10 Best Indie Game Zelda-Likes You Need to Play

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I grew up being amazed and, frankly intimidated, by The Legend of Zelda series.

I would watch in awe as my older cousin fought his way through dungeons, swinging Link’s sword and dispelling evil forces.

Once I was old enough, I found a lot to enjoy in the series. And likely because I grew up with the classic, top-down version, that’s what I still prefer to this day over the open-world style of games like Breath of the Wild.

That said, Zelda is a great series, but it’s one that we only get every several years. So why not bridge the gap while you’re waiting with some amazing indie games inspired by our green-clad hero?

These Zelda-likes are the cream of the crop. Whether they’re 2D, 3D, pixelated, or made out of polygons, they’re all worth adding to your collection.

10 Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas

Questing Across the Water

At first glance, Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas instantly looks like a Zelda-inspired game. And while that certainly qualifies it for this list, there’s the small issue of it not doing quite enough to distinguish itself.

That said, if you don’t mind a game being derivative, Oceanhorn has a solid plot about finding and saving your missing father, and plenty of familiar mechanics like hurling bombs, using a shield, and defeating dangerous monsters.

It also has some optional challenges to help liven things up, which is not something you usually associate with Zelda.

These aren’t necessary to beat the game, and include things like killing foes with a single strike, interacting with townsfolk, reading books, and the like. Silly busywork to earn diamonds to help level up faster.

The one amazing thing the game has going for it is that Nobuo Uematsu had a hand in the enchanting soundtrack. Combined with solid controls and attractive artwork, this Zelda-like is still worth a look.

9 Lenna's Inception

Bytten Before Cassette Beasts

Most people know about Bytten Studio for their spectacular take on the monster-collecting RPG, Cassette Beasts. But before that, they were behind a Zelda-like called Lenna’s Inception.

It starts simply enough, with Lenna palling around with the great hero. Until things go wrong, and that hero dies unexpectedly. What’s a girl to do other than take the reins and save the day?

What makes her life even harder is that the world of the game is glitching out, not to mention 8 Archangels standing between her and saving everybody.

The game differentiates itself with mild procedural generation, multiple endings, and even the ability to team up and play with a friend. It’s sort of like if Cassette Beasts were an adventure game, and that’s very exciting for this gamer.

8 Hob

Transform Your World

I can still remember when I was at PAX West a few years back and saw the station for Hob.

The artwork of the game instantly caught my fancy, even though it wasn’t until several years later that I picked it up on Switch.

This is a vast, beautiful adventure world. While Zelda games are known for their story and combat, they’re also known for puzzles. And Hob has some truly intricate puzzles to solve.

You’ll twist, turn, and shift the entire world to progress, while getting new abilities like grapple, warp, and punch.

The only thing holding the game back for me was that it’s all told without narrative. And while I know Link is usually a mute hero, I still prefer having something concrete to push me forward.

7 Reverie

Zelda Heads to New Zealand

On paper, Reverie should have been a slam dunk. It’s a Zelda-like set in New Zealand, it has interesting lore, and it’s visually compelling.

In execution, the game met a more mixed reception. But that doesn’t detract from what the game does well.

I appreciated how it also threw in elements that wouldn’t be out of place in EarthBound. Not to mention big, over-the-top boss battles against some truly silly foes.

When you’re not dungeon crawling, you’ll explore every nook and cranny of Toromi Island, and maybe even collect some beautiful feathers.

It’s a neat little adventure full of Maori legends and themes.

6 Ittle Dew

Who Needs Link?

While I’d hardly call the Zelda games sexist, there is an argument to be made that perhaps the princess could solve her own problems. And it’s just that sort of girl-power thinking that probably led to Ittle Dew.

You play the titular heroine, and along with her sidekick, Tippsie, they crash-land on a strange island brimming with loot.

While Link might not know what to do in such a situation, Ittle knows exactly how to handle things. She’s going to rob the place!

Okay, maybe she’s not a heroine, but that doesn’t change how fun the game is. There are tons of clever puzzles to solve, which require combining relics in novel ways.

Best of all, the game features flamboyant and colorful graphics that make the sneaky humor behind the game truly shine.

5 Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King

Tales of Adventure

I think it’s fair to say many of us grew up hearing tales of wonder from our parents and grandparents.

In Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King, they take that literally, and have you jump into a story as it’s told to you to change the outcome.

If that wasn’t enough, you’ll get to explore a large open world, complete several dungeons, and fight deadly foes, including some that are inspired by Super Mario Bros. 2.

While the game doesn’t tread new ground and uses many familiar items like a boomerang and bombs, the overall story and visual style are still quite charming.

4 Hyper Light Drifter

Soulslike Zelda

I’ll admit that before coming up with this list, I didn’t consider whether Hyper Light Drifter was a Zelda-like.

But the more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that it qualified.

Everything from the top-down style to the vast, dangerous world to explore screams Zelda to me. Though admittedly, the premise of Hyper Light Drifter is much darker than most Zelda titles.

You’re a Drifter cursed with an insatiable illness, desperately hoping to find some means to heal yourself.

Further complicating things is that it doesn’t take much to end your story, meaning you have to be flexible, fast, and strategic in how you battle.

It’s a brutal, challenging adventure that’s perfect for those that crave a little more Souls in their video games.

3 Nobody Saves the World

Transform Your Hero

I think it’s fair to say that after the Guacamelee! games, none of us expected a game like Nobody Saves the World from DrinkBox Studios.

The shift from lucha libre Metroidvania to a top-down, procedurally generated adventure game was pretty huge. Thankfully, it was a risk that panned out very well.

Besides the unique art style and zany humor, the real draw of the game is the hero.

Sure, their name is Nobody, but they can eventually transform into more than 15 different forms!

If that wasn’t exciting enough, you can mix and match abilities, and even challenge an ever-changing final dungeon for glory.

2 Tunic

One Foxy Hero

It’s clear from the get-go that Tunic was inspired by The Legend of Zelda.

Trade Link for a little foxy warrior, and you have the same sort of adventure.

What I most appreciated about the game was its reverence for the era in which Zelda was originally released.

One example is the «Sacred Book» you’ll reconstruct page by page, which is an instruction manual. It offers wonderful hints and techniques to help you survive this surprisingly difficult adventure.

Throw in some epic boss battles, amazing music, and a stunning visual aesthetic, and you have one heck of a Zelda-like.

1 Death's Door

Reap What You Sow

Let me just say, Death’s Door was a huge surprise when I first played it.

I wasn’t that familiar with Acid Nerve, but luckily, my love of Devolver led me to it. Not only did it end up being one of my favorite games, but it was the best Zelda-like I’d played in ages.

You’re just another Crow, tasked with reaping souls and bringing them back to the Hall of Doors—Until your soul gets waylaid, and you’re forced into a grand journey to get it back.

You’ll face strange and wonderful foes, even weirder allies, and eventually learn the dark truth behind your organization.

If you love exploration, you’ll find it here, along with secrets aplenty, memorable boss battles, and even hidden powers to wield.

If you haven’t played it yet, please add this amazing Zelda-like to your collection.