each of these stages has four areas that Pit must fight through. After completing a area, the player's score is totaled, and the player is given a chance to save their progress. If Pit performed well enough in the area, Zeus appears and grants him a new Life Block (for a maximum of five blocks). The last area of each world is known as a Fortress, and each one houses one of the Three Sacred Treasures. Each treasure is guarded by a powerful Fortress Guardian, whom Pit must defeat before claiming his prize.
Upon the retrieval of all three Sacred Treasures, Pit returns to the Sky Palace. Here, his training is evaluated, and it is determined how many of the Sacred Treasures he is worthy of using. Pit will always be granted use of The Wings of Pegasus, which give him the ability to fly (whereas his initial wings only allowed him to slow his falls). Depending on his performance, he may also be given the Silver Armor (which reduces the damage he takes from attacks) or the Light Arrows (arrows that can be fired continuously). However, even if Pit is not initially granted the use of all three, Zeus has two chambers in the Sky Palace where he will give Pit one of the remaining Treasures after passing an endurance test.
[edit] Reception
In 1992 the UK's Nintendo Magazine System awarded the game 71% in it's Game Index, stating that it is a "fairly jolly adaption of the NES platform game provides the fun, but is now getting rather long in the tooth". Despite the lukewarm score, it is marked higher than its predecessor.
[edit] Legacy
Pit's laurel crown was added to his slightly more manga-inspired design in Of Myths and Monsters, which also gave him larger eyes, revealed to be blue in color. Despite the game not being released in Japan, these changes were prominent to Pit's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
The Komayto enemy from the first game reappears in Of Myths and Monsters but is designed notably differently, distinguishing itself from it's origins in Metroid.
[edit] References
- ^ "S.I.T. Developer Table (TOSE)". http://review-site.net/developer/to.html#トーセ.
- ^ Complete Game Boy Games List Nintendo. Retrieved on 2009-03-23
- ^ "Game Boy -pelit [Game Boy games]" (in Finnish). Nintendo Suomi. http://www.nintendo.fi/?file=73. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
[edit] External links
- Instruction manual text at The Unofficial World of Nintendo
- Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters guide at StrategyWiki
- Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters at GameFAQs
- Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters at Game Rankings
- Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters at MobyGames
- Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters at NinDB
