Icarus Revolution - he ain't a kid anymore...

by James Ransom-Wiley { Aug 3rd 2005 at 3:00PM }

Icarus

If Bow Wow can drop the Lil', then who's to say Icarus can't drop the Kid?

The image above has been circulating gaming circles in a variety of forms. It most likely originates from a fan, so it doesn�t tell us much about Kid Icarus� rumored Revolution comeback. However, it begs the question, should Nintendo characters grow-up? Does Nintendo need to focus on mature content to appeal to the NES-generation that is now well into adulthood? Honestly, how much more excited are you about Twilight Princess than Wind Waker?

[Thanks, Timmy]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Adam Curtis @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

YES!! FINALLY!!! KID ICARUS IS BACK!!!

Martez @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

I'm game.

weaszel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Kid Icarus was one of the coolest platformers of all time... I hope it isn't just another mock-up.

Cletus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Uh...who cares? This is for the Revolution, people. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not gonna be wasting my money on one of those things.

Bigpicnic @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

"Honestly, how much more excited are you about Twilight Princess than Wind Waker?"

This seems to be a leading question, but I was actually more excited about Wind Waker. I'm down with the cell-shaded and sick of realistic fantasy style.

Michael McGuire @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Fake.

TJ @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

They could make him pink, with tassles, bells and a big pointy hat and I'll still be game. I'm old enough and ugly enough not to need games defining my maturity.

Bring back the Kid.

TJ @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

As for your question, see #5 Bigpicnic's post to save me the typing.

Zell @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Same here, Bigpicnic.

Barry @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Show me that new Icarus fighting a realistic, gritty, mature-looking eggplant and I'll believe it's real.

TurboDonky @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Voldo...with wings?

A.J. @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

hahahaha figures a dumb comment like #4 would be from someone named Cletus.

Not only is the Revolution going to be, like all the other Nintendo Consoles, awesome (forget VB) but it's going to be the only GAME console. If I gave a shit about getting a Blu-Ray player I'd go get one. But I don't feel like helping Sony corner the market on new Media formats. Nor, for that matter, do I feel the need to help M$ dominate the IPTV market. Do some research and critical thinking and you'll see just what I mean. There's a very good reason the other two systems need such high powered processors and HDTV support. It's not the games, it's the peripherals.

CapTn_InSanO @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

All I can say is that I'm finally seeing why I want a Revolution. If that is an actual screencap then I'm hooked.
Up until now Nintendo's been a bit like John Kerry, telling me why not to pick the other guy(s) but never telling me why I should pick him. Finallay an answer from the Greek Gods.

diginutt @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

I was just playing Kid I today! If this is a fan, I hope Big N sees a huge response from this and decides to produce it anyway. I didn't even purchase a Cube until WW came out, but I am more excited to see Twilight. Bring back the angel harbinger of death!

Wonderflex @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

It most definitely has to be a fan posting. It's made laxidacically with random Photoshop effects. Crosshatching, embossing, and so forth. I think it would be awesome to start seeing some more adult based versions of the old-school characters.

If there was ever a Mario with a dark story line it would be great. And by dark I don't mean, "Oh, Bowser has Kidnapped Princess." Or, "Smithy has stormed the castle! Eeegad!" Something where Bowser is actually heartless, possibly murderous. Where there is very dark lighting, and Danny Elfman lead renditions.

Now of course there is some games though I think are great to keep the same. I'd love to see a new version of Earthbound kept to the same humor level. Or even possibly some good old Super Scope Seven - JK.

DidYouLoseASock @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

all i can say is that poster sucks and the person who made it knows nothing about design or photoshop...

and the only way i can prove it, is this...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/DidYouLoseASock/KidIcarus.jpg

Christopher7xii @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Wind Waker - graphics aside(I don't care much for them), the game was boring. The sailing forever island to island "exploring" was such a time sink. Way to extend the life of the game =P Anyways, Twilight looks fun. It's not even a 'realistic' thing, the gameplay just looks a lot more action based, which is why I loved zelda in the first place. Secret of Mana, then Legend of Zelda 3, then Alundra. All classics in my book. Wind Waker... meh. It worked for the time.

Saying the Revolution will suck is silly, then again... Saying that it's the only GAME system is silly as well. PS3 and X360 will have an awesome game library, without a doubt. Just because it has added features doesn't mean it's going to be any less a gaming machine.

I think people get the wrong idea with the PSP - they were late to start development on games, so the market is dry at the moment. In order to keep the PSP afloat, they're putting their focus on the UMD movies since they have thousands of titles readily available to be made.

As for this Kid Icarus ad... Yeah right. The Big N won't hype the Revolution up by using adult oriented games. They know their market and their strengths. As long as they have Miyamoto around, they won't be changing anything. Why fix it if ain't broke, ya know?

Jake Fry @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

This, and all other Icarus Revolution posters are fake since in an interview with Miyamoto at e3, (if anybody wants a link, tell me and ill look for it) he said he had no idea how much people wanted to see another Kid Icarus game and said he'll consider making a new one for the revolution. But of course, they could have just been being sly little booger-blasters again and are secretly a few weeks from the game going gold.

