Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King (NS)
So before I talk about this game, just think about 2D Zelda. Picture some characters, animations, weapons, bosses, etc from the series. Got it? Now check out the trailer.
So, yeah, Blossom Tales is a lot like Zelda. I know the world "clone" is popular these days, and that word tends to carry a certain vibe when using it to describe a game, but I personally don't mind if the game is fun. Blossom Tales is certainly fun, but the first few hours are the best in my opinion.
First of all, I want to say I adore the story setup. It's a Grandpa telling his two grandchildren a story. So when you pick up a new item it ain't just a random text box describing it, it's the Grandpa telling his kids what it is. There are also times where you'll encounter a character and the kids will interrupt asking if it's a Ninja Master or a Pirate Queen. You then decide who that character will be. When you quit the game and boot it back up, the kids and Grandpa will talk about where you left off and what you're working towards now. It's super fucking charming.
The world reminds me of Termina from Majora's Mask. A central town with 4 regions surrounding it. I think the first area is the best. I had 7 hearts before I even beat the first temple. That area is pretty jam packed with secrets and whatnot. The second area is a sparse dank swamp, not as much happening, but it fits the theme of the area. The third place has more stuff, and the final area is a few enemy encounters before the dungeon.
I think the dungeons are simultaneously great and a bit disappointing. The first one was fun, but the next two are pretty similar. It's never a question of where to go, but mostly fighting the current batch of enemies or solving the puzzle in that room. The first three feel similar in structure, some puzzle types show up throughout and they don't take full advantage of the weapons and items you get. They weren't bad, and I get it's a small indie game, I can't expect Nintendo-tier stuff, but a bit more variety in how they're stitched together would be nice. Not a deal breaker by any means but something that was noticeable. The final dungeon was pretty great though.
Combat was good, but your spin attack seems to kill most things in one hit, so using your sword normally felt weak.
And that's pretty much that. Fun game with a charming as hell setup with lots of secrets to find. I'd recommend it, but if you're looking for 2D Zelda action on the Switch, chances are you just played or are currently playing Link's Awakening. Still, gotta support the little guys yeah?