The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure game that was published by Nintendo and was released for the Nintendo Switch and the Wii U consoles in 2017.
It’s the end of the timeline of The Legend of Zelda series in which Link, who has amnesia, wakes up after sleeping for 100 years, and tries to regain his memories and prevent Hyrule from being destroyed.
If you’re a fan of this action-packed, puzzle-solving, critical thinking-inducing game and you’re looking for similar titles, you’ve come to the right place!
Below, you’ll find a collection of 15 games that call to mind Breath of the Wild.
Zelda Game Features
 Release Date: | February 21, 1986 |
 Developer: | Nintendo |
 Publisher: | Nintendo |
 Platforms: | Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance GameCube, Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Nintendo Switch |
 Genre: | Action-adventure |
 Setting: | Fantasy World |
 Game Modes: | Single-player |
1. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds was released in 2019 on PS4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It’s the ultimate open-world sandbox game, and it’s received tons of acclaim. There are no markers in this time loop game and there’s a single quest. Each time you fail to solve a mystery, the world resets to its default, just like in Legends of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.
In this game, you’re an Outer Wild Ventures, a space program, recruit. Your mission is to figure out why the solar system is in a time loop. You can solve this mystery your own way, and you can try to do so as many times as you’d like. As you explore, you’ll discover more and more secrets, and you’ll acquire more and more information. Every clue you acquire can be used to help you solve the single puzzle that you need to solve.
Outer Wilds is a combat-free game; rather, it’s an explorative game that’s filled with puzzles and hidden areas, which definitely keeps things interesting and adds to the appeal. Furthermore, different locations can change as the game changes from day to night.
2. Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, one of the best games that many claim is the PS4 game ever, and that many also say is the best way to break into the open-world action-adventure RPG genre. Forbidden West was released in February of 2022, and it’s just as impressive as the first.
In the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, Alloy isn’t as much of a one-note character as in the previous entry; additionally, the sci-fi setting is a lot deeper. Graphic, mechanics, performance, and music have all been majorly improved, too. It’s a hugely open-world game, yet it concentrates on exploration, as you need to explore the map to find gear that you can use, scraps that you can craft, and animals that you can hunt. There’s a glider, too, as well as swimming.
Like Horizon Zero Dawn, Forbidden West is a Monster Hunter game in disguise. You’ll need to use different strategies in order to defeat each of the mechanic monsters that you encounter. There’s a wide range of weapons to choose from, there are varied skill threes, and the melee capabilities are even better. In a nut shell, Forbidden West is a unique, captivating, and entertaining world that gets straight to the point. You’re rewarded for your exploration with lore, as well as gear, and entertaining side content.
3. Halo Infinite
Released in December of 2021 on Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Windows, Halo Infinite incorporates sandbox elements to the long-running Halo franchise to revitalize it. It’s similar to Zelda, and a heavy physics engine is relied upon, too; furthermore, Infinite offers one of the best plots, as well as some of the most impressive shooting mechanics, in the Halo series.
Halo Infinite features a multiplayer portion that’s free to play and allows for cross-play between Xbox Store and Steam players. The first open-world map in the series, players need to use every tool in order to survive.
A tip: in order to beat different enemies, you’ll need to rotate your weapons on a constant basis. There are several vehicles available, too, that you can use to travel throughout the worlds, and there are a lot of features that allow you to manipulate features; gravity canons and grenades that can propel bodies into crates, for example.
The plot of Infinite follows Master Chief as he confronts a new adversary: the Harbinger. At the same time, the Spartan also has to deal with the betrayal of his AI assistant, Cortana, who took the side against humanity when she was created in Halo 5.
4. Immortals: Fenyx Rising
Next up on our list of games that are similar to Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is Immortals: Fenyx Rising. Ubisoft, the developer and publisher of this game, intended to create a game that was like Breath of the Wild, and it’s apparent that they used the title as their inspiration. Fenyx Rising is an open-world, action-adventure sandbox game.
