Editing Kid Icarus

{{Game
|name=Kid Icarus
|image=[[Image:KidIcarusBox.jpg|200px]]
|bgcolor=silver
|fgcolor=black
|developer=[[Nintendo R&D1]]
|publisher=[[Nintendo]]
|system=[[Nintendo Entertainment System]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[Virtual Console]] ([[Wii Virtual Console|Wii]], [[Wii U Virtual Console|Wii U]]), [[Nintendo 3DS]]
|release='''Nintendo Entertainment System'''<br />JP December 18, 1986 (FDS)<br />EU February 15, 1987<br />US July 1987<br />'''Game Boy Advance'''<br />JP August 10, 2004<br />'''Wii Virtual Console'''<br />JP January 23, 2007<br />US February 12, 2007<br />EU February 23, 2007<br />KO October 28, 2008<br />'''3DS''' (''3D Classic'')<br />JP January 18, 2012<br />EU February 2, 2012<br />US April 19, 2012<br />'''Wii U Virtual Console'''<br />EU July 11, 2013<br />US July 25, 2013<br />JP August 10, 2013
|gallery=[http://www.gamehiker.com/gallery/index.php?cat=161 GH Gallery]
|rating= ESRB: E
|}}

'''Kid Icarus''' (known in Japan as ''Hikari shinwa: Parutena no Kagami'', which translates to ''Myth of Light: Palutena's Mirror'') is a classic [[NES]] platformer that is known as a sister game for the original ''[[Metroid (game)|Metroid]]''. It initially gained only one sequel and became one of Nintendo's more well-known cult classics until [[Portal: Kid Icarus|the series]] was revived in the late 2000s.

=Development=

[[Toru Osawa]] intended the game as an action game with role-playing elements, and he specifically based it on Greek mythology. This game was made with the same game engine as ''[[Metroid (game)|Metroid]]'', and some of the ''Metroid'' developers (including [[Yoshi Sakamoto]]) worked on ''Kid Icarus'' following the previous game's completion. In tribute to this, [[Metroid]]s are in this game as an enemy, under the name "Komayto" (Mayto is short for Metroid in Japanese and "Ko" indicates Child). Although Osawa originally considered the game to be serious, Sakamoto convinced the developers to incorporate more elements of humor into the game such as the [[Eggplant Wizard]]. The game was finished only days before its release dates, and some levels apparently had to be cut in the process.

=Story=

In a time where gods and men lived together, Angel Land was ruled by two goddesses: [[Palutena]], the Goddess of Light, and [[Medusa]], the Goddess of Darkness. While Palutena helped men when she could, Medusa hated men. Medusa ruined their crops and turned them to stone. Palutena was enraged; she turned Medusa into a monster and banished her to the underworld.

Medusa spent her time in the underworld gathering an army of monsters and when the time was right, she conquered the Palace in the Sky, Palutena's home. After imprisoning Palutena, Medusa took the three Sacred Treasures and gave them to her minions. They are the [[Mirror Shield]], the [[Arrows of Light]], and the [[Wings of Pegasus]].

With the last of her strength, Palutena sent a magical bow to a [[Pit]]. So, Pit must escape the underworld and rescue Palutena.

=Gameplay=

The game is a type of platformer in which Pit can navigate levels and fight off various monsters. His primary weapon is a bow that can fire arrows without limit. The player can also find special upgrades and other items to help progress through the levels. Despite his wings, Pit can only temporarily fly with the use of an item.

The world of ''Kid Icarus'' is divided into the underworld, the overworld, the sky world, and the Palace in the Sky. Each world has three worlds and a fortress. Each fortress has a gatekeeper that guards one of the sacred treasures. Pit's strength may increase depending on how well the player scored on the level. The game is saved through passwords, although the Japanese Famicom Disk System version can save data.

=Legacy=

''Kid Icarus'' has been used as the basis of several of [[9-Volt]]'s minigames within the ''WarioWare'' series, and [[Pit]] also was included as a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' after a trophy appearance in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee|Melee]]''. ''Brawl'' helped to popularize Pit and make there way for the revival of the ''[[Portal: Kid Icarus|Kid Icarus'' series]] in 2011. ''Kid Icarus'' was also one of the classic games featured in ''[[NES Remix 2]]'' and ''[[Ultimate NES Remix]]'', which use samples of classic games with a number of unique challenges (some of which combine elements of the different games).

==Sequels==
''Kid Icarus'' initially had one sequel: ''[[Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters]]'' for the [[Game Boy]], which was not released in Japan. ''[[Kid Icarus Uprising]]'' was later released for the [[3DS]], over twenty-five years after the original game's release.

==Ports and Remakes==
*In 2004, ''Kid Icarus'' was ported to the [[Game Boy Advance]] in Japan as part of the [[Classic NES Series|Famicom Mini series]].
*''Kid Icarus'' has been made available for download on the [[Wii]] and [[Wii U]] in 2007 and 2013, respectively, as part of each system's [[Virtual Console]] program. A demo version was also included in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' as a Masterpiece.
*In 2012, it was released for download on the [[Nintendo 3DS]] as a 3D Classic. As a 3D Classic, this version was modified to be viewed with the 3DS's stereoscopic 3DS view. This came with new backgrounds for all of the levels.
*In 2016, it was among the games included in the [[NES Classic Version]], although it was left out of the Japanese version.
*In March 2019, it was among the NES games made available to play as part of the [[Nintendo Switch Online]] service. This version included cooperative and competitive online multiplayer options.

=See Also=

*[[Enemies in Kid Icarus]]

[[Category: NES Games]][[Category:Game Boy Advance Games]] [[Category: Virtual Console Games]] [[Category: Kid Icarus Games]][[Category: 3D Classics]]