Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King [Nintendo Switch] | REVIEW

This review specifically covers how Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King runs on the Nintendo Switch.
We’ve previously reviewed Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King when it released on PC earlier in 2017 – You can check out our more detailed review of the game through this link.

Developer: Castle Pixel
Publisher: FDG Entertainment
Release Date: 21/12/2017
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PC

I think that anyone who takes a look at Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King will instantly get a feeling of familiarity. It’s intentional though; this isn’t some bland rip-off that tries to distract you from the fact it’s clearly inspired by The Legend of Zelda series in some dubious way, but instead a title that wants to lovingly replicate the enthralling adventures that are featured in the aforementioned series. There’s even a nod to the famous elf hero himself in the opening dialogue of the game, showing that the developers themselves aren’t shying away from the obvious comparisons they’re going to receive. They should be proud of the comparison though – Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King offers a charming old-school adventure that manages to capture the magic of ‘The Legend of Zelda’ whilst still maintaining its own sense of identity.

Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King sees you adventuring through a series of dungeons full of enemies and puzzles, all whilst playing out a whimsical fantasy storyline that tells of a young Knight named Lily who wants to save her Kingdom from an evil villain. You can expect to beat up loads of baddies with the likes of a sword, a bow and arrow, and bombs (familiar, right?), all whilst collecting heart containers and new equipment to ensure you keep up with the more vicious foes the game sends your way.

So that’ll sound familiar to just about anyone, but don’t worry – Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King has a few of its own ideas too. There’re plenty of different side quests to complete for example, whilst the way the game handles the infinite quantity of items you have is a bit more unique. As much as Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King utilises ideas that are clearly inspired by The Legend of Zelda, it improves upon a lot of them in its own little way too. It makes for an experience that never stops being fun.

I’m glad to report that Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King runs smoothly on the Nintendo Switch. It’s probably to be expected since it’s hardly the most demanding of releases to hit Nintendo’s console, but there have been a few mishaps from some developers recently – thankfully, it’s not the case here.

The controls work well, the frame rate is smooth, the loading times are fairly swift, and it runs great both in the Nintendo Switch’s docked and portable modes. It really is a fantastic little port.

Perhaps the most fitting thing about the release of Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King on the Nintendo Switch is the aforementioned The Legend of Zelda similarities. Let’s face it – the developers are clearly massive fans of Nintendo’s blockbuster series and it clearly shows in almost all facets of Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King’s design. Considering that the series is held in such high regard worldwide though, it can only be a good thing.

Let’s not forget that it has its own ideas and isn’t a direct copy of the series, but those who love it will see enough similarities to help them enjoy Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King even more. It’s definitely one for The Legend of Zelda fans, but don’t be surprised to find yourself appreciating the things that it does differently too.

Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King was already a great little game, but there’s something incredibly fitting about its release on the Nintendo Switch.

Given the game is essentially an homage to The Legend of Zelda and heavily inspired by the series, it almost feels like it was MADE for a Nintendo console; now, it has finally released on one and stands out as one of its most enjoyable RPG experiences so far.

If you’re a fan of The Legend of Zelda or even just a good old-school action RPG, you won’t regret giving Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King a purchase. It’s a great little port for the Switch, whilst the portable nature of the game means you can take part in its grand little adventure wherever you happen to be.