Metroid shouldn't be the only Nintendo franchise to get a shot in the arm

It's safe to say that both Nintendo and Metroid the franchise is poised to have one of the biggest years in their history. As well as finally getting a reveal trailer and release window for the long awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyondit's all but confirmed that the Switch 2 will arrive sometime in 2025. Together, the revival of a beloved franchise and the launch of a new system positions the Big N to have one of its most exciting years yet, but there's another. somewhat forgotten series that should be included in all the excitement: Child Icarus.

The Child Icarus and Metroid franchises are actually somewhat related to their history and importance in Nintendo's dominance of the western gaming market during the third generation of consoles. Both titles were previously Famicom Disk System games that served as testbeds for new technology, paving the way for future Disk System titles to make their way to North America on standard NES ROM cartridges (including The Legend of Zelda). Given the importance Child Icarus had for both NES (using the original game) and 3DS (using its Kid Icarus: Revolt), it's surprising that Nintendo has abandoned the franchise in the past, but now might be the best time to bring it back.

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Kid Icarus: Uprising is a cult classic that still deserves a sequel

the 1987s Child Icarus was a revolutionary action platformer for its time, benefiting from the same technological leaps as other Nintendo franchises. Metroid and The Legend of Zelda it did starting out as a Famicom Disk System title before heading West on a standard NES cartridge. Nintendo would follow up with a Game Boy exclusive sequel, About myths and monstersin 1991, but it would be more than two decades before gamers got the true following the series deserved with the 2012 films. Kid Icarus: Revolt. However, despite the acclaim and popularity of this game, Nintendo never developed a sequel.

Outside of its fervent cult following, Kid Icarus: Revolt holds the special distinction of being the 19th game in history to receive a perfect 40/40 score from the legendary Japanese gaming publication Famitsu. Along with Fire Emblem: Awakening, Kid Icarus: Revolt it's also one of the main titles responsible for helping establish the 3DS's position in global markets, quickly selling over a million units and driving gamers to pick up the console. Given its relevance to Nintendo's success in the 2010s and the pedigree of its development team (led by Smash Bros. Masahiro Sakurai and featuring the talents of Yasunori Mitsuda), a fitting sequel to Kid Icarus: Revolt it is long overdue.

Pit's enduring appeal as a character is getting the series for a revival

Given Sakurai's penchant for including Pit in each of the Smash Bros. games, it should come as no surprise to learn that he was instrumental in getting Kid Icarus: Revolt done in the first place. Moreover, many of the lessons learned during Uprisingits development would help inform further development Smash Bros. games, making it an interesting outlier in the Nintendo 3DS library in terms of its importance to the development of the system's titles. And although he is far from being one of the most played characters in Smash Bros. lastPit's recurring appearance in the franchise and his status as a mid-tier character illustrate that he is still popular enough to carry his own game.

The upcoming release of the Switch 2 sees Nintendo set up for a very exciting 2025, one that could secure the company's place as a continued industry leader moving forward. Confirmation that the Switch's successor will be compatible with digital and physical games in players' current Switch libraries means the system will launch with thousands of games, and that's without considering the new original IP it will have to coincide with its release . Child Icarus A long absence makes him as strong a candidate as any to benefit from Nintendo's future momentum.