Masahiro Sakurai Rules Out A Modern Port Of Kid Icarus: Uprising

Uprising was and is a phenomenal game that would benefit from an HD makeover and modern controls on a home console. Maybe one day

that game hurt my hands and my eyes and my brain was confused.

Good Times.

I think I may be one of the only people to ever experience no discomfort of any kind when playing this game. It’s probably in my all-time top ten games, so it’s a shame that Sakurai has no plans, but maybe someone else one day? We can always hope!

That's unfortunate. Having completed it, there's actually a really good game hidden underneath the horrendous control scheme.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is an amazing gem on the 3DS, I loved every moment of that game. The controls where good and accurate, but at the same time unusual, so they would surely be difficult to tranfer to the switch. Also considering the game would have to go from being a two screen game to running on one screen, I can understand that it would take a lot of effort porting the game to the switch.
I would have loved it though.

Welp, that's rather unfortunate, but still understandable.

If the game is that good they should just give the IP to somebody else and let them take what's good about the game and make something new.

@GloverMist Was never bothered by the control scheme either (the cradle that came with the game proved useful), but I feel it didn't age very well with all the gyro controls modern games are using and what have you.

I'd be happy to see a new Wave Race, 1080, F-Zero and Pilotwings this generation.
Anything else would be a bonus!

If Nintendo are going to be remaking any games for the Switch, then Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time really need to be at the top of that list

Game deserves better

Ugh I'm so disappointed. That game really deserved a second chance. It did manage a million sales globally so I was hopeful there was a chance.

I'd prefer sin and punishment 3 on the switch......

Absolutely loved the online multiplayer.

@TossedLlama no need for sorry, though I could’ve done without ‘ports’ being written three times 😂

This is beyond disappointing. I understand, but this is unquestionably one of the best games I have ever played

KI:U can't be ported to Switch because Pen is mightier than the Joycon. After using the stylus in that game, you will know why they went for it: it's as good as a mouse in aiming, maybe even better.

Sakurai should start working on a Smash Bros RPG. He already added some RPG flavour to Ultimate, why not go all the way and make a Smash RPG? Maybe something similar to Mario and Luigi RPG but with dozens of characters to choose from, and instead of mini games or fighting with stats, let the fight in random encounter be regular Smash game.

The Switch has a capacitive touchscreen which is bad for fast paced gaming. Kid Icarus Uprising is way too fast to be played with a capacitice touchscreen. It's even faster than Vanquish.

Why should they port the old Kid Icarus when they're already working on the new one?

Rather Metroid Prime Trilogy on Switch

Kid icarus uprising was an amazing game!!. probly my favorite on the 3ds actually. The awsome cinematic beautiful unique on foot and in air adventure mode. the online multiplayer, crazy number of unique weapons, in an arena with skills and pickups, oh man, it was wicked fun. ill admit the controls were always weird to use, but still good fun all the same. the giant beam pickup was Killer as hell. so fun to use though Haha. I would love a port or a sequel to switch. Make it happen Nintendo! anything can be done if you set your mind to it! i would actually buy a switch just for it if a port or remake happened.

no problem. give us a new brand kid icarus for switch

That's ridiculous to so firmly dismiss a (near) future instalment.

I hope someone with more authority overrides him and gives it to a development team that has a lot of love for the franchise - since this man clearly doesn't have much.

A HD version of this amazing game with dual-stick fixed controls would be perfect on the Switch. Nintendo, Forget this guy.

Port everything under the sun.... except a game like this that might be more fun on the Switch ...smh

Yeah. I like the characters. It was kind of light hearted. Would love the sequel. Sounds like it was sort of a development Hell though.

Good, the game was utter trash.

"However I don't think this will be possible."
Never said the clear answer was not possible to do either. So it's a vague statement. They could've said there is no future development of the game or it will remain a 3DS only.

If they cant do it or dont have the time let another company take over the project.

Damn, pretty sure this would work perfectly with gyro aiming ala Sin & Punishment 2. Also next Mario Kart should be a smash style mashup.

Well, least when Metroid, Wave Race, F Zero all get their sequels, people will go back on the "We want a Kid Icarus sequel!" bandwagon again.

I really don't want to be 50+ when the next game arrives...

@Angelic_Lapras_King You'll be 90 my dude before any of those.

@BenAV Remember that Jim Sterling review where his jiggly butter filled hands were literally too fat to play the game so he panned it.

@GloverMist same here. I never felt any discomfort playing this game. This game was and still is a blast to play.