And as for Nintendo franchises growing up. If Nintendo wants to attract most popular 3rd party games (GTA, racing, FPS, sports, those types), they dont need to change their existing franchises (though they could with kid icarus since its been a few decades since the last one). Nintendo needs to make new franchises. Losing a shitload of 3rd party support for using carts on the 64 resulted in mostly Nintendo fans buying the system and obviously Nintendo games. With the gamecube, the Nintendo fans who stuck with the 64 ended up getting a gamecube to continue with the Nintendo franchises. Meanwhile, all the people who bought a playstation for the 3rd party games stuck with playstation or got an xbox. So if Nintendo wants there to be a market for the 3rd party games (mostly generic games like GTA, racers, FPS, you get the picture), they need to attract them with their own franchises of teh sort. Like how Sony has gran turismo, if Nitnendo made, or published, a generic racer like that and made a franchise out of it, well you get the point.

Nintendo doesnt need to change their franchises to be more mature, they need new franchises. But of course, all Nintendo releases are its beloved franchises, so their only choice is to make them more attractive to the mainstreamer or non-hardcore-Nintendo fan. That is what worries me the most about the the Revolution, Nintendo will continue their ways and 3rd party games will continue to sell like shit on the revo. However, Iwata has been slowly changing Nitnendo into a more "hip" company, what with the GBM and the sleek and "sexy" design of the revolution, so you never know. And thats the thing about Nintendo, you never know what they're doing, because if something seems like the obvious thing to do, you can count on them not doing it.

And dont get me wrong, I'm a Nintendo fan, I'm just not a fanboy, so I'm not blinded and can see the errors in their ways.

Jake Fry @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

"Saying the Revolution will suck is silly, then again... Saying that it's the only GAME system is silly as well. PS3 and X360 will have an awesome game library, without a doubt. Just because it has added features doesn't mean it's going to be any less a gaming machine"

We all realize that, but the thing is, we dont want to spend extra cash for a game system+ when we will barely use any of the +. We want to spend our hard earned money on the video games, and not waste a couple extra tens of dollars on functions we wont use. If we wanted an MP3 player, we'd get an Ipod, not a PSP. If we wanted to watch movies on the go, we'd get a portable DVD player, not a PSP. If we want a PS2 on the go, we're forced to get a PS2-on-the-go/MP3 player/portable movie player, sure we dont have to buy any movies on UMD or upload any MP3 files, but we still have to pay for the hardware that runs them.

Christopher7xii @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

"If we want a PS2 on the go, we're forced to get a PS2-on-the-go/MP3 player/portable movie player, sure we dont have to buy any movies on UMD or upload any MP3 files, but we still have to pay for the hardware that runs them."

Actually there's no additional hardware in the PSP that's specifically used for movie or audio playback. So that is kind of silly to say that you're paying for extra features. They had to add some programming to run those features, but that's software. It was basically "hey, we made an awesome gaming system, which is actually capable of playing back movies and music." Why not market the fact that it's capable of doing anything media wise that you want on the go?

As for the next-gen's having additional shit that's useless, name one thing on the PS3 that is useless to gaming at some point. Maybe the 1080p isn't really functional right now, but technology evolves at an incredibly fast pace, and these consoles are going to be around for years(i doubt 10, but atleast 6). Why not give it some lasting appeal?

The day they include a back-scrubber with the PS3, then you can bitch about added features. Blu-Ray is intended for games, since stuff like GTA:SA pretty much filled the DVD it was on. Once they start encoding shit to run at hi-def resolutions, it'll take up a lot more room and we'd run out of space on the DVDs.

*shrugs* guess I'm the only one who thinks ahead. I know I wouldn't want to keep upgrading my console like a computer as new tech keeps being released.

imark @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

I totally recomended this for podcast disscussion like last week. Fake or not its a great pict, & I for one would be happier than I was when the new Ninja Gaiden became reality. GIMME!

kiddanger @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

would be sweet if it was real. super sweet.

SetupWeasel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

I would have no real problem with Kid Icarus growing up. On the other hand, I don't need Mario more mature. In my mind Miyamoto is the video game equivalent to Jim Henson. I wouldn't want Kermit "growing up" either.

I love how all the Sony and MS fans jump into to every Revolution post to mock something about it. All we have seen about the revolution is a concept shell, and that kicked the competition's concept shells' respective asses. Hey Sony fans, remember when the GameCube was supposed to be graphically inferior to the PS2?

Again with the Wind Waker bashing. Instead of defending the title like I usually do, I will just say that Halo is a boring, deravitive, FPS clone and Grand Theft Auto is a jagged snooze-a-thon. Oh! I can be a TAXI! WOO!

The DS finally delivered on Nintendo's long standing promise of a new gaming experience. If the Revolution is anywhere near as neat, I will be really excited.

