There are ample franchises—from little-known indies to major releases—that capture the essence and majesty of Breath of the Wild, and the beloved series at large while bringing unique twists. These games range in style but adhere to the Zelda formula on some level, be it the NES and SNES classics or more modern epics on the Big N’s 3D consoles.
RELATED: Breath Of The Wild: Hidden Areas You Didn’t Know Existed
This list will explore some of the best, most fitting Switch games sure to satiate gamers’ Zelda: Breath of the Wild craving.
Updated December 29, 2022, by Stephen LaGioia: Open-world action-adventures and RPGs were, of course, very much a thing before Nintendo’s epic Zelda game, Breath of the Wild. Yet, this landmark title helped redefine the genre with its charm and rewarding, dynamic gameplay. The game puts Link on vast, captivating new journey while reestablishing the series’ free-wheeling, arcade-style roots. With more information about the anticipated sequel, now tagged “Tears of the Kingdom”, Nintendo looks to provide a darker-tinged adventure—perhaps the “Majora’s Mask” to Breath of the Wild’s “Ocarina”. In the meantime though, there is an ever-growing lineup of Zelda-esque romps for fans to become immersed in.
22 Raji: An Ancient Epic
This Indian-made adventure entices players with a unique visual style modeled off Pahari paintings, and underpinnings of Hindu mythology. Players take the role of Raji, an isolated circus performer, who finds herself up against a slew of ominous demons and beasts to retrieve her captured brother Golu. What follows is a memorable, story-driven ride that yields more revelations as well as more powerful weapons and upgrades.
With simpler, fast-paced combat, Raji can be more likened to Hyrule Warriors—sprinkled with some clever puzzle gameplay and lovely atmospheric music. Either way, the game should intrigue many Zelda fans with its familiar, yet distinct, design—especially with its lush environments and free-roaming exploration.
21 Immortals Fenyx Rising
Comprising many discounted game lists since its 2020 release, this Ubisoft sleeper hit should lure many Zelda fans with its comparable art style, grandiose themes, and expansive action gameplay—at an affordable price. Indeed, many aspects feel so similar that Immortals seems like the Breath of the Wild spinoff that never was. And the game does, in fact, clearly draw influence from Nintendo’s fantasy series, along with Greek mythology.
But while its content is a fair bit slimmer than Breath of the Wild, this overlooked romp has been regarded for its deeper progression system and charming storytelling that feels so “Ubisoft”.
20 Hades
Take an indie hack-and-slash frenzy, inject some grueling roguelike elements, and dress it up with enchanting Greek mythology, and 2020’s Hades might be the result. It channels that retro Zelda vibe with its barrage of tough baddies and dungeon-crawling.
RELATED: Nintendo Switch: Roguelike Games That Are Perfect For Newcomers To The Genre
Developer Supergiant Games entices players with a slew of hellish, randomly generated dungeons, loads of unique foes, and some satisfying weapons. Like many roguelikes, the antihero Zagreus is all but set up to fail, as he must fight his way through the vast reaches of the underworld. But while death is a near-certainty, there’s something about this addictive, white-knuckle gameplay that beckons players back for more punishment.
19 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
With its superb blend of historical influence and high fantasy, CD Projekt Red’s epic feels somewhat like a darker, Westernized Zelda that never was. While The Witcher 3’s visuals take a sleeker, more realistic approach, they prove equally enthralling as the more stylized charm of BotW. And of course, the gritty antihero Geralt is a far cry from the classic hero Link.
On the gameplay front though, the lines blur quite a bit more, as both games have a healthy dose of action-based combat and exploration—as well as ample crafting and customization to adhere to one’s own playstyle. The Witcher 3 enriches and immerses players into its lush locales and gripping story—strengthened by the Eastern European mythology and fantasy novels it draws from.
18 Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Drawing from the strong lore and enjoyable gameplay of the hit Wii RPG, Monolith Soft triumphs again with this deep, majestic Xenoblade sequel on Switch. Like the first Xenoblade, this 2017 follow-up stresses a gripping story, likable characters, and lavish environments.
Of course, it also sports loads of addictive combat that’s equally interesting in its own way. Instead of revolving around the iconic Monado sword, the game excels in its unique system of Pokemon-esque Blades, each of which brings a different dynamic and distinct powers. The Zelda overlap is apparent in the vast, explorable landscapes and fantasy themes—but also in the endlessly fun battles, which blend arcade action with various skills and nuance.
