Kid Icarus (NES) Playthrough - NintendoComplete

A playthrough of Nintendo's 1987 NES game, Kid Icarus.
Here's a fantastic Nintendo classic that doesn't get anywhere near its due - my guess would be that its because even in comparison to other games at the time, Kid Icarus is brutally difficult and obtuse in some of its mechanics. It's hard to get to the end, even if only meeting the conditions for the worst ending, but to get the best is a real hardcore test. Loads of precision jumping, difficult enemy patterns, and a stingy life-bar all mean that you REALLY have to invest yourself to get through it.
That investment is well rewarded though - Kid Icarus is one of the best put-together NES platformers, at least in my opinion, with super-tight balancing and a generally fair (though incredibly steep) challenge. For such an early title, it looks pretty nice, and the music is thoroughly awesome - I love the stage 3 tune especially.
Kid Icarus was developed for the Famicom Disk System as a joint effort between Nintendo R&D1 (they handled most of the black box games) and TOSE with Gunpei Yokoi acting as producer. Yes, the same guy who headed up the Game Boy and Metroid, and then was humiliated by Nintendo after blowing the Virtual Boy (and died shortly thereafter in a violent car wreck). Despite the creator's tragic fate and the reprehensible treatment by a hard-nosed Nintendo after all of his massive successes for the company, this game is a true gem. Why has it only had two sequels?! Both of them are great, by the way, and the second game somehow goes even more unnoticed than the original!
For whatever ire this might stir-up, I have to say that I prefer this game a great deal over the original Metroid. I love Metroid, but Kid Icarus (incidentally enough running on the same engine as Metroid, since they were developed at the same time) really hit me much more favorably - it's far more linear and focused, and I appreciated that. I loved the exploration aspect of Metroid, but for me, that itch had already been scratched by Zelda. I really enjoyed the similar play mechanics that had been completely reimagined for this title and it's much lighter atmosphere. I thought that Metroid really managed to hit its full stride in Super Metroid, but Kid Icarus was already there in 1986. Metroid is also super-easy compared to Kid Icarus, and Metroid IS NOT an easy game by any stretch of the imagination.
Finally, for anyone interested in how I got the ending that I did: you have to finish the game with all of the strength upgrades, a maxed-out life gauge, all three of the final weapons for the Medusa fight (duh), and your hearts have to be maxed at 999 when you kill Medusa. I loved this game as a kid in the 80s and beat it a few times, but never managed any ending better than the one where Pit grows huge and flexes his arm. I didn't even realize there were more endings until I went back to the game as a teenager to replay it and finally got the best one.
So, in closing, I hope you enjoy this playthrough! I could play this again and again and never get bored with it.
____
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (www.nintendocomplete.com/) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!
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[@digitalgamer457]

Super Mario Movie anyone? This canonically means that Mario's fav game on the NES could be this game.

[@averyswarts]

Huh?

[@pepijn23]

@@averyswartsThere’s brief scene in the movie where Mario is playing this game in his room. It’s just one off the many references and Easter Eggs though.

[@PabloEscobar-yw9rc]

Was mine when I was a kid. Countless hours on this

[@PaloJaurez]

You know what didn’t make sense based on close listening. It was the famicom disk system version in a NES console.

[@MrTuco40]

This is one of the best nes games ever made. The music was also great. I have always thought that Yokoi's fate was utterly tragic, especially since, by all accounts he was one of the kindest, good natured people to ever design a game.

[@NintendoComplete]

I've read the same things. It makes me angry thinking on what I've read about how Nintendo acted since he was apparently a really decent guy. He also earned them a ton of cash, but it seems like nobody cared about any of that when they scapegoated him.

[@warhammernerd52Daxx-Lorenzo898]

How could anyone ever scapegoat a kind fellow like him?

[@Bloodreign1]

I've always heard rumors that the Yakuza had something to do with his death, but we'll never truly know.

[@Have_a_good_day_dude]

Lol no!

[@sunnydayyesgameofthronesno2981]

@@NintendoCompleteThis is one of my favorite games in 2021 and 2022!

[@Sagi.Baten.Kaitos]

Mario's favorite video game is canonically Kid Icarus for the NES

[@ChlorineaX]

53:35

[@thewhuthut]

I'm 31 again & playing this for the first time...Instantly hooked! Every kid in the neighborhood came to our house to eat, play Nintendo & have fun. Parent was always home, they knew if I was playing Any Zelda to leave me alone 😁

[@geewhiz3798]

I’m 5 again watching my mom and siblings play this game. I try and keep dying but my older siblings in high school was way better. This was our first family game. ❤

[@thewhuthut]

@geewhiz3798 and having a blast! Making memories to last a lifetime, good for you my friend 🌞♥️

[@lekeishagathers6617]

This was my absolute favorite game as a young child! My kids laughed at me when I showed them (the graphics lol) I will always love this game.

