The Legend of Zeldafranchise is one of the most popular gaming series worldwide, largely because it is easy to immerse yourself in multiple titles. In most of the installments,you take control of Linkas he travels the world, sees new breathtaking locations, and meets new characters.
While the games are fun and you can play them multiple times, there is such a thing as being burned out by overdoing something. This is why you may want to try some of the best games that The Legend of Zelda inspires. The similarity may lie in the plot, gameplay mechanics, or even world design.
Death’s Door is heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda games, especially the classics. The game focuses on exploration, which is the soul of Zelda, but its main focus is action. In Death’s Door, you can use various items and spells to attack enemies and solve puzzles to progress in dungeons.
Death’s Door is a modern take on Zelda, with the core elements being in the game but certain additions and changes making things unique. Unlike Zelda games, you can upgrade your stats in Death’s Door, which can be a blessing in disguise when going against a worthy foe. The game manages to feel like a Zelda game, and the harder difficulty makes it unique, which makes sense considering some call it the marriage between Dark Souls and The Legend of Zelda.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is developed by Ember Lab, the studio behind The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask fan film Terrible Fate. This is likely why the game is more inspired by the classic Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask games. The main character, Kena, helps the dead reach the afterlife, similar to how Link helped the characters in Majora’s Mask find peace after their demise.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits focuses on the puzzle-solving elements that Zelda popularized. The game is also set in a forest with breathtaking visuals, as is the norm in many Zelda games. Everything from the game’s visuals to the gameplay mechanics has something that could remind you of the Zelda games, though there is more than enough to ensure that the game has its own identity.
In Okami, you play as the sun goddess Amaterasu in her white wolf form. The game takes many things from The Legend of Zelda, including but not limited to the in-game world and the beloved Nintendo dungeons. You can even break pots to make some quick money, like how Link would collect rupees when he needed to buy something from a shop.
Okami doesn’t have traditional Zelda items like the bow and instead focuses onCelestial Brush Techniques, which can alter the world. Even though Okami was released in 2006, the game is still considered one of the best Zelda-like titles.
Edmund McMillen, developer of The Binding of Isaac, has gone on the record and stated that he took inspiration from The Legend of Zelda, which is why the game is so reminiscent of Link’s story. The game has everything, from the heart containers to the dungeons with unique enemies that all eventually lead to the boss chamber. The Binding of Isaac feels like a roguelike version of The Legend of Zelda, and the developer credits Shigeru Miyamoto, the designer of the original Zelda games, as his inspiration.
The Binding of Isaacs’ user interface is also similar to the Zelda games, with the character’s health and other details shown on the top. The game even contains many references to the classic Zelda games that you’ll notice if you’re a fan. While it has the feel of a Zelda game, it is more gloomy than the stories you’ve witnessed by Nintendo.
Immortals: Fenyx Rising is heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda, especially in how Fenyx can travel throughout the world. Fenyx can climb any surface as long as they have the stamina to reach the top. If the stamina meter depletes, they’ll fall, but you have the option to upgrade the character’s stamina. The game lets you fly, but instead of a glider, Fenyx has wings that work similarly to BotW’s addition.
Despite being inspired by The Legend of Zelda, Immortals: Fenyx Rising has many unique things to differentiate it from Nintendo’s popular franchise. The biggest is the fact that the game is loosely based on Greek Mythology and gives its own humorous take on the gods and other elements. The game also allows you to create your own hero, which is something the Zelda games have never offered fans.
Fextralife
The Legend of Zelda became an open-world game with Breath of the Wild, and the game’s take on the in-game world has inspired many other developers. FromSoftware took inspiration from BotW’s open world in Elden Ring but added traditional Soulslike elements to ensure freshness. The world, including its creatures and dungeons, is more unique in Elden Ring. Elden Ring focuses more on action than the puzzles and exploration that Zelda games are known for, after all.
Elden Ring has other elements that make it different from BotW and other Zelda games. The biggest difference is how the games handle defeat. Zelda games are notorious for having you respawn at a certain location after you’re killed, making the loss a hindrance and not something too noticeable. Elden Ring, on the other hand, makes your character stronger with defeat and gives you the strength to take on foes and win at the next attempt.
Fextralife Wiki
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild introduced elements that changed how you could explore the world in the series. The addition of the glider that could safely bring you down from heights and the stamina system are just two examples of how this title changed the Zelda world andinspired other games. Genshin Impact’s exploration element is significantly similar to that of BotW.
In Genshin Impact, you can use a glider or climb any surface as long as you have the required stamina. These are the most in-your-face similarities between the two games, but Genshin Impact also has unique elements. The game’s combat system and narrative are two things that aren’t inspired by Zelda and give the game an identity of its own, ensuring it isn’t just a Zelda clone. Additionally, considering it’s a live-action gacha game, it makes sense that Genshin Impact continues to get support through updates, which contradicts Zelda’s one-and-done design.
One look at Tunic’s fox protagonist, and you will instantly think of Link dressed in his green tunic with sword and shield in hand, ready to take on foes and rid the world of evil. The similarities aren’t just cosmetic, as in Tunic, you are trying to free a fellow fox spirit and need to solve puzzles found in linear dungeon-like areas.
Tunic is an indie game where the developer took heavy inspiration from Zelda, which isn’t surprising as the gaming franchise is arguably the best Nintendo game series. Everything from the sword slashing to breaking pots, the main character does what you’d expect from Link in a Zelda game. Tunic is an engaging game that any Zelda fan would love. Just don’t expect it to be as polished as Nintendo’s first-party titles.
