That's part of why the control scheme came to mind, I was just getting used to it and then... platforming! I think being able to aim where you want to go easier would have helped. Still, it was fun, in an odd and iffy sort of way.

The flight section of that stage was the real star (and the boss). Reminded me a lot of Star Fox SNES's trippier levels.

Also, the 3D effect was put to great use with some of the tricks...very clever.

I didn't like chapter 5 as much, probably cause of the bottomless pits and then the introduction of the worst vehicle in the game. Seriously, controls aren't as much of an issue for me, until that thing came along that is.

@TriforceBun
I hate to say it but I think the on-rails flying sections are better than any Star Fox game... they're just so much damn fun and the spectacle is amazing. I'm getting used to the ground combat as well but the controls still frustrate me at times (like those bottomless pits)

This game just keeps blowing my mind. Seriously. What the hell was Jim Sterling thinking? A 5.0? It's sickening just thinking about it. There's just so many right things about this game What an amazing revival after the 20+ years it never saw action.

So I've yet to streetpass someone with Kid Icarus info (or anyone since last Saturday, to be honest) but I'm wondering if any of you guys know what the point of the "weapon gems" system is? I mean, why gems? Is there a reason why weapons aren't traded directly? And are there any benefits to receiving a weapon through streetpass as opposed to buying it or finding it in your game (i.e. is it like Pokémon where they'll evolve or gain more xp)?

And is there any advantage to creating a powerful weapon gems to trade with others? Because so far I've made two crappy ones and I don't see a reason why I'd part with my good stuff...

@Guillaume
You keep the weapons you created the gem with. The gem just gets passed along to whomever you streetpass with.

I assume the reasons for the gems is so people don't abuse getting the great weapons earlier before they get enough hearts. That or they fuse them with something.

As far as I know there's no benefit to receiving a weapon via streetpass, although it does increase the odds of getting certain variables since there are so many in this game.

@VofEscaflowne
I would have a hard time scoring this game if I had to review it, on the one hand parts of it are amazing and the whole package is super polished, on the other hand the controls for the majority of the game don't hold up to the standards set by the rest of the production. I feel like this is a really similar situation to Subspace Emissary, but that was a much smaller part of the Smash Bros. package so it was easier to excuse the poor controls. I imagine Sakurai kind of like a George Lucas figure, always believing he is correct about every creative whim and surrounded by yes-men who never challenge him. Yes it's playable, yes you can adapt to it, but it's always awkward, it never feels natural, it never feels completely smooth, intutive, and accurate like a Mario or a Zelda game.

I'm not saying it deserves a 5, despite the control issues it's still a great game, I would never score it a 9 though... I'd probably give it an 8, with a note that the flying sections are a 10 and the ground sections are a 6 or 7 due to the controls.

@deathly_hallows
In Sakurai's defense, he didn't know about the Circle Pad Pro until the game was almost complete.

I do agree with your Lucas analogy, though, but more in terms of the unique dictatorial vision than the spotty record. I mean, Smash Bros. is a WEIRD game. Without someone like Sakurai, it probably never would have been made.

Oh, wait. You don't like Smash Bros.

@deathly_hallows

I don't think the controls are the result of no one telling Sakurai "this isn't a good idea". After a couple of hours I feel the controls are more than adequate, for the kind of game this is.

Then again I don't believe in the uniformization of control schemes. I think trying new things in terms of controls is necessary to achieve originality in a game in general.

But why would they not have just implemented something where you can turn by holding the stylus near the edge of the screen for the ground stuff? It's so iffy trying to turn the way it is now and it's very tough to follow an enemy that leaves the screen. I don't know if I'm missing some major factor or something but having a (large?) bounding box and going outside of it turns would solve a lot. Or a small bounding box. OR... let the player choose how large the bounding box is.

There is a bounding box for your aim, and it is really small. I'm guessing that there would be huge issues with aiming if the camera would turn just by reaching outside an invisible box.

Well, of course there is a tradeoff, but I think it's less of an issue than managing a full 3D game where you're getting attacked from multiple directions and have no easy way to just turn smoothly. The thing is, if they did what i'm talking about they could still have the quick turn as well. In theory if there were an adjustable bounding box where you turn by going outside of it, it could go from the whole screen (how it is currently... no turning at screen edge) to smaller and smaller. So I don't see how it wouldn't be just plain superior.

The controls, as they are, actually simplify the amount of stylus-work you have to do.

First, your aim is confined to a small box so you never have to move the stylus out of a small area in the center of the touch screen. Turning the camera via swipe can be performed in this same region, and can be done quickly with varied results depending on the inertia of your swipe. By your scheme, you would have to drag your stylus to the edge of the screen to initiate a turn, and meanwhile, your aim is stretched to the edge of the aiming box in the direction you're turning. The current setup allows better simultaneous control of aiming and camera movement, while limiting the amount of stylus-work. And for a hectic, action-packed game such as this, I think the controls are spot-on.

It actually controls very similarly to how I set up my laptop trackpad. Glide and stop, glide and stop.

No, you would just have to drag it to the outside of the box. And if you're already at the edge of the box (which you are, obviously, when your cursor is at the edge of the screen) then it becomes a very simple thing to do to move outside of the box and have your character turn. And how quickly you turn can be determined by how far outside of the box that you go. It would be like... infinitely superior turning.

And again, this could all be adjustable so that the current way to play it could still exist, for the few people who want it that way.

Therefore, my way is superior by default.

@Anand
Be sure to adjust the settings for how quickly it comes to a stop.

@Guillaume Guillaume, you do not loose the weapons you do gems with. Plus when you get more gems you can fuse them to create new weapon gems. "Why gems?!", you ask, well, it's obviously so you need to spend hearts to free the weapons from the gems, plus to make a visual distinction between the one you made and the ones you received via streetpass.

@Zero
Your way is not superior because it sacrifices aiming precision and it would be slower for turning the camera as well.

@anon_mastermind
Yeah, I did. I just haven't refined it yet, since I've only played Level One (three times).