The Legend of Zelda vibes coming off this new action RPG "inspired by 90s classics" are incredible - and it's already almost doubled its $36,000 Kickstarter goal

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Maple Forest is downright stunning

Maple Forest
(Image credit: James Bergeron)

Maple Forest promises a dream come true for fans of retro gems like the Legend of Zelda titles from the 90s and other banger RPGs such as Secret of Mana - and in less than a week, it already soared way past its initial Kickstarter goal.

Solo developer James Bergeron describes Maple Forest as an "adventure across a sprawling island full of mysterious secrets, colorful friends, and dangerous enemies." Players will make their way across unforgiving barren deserts, dive into the dark depths of lakes and rushing rivers, climb atop windy cliffs, and face formidable foes lurking within subterranean dungeons - it's like stepping into an old Nintendo hit.

The characters seem just as wonderfully whimsical as the game itself, too. The hero of the story is an adventurous fox with a brave soul who makes up for what he lacks in raw strength with his intelligence. Along the way, this courageous little fox meets a laid-back goat, a beautiful mermaid, a botany-obsessed witch, and other quirky figures. It sounds enchanting - like a childhood storybook that's been RPG-ified.

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Trailer for my action RPG, Maple Forest! Almost five years of effort, finally on Kickstarter! from r/kickstarter
— Trailer for my action RPG, Maple Forest! Almost five years of effort, finally on Kickstarter!

Unsurprisingly, Maple Forest has already just about doubled its initial Kickstarter goal of $36,000 and is currently sitting at a whopping $70,963. This means that the bestiary, the lance weapon, and house upgrades will all be available in-game, with ocean adventures coming next at $75,000. If funding hits $80,000, Bergeron will even add monster ranching - an addition that I'm personally most excited about.

I can't wait to dive into the game "inspired by 90s classics, including Zelda, Secret of Mana, the Soul Blazer trilogy, and more" myself. There's no Steam page for Maple Forest just yet, but interested fans can follow along the Kickstarter page to stay updated. It seems like it'll be available on the Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X when it does come, so I'd definitely recommend keeping an eye on it.

Love a good throwback? Here are some of the best retro games of all time.

Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.