Highlights

• Elden Ring is an open-world game with rewarding exploration that draws inspiration from Breath of the Wild, perfect for Zelda fans.
• Bosorka is a great adventure game in a dark fantasy world with fun combat. Players take on the role of powerful young witches.
• Harvestella, a life-sim RPG, feels like Zelda in many ways and is a great choice for gamers, especially those playing with kids.

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most critically acclaimed series of all time, rivaled only by the likes of Super Mario and Grand Theft Auto. Consequently, the series' Nintendo exclusivity is a source of frustration for many gamers. Thankfully, the variety in playstyle between many of Link's adventures, along with the huge catalog of games available on PC, means that there are many PC games similar to Zelda.

Although there are plenty of straight-up Zelda clones out there, most of them are just rip-offs that aren't worth playing. As such, this list will include games that are great in their own right rather than titles that are as close to The Legend of Zelda as possible.

Updated on February 15, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular video game series of all time, which is why so many PC players are unhappy at the fact that most of these titles are restricted to Nintendo's console. Still, the gameplay loop is so popular and influential that a lot of quality video games have added their own spin to the formula. From AAA offerings to indie gems, there is a wealth of titles that fans of Zelda games can check out for themselves.

26 A Short Hike

A Simple & Fun Game Where Players Can Climb Using A Mechanic Pretty Similar To Breath Of The Wild

A short and sweet adventure full of lovable anthropomorphic characters and a simple gameplay loop, A Short Hike is all about finding cellphone reception by reaching the peak of a mountain. To accomplish this, the player character (a humanoid bird) must collect golden feathers to improve their gliding and climbing abilities.

This is a gameplay loop that fans of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will be infinitely familiar with. Once players have explored the game world enough, they'll have enough stamina to climb to the very top of the mountain without any issues.

25 Sengoku Dynasty

A Zelda-Esque Game With A More Realistic Historical Twist

• Platform: PC
• Released: August 10, 2023
• Developer: Superkami
• Genre: Role-playing game, Simulation

Sengoku Dynasty is a calming and beautiful sim that lets players explore feudal Japan while creating and expanding villages amidst picturesque forests, mountains, and cherry groves. During their adventures, players not only get to explore a stunning open world but learn about medieval Japanese life.

Gaming fans can choose to become leaders, craftsmen, warriors, or monks before they embark on their profound journeys. Players will also be able to master various weaponry, including Yari and Katanas. Sengoku Dynasty is a great choice for players who are looking for Zelda-like games with a more realistic historical twist since they'll be able to enjoy its beautiful open-world and captivating tales while combating enemies.

24 Sea Of Thieves

Perfect For Fans Of The Wind Waker

Sea of Thieves is one of the best co-op open-world games filled with pirates, mythical sea monsters, and ghostly ships. Gaming fans get to explore a vivid, cartoonish open world while embarking on epic quests for buried treasure, battle pirates, and navigate treacherous waters.

Sea of Thieves' shared-world environment encourages players to form pirate crews with pals or befriend and betray other sailors depending on what kind of character they want to be. Players also get to discover beautiful islands and unravel tales steeped in mystery, reminiscent of Zelda's iconic story arcs. However, gamers can also enjoy unscripted encounters as well as dynamic weather that will make every one of their voyages uniquely challenging.

23 Dredge

A Beautiful Game Focused On Exploration That Features A Sinister Twist

Dredge takes its players on a surprisingly calming Lovecraftian adventure as they explore a beautifully designed open world and all its chilling mysteries. Players get to explore a peculiar archipelago while diving deep to uncover long-buried secrets and the murkiest of pasts.

However, players will get to do much more than just selling fish. They'll also have to plan and manage other things, including upgrading boats if they want to safely explore the ocean's shadowy depths and confront what the fog hides. Dredge has over a hundred and twenty-five aquatic creatures to discover, as well as stunning islands teeming with tales. It's perfect for players who are looking for an experience similar to that of The Legend of Zelda.

22 The Mageseeker: A League Of Legends Story

A Great Action Title With The Zelda Spirit

The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story is a colorful and action-filled RPG that transports its players into the magical kingdom of Demacia, where the evil Mageseekers are trying to oppress the magic-using citizens. Players will get to step into the shoes of a powerful spell-stealing mage who managed to break free from his unjust captivity.