[@Bloodreign1]

Let them try this challenging adventure, they won't be laughing anymore when the game hands them their butts.

[@movieclipz5034]

You're an absolute beast. You make these hard games look so easy.

[@NintendoComplete]

Hahaha thanks! Believe me, there is a fair amount of pain involved ;)

[@jaredgmoore]

Dude it's not hard you just suck

[@GotStones1]

darktemplar05 I wish there was a way for me to view all your YT comments!

[@jyoder1]

Kid Icarus starts hard and gets easier as you go. It's a weird game.

[@djmixnmagic]

So many fond memories of playing this as a kid. One of those rare games that actually got easier as you progressed. And that epic ending.

[@malex4321]

This just unlocked memories that I did not know existed. This was the game I got included with my brand new Nintendo. This tapped into a part of my brain that brought back something that was hidden away. I even started doing the finger movements. I’m frigging 41!!!!

[@NintendoComplete]

Hahaha I love moments like that, when you suddenly realize its weirdly familiar and it suddenly comes all flooding back.

[@UltraSiulDeluxe]

Fue impresionante que apareciera en la película de Super Mario Bros como uno de los juegos que estaba jugando Mario en su NES

[@713Clayboy]

I was hooked. Loved the music. I would freestyle to this when nobody knew what freestyling was.

[@clonusmaximus4600]

This game was difficult AF, but also crazy fun

[@GodfatherXXI]

Super Mario Movie told me to visit. :)

[@jackschleich9475]

one of my top nes games. Me and my Mom passed it numerous times, first and second quests. She drew the original maps for me

[@XimaWarriorPrincess]

F*?! this game was a GRIND!!! And yet I can remember playing this with my BFF for hours, copying continue codes and laughing like hyenas when we got turned into eggplants… major nostalgia feels. Thank you for reminding me of my 11 yo self

[@maandren]

LOL!

[@ann-soiesoderqvist6458]

jobba vidare lol

[@Meemitalo_]

What a nostalgy trip, I haven't seen this game in more than 15 years probably (I'm 23). I wasn't very good at this as a kid and people here say it's actually a hard game so no wonder I guess, I was like 6 at the time I was playing this. However, my dad completed the game I think and I loved watching him play!

[@Mike-xb7lh]

The drawings the weird tone everything about its cool its hardbut it isnt ghouls and ghost or ninja gaiden 2 those were hard games and 2 of the coolest

[@jg2722]

Icarus has wings and can’t even fly , and when he jumps off he dies 🤦‍♂️

[@notkimpine]

so this is what mario is tired at plumbing toilet and getting barked at him and at 9pm he plays this game. wonderful scene chris fuckin pratt.

[@chezfarach001]

haha Mario playing this in the film

[@MrVans_TM]

After two months, I finally beat the game because of how confused I was on the caves where the bosses were. So I decided to look up a video, and I probably wouldn't have completed the game without you, so thanks a lot!🙏 It was also awesome how it was shown in the mario movie when mario was playing on the NES. It was amazing!

[@bigduke5902]

The forbidding, seemingly impenetrable, altogether formidable Kid Icarus was one, if not the first, of those games I remember when I was very young that I'd always hit a wall with around the same place and seemed like I'd never, ever see the end of. And I didn't until the mid-2000s, when I revisited it with the intention to finally tame it with the rise of emulation. It turns out, if you're able to complete the first palace, provided you earn the right to use the three treasures, the power-ups you get serve as a major equalizer and the rest of the game becomes sort of a cakewalk. I absolutely love this game even more than the fantastic Game Boy sequel, but not as much as the highly ambitious 3DS revival. This is one of those rare series of games (granted there are only three) without a single dud.

[@theonionkingdom8060]

This is one of those game I feel gets progressively EASIER as you continue in the game. The first three stages of world 1 are incredibly difficult, but if you grind for points, (which I HIGHLY reccommend) you are able to obtain more powerups. It didn't take me long to finish this game after realizing that. But regardless, this is a true Nintendo classic! Great video @NintendoComplete!

[@NintendoComplete]

Thanks! Yeah, I totally agree. It gets much easier in the late game. I thought Metroid also had a similar curve, though not as pronounced.

[@bigduke5902]

Haha this is exactly what I said, but you have to know what you're doing. You have to earn the right to use the power ups and a certain enemy can steal them from you, so the developers knew what they were doing.

