[By Brett Molina, USA TODAY]

So, maybe they’re not Mario or Zelda, but two notable franchises from the house of Nintendo are making a comeback on the 3DS later this year.

On September 11, Fox McCloud returns to the skies in a remastered version of the classic Nintendo 64 title Starfox 64. Then later this holiday, the NES classic Kid Icarus is back with a fresh, portable adventure titled Kid Icarus: Uprising.

Here’s a sneak peek at both 3DS titles.

Starfox 64 3D

The aerial combat title which first debuted in 1997 has been revamped for the 3DS, adding 3-D visuals and motion controls.

For those who don’t remember the story, Starfox 64 stars ace pilot Fox McCloud and his squad as they battle scientist Andross and his forces to save the galaxy.

One of the key changes is the addition of 3-D visuals to add more depth during dogfights. It should give players a much better perspective on how close or far an enemy ship lies.

The new control scheme allows players to steer Fox’s ship by tilting or turning the 3DS in any direction. Players will also use the stylus to target enemy ships or other key locations.

This is where playing Starfox got a bit tricky. When players steer with just their hands, they lose the 3-D effect and end up with a distorted view. The best way to use the motion controls with 3-D was to twist your waist, which allows you to turn the 3DS without losing the 3-D effect. However, it really only works well when standing, so it’s not exactly a great option.

Fortunately, players can still use standard controls, so steering is available using the circle pad.

Starfox 64 3D will also include four-person multiplayer through a local wireless connection. One of the unique touches to this mode is players can stream a live video feed of their face during a match using the 3DS’ inner camera.

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Nintendo’s angelic hero Pit returns to battle the dark goddess Medusa and the Underworld Army in this action that combines combat both on land and in the air.

Nintendo’s demo of Kid Icarus at E3 2011 starting with Pit taking to the skies. Players use the circle pad to move, the L button on top of the 3DS to fire and the stylus to aim at targets. Players can also perform quick roll moves by moving one direction than quickly snapping back the other way.

The game has a wide array of weapons, such as a cannon or sword, that carry special abilities. The sword, for example, is the most balanced between speed and power.

On the ground, Kid Icarus plays similarly to a third-person shooter, as players pick out enemies with the stylus and fire off shots with the L button.

Playing the game felt pretty comfortable with this control scheme, although mastering those evasive maneuvers consistently was a little tough.

Kid Icarus will also include support for augmented reality cards and a multiplayer mode for up to six players. Two teams battle each other, trying to knock down their point totals until they’re out. The last member knocked out is revived as a much stronger character, forcing the other team to take him out and notch a win.

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