Kid Icarus (NES) - RetroAchievements/guides GitHub Wiki

About

This is not an official manual, walkthrough or critical review. This document is a simple guide for the current achievement set available on RetroAchievements. This guide will give the player tips on earning the achievements, hash compatibility and any other necessary or useful information.

Introduction

Kid Icarus is a 1986 action/adventure/platform game, which included RPG elements where the playable character (Pit) can level up as he defeats enemies. Based off of Greek mythology, Kid Icarus is a creative twist off of the same game mechanics which were laid out for Nintendo's previous hit, Metroid.

Trivia

Kid Icarus was rushed to completion to fulfill a deadline. Because of this, the game's original plan to have a fourth world was scrapped. This somewhat explains the presence of loose ends which are present in the game's RAM. As a result, some of the most simplest of achievements were originally unstable.

Save Support

Kid Icarus is supported by a password system. Upon defeating Medusa on the last level, the game will loop after the credits and you get to start over with the same progress: score, endurance level, strength and inventory (except the three sacred treasures you are supposed to collect from the bosses). If you wish to preserve your progress after beating the game, let it loop after the ending and get a password after completing at least 1-1.

Compatibility

If your game matches the following hash Md5s, it is compatible with the available RA set. The confirmed hash is the one which was used to create the set, making it the recommended version. Kid Icarus (NES) is compatible with the following MD5s:

3a2e9774b17aee78d00a1a72b9e18869
5548eb19cfe923e3dd723628cd2a4c33
7af837824530bb7b1545af37ba0792db
8a27c5ab8108efcf3ee21f99daeadd52
8c45f4401cdae82b6079f9740007c8c5 // confirmed, Kid Icarus (USA/EU) [!]
94c22109a8c815a659b08e2159e527ed
ada263949deb4c1d9e2a32c3cc1fb126

Leaderboards

There is only one leaderboard currently available. Highest Score In Sky Palace records a player's highest score in 4-1, the final round in the game.

Achievements

Total achievements: 33 in total. 13 item achievements; 3 progress achievements; 1 completionist achievement; 4 boss achievements; 2 end game challenge achievements; 7 buff attribute achievements; 2 missable achievements; 1 misc achievement.

Tune Your Enemies #25526, 0 pts. Item based. Description - Collect the Harp

Collect the harp and your enemies turn into mallets. The achievement will unlock as soon as Kid Icarus touches the harp for the first time. The mallets can be used to eliminate enemies or to free the Centurians in the dungeons.

Whac-a-Mole (x12) #25523, 0 pts. Item based. Description - Collect 12 Mallets

Dependent on the mallets you collect from enemies (see Tune Your Enemies) or by purchasing them from the store merchants. You need to collect 12 mallets for the achievement to unlock.

Whac-a-Mole (x24) #25524, 5 pts. Item based. Description - Collect 24 Mallets

You need to collect 24 mallets for the achievement to unlock.

Whac-a-Mole (x42) #25525, 10 pts. Item based. Description - Collect 42 Mallets

You need to collect 42 mallets for the achievement to unlock.

Underworld Federal #9100, 0 pts. Item based. Description - Obtain the Credit Card

This achievement unlocks by obtaining the Credit Card, which can only be found in a treasure room. The Credit Card lets Kid Icarus purchase an item when he does not carry enough currency. The difference in the balance becomes a debt, which is paid off by collecting additional hearts. Once the debt owed is paid in full, hearts will be available for use again. The credit card only works in the black market, not in regular shops.

Call Me Cupid #25877, 10 pts. Item based. Description - Max out your Heart collection.

In Angel Land, hearts are used as currency. Collect 999 hearts and this achievement will unlock. A good strategy for this is to attempt to earn maximum hearts during your grindy second playthrough (following 4-1) and obtaining a password after playing past 1-1.

Worst Kind of Black Magic #25527, 0 pts. Misc. Description - Get turned into an Eggplant.

What is Kid Icarus without getting turned into an eggplant by the Eggplant Wizard? You might prefer to avoid all Eggplant Wizards throughout the entire game, but that wouldn't be necessarily (or fairly) possible, would it?!

Keg Party Time ! #25528, 10 pts. Item based. Description - Collect 8 Water of Life Bottles (Must own the Water Barrel)

The Water Barrel can be found either in the treasure rooms or from purchasing it from the black marketeer. It enables you to carry up to 8 bottles of Life Water (instead of just one) in your inventory. Once obtained, the achievement will unlock.

Level Up (Plus Two) #25878, 5 pts. Buff attribute. Description - Raise Pit's Endurance level.

