28 Games Like Zelda
Our collection of games like Zelda brings you a wide collection of action adventure games with similar mechanics to the popular Zelda franchise.
Starting in 1986 the Zelda franchise has evolved through the decades with a mixture of action, puzzle solving and role playing combined into a number of fantasy adventures. Offering a diverse challenge through the series each Zelda title offers a familiar gameplay loop centred around helping NPCs while unlocking additional skills or items that allow you to access new areas towards your ultimate goal.
Often this goal in Zelda requires players to guide Link through the fantasy world in an attempt to rescue Princess Zelda from a wide variety of villains and utilise the power of the Triforce. In order to achieve this exploration, questing and role playing form the core gameplay in the various Legend of Zelda games and their associated quests. With increasing complexity in game mechanics, physics and visuals the Zelda franchise titles offer a number of diverse adventures and challenges on multiple game platforms.
The games like Zelda available on this page provide a range of exploration and adventure focused options for a mixture of platforms beyond the Nintendo consoles (iOS, Android, consoles and PC). This list is suitable for those seeking both games like Breath of the Wild or titles similar to the original Zelda games.
Okami
Okami is a critically acclaimed action adventure title where players control the wolf goddess Okami Amaterasu through a story of Japanese mythology. Originally for PlayStation 2 and Wii in 2008 the game was reborn through a HD remake that expanded the list of available platforms. With beautiful presentation and an equally beautiful storyline Okami offers a unique Zelda inspired adventure. Drawing heavily from the tales of Japanese folklore players control Amaterasu who is the goddess of the sun ...[Read Review]
Darksiders
Darksiders is an action adventure game and first of the franchise that follows the adventures of War, a horseman of the Apocalypse. Launching for Windows in 2010 the game has since expanded to a range of console platforms with a remastered version and sequel expanding on the game universe. Darksiders draws inspiration from the stories of the apocalypse and accordingly centres on the ongoing war that rages between the forces of Hell and Heaven. This struggle has been raging on since the beginning...[Read Review]
Okamiden
Okamiden is set less than a year after the events of Okami and despite the best efforts of Amaterasu, evil did not stay locked away from the world for long which means a new round of younger adventurers will step forward with their Celestial Brush to rid the land of evil. Instead of the powerful Amatersasu players will adventure with the child Chibiterasu who shares many visual appearances although lacks the in overall power which also serves as a central plot theme. Just like the first adventur...[Read Review]
Darksiders II
Darksiders II offers a high quality hack and slash style RPG that is available on all the major platforms. The game is often praised for its balanced difficulty, role playing features and well-polished gameplay. In this second instalment of Darksiders players once again play as one of the Four Horsemen, this time as Death. The game actually runs during the same time frame as the original game which means you’ll take part in twists and turns from the original game. The story revolves around the e...[Read Review]
Heroes of Loot
Heroes of Loot plays like a classic dungeon crawler but mixes in light RPG, roguelike, shoot-em up, multiplayer and pixel graphics into the experience to create a simple but enjoyable title. Available on a wide range of platforms Heroes of Loot can be an accessible title while you are out and about or something you sit down and play for longer sessions on your computer. In each dungeon crawling attempt of Heroes of Loot players will start by selecting one of the four available characters which f...[Read Review]
Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale
Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale explores an interesting blend of mechanics as you operate your own item shop and attempt to earn the maximum profit while haggling with your customers. On top of this core mechanic though Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale also encourages players to engage in dungeon crawling to obtain a steady flow of items to sell. Originally released in Japan Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale was translated and brought to Steam in 2010. In Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale you will play ...[Read Review]
Skjoldur Story
Imagine yourself in a Zelda inspired world of exploration and mystery armed only with a shield for your adventure and you’ve got Skjoldur Story. A game of discovery and dungeon conquering on your path to slaying the source of evil in the otherwise whimsical world that has been overtaken. As lightning strikes in the opening scenes players enter a world of bird like creatures who are seemingly living out a happy existence until an evil source corrupts everyday fauna around them. Transforming...[Read Review]