Dragon @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Personally, yeah, I didn't like the graphics of wind waker. But, it was needed, as they got to fully explore the use of cell-shading. Have you seen the previews of Twilight Princess? They use cell-shading in their, mixed with the realistic stuff. It gives the look a more outta this world feel. The shadow beasts have cell-shaded crests on their chest, and that freaky guy riding the wolf has a huge cell-shaded feather-like-thing. It was worth getting wind waker like that to me, because they now have more control over it. It'd be neat to see how Nintendo incorporates the bits of cell-shading into the next Smash Bros., letting the older characters look cartoony on the realistic worlds, and who knows what else. Plus, the graphics weren't really that bad for wind waker, it went with the game well. Realistic graphics wouldn't have felt right with the game, just like full cell-shading wouldn't go right with twilight princess.

Icelawn @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

First let me start by saying that I am not nor have ever been a Nintendo fan. However, that doesnt meant that I dont have respect for the system, what they are doing, and what they have accomplished over the years.

With that said we all know (as stated above) that Nintendo has hardly any 3rd party support and are suffering because of it. That's unfortunate because I would like to see the system(all systems) each get %33.3 percent of the market(which probably wont happen in my life time.)

My ideas on this article is kinda interesting though. Through the years (I dont know numbers) but it would be my GUESS that Nintendo has more games and more hits than any system on the planet. How hard would it be for Nintendo to go into this mass inventory of hits or even games that were just good and give them an upgrade? Some of which a more mature upgrade. I remember playing a game called Section Z on I believe Nintendo at a friends house and loved it to death. It could be upgraded to a more roibotechish type of thing. Ikari Warriors, turn it into a Navy Seals Co-Op, Splinter Cellish cross with Ghost Recon game. Contra (I know it came out for PS2, etc). Nintendo has tons of games that they can do this to that did very well.

I agree with the update of Icarus. But I do also believe (like someone posted earlier) that some classics should not get more adult oreintated. Mario for example does not need to go out and get laid or tour Vice City or anything like that but it doesnt mean that the other characters in the game cant get a more adult theme. Maybe the princess grew up and desides to take matter into her own hands, Maybe Luigi got a new mansion and an estate (sorta like Silent hill will be really cool). But somehow still keep the same theme (mushrooms, blocks, etc.)going just a little more darker. Give them a real hammer and real walls to break. With all of the spin offs that Mario has, there is no reason why they cannot run Mario in an alternate universe. I dont know if it has been done but FPS Mario? Maybe a FF type of Mario and squad?

I am just saying Nintendo has a really good opportunity to get back on top of their game. Go back to the classics and overhaul what they have. Then maybe we will see something Revolutionize.

Now granted maybe my ideas may or may not be stupid. I'm just throwing something out there to get the ball rolling. Right now they just dont have 3rd party support. But maybe they dont need it right away. But again this is just a thought/opinion.

OtakuCODE @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

How about we cut the difference and make games with the characters just entering puberty? It's a classic agerange for anime characters and such, and really is a good choice since a lot of character development and realization of who they are as a person happens around then. It also makes it easier for game designers to introduce "the unknown" because the kid is just getting out of childhood and being allowed to discover the things that have been hidden from them for so long.

Really, though, I think Nintendo should do what they believe they ought to make good games. A mature Kid Icarus? If it is true to that image and is a very dark and grim game, go for it. They did a great job with Eternal Darkness. As long as they don't shy away from making the enemies truly evil, having a flawed hero, etc. The bouncy fun kid games are great at times, but so are dead serious dramatic games with hard-hitting violence and ultrarealistic graphics. It's not like theres one "right way" to make an enjoyable game.

How about this idea? Kid Icarus + Eternal Darkness + Splinter Cell. Crawling through a secret passage in a cave, coming upon a very realistic eggplant, gritty and dirty, and taking him out with your crossbow like Sam Fisher might take down an enemy with a tranquilizer dart.

mike @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

miyamoto has been giving us hints for a few months now..

dammit.. we want this game.. nintendo knows we want this game.. it will sell like crazy...

come on... let's see it...

having icarus as an online launch title... for Revolution.. Spring 2006?

Drooool

JRT @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

More excited about new Zelda than Windwaker?

The Zelda franchise is by far the greatest in video game history. Zelda now carries the torch of Nintendo, due to the lackluster 64 and Cube Mario efforts. Windwaker was the most entertaining non-GTA game I've played in the current console generation. Nintendo has built up so much goodwill with its Zelda series that I reach the same frantic level of excitement no matter what style the newest game embraces.

Other Zelda fans might be interested to know: I was a Sega fanboy in the Genesis/SNES Console wars (I was a teenybopper) so I actually played the SNES Zelda game for the FIRST TIME in emulation. What a treat. Trust me, the game has lost none of its luster with age. It really is as great as you remember it being over a decade ago.

Diemer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

i was gonna say, if that's real then nintendo used the most horrid font ever created (Cretino).

yuck.

JOSEPH @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Yeah, a Small Comment to 23's #. I wouldn't want Kid Icarus growing up either, OR Mario. Etc. Let Xbox do their Mature Shit, Lets leave Kid Icarus Old School and Kiddy. - If hes a New Looking Arch Angel Dork with big Wings, and Looks like The God of War Freak. I may end up leaving that one in the Closet. But since im a collector, I'll have to still get it. I just won't play it ever :( NOW BACK TO GHOSTS N GOBLINS!!