Games Like Zelda - My Favourite Alternatives

There are plenty of games like Zelda out there that let you relive the joy of the Zelda series. If you're a die hard fan like myself or just a casual one you'll find a game that grabs your interest below.

From my first experiences in 1980 to the 1990s on my Game boy and the more recent additions to the Legend of Zelda franchise I've always been in love with the games (and I know I'm definitely not alone). The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular and well known games but what do you do after you've played them all? You go out on the search for games like Zelda and that search has most likely lead you here.

What makes an experience similar to Zelda? For me it's got to have the action adventure approach with a mixture of puzzles and equipment upgrades that always feeling like you're gaining ground in one area or another.

I've picked my top 5 options and featured them below with gameplay videos and screenshots so that you can get a taste for the game without leaving this page. Of course these games are based on my opinion and I love hearing from other Zelda fans if you have other suggestions.

One of the very first games like Zelda I've chosen to include here is Okami and Okamiden. These games are an interesting series on the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo 3DS that lets you take control of a wolf and travel a very unique game world that has a very pastel art feel to the entire thing. So who is this wolf like character? In Okami it's Amaterasu while in Okamiden you take control of a similar but smaller wolf called Chibiterasu.

The Zelda like elements make an appearance through the overworld and dungeon approach to gameplay which slowly unlock as you learn new skills. Combat also has something very Zelda about it but definitely offers more depth in this department through a unique celestial brush feature.

This brush helps you both in combat style sequences and introduces platform like elements (drawing platforms to cross a river). It's a unique element that does take a while to get used to but I found it extremely fun after the initial learning jump (and that was mostly because i'm not great on the Wii).

Of all the games I've played in this genre space I always find myself returning to these two games for the setting and unique elements of the franchise.

Think a game that takes the best parts of Zelda, adds sword customisation to it and transfers everything into pixels. That pretty much sums up this option on my games like Zelda list. unfortunately for most people it's a PS3 exclusive title so it's accessibility is limited, I was a late adopted of the PlayStation 3 and this game was actually the second game I bought for the platform.

Gameplay is exactly what you would expect to see from a Legend of Zelda game as you take your sword, bow and boomerang across the game world through puzzles, combat and destructible environment elements. The plot is designed to poke fun at the genre more than anything which I liked because all stories in this genre have been done to death it's nice to have something light-hearted.

The long term enjoyment and depth is definitely from the sword elements of the game, do you want a huge sword to cut everything to size? Then you can do that and more in 3D Dot Game Heroes. The customisation of your own pixel character is also lots of fun that adds an extra connection to your character.

Think mature Zelda experience and you've got darksiders, a game that takes the elements of Zelda but mixes them in different ways. It's easily one of the best modern and mature games like Zelda out there and one that fans like myself love to play. With two games under the Darksiders hood you've got hours ahead of you.

These hours will take you through hell itself as you take control of the Horsemen in the Apocalypse. You'll get to take control of War in the first game while Death is your character in the second game. You'll have to play both games for the best experience with this game series as the stories run alongside each other. It's a concept that not enough games use because I really like it.

Darksiders captures the hack and slash game genre and mixes it with action-adventure like many games before it. While its things as usual in that department the games setting and enemy variety adds another level to the whole experience which is why I think the games seen so much success. As horsemen you've also got trusty horses to make combat and exploration that much more fun.

With both games receiving great marks from critics (and myself) you're going to get a combined adventure that pushes the 100 hour mark.

Darksiders II (GOG)

Now we're adventuring onwards to some iOS games like Zelda and for me Oceanhorn is at the top of that long list of options. It's beautifully presented, has solid gameplay fundamentals to back it up and so much more. Just don't look at the price!

Yes the price made me jump at first as well, I've never paid that much for an iTunes App before, I'm not sure if it's because I'm cheap or because I think there are so many games that give you a crazy amount of content for $1, $2 or even $3 instead. I didn't think that any app would be worth $9 but Oceanhorn changed my mind on that one. I will admit that I played it on my iPhone and its an "eh" experience, it wasn't until I got my hands on an iPad that the game really shined.

Oceanhorn does offer an epic adventure tying it into a fairly standard story. Everything you'd want in a Zelda style game is there with puzzles, secrets, monsters and magic. Its easily the winner in this space right now.

Oceanhorn (GOG)

Of all the iOS games like Zelda I've tried Mage Guantlet is the only other game on the iTunes App Store that I've been able to get into. I love everything about it and can't recommend it enough, its also perfect if you think the price tag of Oceanhorn is a little rich for your tastes.

Mage Gauntlet aims to recreate what made the original action RPG of the Zelda era such a hit and definitely has that 90's feel as you explore something with great depth and setting. The game also promises a humour filled storyline that does have a nice vibe to the entire thing. If you're like me and always have to get two plays out of a game then the master mode will also attract you.

With hundreds of equipment items, pets, achievements, levels and some great stat customisation it might be last on this list but it's definitely not least. My only issue is with some of the use of in-app purchases for single items but they aren't needed to get through the game.

^{Images on this page are either provided by the respective developers or are my own images from the game. They are used solely for review and identification purposes.}

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