Fledgling Heroes Review
Lord of the Wings
Had Flappy Bird added a campaign beyond its one-dimensional, infuriatingly tricky gameplay, it might have looked a little like Fledgling Heroes.
Developer Subtle Boom has taken the concept of… well… flapping birds, and flown with it. Originally released for the Apple Arcade late last year, the game has now flapped its way on to the Switch. There’s no denying its mobile roots, but it remains a fun distraction on the big screen.
Flapping’s owlright
Only one button is needed. With that, the goal is for your cute bird character to flap to the finish, avoiding obstacles and enemies. Multiple taps mean multiple flaps to lift upwards; hold the button for a smooth glide. It’s gameplay that’s hyper-distilled, but Subtle Boom gets plenty of mileage out of the premise.
Like the best platformers, reaching the end of the stage isn’t too taxing. Yet each is littered with collectables, and golden feathers are handed out for completing various challenges: collecting a certain number of coins, bouncing on enemies, and the like. These feathers are required to unlock paths on the world map and progress, so replaying levels becomes a necessity.
There are multiple level types too, from the simple reach the goal, to races and infinite levels that really test your endless runner skills. One hit, though, and your bird is downed (be it from an enemy or hitting the ceiling), so the game relies heavily on trial and error more than quick reactions. It is, above all, a test of patience and memory that could put you in a flap.
The world map contains various areas each tackled by a different bird. You start with a macaw and later play as a penguin who can swim underwater, a pheasant who speeds along the ground, and a smooth flying owl amongst others. That one button feels hugely variable depending on the bird you’re controlling, adding further variety to the game.
Birds of paradise
What impresses most is the charming aesthetic. These far from angry birds are adorably designed and flap their way through colourful pastel worlds, from pirates to fantasy forests and temple ruins. Each is introduced in rhyming couplets that adds to the whimsical, fairytale style. It’s a shame the music doesn’t quite match those highs: though lovely at first, its endless repetition and twee melodies eventually grate.
Adding to the game’s longevity is a level editor that’s simple but works a tweet. Extra pieces are collected throughout the levels and can be placed freely in your very own flappy gauntlet you can share with friends. Better still, you can customise each of your bird characters, either with collectable skins (or should that be feathers?) or your own creation. Want to create a crazy psychedelic penguin hallucinating its way through each flappy fever dream of a level? You can do that.
Fledgling Heroes is a game you can play with one thumb – perfect for bus journeys, but too simplistic to play at home. Yet it’s impressively Nintendo-like in its design, taking one concept and creating near endless variation. It’s a polished experience that makes for a flap-tastic diversion.
[Reviewed on Nintendo Switch]