[@ingvenning4993]

Thanks so much for making this! I'd forgotten how many references to other games there are!

[@NintendoComplete]

If you enjoy a heavy challenge and steep learning curve, you really can't ask for a better put-together platformer than Kid Icarus.

[@adamsafranek7407]

This is now officially on my Christmas list! I didn't watch completely through. I want my hard work to be rewarded. 😉 Thanks for all your time and effort into these! Much appreciated.

[@KareemHillJr]

Here after the Mario movie.

[@teko4752]

Can't stop to wonder about a world where Pit would have a catalog of games as big as Samus , Link or Kirby.

[@kirkkitsch]

One of my all-time favorite games to play! This was cool to see, because I will never get to this level on my own. Thanks for the upload! ❤

[@jaydenmoosa3989]

1:33:56 The Ancient Zephyrus Armor I've Obtained Was Actually When I Completed 25 Jalakas Ancient Drawings And The Power From SSF2 Was Given From Ichigo, Krystal, Isaac, Link, Lloyd Irving, Pit, Sora and Chibi-Robo.

[@RyneMcKinney]

I'm here after this was shown in the Mario Movie

[@TransCanadaPhil]

What an epic play-through. As a child, I could never get far in "Kid Icarus" even though I could tell it was a high quality game. It was just one of those games that I didn't quite get the knack of. Now I see that it has to be approached defensively rather than heading straight-on. In retrospect, the variety of level designs in the game is incredible. The game starts with vertically scrolling levels, has a few zelda-style multi-directional dungeon, side-scrolling platforming levels (ala Mario), and single creen action sequences and even a bullet-hell shmup level. Upgradable weapons, abilities, etc. That's really impressive for such an early NES title.

[@jackschleich9475]

your playing style for this game is maddening

[@adamsafranek7407]

@NintendoComplete Thanks to your uploads I was able to avoid duds for Christmas(i.e. Home Alone) and ended up with Kid Icarus, Faxanadu, Blades Of Steel, Super Mario 3, Journey To Silius, Karnov, and The Guadian Legend! 😎 I'm watching all of your NES, SNES, PlayStation, and PS2 playthroughs as a happy subscriber. Happy 2019 bud!

[@MusicThatSuitesMe]

Never watched this game be beat let alone find out there are different endings. Pretty cool!

[@alexcolaiacovo7242]

Thank you for unlocking my childhood. My mom swinging the control pad to jump and the grim reaper sound disturbing me for a lifetime. The best childhood memories ever.

[@sunnydayyesgameofthronesno2981]

I didn't know that there was a "I guess I can't win!" Easter egg in kid icarus. It's really cool, and people want to know how to find that kind of Easter egg.

[@darrenhopkins5454]

Reaper Theme was a reason for my worst butt whipping as a kid. TV audio into pops hify with the huge speakers that filled a corner. Mom getting in late at night. And me cranking that shit as loud as it would go. Yeah great laugh, but mean butt kicking afterwards. 😅😅😅😅

[@theenki8387]

My God, I remember playing this a lot (along with Parodius) when I was a little kid. Now, at 32, I wonder if I could beat it nowadays. Seemed to be impossible for me and I always wondered if Pit gets to be a grown up when you finish the game lmao

[@therealseanw.stewart2071]

1:36:38 There she is!! The origin of one of my favorite characters: *Palutena!* Pit's cool too, as the hero of the story. But still...Oh boy, is this one of my absolute fave NES classics, alongside Mega Man, the Marios, Zelda, and Kirby's Adventure! Not to mention Pit and Palutena are so awesomely powerful in Smash Bros. I love the music too! Such catchy tunes. ...But whatever happened to Buff Pit?! Guess that ending wasn't canon after all! XD

[@Bloodreign1]

Nope, because he was back to being a little guy come the awesome Game Boy game.

[@dnjj1845]

Haven't played this game in 36 years. I always thought the first board was the hardest. Looking at this now, I never realized how much of a predecessor to "The Legend of Zelda" it was. It had novel concepts of acquiring currency, accumulating weapons, bargaining/games of chance, and building up your character. The concept of having the AI help you in combat with additional characters was also innovative.The only NES game at the time to rival it was Metroid, but Metroid wasn't as sophisticated.

[@crestfallenwarrior6996]

I just started playing this on my little hand held emulator. It’s fun. Thanks!

[@1985dossantos]

Excellent gameplay!!!

[@Bennyboy087]

It's official. I'm going to start calling Heaven 'Angel Land'

[@knightd00b]

How the heck you beat this on 1 try is amazing!!