Uprising is still the best game on the 3DS.

Give Gunfire Games, the makers of Darksiders a punt at it. They know how to do a Zelda-like action/adventure.

@brunojenso Masahiro Sakurai is one of the wisest game developers alive. What he says carries weight, otherwise there wouldn’t be an article about it. Plus, if he didn’t like Kid Icarus he wouldn’t have brought the franchise back in the first place.

That is an utter shame. Because that game and world are ripe with enjoyable content. But hindered so bad by that terrible control scheme. While I think Sakurai's talent is undeniable, I do not think he is right do dismiss either a port or a sequel on modern conventional hardware. HE doesn't have to be the one to make it. As talented as he might be, there are other talented developers on Nintendo's payroll who could do the job. And NOT in 25 years.

This reminds me of something similar with the NiGHTS series, the developers didn't want to make a sequel because it might end up being the same game, in the end a sequel did happen though. Not sure how accurate this info is actually.

I want a remake/sequel to Air Ride anyways.

Let him do something brand-new.

“Modern” - the game came out in 2012 and is still on store shelves, as is the console. How about begging for ports we actually need, like VB Wario Land and Mother 3?

@TheFanatic Yeah I know my comment was highly dismissive of his importance to Nintendo. I just don't like how one person - no matter who they are get to decide if a Nintendo owned IP (and therefore not his own)) gets to live on or not. That seems messed up and control-freakish.

I'm a creative, and when I put something out into the world I like to think of it potentially growing beyond my own vision for it and becoming way more in the hands of others. I don't like artists grasping tightly at their work. Either give it to the world or keep it to yourself. Not both. So yeah I have a little issue with this guys definitiveness on the subject of K.I.

I beat Uprising, and the only reason I stopped playing was because of horrible cramps. I'm left handed and the game is not designed for me.

Too bad as their plenty of games that were on handheld that I love to see get an graphic update. Games like golden sun ,ever oasis, bravely series ,advance wars ,a toon zelda trilogy (windwaker (I know not handheld but part of the trilogy), hourglas and spirit tracks) FF tactics. Would even take hd versions of KH or castle vana games if were not getting new or the console games

This is the most disappointing game-related thing I've head all year. This was a great game with terrible controls that would work perfectly on the Switch.

We want a sequel, Nintendo, not a remaster. So don't worry lol

Give it to Panic Button and call it a day. I would purchase it again 100% even at full price as long as you improve the visuals to modern hd.

I find it funny that he knows in the future someone will do it.

What he is saying is good though. Instead of dragging it on and making bad games, he knows when a game is good and should stand on its own.

It is a fantastic game, but I want Sakurai-san to move on. I want to see him do something else entirely (and that includes smash). The worst thing to do to a creative person is shackle them to one or a few things.

Nintendo can make a new KI game if they want to. They don't have to wrangle in Sakurai-san.

@GloverMist Exactly the same for me too. I never had an issue with the controls. I miss that game so much. NL used to have a very active group who played the game daily and really dug deep into the mechanics of the game. It was speared by @Knuckles if I remember correctly, and gotta say, he and others, did a great job cataloging the games free Spotpass gems. I'm gonna dig out Uprising right now. It's been too long

I powered through that game. But the control scheme made it so I would never touch it again.

As far as exploring that world again, I don't see why another team couldn't take a crack at it and in a different style. Maybe a 3rd person adventure style game

@brunojenso That seems fair. His word isn’t exactly final, he doesn’t even work for Nintendo anymore.

They could just get an outsourced team to port it doesn't have to be sakurai.

It was a good game but I was never as hyped about is as some of my friends (not really a fan of the control scheme, with or without silly stand). I put 60 hours into single and multiplayer modes.

My choice for action 3rd person shooter is Splatoon and I'm glad it became the biggest new IP Nintendo has done for a while.

I think the Kid Icarus IP has a lot of untapped potential. Nintendo would be wrong not to do anything with the franchise in the coming years.

I hope we get one soon

I LOVED this game. And never had any problems with the controls. I feel like they could make something on the switch that was great aerial play, mixed with a ground game. They wouldn't need to use motion controls. I might dust this off and play it again this weekend now.

This is the same guy who said he wasn't working on anymore SSB games after Wii U and we just got Ultimate yesterday. I wouldn't hold my breath but I'd love a new game even if Sakurai isn't heading it.

@electrolite77 Wouldn't you prefer a new entry, really???

