Hello

This time, the keyword is cherry blossom blooming season, and I wanted to write about cherry blossom-related elements that can be found in games. Cherry blossom trees and petals tend to be used in all sorts of ways around the time they come into bloom, and in this post I gathered a few examples of how MapleStory has used them

Sakura Castle, a theme dungeon that can no longer be seen in the current MapleStory

Sakura Castle, which is probably the area that suits this theme best, was one of the theme dungeons that was officially playable all the way back in 2012

The BGM for this map is also quite pleasant to listen to, so I am including the link in case anyone is not familiar with it and would like to give it a try at least once

True to the name Sakura Castle, this area features many cherry blossom trees alongside a traditional Japanese castle, and as you can see, there are cherry blossom trees just about everywhere you look

Cherry blossom trees line the outer grounds of the castle, and the front of the castle is the same

This is an AI-generated image, but I think it gives a rough sense of how it would feel to see it in person

Even inside the castle, you can spot cherry blossom trees through the windows

If you completed all of the quests here, you could receive a medal, and that medal was also themed around cherry blossoms. As for Sakura Castle itself, it is currently available in Maple Land through the world travel content under the name Kaede Castle, so if that sounds interesting, it might be worth stopping by

Alongside that, since cherry blossoms are naturally associated with Japan, I looked into whether there might be any JMS-related elements, and it seems they were used quite often in illustrations of Kanna, JMS’s original class

Lastly, the Nohime effect also used cherry blossom elements. It is a very old item now, but considering that posts still occasionally appear asking why it has not been rereleased, I think it must have turned out quite well

The Seokchon Lake event map from the [Maple Attack] event

If we are talking about places where you can see cherry blossom trees in the game right now, then Seokchon Lake from Maple Attack, the 23rd anniversary event, would naturally be the first one to mention

Because it is themed around the Lotte World collaboration, it recreates the current real-life scenery, with fully blooming cherry blossom trees visible throughout the map and petals drifting across the entire area

As for this giant Orange Mushroom balloon, it was announced that while it is not there now, it will later be floated in real life as well, and I imagine that, much like the giant rubber duck that drew so much attention before, it will end up in quite a lot of photos

The greenhouse in Guild Castle during spring

Meanwhile, a place where you can enjoy cherry blossoms on a permanent basis rather than through a limited event map was added recently, and that is the greenhouse in Guild Castle, part of the guild content. Personally, I really like the warm atmosphere it gives off

This greenhouse area was introduced with the note that its scenery would change with the seasons. Later on, the different elements will be adjusted for summer, autumn, and winter as well, and judging from the spring version, I feel the other seasons will probably turn out beautifully too. Winter in particular seems likely to look especially nice covered in snow

Area 1 with a mood similar to cherry blossom trees: Cheondo Orchard

Lastly, the next two places are not officially cherry blossom trees, but judging from how they look, they seem to have taken some inspiration from that motif, so they are worth visiting if you want a location with a similar cherry blossom mood

First, there is Cheondo Orchard, one of the areas in Mu Lung Dojo. You can also see it as an icon on the left side of the world map

If I remember correctly, this tree is introduced as a Cheondo tree that bears Cheondo peaches. Since peaches grow on it that can be picked with normal attacks, it is not actually a cherry blossom tree, but based on its appearance alone, I think it still gives off a fairly similar feeling

Area 2 with a mood similar to cherry blossom trees: Eurel

Eurel, which is closely tied to Mercedes, also shows this tree on the world map, and the same tree is emphasized in the area icon as well

Leaves drift through the village like this as well

This tree in the middle of the village is labeled “Sacred Tree of the Elves” when you place your mouse over it, and I think it is probably a spot many players know well as a prime enhancement location. It has a fairly imposing presence

The Maple decoration wallpaper packages distributed on the official website

Lastly, you can also find cherry blossoms in the spring-themed wallpaper sets that were distributed twice through the official website

These were distributed in formats that can be used not only on PC but also on a variety of other devices, so if you are interested, I would recommend stopping by and taking a look

2022 spring version Maple decoration package link

2023 spring version Maple decoration package link

Thank you for reading