As players embark on their journey, they'll get to learn more about this complex fantasy realm while fighting epic battles to conquer tyranny and liberate their homeland. It's one of the most exciting PC games like Zelda on Steam with a fun fantasy story. Beginner players can find useful tips about the best spells in The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story that will make their experience much more entertaining from the start.

21 Cult Of The Lamb

Combines Zelda-Esque Exploration With Cult Management

Cult of the Lamb is perfect for Zelda fans who have a dark sense of humor and love roguelike games. Thanks to this action colony sim, players can explore a dark fantasy realm and become possessed lambs who have to start and grow their own cult at all costs.

The player's goal is to embark on an adventure and gain as many woodland followers as possible to eventually become the one true cult. Gamers will have to perform normal tasks like building new structures and collecting resources, but they will also have to perform dark rituals and fight non-believers and rival cults to absorb their power.

20 Harvestella

A Life-Sim RPG That Feels Like Zelda In Many Ways

Harvestella is a beautifully designed title that's also a great choice for gamers who are looking for games to play with kids. Thanks to this stunning life-sim RPG, players get to explore an atmospheric fantasy realm where they'll have to find a way to overcome the dangers of Quietus.

During their adventures, players will get to know a charming but dangerous world that's visited by the Quietus, a mysterious disaster that plagues the realm each season. Players will have to explore a magical open world, build a self-sufficient life, find allies, and fight against various threats that could end all life in this title.

19 Bosorka

A Great Adventure Game With Fun Combat In A Dark Fantasy World

• Platform: PC
• Released: 14 April, 2023
• Developer: Sengi Games
• Genre: Action

Bosorka is an action roguelike game set in a dark fantasy setting where players can become powerful young witches who have to save the world by defeating dangerous and evil demons. Players will have to find a way to stop the ancient Grimoire from summoning terrifying demons and monsters if they hope to succeed.

During their adventures, players will get to learn how to combine runes, fly various brooms, and use a fine variety of spells to save the world from destruction. Bosorka has a vibrant and beautiful design and takes players on a thrilling journey with many locations and challenging bosses from the netherworld.

18 Elden Ring

The Open World Exploration Is Rewarding And Takes Cues From Breath Of The Wild

It's not often that a game - or any piece of media for that matter - is able to live up to expectations when it's the most highly anticipated release of its year. FromSoftware managed to pull off the impossible, though, by creating an RPG of such incredible size and scope that it blew away even some of the most optimistic of fans.

Elden Ring is comfortably on the Breath of the Wild side of the Zelda gameplay scale, with its enormous open world that is packed with things to do and enemies to defeat.

17 Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion

A Brief Adventure That Takes Inspiration From A Link To The Past's Gameplay

There aren't many lists where Elden Ring and Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion would both qualify. One is a 100+ hour RPG epic that pushes boundaries of scale and magnitude in gaming, while the other can be finished before lunch.

Still, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion deserves a spot on this list, as while it was never going to be a game of the year contender, it's still a thoroughly enjoyable 2-3 hour adventure that has a great sense of humor and memorable cast of characters. The gameplay struggles to impress at times, but Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is still a great option for those wanting a light-hearted take on the Link to the Past formula.

16 Tunic

A Great Title Inspired By Both Zelda And Soulslike Gameplay

Another game clearly inspired by A Link to the Past is Tunic, an action-adventure game from indie developer Andrew Shouldice that was released in March 2022.

Games trying to replicate the success of A Link to the Past is a tale as old as time, though Tunic still managed to impress fans and critics, exemplified by its 85 critic score and 7.8 user score on Metacritic.

15 Immortals Fenyx Rising

Clearly Inspired By Breath Of The Wild In More Ways Than One

Ubisoft's Immortals Fenyx Rising is a great option for those who want a similar experience to Breath of the Wild. While Immortals Fenyx Rising has more in-game help and hand-holding than Breath of the Wild, its wonderfully designed island filled with puzzles and activities to complete makes it comparable.

Interestingly, the concept for the game was formulated when a bug occurred during the development of Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

14 Genshin Impact

The Open World Design Is Very Much Like Breath Of The Wild In Many Ways

MiHoYo's Genshin Impact debuted on PlayStation 4, PC, and mobile devices in 2020; it has since been released on PlayStation 5, and a Nintendo Switch release is planned for the future. The game has been an enormous commercial success, with its generated income reaching eye-watering figures.