It’s ok that the original won’t be remade, I don’t think it could ever work with another control scheme.
But no sequel? That hurt me physically. KI:U is absolutely one of my favorite games ever.

EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED... I always thought a transition from 3DS to Wii and even the Wii U would've been a no brainer... I feel like a port of this game would be easy for the Switch. Heck, they could even fix some of the "flaws" of the original version...

One of the best games on 3DS with perhaps a bit of a quirky control scheme. It would need significant overhaul on the controls alone to make it to Switch. I'd much rather have a new game though, but it seems as if Sakurai has no interest in it. He puts so much of his energy into creating his games I'm not surprised he's put off the idea of doing it all again.

Maybe another developer could try, though it likely won't be the successor we want.

The controls in this game sucked. All they'd need to do it release an HD version with right stick controls and they'd be golden. But they won't and this game will always be a failure IMO because of it. Goes into the same category as Star Fox Zero for unnecessary forced awkward controls.

When it comes to Sakurai's involvement in Nintendo projects, he is consistently somewhere between realistic and negative in how he handles questions relating to his current projects and future releases. Almost every time he is asked, the answer is an iteration of "I don't think that is possible", "We will not", "We do not", or the infamous "I wonder if I will ever get a break". Don't get me wrong, I love the man, he is a technical and project management wizard, but it is unique to hear such consistently wet blanket input from someone who both produces and represents Nintendo content as a project lead. His input is almost that of an engineer or another technical role rather than that of a series director.

Contrast these quotes with the values of Nintendo, a company that is arguably in a constant state of "What more can we do", "What else can we do", "How can we do things differently", where many of their other project leads such as Eiji Aonuma are known for having very passionate, positive, forward-thinking and open-minded relationships with the series they develop, despite their own equally gruelling workloads. Compare the joking-but-not Sakurai quote "I wonder if I will ever get a break" with the fact Aonuma has been working on both console and handheld Zelda development nearly non-stop since 1995, with a project cycle that can be boiled down to 'develop - release - repeat', where development begins again as soon as a completed Zelda title is released — you can see how different and interestingly realistic/negative Sakurai is about his projects compared to his colleagues.

what a shame, one of my favorite games on 3ds.

The royal buns are steaming...

Since it's Sakurai .... I feel that the port/ remake isn't what he wants. Maybe a sequel , but I don't see him doing a remake.

Hopefully he is enjoying a power nap after smash and then when his power nap has done maybe a new kid game instead.

@TossedLlama where else would you poop? 😂

Just please release the Medusa Rare AR Card for Uprosing and I will be very happy!

That's a pity, it is a fun game with awful ground controls and an awkward camera. There's always something wrong with this series. Still how about a new Kid Icarus game period?

Why 25 years? Just hand it over to another team.

100% dont agree with control scheme not working on Switch. Rail Shooters play completely fine without a stylus; Star Fox, Sin and Punishment, and Panzer. And especially when Pit is on foot. Kid Icarus on a Switch with dual stick in my opinion would fix the games control issues so you can play the game with massive sausage fingered yaoi hands and improve it

Also im not sure who asked for a remaster? Literally everyone ive met that knows the series wants a sequel to Uprising.

@MarinaKat

That would be fantastic!

@Trajan That's the problem with KI. They're good games that have loads of potential, but are always dragged down with one incredibly obnoxious flaw. Let it show its potential with more regular releases and this series could be up there with B or even A tier Nintendo franchises.

@UmbreonsPapa I'd love that!

It’s a real shame, I loved it but I get why some has issues with the control scheme. I see Sakurai’s point but I also think there are ways you could take the series in new directions and keep it fresh enough. Hopefully someone else at Nintendo will think that way and take on the project.

Otherwise it’ll join the pile of Nintendo gems that they seem content to let fade.

After pouring his heart and soul into Ultimate, of course he'd say no to anything else lol. Let the poor man rest a while.

Hasn't every smash since Melee been his last? Not impossible.

@Tempestryke I don't know. When the creator said enough is enough I have to give it to them. Much better than forcing regular releases.

I've never played this game though. Controls were bad? Did it require the touch screen?

@Bobb 18.5 more years, according to Hades.

Could they give another company the task of porting it?

"The team I had gathered differed greatly in culture and ways of thinking, so there was always confrontation."

Maybe this should be cultivated more often, I felt that Uprising was an unusually rich game, full of character.

