10 years later, Kid Icarus Uprising is proof that Sakurai should be allowed to do whatever he wants

Kid Icarus: Uprising was a divisive game, thanks to its touchscreen controls back when it was released ten years ago. Nevertheless, I think it remains one of the finest handheld titles Nintendo has ever released. Super Smash Bros and Kirby director Masahiro Sakurai, as the story goes, was given free rein by the late Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata to pick an as then dormant Nintendo series to develop a new title. He chose Kid Icarus and gave us a bombastic action game with on-rails shooting, 3rd-person action sections, and a gloriously goofy story with hilarious writing.

Kid Icarus: Uprising was such a raucous good time that it still provides undeniable proof that Sakurai should be allowed to do whatever he wants. Give him the keys to something and he’ll deliver. It’s about time Nintendo let Sakurai off the leash and allow him to create another fun title filled to the brim with unlockable items and game modes.

In the years after its western release on March 23, 2012, Kid Icarus: Uprising has become a fondly remembered title. Complaints around the controls have largely been forgotten. Fans of the frenetic action game remember it for its wild story, hilarious banter, and deep customization options. 

One of the more enduring legacies of the title was its smart approach toward difficulty options. Before each mission, you could wager earned hearts to increase the difficulty from 0.0 all the way up to 9.0. The higher the difficulty, the better your rewards were for completing stages. For example, there were tons of weapons to unlock in Uprising that you could equip for use in the game’s singleplayer and fantastic multiplayer modes. Sakurai used the same difficulty options in Super Smash Bros for 3DS and Super Smash Bros for Wii U. The approach taken by Sakurai to difficulty felt fresh; its risk-reward system let you play the game however you liked. We’d love to see a similar approach taken more often.

The most enduring facet of Kid Icarus: Uprising, though, has to be in its portrayal of Pit, Palutena, Hades, and the rest of the cast. Uprising’s approach to Greek mythology was a fun one, with the cast constantly ripping into one another. Think Star Fox, but with a sense of humor that never gets tired. Many point to Hades as the best use of Greek mythology in games, but I prefer Kid Icarus’ goofy approach. With plenty of fan art around, as well as calls from many for a sequel ten years later, it’s safe to say I’m not alone in my love of Uprising’s characters and writing.

Personally, though, I think Sakurai should be allowed to choose a dormant Nintendo franchise again to work on. While a sequel to Kid Icarus: Uprising on the Switch would be brilliant (people might not complain about its controls this time), Sakurai is at his best when he’s left to it. Before plumping for Kid Icarus, Sakurai considered developing a new Star Fox game and that is something we’d love to see. However, it doesn’t matter what Sakurai develops, however. Whatever he makes, it’ll likely be great.

Unfortunately, Sakurai’s own development team — Project Sora — shut down in 2012. Kid Icarus: Uprising was the first and last game developed by the studio. This doesn’t mean he couldn’t get the band back together for one last ride, though, or that he wouldn’t start up a new studio or work with a pre-existing one to finally bring fans the Ice Climber sequel they deserve.

Kid Icarus: Uprising was a breath of fresh air when it was released in 2012. It shows exactly what Sakurai is capable of when left to his own devices and not shackled by Super Smash Bros. There are plenty of dormant Nintendo series that he could shake up with a new entry. As long as whatever he chooses ends up as bombastic and feature-rich as Uprising, we’ll be happy. If Sakurai chooses to make Kid Icarus: Uprising 2, then, hey, we’ll be just as content.