Games like Zelda – what to play after passing Breath Of The Wild
In the years since we first entered the great plains of truly open Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, we found all the shrines, defeated Calamity Ganon, and searched the kingdom for all the items and the Korok seed. We’ve seen it all – and we’re back to see it again in Labo VR – and now we’re looking for something more to scratch that Zelda itch. The tears of the kingdom are certainly coming, but we need another hit.
We are sure that many of you can sympathize. Playing Zelda is an event to enjoy and waiting for the next entry can be difficult. The open world of Breath of the Wild has lasted longer than most, but we’re looking forward to another RPG fix. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was short and sweet and Skyward Sword HD helped some, but we want to more.
That’s why we’ve put together a selection of games influenced by the Zelda series in some way, hoping to satisfy your cravings until the next post. Some of the following games concentrate on one particular aspect and detail it – like dungeons – while others take a more holistic approach and try to build entire puzzle-filled kingdoms in two or three dimensions.
The bar set by games like Breath of the Wild ocarina of time as well as Connection with the past however, exceptionally high, and it takes a particularly bold and daring developer to remember the series and expect the benefit of the comparison. You’ll often find them referred to as “Zelda clones”, which is somewhat unmerciful, especially when Breath of the Wild is so heavily inspired by other open world games. While some may emulate the art style or mechanics, these games tend to offer a lot of ideas of their own and offer a different take on 2D or 3D Zelda.
There are plenty of good Zelda games to go through if you’re in need of an “authentic” fix, but not all of them are on the Switch. Until they arrive, we use our network extensively to find a wide selection of games that should appeal to players who have explored every last inch of Hyrule.
So put down that Hylian shield, put the Master Sword back on the plinth, and come with us on a journey to explore – in no particular order – the connections between the worlds…
Publisher: Capcom / Developer: Capcom
Okami HD is an absolutely fantastic program, a 40-hour adventure that perfectly imitates Zelda. It may be one of the first games to really capture the style pioneered by Zelda. It adds many memorable mechanics, features one of the most memorable art styles in gaming, and is now playable on the go. While he can show his age a bit visually, and his combat is a bit simple at times, Okami is a notable milestone in gaming history – and one of the easiest recommendations we can make for your Switch library. If you need something in the classic 3D Zelda shape – Ocarina or Twilight Princess – it’s there with these games.
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Publisher: THQ Nordic / Developer: Kaiko
Darksiders: Military Edition is a faithful port of the original 2010 game, bringing every stroke of Chaoseaster and every bloody execution to the Nintendo Switch in all its glory. It’s Zelda with an extra helping of hack and slash, and while it’s the worst part of the Darksiders trilogy (a sequel is rumored to be coming to Switch soon), this first game is still a solid action-platformer full of satisfying melee combos, open-ended levels and an exciting story. Darksiders is one of the most underrated franchises of the previous generation. It’s a solid port that finally brings Apocalypse to life in portable form, and a decent option if you’re after a slightly darker Ocarina-style experience.
Publisher: FDG Entertainment / Developer: Castle Pixel
Castle Pixel developer deliberately created Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King with a feeling of love and admiration for classic Zelda games from above. While it’s not as flawlessly executed as the series it draws inspiration from, and doesn’t add anything particularly groundbreaking, it’s a sincere homage to earlier entries in Nintendo’s long-running series. Critics may get hung up on how much it borrows, but it’s right enough that it’s worth exploring if you just can’t wait for the Link’s Awakening remaster to hit Switch later this year (or if you want a fresh 2D adventure that you not played before).
Publisher: Abilight Studios / Developer: Heart machine
Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition puts the goofy but lovable throwback of Heart Machine where it belongs – in Nintendo handheld form – and makes the final cut. With a few exclusive features, the game suddenly feels new and fresh on Switch. It takes the Zelda template and leaves the puzzles behind to create something wonderful in its own right. With smooth framerates, tons of bosses, secrets, and upgrades to experience, this is one of the best indie titles on a platform filled with great indie titles and a great alternative for Zelda fans.
Publisher: PlayEveryWare / Developer: PlayEveryWare
Ansimuz Games takes some of the best elements from various sources of inspiration and presents them almost as successfully in this side-scrolling platformer. Its RPG dungeon and exploration elements are a pleasure to play. Unfortunately, the lack of clarity in the direction of the game (both in terms of story and literally for the player) results in the game lacking the greatness it could achieve, but anyone who wants something like Zelda II: Link’s Adventure will be used for a slightly blunt design so you should feel at home with Elliot Quest. These players will surely enjoy this game; if you never made it to Link’s second adventure, it might be better to start somewhere else on this list.
Publisher: Nikalis / Developer: absurdity
From the Swedish studio Ludocity. Ittle Dew 2+ this is a fantastic game. On a console with a library full of great indies, it stands among the best of them all and captures the best aspects of 2D Zelda games like A Link to the Past and Minish Cap. The Switch version came out a year after the original and adds five extra dungeons (thus “+”) making it the best of the bunch. The adventures of Ittle and Tippsy are charming, funny, and capture the spirit of exploration from the series to which he pays homage. Definitely worth a look.
Publisher: NIS America / Developer: digital eclipse
Kind of an anomaly on this list Crystallis is actually one of the games contained on SNK 40th Anniversary Collection and it’s also available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers as part of the NES Game Collection. At the time, it was one of the best Zelda-eqsue games on the NES. It’s a more linear experience than the original Zelda, but it has an amazing soundtrack and mixes Hyrule’s fake-medieval fantasy with a dash of sci-fi. It’s not the most demanding game, but SNK Collection has a handy rewind feature. as well as with Switch Online what does Any The NES game is much less grueling – old-school gamers who want a pure retro experience can simply ignore it. If you’re looking for a real adventure in an 8-bit RPG, this is a great option.
Publisher: 11-bit studios / Developer: Digital sun
If you want to play a top-down Legend of Zelda game as a rogue-lite and also work shifts as a shop owner, then hey, Moonlight going to scratch the characteristic itch for you. It sits somewhere between an enjoyable sword game and a gritty economic sim, though some players may find it gets “dirty” after a while. However, Digital Sun Games has done a splendid job to be proud of; one that even touches our humanity in an optimistic way, and a modicum of optimism is rarely a bad thing.