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is a beautifully designed Zelda like adventure originally for iOS devices and later ported to all major consoles and Windows. Featuring a large amount of exploration, various weapons, deep dungeons and plenty of secrets it takes inspiration from similar games released before it while adding its own unique elements. In this adventure players play as a fairly young boy who is left to fend for himself after his father leaves him in an attempt to defeat the sea m...[Read Review]
Hyper Light Drifter
Hyper Light Drifter is a fast title available across popular platforms that will rekindle memories of the likes of the Zelda franchise although features combat more in tune with the difficult Dark Souls series due to the difficulty and pace you’ll have to adopt to dodge attacks that come your way. The result is an interesting action adventure and RPG blend that paired with the impressively simple design is a visual and mechanical treat to experience on all the released platforms. Presentat...[Read Review]
Secret of Mana
Secret of Mana was originally released in 1993 by Square (now Squire Enix) for the SNES and ranks amongst the most popular historical RPG titles in the genre. In 2010 the game was re-released on the iOS platform with minor changes to the original with Android, Windows, PlayStation And Nintendo Switch (as part of the Collection of Mana) releases following across several years. Secret of Mana and the other games in the Mana franchise mix elements of Final Fantasy and the Legend of Zelda with other...[Read Review]
Cube World
Cube World aims to stand out in the saturated voxel based sandbox game market by focusing in on the RPG features and a diverse roster of mechanics to be a well rounded adventure. Following a long development cycle (which started in 2011) the game was eventually released in 2019 on Steam allowing players to create their own procedurally generated fantasy world of voxels full of challenges and co-operative gameplay. Describing itself as a a voxel-based action RPG with a focus on exploration your f...[Read Review]
3D Dot Game Heroes
3D Dot Game Heroes offers Zelda like gameplay and mixes it with blocky pixelated graphics for your PlayStation 3 console. The game was released in 2009 by Silicon Studio with positive reception from fans of the genre for it’s familiar core gameplay and pixelated presentation. For the adventure ahead 3D Dot Game Heroes follows the story of a hero in the Dotnia Kingdom that has recently been plunged into darkness because of a dark plague. Legend has it that this same event happened centuries...[Read Review]
Anodyne
Anodyne is a fun adventure that will send you on a nostalgic trip back to the days of your Game Boy Colour. The game is a very Zelda style experience and features a unique world for players to explore. Anodyne was originally released at the start of 2013 on Windows and Mac with Android and iOS releases coming sometime after. The games best experience is definitely on a computer though so if you have the option to play on a computer don’t pass it up. In Anodyne players will explore a quirky and s...[Read Review]
Ys I & II
Ys I and II is a highly popular Japanese action role playing game that has similar gameplay elements to the Legend of Zelda series. The game first launched in 1989 and has since seen many re-releases and updates. The games in the Ys series follow Adol Christin who loves a good adventure and has a knack for being in the right place at just the right time that has him in the centre of a number of adventures. In Ys I and II Adol is on a quest for the 6 history books of the land which gives him vita...[Read Review]
Portal Knights
Focusing on the adventure and survival elements as you explore a world separated by portals is Portal Knights a game that is available as both a single player and multiplayer adventure. Whether you fight alone or with friends you’ll select from one of the game classes, customise them for your preferred playstyle, craft items, fight boss monsters, destroy blocks and construct through a range of fantasy biomes. Portal Knights takes inspiration from the likes of Minecraft but implements a num...[Read Review]
Beyond Good and Evil
Beyond Good and Evil is a popular action adventure game that was first released in 2003 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Windows. Its widespread popularity led to a HD remake for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011 which is available on their respective online stores and allow you to once again return to the adventure on offer at 60fps and 720p resolution. While many of the textures were simply improved you’ll also find some along with their associated sounds have been completely redone ...[Read Review]
Kameo: Elements of Power
ameo: Elements of Power brings the power of the elements into an action adventure game allowing players to leverage the different element powers for combat and puzzles. Launched in 2005 for the Xbox 360 and subsequently made available on Xbox One through backwards compatibility Kameo: Elements of Power stands out as one of the more unique puzzle action adventures on Microsoft’s console platform. Kameo: Elements of Power is set in a mythical world and has players assuming the role of Kameo,...[Read Review]
Psychonauts
Psychonauts is a unique and beautifully presented game that follows the adventures of Raz, a boy who has powerful psychic abilities and explores dream like worlds. Despite a lack of initial success on release the game has acquired a cult like following and has since expanded well beyond its initial release platforms with modern versions of the Psychonauts adventure and an eventual sequel. Pyschonauts takes place in a fictional summer camp that acts as a secret training ground for the US governme...[Read Review]
