P-Vock's Music Box: Angelic Uprising
Hello and welcome back to P-Vock's Music. Friends, I am celebrating. This past weekend, something I never believed would happen actually occurred, my Saskatchewan Roughriders actually beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after years of being absolutely beaten mercilessly by them. Things like this never happen anymore. Almost as rare as a classic piece of media coming back out of nowhere in glorious fashion with an amazing entry that both propels the IP forward and manages to respect the original works.
That's what we got in 2012 (how has it been that long) when Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of Super Smash Bros, and his team released an incredible revival of a long-forgotten series in Kid Icarus Uprising.
Amazing visuals, charming writing, more trash-talking between characters than in that rivalry football game I mentioned earlier, a glorious story, and stellar music all combine into a beautiful and unique gem of a game. Have a listen.
After a triumphant intro, we are greeted by a wonderfully cleaned-up and polished recording of a familiar melody (or what is familiar to the thirty people who played the original Kid Icarus on the NES). Afterward, we are greeted with a sneak peek at one of the more beloved tracks in the first boss battle theme.
Usually, your main title theme gives you a feeling of what to expect. A melody that presents you with the vibe of the game and allows you to prepare yourself for the tone of the adventure you're soon to embark on. I can't think of many games that do that by presenting you with a taste of a track you will soon hear in your adventure.
I mentioned that Kid Icarus Uprising does a phenomenal job of appealing to the old and the new. Offering a familiar track seamlessly transitioning into a new one is a confident, bold, and effective way to deliver that very idea to anyone playing the game. It sure got me hyped when I played it all night during an aggressive snowstorm on the day it launched (you know I love the game when I remember the night it launched).
But alright, let's give you something brand new.
Magnus is a confident, entertaining, and powerful character who stands out amongst this lineup of wild characters, and his theme is a huge part of why.
It's triumphant and bombastic, with loud brass and booming bass, emblematic of this hulking edge lord warrior fighting alongside our angelic hero, Pit.
It's dramatic and tense, with hints of sorrow and desperation, as Magnus is fighting desperately to save his family, his people, and his world.
It's energetic and unforgettable, with ebbs and flows that mimick a constantly changing struggle, that reflects the outrageously over-the-top struggle of angels versus demons between which Magnus and humanity find themselves caught in the middle.
AND SOMEHOW, IT'S NOT EVEN THE BEST CHARACTER THEME FOR AN EDGELORD IN THE GAME.
Because this plot becomes insane, our spunky hero Pit finds himself cloned by a mirror and outbursts Dark Pit (great name) with a ridiculous entrance and an incredible theme.
It's so fast-paced and never lets up. It's as if each note represents a shot, swing, or insult Pit and his clone take at one another. Until we have the take a second as these two lovable idiots tire themselves out and need a quick breather, while still throwing out childish insults at one another.
The string melody is burned into my head and will never leave. I don't know why this game with very obvious Greek origins (Medusa, Hades, Pandora, and Cerberus are all characters in the game) needed this kind of almost Latin touch, but it allows Dark Pit's theme to stand out without feeling jarring and become what is easily the most beloved track in this wonderful game.
Kid Icarus Uprising is a wild idea that shows what can happen when a creative team is allowed to just run with their ideas. The Lightning Chariot's lightning was absolutely captured in a bottle for Kid Icarus Uprising and it stands as one of my favourite video games of all time for good reason.
Many are clamoring for a sequel to this game, which has been confirmed to not be happening by the creative team. I'm totally fine with this as I honestly don't think we'll ever get another game quite like this one again.
BUT PLEASE, AT LEAST BRING IT TO THE SWITCH SO I CAN SEE MY BELOVED PALUTENA IN GLORIOUS HD PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahem Thank you as always for checking out my content, and I hope to catch you back here next time with another suggestion from my Music Box.
Stay Brutal!
PS. Since I just mentioned Palutena, I should give you what I consider her theme in the game, even if it isn't titled as such. It is also my personal favourite track from the game.