Super Mario meets The Legend of Zelda in Steam's latest free download

This game may be wholly new, but I feel as if I just rediscovered a small slice of my childhood.

Heritage - A Dragon’s Tale is a new 2D adventure-platformer that beautifully blends the traversal gameplay loop of a classic Super Mario title with the combat and sense of adventure likely to be found in an OG The Legend of Zelda game.

The end result is stunning - certain to delight those of us who adore old-school RPGs and pixel graphic games.

Developed by CGWorks_HeritageDev, Heritage - A Dragon’s Tale is an indie project that launched its demo on Steam just a few days ago, ahead of the full game’s release this November.

“Embark on a grand quest as Flame, an anthropomorphic dragon, as he leaves his home in the sky for the dangerous world below to find and rescue his girlfriend Crystal from the nefarious General Mechos in this modernized love-letter to classic action-adventure games from the NES and SNES,” reads the synopsis.

In the full launch, players will be tasked with making their way through 17 challenging levels, slaying demons and overcoming platform challenges.

In this generous demo, you’ll be able to sample four of those levels, experiencing two villages, a boss fight and some story elements that tease what to expect in the main game.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is set to launch later this month. Take a look at the game in action below.

Heritage - A Dragon’s Tale is a sidescroller, and you’ll be equipped with both a sword and various spells in order to overcome those who block the path ahead of you.

There are opportunities to upgrade your gear throughout and expand your skills, and so too will you be rewarded for stepping away from the beaten path.

The game is said to include hidden areas in addition to its large, main overworld.

If you do give the demo a go, which is available now, your progress will carry over should you pick Heritage - A Dragon’s Tale up when it releases in a few months time.