Pit earns to raise his endurance level after reaching 50,000 amount of points in-game score. His health bar will also increase by one block, making 3 blocks of health in total. There is no achievement for gaining only 20,000 points of in-game score (which gives Pit 2 blocks of health), this is very easy to do and can be attained well before 1-4. Another thing to keep in mind is that just because a player went straight to level plus three or four after hours of grinding (skipping a previous level), does not equal the player earning both (or all) of the achievements at once. Using that logic is like rewarding a player for more or all of the stages, after using a stage level select code or password, even if they have not visited every stage or skipped some of the levels. It's passive gameplay which depending on the circumstance, can be often regarded as cheating. In Kid Icarus's case, Pit earns a health bar for every tier, making it not solely based on score, so you MUST attain the EXACT Endurance level in order to get the respected correlated achievement.

Level Up (Plus Three) #25879, 5 pts. Buff attribute. Description - Raise Pit's Endurance level.

Pit earns to raise his endurance level after reaching 100,000 amount of points in-game score. His health bar will also increase by one block, making 4 blocks of health in total. See Level Up (Plus Two) for more information.

Level Up (Plus Four) #25880, 5 pts. Buff attribute. Description - Max Pit's Endurance level.

Pit earns to raise his endurance level after reaching 200,000 amount of points in-game score. His health bar will also increase by one block, making 5 blocks of health at the maxed out total. See Level Up (Plus Two) for more information.

Strength Up (Green) #25516, 10 pts. Buff attribute. Description - Raise Pit's strength with Bronze Arrow.

Pit obtains the Bronze Arrow from Zeus in the Sacred Chamber. You must see Zeus appear in the chamber for this to happen. By default, Pit's skill is determined by exceeding 10,000 points before reaching the Sacred Chamber. This stat is not revealed to players and resets to zero every time you level up.

This skill score is determined by enemies killed and hearts collected. Collected hearts also count in the Enemy Lairs (or Test Rooms), so enemies which don't give experience which drop hearts, will go towards the total. If Pit has 999 hearts (full stock), collecting additional hearts will not add to the skill score. 300 points are added upon entering a chamber, including stage exits. In Treasure Chambers, Pit earns 100 skill points for each Mallet collected, but loses 500 for each shot at a pitcher container. It doesn't stop there, 10 skill points are lost for each arrow shot and 300 for each hit taken (regardless of damage, if that makes sense).

Strength Up (Purple) #25517, 10 pts. Buff attribute. Description - Raise Pit's strength with Silver Arrow.

Unlocks when Pit obtains the Silver Arrow from Zeus in the Sacred Chamber. See Strength Up (Green) for details.

Strength Up (Red) #25518, 10 pts. Buff attribute. Description - Raise Pit's strength with Gold Arrow.

Unlocks when Pit obtains the Silver Arrow from Zeus in the Sacred Chamber. See Strength Up (Green) for details.

Strength Up (Blue) #25519, 10 pts. Buff attribute. Description - Raise Pit's strength with Sacred Arrow.

Unlocks when Pit obtains the Sacred Arrow from Zeus in the Sacred Chamber. See Strength Up (Green) for details.

Crystal Orb Defender #25520, 5 pts. Item based. Description - Obtain the Protective Crystal from Zeus.

One of three enchanted weapons rewarded by Zeus in the Sacred Chamber. You must withstand a test where Pit will need to endure attacks from levitating debris (which will mash into him). If you study the patterns, you will notice it is very similar to the attack patterns of the Nose monsters in the Test Rooms. Choose one of the three items offered from Zeus when the test is over. The wand item or "protective crystal" manifests a shield of two rotating orbs as a defense system around Pit, which harms enemies upon impact. The power of these magical weapons given by Zeus are blocked in the dungeons.

Fire Power #25521, 5 pts. Item based. Description - Obtain the power of Fire from Zeus.

One of three enchanted weapons rewarded by Zeus in the Sacred Chamber (See Crystal Orb Defender). Raises Pit's attack level even more by piercing through the weakest enemies. The power of these magical weapons given by Zeus are blocked in the dungeons.

Holier Than Thou #25522, 5 pts. Item based. Description - Obtain the Holy Bow from Zeus.

One of three enchanted weapons rewarded by Zeus in the Sacred Chamber (See Crystal Orb Defender). The Holy Bow shoots Pit's arrows further, all the way towards the edge of the screen. The power of these magical weapons given by Zeus are blocked in the dungeons.

Blueprint #25596, 0 pts. Item based. Description - Obtain the Check Sheet

The Check Sheet is a map found in the dungeon fortress. The achievement will unlock and a map will appear in your inventory after Kid Icarus picks this up. The Pencil is needed for the Check Sheet to be useful, however.