@DavidMac that is not how business works. the ip is worth something and nobody but a fool would just give away an ip like kid icarus. Nintendo are no fools. they protect their ip fiercely and its part of why they are such a gaming giant.

@SetupDisk smash is a must-make game. It prints money. Kid Icarus, while still good, is rather niche compared to some of nintendo's other ip. plus from what i heard, the game was ill received in term of how difficult it was to play due to the limitations of the 3ds and as a result, it probably didnt sell well enough to consider remaking later.

@companyflosers, I don't think sells are the problem KI Uprising sold well over a million units the controls are another issue while not completely horrible they did take some getting use to once you got the hang of it or found a configuration that suited you there is an amazing game there to play.
Hopefully we don't have to wait another 25 years for a new Kid Icuras title and Uprising would be amazing in HD and on the Switch the controls would be easily mapped on the Switch's controller all Uprising ever needed was two analog sticks the game plays like a twin stick shooter hince the original problem the first 3DS only had one.

There goes the dream of playing this game with a real controller.

"I wanted to make the game support it (second circle pad) properly if I could, but this was impossible due to performance-related reasons"... I see iOS games get updated all the time to include support for MFI bluetooth gamepad so i find it hard to believe how hard it is. I believe the game is a mess and Sakurai don't want his team to mess with the code again but maybe they could pass the torch to a new team. If its so easy to port Wii U games to Switch, it can't be impossible to port and update 3ds ones .

I would've bought it the minute it came out. Shame.

If Sakurai doesn't want to work on a sequel, have someone else do it. Like Platinum Games, Bandai Namco, or Nippon Ichi Software. They'll do it and will most likely do a good job at least.

@TossedLlama while posting on NintendoLife?

Edit: had to remind myself what article this even was, in an attempt to remember how we got here. I’m glad we’re here, regardless.

For it to work on switch they would have to bundle it with a capacitive stylus, a stand where you could charge it while u play, and it would have to be handheld mode only. The game's precise fast moving controls wouldn't work any other way. They'd have to completely rework the game to port it otherwise and i completely understand why they're not tackling that beast of a project

I want a sequel, but I also want Sakurai to get rest, so I don't mind if someone else is doing it

No explanation, though? Huh.

@Marioman64 Or y'know, have gyro controls like Splatoon, another 3rd person shooter that works perfectly fine on Switch.

What I want from Sakurai is a brand new Meteos game.

That is all.

@Trajan In the air, the controls were fine. It had more to do with the set-up of the controls. Very awkward on the ground the way you had to move and place your hands, plus the camera is completely manual, so you have to shoot, look around and try to dodge enemies. It literally cramps your hands if you play too long.

The man musta designed those controls for a bunch of octopi. Haha!

Oh and my daughter says yes to the touch screen.

I haven't played it in a while.

I really wanted to like this game because it had some fantastic elements. The combat, graphics and movement were great, but it gave me awful hand cramps so I could only play it for 5 mins at a time.

Let's put it that way:
A straight up port would be pretty impossible. A remake would be needed, with copious amounts of retooling, rebalancing etc.

But truth be told, i'd much rather see a sequel anyways.
Uprising was a phenomenal game that can still very well stand on its own two feet on the 3DS. If anything, i' like a full fledged sequel that expands on the new universe, it's new, great characters etc.

@Retupmocnin That's interesting, Are you thinking along the lines of something like 'Project X zone'?, That would be a massive project

I word perfer a sequel, although I have not gotten around to playing the first.

"Sakurai rules out a modern port of Kid Icarus Uprising. Says his soul is condemned to churn out Smash continuously for all eternity. "

There's really no reason for this game to not be ported to a modern console. It shouldn't remain lost to a launch era of a handheld with insufficient controls. At least port it to use the New 3DS nub if nothing else! Great game that I'll never touch again.

@WaveBoy The decision to end Kid Icarus happend in the NES era when Nintendo decided the gameplay was too similar to Metroid, and only one game of that style should be made, and Metroid was the more popular one. That Uprising happened at all was unexpected and it needed a reboot. It was done well...but....it was the wrong hardware.

@Retupmocnin I completely agree about a Smash RPG. Ultimate has left them with little room to improve, so might as well do something completely different. A Kingdom Hearts for the Nintendo Universe. This would print money.

Sequel on Switch please! If Sakurai doesn't want to make it, someone else should do it.

I love how Sakurai said no to a sequel way back in 2012. Yet KEEPS ADDING NEW CONTENT in Palutena’s Guidance revolving after the events of Uprising...