Genshin Impact is an open-world, action role-playing game that takes place in Teyvat, a fantasy world consisting of several nations. The game allows players to control a party of characters that can be quickly interchanged, allowing for devastating combat combinations.

13 Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time

Excellent Platforming And Action Coupled With A Charming Presentation

In 2003, the year that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was released, the gaming industry was in a transitional phase. The industry was moving away from the mascot platformers that had been popular in the '90s and turning to more realistic action franchises that were possible thanks to the improved capabilities of the sixth generation of home consoles.

Ubisoft decided to lean into this transitional phase by offering players the best of both worlds with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, an action-adventure-platforming hybrid. Much like the Legend of Zelda franchise, the game's combination of genres feels well-thought-out rather than thrown together.

12 Anodyne

Excellent Game In The Same Vein As Link's Awakening

Anodyne was developed by Melos Han-Tani and Marina Kittaka and published by Analgesic Productions, the same studio that released 2016's Even the Ocean. The game doesn't hide that it was influenced by The Legend of Zelda franchise, boasting a surreal dream world and action-puzzle gameplay similar to Link's Awakening. The game received a warm reception on Steam and currently has an All Reviews mark of Very Positive.

Analgesic Productions released a sequel to the game in 2019, titled Anodyne 2: Return to Dust, which is also worth checking out.

11 Undertale

A Charming Game With Fun Characters And Nice Puzzle Design

The 2D RPG, Undertale, was released in 2015 on PC before coming to other major systems in the subsequent years. The game has numerous unique spins on common RPG elements, such as letting players try to befriend enemies instead of being forced to fight them, which ties into the plethora of possible endings.

Undertale was a huge hit with critics. The game's Metascores range from 92 and 93, reflecting the game's impeccable quality. Gamers fond of the more humorous side of the Zelda series are sure to find something to love in Undertale.

10 The Binding Of Isaac

Takes Cues From Zelda With A Dark, Sinister Twist

The Binding of Isaac features a similar brand of gameplay to Link's earliest adventures, such as the original Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past. Key similarities include the top-down perspective and the multitude of dungeons to conquer.

The game differentiates itself from its Zelda counterpart with its procedurally generated dungeons and dark tone that takes inspiration from the biblical story of the same name.

9 Dark Souls

Takes More Inspiration From Zelda Exploration Than Most People Would Assume

Whereas The Binding of Issac has similarities to Zelda's oldest titles, Dark Souls is comparable to the most recent Zelda entries. Furthermore, Dark Souls differentiates itself from others on this list; where most took inspiration from Zelda, Breath of the Wild took inspiration from Dark Souls. This is particularly apparent in Breath of the Wild's lore-based story-telling that players must seek out to find.

The inspirations aren't just one way, though, as Dark Souls, like many games, has numerous mechanics that were inspired by the revolutionary Ocarina of Time. FromSoftware's Hidetaka Miyazaki, the creator of Dark Souls, responded to the comparisons between the games, saying that he felt FromSoftware's franchise was "unworthy" of being compared to the Zelda series.

8 Ittle Dew 2

Adventures And Puzzles Go Hand In Hand In This Sweet, Engaging Title

• Platforms: PC
• Released: November 15, 2016
• Developer: Ludosity
• Genre: Puzzle, Action-Adventure

Ittle Dew 2 strands players on an island and requires them to obtain eight pieces of a raft before they can leave. The game focuses predominantly on the adventure puzzling elements that are prominent in Zelda games and also throws many enemies at players to defeat, including bosses at the end of dungeons.

Unfortunately, the game had numerous issues due to differences between the game's developer and publisher, resulting in it being taken off of many digital platforms. Thankfully, the game is currently still available to play on Steam and Switch as it was self-published on the two stores.

7 Hyper Light Drifter

A Title Heavily Inspired By The Legend Of Zelda

Hyper Light Drifter was developed and published by Heart Machine and started life on Kickstarter. Following a lucrative campaign, the game made its way to PC in March 2016.

The 2D adventure game is a throwback to the 16-bit era and is an ideal choice for those looking for an experience similar to A Link to The Past or A Link Between Worlds. The indie game was well received by both fans and critics, evidenced by its 84 Metascore and 8.2 User Score.