17 Link’s Awakening
It may be a no-brainer to include a Zelda title, even one that’s quite a bit distinct from its more dynamic BotW sibling on Switch. Still, given the superb blend of classic and modern Zelda, this charming Game Boy remake just had to receive a nod. This is the third release of Link’s Awakening, this time being a complete graphical overhaul.
Link’s Awakening on the switch is absolutely gorgeous and plays as smoothly as butter. Like BotW, Link’s Awakening opens up much of the full overworld to explore pretty early on, giving that same, wonderful sense of exploration. And of course, there’s still plenty of adventure, combat, and puzzle-solving to be had here. The game serves as a more subdued, kid-friendly counterpart to the more bombastic Breath of the Wild, but it certainly has its place.
16 Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition
One of the Wii U’s sleeper hits has made its way to the Switch, and in a nicer form than ever. While the themes, of course, contain similarities to the main series’ fantastical Hyrule and its colorful monsters, the actual gameplay is more akin to Dynasty Warriors with its frantic action.
RELATED: The Legend of Zelda: Every Game, Ranked By How Long They Take To Beat
This game is like Zelda amped up to 11, taking the number of baddies on-screen to absurd and insanely fun levels. Hyrule Warriors is a satisfying hack ’n’ slash which is quite suited for Switch’s handheld pick-up-and-play sensibilities.
15 Hyper Light Drifter
It isn’t often that an indie game of this magnitude is released with so much critical acclaim, but Hyper Light Drifter lives up to its popularity. Created by a very small team of developers, Hyper Light Drifter takes classic Zelda formulas and turns them into something uniquely beautiful.
The fast-paced, challenging gameplay is complemented by a story that needs to be played to be understood, as everyone will interpret its cryptic cutscenes in different ways. Players will likely get lost quite a bit in this deceptively deep pixel-art game, but that makes it all the more enjoyable.
14 Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas
Until Nintendo finally decides to port Wind Waker HD to the Switch, Oceanhorn is here to scratch the itch of fans who fancy that seafaring twist on Zelda. Originally released as a mobile title, Oceanhorn isn’t afraid to pull quite a bit from multiple Zelda games, but it does so with its own special charm.
Players will be sailing seas in search of treasure, exploring caves, and fighting monsters just like Zelda, but Oceanhorn is a much more compact adventure fit for those looking for a quicker, more low-key journey.
13 Bastion
Paving the way for many indie games after it, Bastion has its roots in classic 2D Zelda gameplay, and every bit of it is just as great. Bastion excels with its fun, polished combat, exploration, and unique, vibrant art style to call its own.
Hitting the Switch nine years after its initial release, Bastion looks better than ever and serves as one of the best action RPGs on the platform at a great price, making it a great choice for any Zelda fan looking for a delightful experience. This is certainly one of the more overlooked Switch games like Zelda.
12 Ittle Dew 2+
This surprisingly enduring little indie manages to capture the charming simplicity and colorful visuals of older Zelda games while providing an open world that allows dungeons to be tackled in any order.
This adventure title is essentially a Zelda clone to the point of injecting some humorous self-aware gags, yet it’s still a terrific experience in its own right. Its neat hand-drawn cartoon art style and a couple of innovative gameplay concepts allow Ittle Dew 2+ to feel both familiar and unique. The game encourages exploration and provides some clever puzzles while offering satisfying combat that’s easy to grasp and engaging.
11 Dark Souls Remastered
If the post-apocalyptic Hyrule seen in Breath of the Wild happened to be filled with demons and monsters, undead warriors, and a few bonfires here and there, it wouldn’t be too different from Dark Souls’ Lordran.
Like Hyrule, Lordran is largely explorable from the get-go, with only a few cryptic hints to keep players on the right track. Just as how almost anything can act as a weapon in BOTW, Dark Souls prides itself on having a huge list of equipment, making every playthrough feel like an entirely different experience, which also makes finding random weapons and armor around the world all the more rewarding.
10 Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age
Of all the titles from Square Enix’s epic and iconic RPG franchise, it may seem a bit odd to feature the lesser-known “black sheep” of the Final Fantasy family as a suitable BotW alternative. Yet, as a whole, Final Fantasy 12’s gameplay formula adheres closest to these sensibilities, from the more action-oriented combat to the fantasy locales of the semi-open worlds.
RELATED: All Of The Best And Worst Final Fantasy Games In The Franchise
FF 12 proves an underrated entry in the series which was sandwiched between the popular FF 10 and the hyped 13— and the remastered Switch version is the game at its best. It looks and feels fantastic, while the unique Gambit system, along with a number of gameplay tweaks, provides a fun, intuitive battle system. This is a gripping adventure that Zelda fans shouldn’t overlook.