Write it Down #9099, 0 pts. Item based. Description - Obtain the Pencil

The Pencil is found in the dungeon fortress. It enables Kid Icarus to trace his steps in a dungeon. The Check Sheet is needed for the Pencil to work, however. The achievement will unlock the first time the pencil is found.

Flame War #9098, 0 pts. Item based. Description - Obtain the Torch

The Flaming Touch will show Kid Icarus's current position in a dungeon fortress. This achievement will unlock when this is picked up. The Check Sheet is needed for this item to be useful, however.

Three Sacred Treasures (#1) #9101, 5 pts. Progress based. Description - Obtain the Mirror Shield

The first Sacred Treasure you will obtain, once you have defeated Twinbellows in the first dungeon (1-4). This achievement will unlock moments after Twinbellows is eliminated.

Three Sacred Treasures #2 #9102, 5 pts. Progress based. Description - Obtain the Arrow of Light

The second Sacred Treasure you will obtain, once you have defeated Hewdraw in the second dungeon (2-4). This achievement will unlock moments after Hewdraw is eliminated.

Three Sacred Treasures #3 #9103, 5 pts. Progress based. Description - Obtain the Wings of Pegasus

The last Sacred Treasure you will obtain, once you have defeated Pandora in the third dungeon (3-4). This achievement will unlock moments after Pandora is eliminated.

Slayer of Twinbellows #25597, 10 pts. Boss challenge. Description - Defeat Twinbellows without the Centurians.

The boss of the first dungeon, which is a two-headed beast which spits fire and leaps at the player. You must defeat him without the Centurian's help. Centurians are the winged guys wearing helmets, freed from the statues in the dungeons, after hitting them with a mallet. Twinbellows is slow, but his movement can be unpredictable as the sprite hones onto the player's position. Run underneath him when he jumps and hit him when he's facing the other way.

Slayer of Hedraw #25598, 10 pts. Boss challenge. Description - Defeat Hedraw without the Centurians.

The boss of the second dungeon, a serpent which dives in and out of water that fills up the floor of his chamber. Defeat him without the Centurian's help for the achievement to unlock. Avoiding Hedraw's attack is easy, just stay underneath him when he leaps out of the water and don't try to jump over or outrun him.

Slayer of Pandora #26075, 10 pts. Boss challenge. Description - Defeat Pandora without the Centurians.

The boss of the third and final dungeon, a spirit of a witch that floats erratically across the screen, while spewing energy bubbles. She also flickers, so she can disappear into the background and then impose herself on the player. Defeat her without the Centurian's help for the achievement to unlock. Utilize the elevated platforms to hop over her and be prepared to duck when she lunges into Pit's direction.

Like an Angel #25612, 50 pts. Missable achievement. Description - Reach the Sky Palace without losing an Angel's Feathers (Must attain a feather)

This achievement requires you to attain the feather early in the game and not use it (by not falling off screen). Carry the feather over two worlds unused, but if you get the feather in world three and beat the game, nothing will happen. As long as you have a feather as early as 1-1 or 1-2 and don't use any, it can unlock as soon 3-3.

Evasive Maneuvers #25884, 50 pts. Missable achievement. Description - Avoid sticky fingers, and having to reclaim your property from the Black Market.

The objective here is to avoid having any of the magical gifts of Zeus being stolen by the thieving buggers that show up in levels 2-2, 2-3 and from 3-1 to 3-3. You must have at least one magical gift equipped for anything to count, similar to the requirement for owning a feather for Like an Angel.

Clash of the Titans #26450, 5 pts. Completion. Description - Defeat Medusa.

Achieved when you beat the game. 4-1 is the final stage where you equip the sacred treasures, enabling Pit to fly to and invade Medusa's lair in the sky.

The Wit of Hermes #26478, 10 pts. Boss Challenge. Description - Defeat Medusa without being harmed.

The final stage of the game (4-1) is a shooter where you can attack enemies freely in all directions, and the screen continuously scrolls from the right all the way toward Medusa. When you reach finally reach her, use the Mirror Shield to null the beam wave attacks. The snakes can be taken out with one hit, while you aim for the eye.

All Grown Up ! #26517, 25 pts. End Game Challenge. Description - Achieve the best ending.

Upon defeating Medusa, have a score higher than 200,000 by 3-4; obtain 999 hearts, 5 arrows of strength and all 3 enchanted weapons from Zeus.

Tragic Peasant #26518, 50 pts. End Game Challenge. Description - Achieve the worst ending.

You must not go over 200,000 pts., have less than 999 hearts, less than 5 arrows, and not all 3 enchanted weapons at completion (defeating Medusa). Best to prioritize and go for this upon first time playing, since the game loops with your inventory and score from the previous playthrough, making it also a 'pacifist' style achievement.

Guide by ENZYME1