Finding games like Zelda can be tricky, as the series is so unique and groundbreaking, all the more so when recent entries, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, have rewritten the series' own formula. But rather than stressing over whether a game has all the ingredients of the best Zelda games, whether it's a vast open world or has puzzle-filled dungeons, it's about finding great experiences that capture an essence that you might find in Hyrule in all its many guises.
Games like Chicory: A Colorful Tale nails the top-down exploration and dungeons of the classic 2D Zeldas, while Eternal Strands runs with the more modern iterations' experimentation with elemental and physics-based gameplay. Whether you're after something more traditional and bite-sized or a world you can get lost in for hours, weeks, or even years, this list has something for any kind of player with an adventurous spirit. What will your next epic journey be? Dig into this list of 10 games like Zelda and get adventuring!
10. Eternal Strands
Developer: Yellow Brick Games
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Eternal Strands is the newest entry on this list, which should explain how it takes inspiration from the wall-climbing and physics-based gameplay introduced in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, though there's a mix of Shadow of the Colossus, Monster Hunter, and Dragon Age too. As magic weaver Brynn, you explore a lost domain called the Enclave, where you'll also have to defeat 90-foot-tall ancient machines and mythical monsters.
But rather than just a sword or bow, you'll have the most fun with fire, ice, and telekinetic spells that also affect the world in a realistic way, like being able to burn down a wooden door in your way or encasing a dragon's legs in ice to stop it from flying away. For Zelda fans, it's one of the first highlights of 2025 you should check out.
Read our Eternal Strands review
9. Sable
Developer: Shedworks
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Sable's gorgeous open-world, cast of endearing characters, and open-ended narrative make it ripe for Zelda comparison, even if the former is a non-combative affair.
As such, Sable leans heavier into its contemplative moments, which in turn enriches its sense of adventure, where players are encouraged and are driven to explore beyond its beautiful horizon. It's the best PC game and Xbox Zelda alternative for Nintendo fans looking to play on a different console.
Read our Sable review
8. Minit
Developer: Jan Willem Nijman, Kitty Calis, Jukio Kallio, Dominik Johann
Platforms: PC, Android, iOS
Zelda games often give players an expansive world to explore and all the time in the world to explore it (even in Majora's Mask, Link could rewind time to avoid death by moon crash). Minit instead asks you to explore the world one minute at a time.
Yup, 60 seconds is all you get before your life comes to an end, and only by living through a countless number of brief adventures can you lift an evil curse. It's an interesting twist and one that may not feel too similar to the Zelda formula, but there's still that sense of exploration, puzzle-solving, and basic combat - it's just all crammed into, that's right, a minute.
7. Death's Door
Developer: Acid Nerve
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch
Death's Door is a lovely mix of Zelda, Kingdom Hearts, and Metroidvania titles, with mechanics and systems pulled from all of them and mixed together in a cauldron that's somehow both Gothic and cute. In Death's Door, you play as an adorable crow just trying to do their day job: disposing of stagnant souls in a bizarrely beautiful world.
Death's Door feels like a love letter to Zelda games that makes tough combat somehow less frustrating than other Metroidvania titles. Its beautiful visuals, melancholic piano, and characters that feel ripped from the world of Zelda make it all the more interesting. Death's Door is a top game of 2021 and one you should definitely check out if you're a Zelda fan.
Read our Death's Door preview for more insights!
6. Hyper Light Drifter
Developer: Acid Nerve
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch
Of all the games on this list, Hyper Light Drifter may be the one most likely to make you grind your teeth in frustration. A neon-tinted adventure set in a universe that's equal parts fantasy and sci-fi, HLD is full of mystery and challenges.
There's a bit less emphasis on puzzles, but the game makes up for it with an intriguing world that begs you to explore and uncover its secrets. But really, the main draw here is the combat. It's fast and fierce, but as long as you're prepared, you'll make it out okay. Maybe.
5. Genshin Impact
Developer: MiHoYo
Platforms: PS4, PS5, PC, Android
Genshin Impact is a free-to-play gacha game that launched in 2020 and quickly became an addiction for many. You play as the Traveler, putting together a team of allies - all with their own special powers - exploring the huge land of Teyvat to look for your lost twin.
It's got the same open-world adventure feel as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - you collect recipes that can be cooked up at campfires and kitchens, and the Teyvat is full of hidden puzzles and secrets you can uncover with the right powers - and looks utterly stunning. The gacha mechanic might put a few players off, but it's easy to sink hours into the game and quests without ever reaching for your wallet, and new content is added at a blistering pace.
Read our Genshin Impact review
4. Tunic
Developer: Isometricorp Games
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
The work of a solo developer, Tunic, is a top-down isometric action-adventure game that's inspired by the original Legend of Zelda on the NES, especially the joy of poring over the instruction manuals that used to come with boxed games. In fact, piecing together what looks like a game instruction manual with a cryptic language is itself core to Tunic, where you play as a cute fox sporting an iconic green tunic and trying to figure out the mystery of the world you wake up in.
Despite its tranquil visuals and soundtrack, its enemies aren't to be taken lightly, as well as its punishing bosses. Fortunately, an invincibility mode is also available for players who just want to focus on exploration. Indeed, just trying to uncover all of Tunic's secrets will be just as intimidating as your memories of hopelessly bumping around Hyrule on the NES.
Read our Tunic feature for more details
3. Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Developer: Wishes Ultd
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
You might be a little dog wielding a paintbrush rather than a sword, but Chicory: A Colorful Tale captures the essence of a classic top-down Zelda adventure. After something causes the color to drain from the world, you find yourself becoming the wielder of an enchanted paintbrush that can restore color to the world, just as if you were painting in a coloring book.
All the ingredients of a Zelda game can be found in Chicory: A Colorful Tale, from charming towns to overgrounds and dungeons designed with intricate puzzles that make use of powers unlocked from your brush. There's even one that lets you swim through paint, like in Splatoon! Top it off with a beautiful soundtrack from Celeste composer Lena Raine and a heartfelt story tackling themes of art and impostor syndrome, and you have a game that's not just for Zelda fans but a modern classic.
Read our Chicory: A Colorful Tale feature for more details
2. Okami HD
Developer: Clover Studio
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
Imagine the wolf sequence from Twilight Princess, give the wolf a magic paint brush, and expand that sequence out to a full length game. That's Okami. Well, sort of. Okami definitely has it's own unique qualities, like the hand-painted Japanese art style, deep combat system, and creative character design, but the Zelda influences simply can't go unnoticed.
Amaterasu, the game's white wolf protagonist, travels around the world, helping NPCs, battling hordes of dark spirits, and delving into dungeons as she attempts to bring life back to the cursed land. The way you earn new powers by meeting with mystical figures throughout your journey is reminiscent of the Zelda titles, and Ami even has an annoying, talkative little companion that will clue you in to the next step in your quest. So you take the Zelda good with the Zelda bad.
Read our Okami review
1. Undertale
Developer: Toby Fox
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
Undertale certainly strays from many of the Zelda series conventions, but if you're looking for an expansive world full of unique and interesting dungeons, unconventional and layered gameplay mechanics, and colorful characters, there are few games that would come as heartily-recommended as this indie darling.
The game is practically a love letter to games of Zelda's early days, and there are even a few clever series references peppered throughout, if you're eagle-eyed enough to spot them. We don't want to say too much more for fear of spoilers, but trust us, it's better if you go in blind on this one.
Be sure to check out our article on the games like Minecraft and our list of the best Switch games. Or look ahead with our guides on all the new games heading our way and every upcoming Switch game on the horizon.