Effie
Available for PS4 and Windows Effie explores the tale of Galand as he retells it to the next generation in front of warm fire. You’ll find inspiration from platform adventure games of eras long past throughout the gameplay design with platforming, combat, exploration and puzzles featured to various degrees. On one hand it is a return to a simpler time in gaming but comes with a few modern upgrades to make it an attractive 3D platformer for genre fans. Opening with Galand telling the story ...[Read Review]
Dragon Quest Builders
Progressing the Dragon Quest franchise by blending new sandbox mechanics into the core satisfying adventure you’ll find a unique journey ahead on your PlayStation or Nintendo console. With a familiar game world to explore, enemies to defeat and a town waiting to be restored Dragon Quest Builders has a number of familiar design tropes from other popular titles. Dragon Quest Builders takes players back to Alefgard which is the world of the original Dragon Quest video game where the player ac...[Read Review]
Moon Hunters
Live out the legends of the stars in Moon Hunters a game that lets you explore a mythical world of mystery with between 1 and 4 players. While a single game of Moon Hunters will take only a few hours it’s the legacy that you create in each adventure and the hidden secrets that encourage you to start a new journey again and again. It’s a game full of so many mysteries that aren’t apparent at first glance and will require many hero adventures to fully appreciate the gravity of th...[Read Review]
Trove
Trove brings the blocky sandbox genre into the MMO arena with an expansive loot based title that mixes two leading game genres. In Trove players will select from several classes which will be your avatar for the adventure filled with making friends, exploring dungeons, enhancing your equipment and even building up your very own corner of the game universe. The pillar of this adventure is your selected class which each come with their own variant of a basic attack and a range of abilities (usuall...[Read Review]
Dust: An Elysian Tail
Imagine an offline version of MapleStory, and you’ve got Dust: An Elysian Tail that employs 2D side scrolling mechanics and crisp action role playing to tell the story of Dust. As a warrior without memories who awakes to the darkness of a strange forest Dust begins an adventure to recover his past. Joining you on this journey to discover your origin is the sentient mythical Blade of Ahrah and its guardian, a Nimbat (similar to a fairy creature) named Fidget. Your journey starts at the town of Au...[Read Review]
Bastion
Bastion is a unique action role playing game developed by the small independent game company of Supergiant Games and released in 2011. Taking players to a colourful fantasy world where you’ll fight your way through a floating city landscape as the hero known as the Kid as your actions are narrated on your path through the aftermath of the Calamity event. This Calamity event happens just prior to players stepping into the 2D isometric game world of Bastion and has resulted in the island cit...[Read Review]
Epic Mickey
Epic Mickey is a platform adventure for the Nintendo Wii that centres on the popular Disney character of Mickey Mouse as he attempts to fix the damaged game world with his magical paintbrush. Eventually leading to a sequel the experience emphasises the usage of paint and paint thinner to directly alter the game world around you which features levels inspired by the range of animations and characters in the Walt Disney universe. While still holding an E for everyone game rating players will find ...[Read Review]
Evoland
Have you ever stopped to think just how far the adventure video game genre has come? Now you don’t have to think about it because you can play through it in Evoland. In Evoland you’ll go on a journey through the history of video games (in particular action/adventure titles). The game almost feels like going through a history of the Zelda games but also features some Final Fantasy style eras for players to explore and eventually ends up in a similar form to Diablo and other modern day action RPGs...[Read Review]
Dwerve
Sending players on a journey to save their village with long lost powers of turret construction Dwerve is a title that has a familiar setting and design elements while offering a unique combat premise. Released in May 2022 for Windows, Linux and Mac players take control of Dwerve the dwarf as he adventures out from his home of Brekka Village to stop a troll invasion with allies he meets along the way. Set in a world where dwarves were once a powerful race that established themselves in the mount...[Read Review]
Goliath
Goliath blends action adventure combat mechanics with sandbox crafting elements to create an interesting quest driven title. Goliath will have you stepping into your own robotic creations as you jump from fragment to fragment in the varied game worlds. With a variety of these robotic behemoths to craft and utilise some of which directly counter certain enemies Goliath ensures you’ll be trying them all out to some degree. The setup for Goliath sees players crash landing into an unknown and ...[Read Review]