[@ann-soiesoderqvist6458]

i beat it 30 years ago

[@DennisTheZZZ]

1:38:05 I think this is the first (console) game ever to thank you, the player.

[@DavidSamuelBl10]

Kid Icarus NES demonstrated excellent! A+!

[@micahhardman3183]

I remember when l was young...back in the 80's and l had this game!! Seems different than l remember....over 30 years ago!!😄

[@sarahdesteal2820]

Love this game since 1987! One of my prefered NES game!

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

Kid Icarus and Metroid use the same graphic engine you will notice the graphics are more solid and colorful than other NES games

[@jasonleetaiwan]

This game and Castlevania were two of the most difficult NES games.

[@jcmoney11111]

HIP TANAKA will always be a legend in my book.

[@2kBofFun]

Amazing how this is the same NES as the one that plays Power Blade or Double Dragon II. Very simple 16x16 sprites vs gorgeous colourful worlds, games that beat many SNES games.

[@veronicapichardo7993]

Love this game

[@DrunkBSshow]

The best ending! Nice job NintendoComplete.

[@NintendoComplete]

+DrunkBSshow Thanks!

[@djmixnmagic]

I made my family come in my room and watch the ending, I thought it was so cool

[@jbuell311]

Used to play this at my cousins back in the gap. The reaper guys always kinda freaked me out.

[@kevinmyles6369]

Oh boy, took me and my brother over a year to beat this absolute classic back in the day when this came out. Tons of fun and frustration! 😖😆 Excellent playing by yourself! It's all about acquiring the upgrades and weapons to get that strength, no timer so you can maximize hearts to buy all essential stuff.. What's the sequel? Battle Of Olympus? 🤔

[@realIronKnight]

I love playing this game when I’m pissed at my dad for his lack of support

[@JJ-Himself]

So underrated but great relic. This needed a 16bit revamp but never happened.

[@devonakimmer9402]

Happy anniversary to this game🎉

[@Bloodreign1]

I don't know much about the third game, other than it was on the DS, but that middle Game Boy title I believe wasn't made in Japan, and no one hardly talks about it compared to the first game. If anything, out of the 3 games in the series, give me that middle one on the Game Boy anyday (I own a copy of it, and the NES one, don't care at all for the third game). First one is pretty cool too, because I remember when it was new, and places like Sears and Wal-Mart had NES 10 cart kiosks, where you could play the games. They'd usually reset after a few minutes, but the Sears one never ever reset, and while my brothers would hang inside the mall that Sears was in, I'd be in Sears, playing the shit out of those NES games, often having to be chased out of Sears come closing time heh heh. Yeah the mall had an arcade and all, but these games were free to play, and at that time I didn't own an NES just yet.

[@PaloJaurez]

I was a kid during the GameCube/GBA Wii/DS but Super Smash Bros Brawl told me my enjoyment of video games goes all the way back to NES days and to work my way back to the modern gaming. The game was 100% correct.

[@sammerz50]

That reminds me of the DIC animated series, Captain N: The Game Master

[@mrcat3493]

Nice job. I loved this game as a kid, but it was always pretty tough. I had to use game genie or some other cheats in order to beat it.

[@ThomasDrish]

Everyone told me back then that this was a great game. I never got a chance to play it 😢

[@masterfarr8265]

I still can’t believe this game was in the Mario Bros movie

[@amirsilvestretwentynine6586]

Me too! I watch that already! ❤

[@corvidcosmo]

It’s interesting how the ending for the NES version is a lot more detailed compared to the famicom version (although from what I’ve heard, the last level was built right around the end of production so I guess they didn’t have enough time to add it in)

[@GotStones1]

On the two walkthroughs I’ve seen, on level one the question marks skull is in bottom left and you get the barrel. On my original cartridge it’s above the door and I get potion

[@colintitcomb2544]

In the treasure rooms, the prize (and the skull) is always random. I've gotten potions, barrels, feathers, and the credit card.

[@jenniferburchill3658]

I had some rather colorful words for those eggplant wizards.

[@ScaryGarrySG1]

"MAY I HELP YOU?" LOL, not with those prices you can't ....later man!

[@drinny26]

This is the game that always made me throw my remote control 😂

[@Mike-xb7lh]

This game was amazing innthe 80s nothing like it but its eerie anyone agree? Weird stuff would go on when u played it

[@thirdplanet4471]

1:37:15 Sounds similar to the Zelda intro

[@Jackie69144]

Kid ic! Why 😂 does this feel like meeting a childhood bestie!

