Lost Classics: Kid Icarus – Of Myths and Monsters (Game Boy)

Thanks to his inclusion in the cast of Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Pit, the hero of Kid Icarus has finally broken out of obscurity and back into the gaming icon spotlight. No word yet on a new Kid Icarus game, but in the meantime, here is one of his earlier adventures. This little known Game Boy cart, released in 1991 is the only sequel to the Nintendo Entertainment System 8-bit classic. The goddess Palutena has summoned Pit back into action to help defend Angel Land from the demon Orcos. However, Pit must first travel through four worlds and gather the three sacred treasures. Along the way, you must also prove your worth to Zeus. Towards the end of the fourth stage, Zeus will judge your performance and determine how many of the sacred treasures you will be able to use in the final battle. The game uses the same engine as Metroid II, and the graphics have been slightly improved from the game’s console predecessor. Unlike the original NES game, the game scrolls in all directions, allowing players to backtrack. The password system from the NES has been nixed in favor of a save system. They may be small improvements, but they are nice to have. If you’re a fan of Kid Icarus, or a recent Smash Brothers player who wants to know more about Pit, then you should definitely seek out this cart. It will tide you over until Nintendo creates a sequel.