Kid Icarus: Uprising/Magnus and the Dark Lord

This can be considered the first "real" chapter of Kid Icarus: Uprising. From here on out, it is impossible for the guide to predict what weapons or powers the player will be equipped with.

Air Section
This level begins much like the one before it. Groups of monoeyes, miks, and other flying enemies will pass by, taking shots at Pit. Miks use their long tongues to attack a wide area, so be careful. Wave Anglers also shoot wide attacks, albeit ones that move slowly enough to dodge. Also, be careful about lightning bolts. Flying into one of these will deal some damage. Later on, after flying underground, you'll see some new faces. Octos shoot rings of ink that can be flown through. Porcuspines will shoot needles in various directions at once, and can be hard to avoid.

Halfway through the stage, players can pick up some Recovery Orbs to revive health. Soon afterwards, players meet their first Belunka. These whale-like enemies spew smaller foes from their mouths, and can absorb a fair amount of punishment. In of themselves though, they are not too dangerous. Pit will then fly up a wall and over a battlefield, encountering some more enemies. At this point though, the worst is over.

Ground Section
Ground sections of levels in Kid Icarus: Uprising tend to be similar to what one finds here: mostly linear passageways, corridors, and rooms with a fair number of splitting paths and/or diversions.

Once again, be sure to eat the nearby food before progressing. Food often spawns at the start of a ground section, and backtracking is very rare, so feel free to eat whatever you see. Up ahead, you'll see a pillar. Using a melee attack on it will open the nearby door.

The next major room you enter is a bit complicated. The chest ahead is guarded by Skuttlers, the most common ground-based troops in the game. Take them out from a distance or close in for close combat. They should be easy prey either way. Upstairs though are some more powerful threats, guarding two switches. One switch is guarded by a Boogity, a monster that has an impenetrable half and a vulnerable half that can attack the player with slow moving missiles. These can be hard to fight. Try sniping it from a distance when it exposes its vulnerable side, or simply wait to clobber it with melee attacks. If it proves to be too much of a challenge, this one can simply be worked around.

The other switch is guarded by a Handora, a ground-based foe that fires several small projectiles at a time, and a Coral, which shoots projectiles at the player upon being shot to death. The best way to defeat these enemies is with melee attacks. The Ganewmede that then spawns is also best defeated with melee attacks, though long-distance sniping and dodging also works.

As you pass through the doorway, you have several options. You can go to the left to enter a room of monsters, clear them out, and then head into the back to find a hidden treasure chest or two containing weapons. Don't worry about the treasure chest in the center of the room; its not the real thing. Otherwise, just keep on going over the bridge and down the stairs. There will be a tapestry midway down that's actually a hidden door. Go through it to unlock a new kind of weapon.

At the bottom of the stairs, you'll be treated to a brief cutscene of a human kicking ass. His name is Magnus, he uses a sword the size of a club, and he'll be following you the rest of the level. He can hold his own too, so don't worry about going out of your way to protect him. First though, you'll need to clear out the room of enemies. Most of them are familiar, but one is a Specknose. They will sneeze deadly bombs at Pit, so be careful! Be sure to collect your food and treasure once the enemies in the room are defeated and carry on.

The next room requires you to defeat all the enemies to progress too, but this should be easy to manage. One of the enemies flies around though, and can be difficult to defeat without ranged attacks. The next room is full of Skuttlers, but also has an item that can be used to attack the lot of them. Rush forward and touch it quickly to maximize its power.

Ahead is another intersection. To the right is a hot spring, which can heal Pit similarly to food. Be sure to stop by here. To the left are a door and another courtyard. The courtyard contains a treasure chest, but its merely a trap that attracts monsters. However, the dialogue is hilarious, the monsters are not too powerful, and the hot spring is nearby, so feel free to set the trap off.

Through the doorway is a spiral staircase. The enemies should be mostly familiar, but you could encounter a Shildeen. These enemies create force fields to protect their allies, but these shields can be easily overpowered by your ranged attacks. At the top, drink the item and move in to face the boss.

Boss: Dark Lord Gaol
For a dark lord, Gaol could be far worse. Admittedly, he uses a wide variety of magical attacks, including area of effect spells, various projectiles, and summoning spells that spawn weaker opponents. This is in addition to some nice melee moves. But with Magnus fighting by your side, Gaol will be largely distracted, leaving him vulnerable to long ranged attacks. Plus, he doesn't have much more health, meaning that he will likely fall before you hear his entire storyline.