[@Tomzaum19]

I don't understand one thing: from @, why you get a price discount from the merchant everytime you enter his shop? Do I have to gather a specific amount of hearts to make it work or what?

[@papito5ft6]

Help: At the first boss level store, how do you steady keep causing him to change items and lower the prices?

[@jraser2885]

Seven stars. Seven signs.

[@leebrandon3842]

just finished "Battle for Olympus"...time for a new challenge. dang i don't remember these games being so dang hard when i was a kid. these games are insanely hard.

[@NintendoComplete]

Right? I get that same feeling. I think maybe I was just much more patient back then, restarting over and over from game overs for hours at a time because it was going to be awhile before I got another NES game.

[@leebrandon3842]

@@NintendoComplete once you rack up the playing time and get past the first two boards it's not as hard as it is at first. man this game is so good. i guess im gonna move onto metroid now. i love games like this, battle for olympus...if u have any suggestions for me im all ears. god bless.

[@NintendoComplete]

@@leebrandon3842 Have you played Simon's Quest and Faxanadu? They're both awesome games.

[@arthurcostaencarnacao4308]

Kid icarus e o melhor jogo de plataforma até Hoje ❤

[@MrTacticalApproach]

The sound effects are great, reminded me of some from ff7.

[@chuckobscure]

I agree with Brother Mark on this one, the sound effects are grating as hell. The heart pickups and grim reaper fx are like nails on a chalkboard.

[@simone2059]

MrTacticalApproach I agree, they are nice

[@KirkLee1983]

Just picked this up again mine is a 5 screw copy.

[@ashtaroovia]

I come here for the music. 🤩

[@AB-ms3le]

3:53 this is fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@beaniegee5129]

Classic!!

[@sendhelp6537]

I always remembered these graphics as being much better lol.

[@shockmonkeyradio7128]

I love this game...it was the first Legend of Zelda...

Legend of Palutena 😋

[@juicypapayarecords8256]

But Zelda came out before this game

[@o0o-jd-o0o95]

I can't help but picture a few drunk guys sitting around brainstorming about the game physics of kid Icarus .they're about to pass out and one of them says "I got it... I got it.... we'll make it so that if he walks off the screen on one side he'll pop back in on the other side" lol

[@sem_skywalker]

One of the hardest games I ever had. Was not even close to finishing it, which I did with most of my games. Even completing the original Zelda just by trying and failing was child's-play compared to this. I guess I gave up on it too early... :P

[@ann-soiesoderqvist6458]

jag är 66 år å tänker ta med mina barn på en tidsresa genom nintendos värld.Å dom sitter inne å ps 4 å 5 .

[@sem_skywalker]

@@ann-soiesoderqvist6458 Det tror jeg nok blir bra! Først vil de være litt skeptiske til den enkle grafikken, men etter hvert vil de skjønne greia og digge det de også. ;)

[@sem_skywalker]

@@ann-soiesoderqvist6458 Har du Nintendo Classic Minis, som meg, eller original-konsollene? :)

[@mohammedresearch3420]

i used to play this game when i was 12 year but i did not complete it cuz it was so difficult

[@weirdautunm]

i give up too easily and i was only at level two dkhdgd

[@Jayden.williams583]

0:33 pit: there’s nothing in here :(

[@Drawboy66]

I remember Mario playing this in the movie!

[@ryan489]

this game is great but as a kid I could never get the hang of it and couldn't get very far. I always remember having to use the big Cheat password that skipped the first 2 worlds and dumped you into the second dungeon. It also made you almost invincible too.

[@ryan489]

Brother Mark Angelo I said as a kid. I've since beaten the game without it and with the best ending

[@ryan489]

Brother Mark Angelo Where's your proof of that? because use of a password as a kid is not proof.

[@Juan-fr5di]

Visitando el vídeo después de ver la peli de super Mario

[@raulduke3237]

Battle of Olympus is a really good game that gets no love

[@SezerPank]

(insert sentence here) -icus

[@theinfinityscout3289]

How did he get the merchant to lower all the prices?

[@sem_skywalker]

Why are the shops closed after one makes a purchase? :P

[@davidmreyes77]

3:34 I always fall because of the floaty jump controls :(

[@jakobdoubleu]

41:00 is where Mario’s at in the movie

[@jonnymiskatonic]

How many times this dude gonna go heart farming when he's at 999?

[@suce4829]

Finally a civilized person who doesn’t make fortnite videos

[@osakanone]

Why is the song playing so fast?

[@antoniadinu4028]

Songs names?

[@Zincink]

@nintendo I just want to play my old NES on my modern tv.