Some 25 years after the original Kid Icarus game for NES captured the hearts and imaginations of gamers worldwide, Kid Icarus: Uprising brings the action and adventure of this beloved series to new heights – and new visual dimensions – on the 3DS system. The dark goddess Medusa and her Underworld Army have returned, and they’ve got their sights set on the heroic angel Pit. With the aid of Palutena, goddess of light and guardian of the human race, Pit must fend off this malevolent threat. The richly immersive graphics of the Nintendo 3DS system offer incredible depth as Pit battles enemies by air and by land.

The game’s story begins with the return of the dark goddess Medusa and her Underworld Army. With the help of Palutena, goddess of light and guardian of the human race, the heroic angel Pit must combat the forces of darkness as he battles Medusa and her minions by air and by land.

The Fiend’s Cauldron is an incredible new system that allows players to customize their play experience by adjusting the intensity level. Intensity ranges from 0.0 – 9.0 for each individual Chapter. As the intensity increases, players will be able to earn more Hearts and more powerful weapon drops from defeated enemies. Hearts also can be used to purchase new weapons. The standard intensity setting is 2.0, but players can precisely adjust it by increments of 0.1. In order to increase the intensity, players must bet by placing an increasing number of Hearts into the Fiend’s Cauldron. If the player is defeated during the Chapter, some Hearts will be lost and the intensity will be lowered.

A wide variety of collectible weapons offers an extraordinary amount of replay value. With nine different categories of weapons, ranging from Bows to Claws, players can learn the unique characteristics of each weapon and determine which is best suited for each battle and their style of play.

During certain parts of his adventure, Pit will have access to special vehicles such as the Exo Tank. Pit can use the tank’s powerful drift ability to boost over jumps or defeat enemies with the tank’s ramming horn.

The Augmented Reality cards feature characters, enemies, bosses, weapons and items that appear in Kid Icarus: Uprising. The game recognizes these specially designed AR Cards when viewed using the built-in camera of the Nintendo 3DS. Viewing an AR Card with the game also unlocks the AR Card’s corresponding Idol, which reveals additional information about that card. Players can even snap photos when the AR Card characters come to life and then view them within Nintendo 3DS Camera.

Here is more information about how consumers in the United States can collect these special AR Cards in the coming weeks (quantities are limited, available while supplies last):

1. Included with Kid Icarus: Uprising: Every copy of Kid Icarus: Uprising will come packed with a selection of six randomly chosen AR Cards from a set of 20 possible AR Cards.
2. Exclusive Club Nintendo Giveaway: As a special treat for Club Nintendo members, three AR Cards will be given away starting today. Members can receive the Great Reaper, Palutena and Drill Arm cards by visiting here. Consumers without an existing Club Nintendo membership simply need to sign up to receive these three cards.
3. Retail: By visiting select GameStop locations and participating in Kid Icarus: Uprising game-play sessions on April 14 from 1-4 p.m., players will receive five AR Cards, including Eggplant Wizard, Skyscraper Club, Fireworks Cannon, Minos and the Fiend’s Cauldron. Consumers who purchase the game on March 23 at Nintendo World in New York will receive the Three Sacred Treasures card as a special gift.
4. Publications: A selection of AR Cards will also be available through several magazines. In the April issue of Game Informer, subscribers will receive the Power of Flight card. Nintendo Power will feature a pack of three cards including Poseidon, Thanatos - God of Death and Medusa (Battle) in its April issue. Best Buy will also offer three special cards, including Pit, Pandora - The Goddess of Calamity and Samurai Blade in the April issue of @Gamer, its in-store magazine.
5. Events: At several upcoming events, Nintendo will be handing out packs with a random selection of AR Cards while supplies last. WonderCon (March 16-18, Anaheim, Calif.) and PAX East (April 6-8, Boston) attendees are encouraged to stop by the Nintendo booth for special AR Card packs. Additionally, Nintendo is hosting upcoming Kid Icarus: Uprising multiplayer tournaments at GameStop locations in Los Angeles and New York. Tournament attendees will also receive special AR Card packs.

Kid Icarus: Uprising uses a control scheme designed to fit the game’s unique blend of flight, shooting and melee combat, and offers tremendous precision and depth for dedicated players. The left hand uses the Circle Pad while the right hand uses the stylus. Every copy of the game will come with a free stand that holds the Nintendo 3DS at an angle above any flat surface, providing players with a new kind of gaming experience.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is compatible with the Circle Pad Pro accessory, offering an alternate control scheme for left-handed players. With the Circle Pad Pro, players hold the stylus in their left hand and use the Circle Pad with their right hand.

Key Features:

• Designed by Masahiro Sakurai – creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros. – Kid Icarus: Uprising features a vividly redesigned game world and a new look for Pit and other returning characters.
• Pit is unable to fly on his own, but upon receiving the “Power of Flight” from Palutena, he can soar swiftly through the skies for about five minutes at a time. After each stage’s initial air battle, Pit enters into ground-based skirmishes.
• While Pit is battling in the air, the action unfolds like a dynamic guided shooter. Yet when he’s facing enemies on land, it handles like a third-person shooter. Throughout the sprawling adventure, players gather numerous distinctive weapons and collect treasures.
• Beyond the deep single-player adventure, Kid Icarus: Uprising also offers a thrilling and unique take on multiplayer battles. Two teams battle against each other, whittling away their point totals as each team member is defeated. When one team loses all its points, the last member defeated is revived as the powerful Angel Pit. If the other team can track him down and defeat him, they will win the match, introducing a new ebb-and-flow dynamic to multiplayer battles.
• The game includes AR Card compatibility. Using the built-in 3D camera on the Nintendo 3DS system, the game recognizes countless specially designed AR Cards, with animated game characters popping up in 3D on the game screen and even battling each other when two cards face off.
• The game’s simple, intuitive play control has players hold the system in their left hand, while the right hand uses the stylus on the touch screen for targeting. Their left thumb on the Circle Pad controls Pit’s movements, and the L Button fires ranged weapons and unleashes melee attacks. The controls are simple enough to be grasped quickly, but offer layers of depth and strategy for advanced maneuvers. A special control option for left-handed players is also being prepared.

Fans who pre-order Kid Icarus: Uprising ($39.99) at select retailers will receive a bonus download code for the 3D Classics: Kid Icarus game, a re-mastered 3D version of the NES original. The download code will be delivered with the purchase of Kid Icarus: Uprising.