Its fast and fierce, but as long as youre prepared, youll make it out okay. Maybe. 7. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, 3DS, Switch, iOS Certainly one of the darker Zelda-inspired games on our list, The Binding of Isaac tells the story of Isaac, a young boy who must escape the murderous wrath of his own mother, whom she believes God has sentenced to death.

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Maybe thats why nowadays there are so many games which - either very clearly or maybe a bit less so - trace their influences back to the ever-morphing story about an elf boy in a tunic out to save a magical kingdom and rescue a princess (with a few dungeon stops and boss fights along the way of course).

And while there can only be one true blue Zelda series, there are plenty of games that have crafted worthwhile and enjoyable experiences out of the foundation Nintendo built so long ago.

Weve collected 15 such titles here, in case youre looking for your next grand adventure.

Enjoy. 15. Anodyne Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, iOS, Android A bit more surreal than most Zelda games, Anodyne takes place almost entirely within the main characters head.

Instead of plain old wilderness, youll be exploring abstract and quirky dreamscape versions of reality - some hauntingly beautiful, some lonesome and malevolent.

Theres a palpable sense of wanderlust and vulnerability in Anodyne, key staples of early Zelda games.

Zelda Like Games PS3 Take The

D Dot Game Heroes Platforms: PS3 Take the original Legend of Zelda for NES, but swing the camera down so that instead of an eye-in-the-sky, top-down view, youre looking at the world in a freeview third-person camera.

Zelda Like Games Plus Basic Combat

With a heavy focus on exploration and dungeon-delving, plus basic combat and a health system measured in red apples, it really does feel like this game copied Nintendos homework while only changing a handful of details.

Thats not an insult, by the way 3D Dot Game Heroes is a fun game in its own right, the blocky aesthetic makes it stand out (or at least it did until Minecraft became a phenomenon two years later), and you can customize your hero to look however you want.

Go looking online and youll find some creative character blueprints, including Cloud Strife, Mega Man, and even Link himself.

Psychonauts Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4 Psychonauts focuses on platforming - that is, jumping from perilous ledge to perilous ledge - quite a bit more than other entries on this list, and thats going to make it feel different from your standard Zelda game.

However, theres still a great deal of emphasis on exploring a richly-detailed world full of quirky characters, environmental puzzles, and using abilities gained during your adventure to unlock new paths.

This game never raked in the big bucks, but ask anyone whos played it and theyll gush about how unforgettable an experience it is.

Darksiders 2 Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3 Darksiders 1 is so blatantly copying The Legend of Zelda that it can feel a bit underwhelming.

It adds more open spaces for exploration, gives protagonist Death (yes, you literally play as Death himself) more customization options in terms of playstyle, and even adds that oh-so sweet RPG staple, loot.

It wont feel as much like Zelda as its predecessor, but theres still a big emphasis on exploration, boss fights that are as much about figuring out a puzzle as they are mashing the attack buttons, and uncovering hidden secrets.

You can find copies of the original game in bargain bins if youre lucky, but why not play on modern consoles and get the game looking its best with the Deathinitive Edition Yes, it is a silly name.

Beyond Good and Evil HD Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 A cult classic that was loved by those who played it but never found wide commercial success, Beyond Good Evil (or just BGE) feels a bit like what would happen if you mixed in a dash of Star Wars with your Zelda recipe.

Youve got protagonist Jade, a girl with a mysterious past who must fight to overthrow an evil empire, and working alongside her is a ragtag group of rebels and her Uncle Peyj - an anthropomorphic pig.

Swap out Epona for a hovercraft and the Kingdom of Hyrule for the planet of Hillys, and youve got yourself one incredibly fun Zelda-flavored adventure.

Enter the Gungeon Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch Enter the Gungeon is a fantastic choice for players who like the dungeons of 2D Zelda games, but arent thrilled by the combat.

Trading swords for firearms of all shapes and sizes, Enter the Gungeon mixes Zelda with screen-filling bullet hell gameplay.

You can also dodge roll to avoid damage, or flip over tables to give yourself cover.

Theres a great sense of momentum to Enter the Gungeon that will keep you on your toes.

Hob Platforms: PC, PS4 If you want a game to gently take you by the hand and lay out all the fine details of its world and rules, carefully ensuring that you understand everything before you go venturing off into the wilderness.

Rendered in 3D with a gorgeous art style but presented much like a classic top-down adventure, Hob channels that lonesome, wandering spirit in a way that few games beyond the Zelda series itself can.

You probably wont know whats going on for awhile, but the pull of puzzles and theres a thing over there - I wonder how I get to it will spur you onward.

Hyper Light Drifter Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch Of all the games on this list, Hyper Light Drifter may be the one most likely to make you grind your teeth in frustration.

A neon-tinted adventure set in a universe thats equal parts fantasy and sci-fi, HLD is full of mystery and challenges.

Theres a bit less emphasis on puzzles, but the game makes up for it with an intriguing world that begs you to explore and uncover its secrets.

Its fast and fierce, but as long as youre prepared, youll make it out okay.

Maybe. 7. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, 3DS, Switch, iOS Certainly one of the darker Zelda-inspired games on our list, The Binding of Isaac tells the story of Isaac, a young boy who must escape the murderous wrath of his own mother, whom she believes God has sentenced to death.

Zelda Like Games For Mac