9 Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Being quite Zelda-esque in terms of vibrant fantasy themes and epic scope (comprising 60 hours), the third mainline Xenoblade is sure to appease fans of Nintendo’s game. Monolith Soft pulls out all the stops for this lavish sequel, fusing various strong aspects as well as the lore of the first two titles. Featuring a tale about hope and comradery amidst war and strife, Xenoblade 3 portrays a tale that’s gripping and heartfelt.
The fluid 3D combat balances thrilling action with layers of tactical gameplay, as players unleash satisfying Arts while feeding their Talent Gauge. Thanks to the battle system, there’s rarely a dull moment—especially with the minimal grinding built in. Also featured are a slew of rewarding sidequests, adding countless more hours to this sprawling adventure. As one might expect, this is also the prettiest the series has been, especially on the more robust OLED Switch.
8 Cadence Of Hyrule: Crypt Of The NecroDancer Featuring The Legend Of Zelda
This title came out of nowhere during an early 2019 Nintendo Direct showcase earlier this year, much to the delight of old-school Zelda fans. Sure, Cadence of Hyrule is mainly a rhythmic-based experience dressed with Zelda themes. Yet, Cadence of Hyrule shines as a particularly innovative indie—drawing an audience that may not typically be keen on simple rhythm romps.
This collaboration between Nintendo and Brace Yourself Games makes for a satisfying musical adventure that’s tough to put down. The game combines thrilling action with subtle strategy, as players must time their moves correctly while anticipating the moves of enemies.
7 Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King
Marking its first-ever appearance on a console, Blossom Tales runs with a charming top-down 16-bit vibe somewhere between NES-era Zelda and A Link To The Past. The game is a truncated Zelda adventure, but it still captivates with its appealing retro aesthetic, interesting dungeons, and exciting boss battles throughout.
This sleeper hit stresses the action-laced elements of early Zelda too, with intense and enjoyable combat, and a range of unique baddies to fend off during this six-to-seven-hour quest.
6 Okami HD
A surprise hit from the now-defunct Clover Studio, Okami shines as both an artistic and gameplay marvel that has aged like fine wine. This surreal adventure is partly a reinterpretation of Twilight Princess—especially when Link takes on his wolf form.
RELATED: Capcom: Best Games Of All Time (According To Metacritic)
The majestic watercolor style and enchanting Asian mythology make Okami feel like an interactive work of art as much as an action-adventure game. It features some imaginative puzzles, unique dungeons, and fun combat that BotWfans should recognize and appreciate.
5 Tunic
Made by designer Andrew Shouldice, this sleeper hit melds Link’s Awakening-style Zelda and Metroidvania navigation with stylistic art and an isometric view that rings 90’s PC games. Oh, and there’s even a touch of Dark Souls influence for good measure. The soft, cutesy visuals are merely a cover for some grueling combat and brain-busting puzzles.
While fairly simple as far as progression, Tunic proves surprisingly deep and gripping. It forces players to use their wits as they fight and explore through 12 hours of colorful worlds, work through cryptic puzzles, and clash with many tough bosses.
4 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Widely regarded as the pinnacle of epic Western RPGs, Skyrim is utterly dripping with content—along with rich, immersive worlds, endless dungeons, intimidating foes, and satisfying spells. Much like Zelda, this deep role-playing adventure takes the fantasy sensibilities of Dungeons & Dragons and fleshes everything out with its vast open worlds that beckon players to explore.
Given Skyrim’s clear influence on the sandbox style and free-flowing gameplay in BotW, this one’s a no-brainer for fans to get lost in. Fittingly, players can even equip themselves with Link’s trademark outfit and Master Sword in the Switch version for good measure.
3 Minecraft: Switch Edition
It’s tough to deny the superiority of the PC version of this huge indie sandbox odyssey. Yet, the Switch version may just be the best way to play on a handheld; thanks to the addition of the Nintendo flair, premade maps, and impressive world sizes.
As liberating as Breath of the Wild’s open world of Hyrule can feel, Minecraft is a rare example that can somewhat eclipse it in terms of scale and grandiosity. Players can do almost anything— whether it’s slaying baddies survival-mode style, building elaborate structures, or doing some deep mining and dungeon crawling. Minecraft is like a completely open-ended, blocky version of a Zelda-style journey.