In this game, Fenyx, a mortal man, is stranded in the realm of the gods, and his mission is to stop Typhon, an evil god from the underworld, in order to save humanity. The narration of the story has a touch of humor to it, and the graphics are light-hearted, which makes the otherwise dark plot a little bit easier to digest.
In regard to the open world, there are markers for the quests; however, you need to find the rest of the secrets. In order to do so, you can either explore or us the specialized Far Sight ability to find treasures, temples, gear, puzzles, bosses, and other important elements that are hidden throughout the world.
Combat starts off simple, and as the game progresses, you unlock godly skills, weapons, traversal moves, defensive abilities, combos, and even wings that will make you glide. The attack system is basic and is pretty easy to use.
Finally, the world features various locations, and you need to finish the primary quest on each one, and you can do so in any order. That said, stamina and combat prowess are your limitations, and you need to find the right items as you progress throughout the game in order to enhance your character.
5. Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Released in 2021 on PS4, PS5, and Windows, Bridge of Spirits is an indie game that has the look and feel, and that behaves like an AAA game. It’s as magical, mystical, expansive, and endearing, as Breath of the Wild, too; furthermore, the mechanics are similar.
You’ll play as Kena in this semi-open-world, action-adventure game. Kena is a spirit guide with magical abilities that allow her to heal spirits. For melee and ranged attacks, she uses a staff. As the game proceeds, combat evolves, as Kena unlocks weapons, gadgets, combos, and dashes, that she can use to beat enemies that become more and more complex. The gameplay is familiar, and the performance is excellent.
Bridge of Spirits is a lot shorter than Breath of the Wild. It’s a 40 hour game, and the experience is primarily linear; however, it’s still engaging, interesting, and unique. There’s also lots of lore to explore.
6. Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Fans of Breath of the Wild – and Pokemon, of course – will be sure to enjoy Arceus. This action-RPG game is a part of the 8th generation of the Pokemon series, and is the prequel to Diamond and Pearl, as well as Pokemon Platinum. Because the plot is fairly easy, newcomers should be able to grasp what’s going on with ease.
Arceus does stray from the classic Pokemon and Breath of the Wild formula, as it lacks open-world freedom. Instead, the world is semi-open, and to encourage exploration, areas are wide. There are five zones that feature wild pokemon, enemy trainers, secrets, hidden items, and an assortment of other dangers.
Another new addition to Arceus is how it allows you to ride some of the pokemon so that you can swim, climb, travel feaster, or fly. Moreover, Alpha pokemons are introduced in this title, which are bigger and more powerful in the wild.
7. Sable
Released in 2021 for Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Windows, Sable is an indie title, and like Breath of the Wild, the premise of the game is exploration, a rich open-world, and great action-adventure mechanics. Thanks to the unique imagery and storyline, it really is one-of-a-kind.
Sable’s gameplay involves using a hoverbike to explore stylized dunes. Climbing, gliding, interacting with other nomads, assisting other tribes, and uncovering the mysteries of an ancient civilization that delivered a long, long time ago, are all options, too.
As you play, you’ll uncover the mystery of Sable, who always wears a mask. The masks can be customized, as can your outfits, using the collectible items you find on your travels. You can customize your glider, too.
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the oldest title on this list, yet it is still very relevant. That’s because, like Breath of the Wild, which focuses on exploration and gives you freedom as you play, Skyrim did the same. The title was released in 2011 by Bethesda Softworks, and more than 20 thousand players play a daily on Steam.
Said to be one of the best open-world immersive RPGs on the market, Skyrim puts a lot of emphasis on the story, and the plot is pretty hefty; however, the incredible freedom is very rewarding. The plot of the story takes place 2,000 years after Oblivion, in Tamriel. You’ll play as Dragonbor, who was born to defeat Alduin, the World-Eater. There are several expansions, complete with new locations and enemies, too.
As you play, you unlock and develop skills. You’ll also be able to explore the world as you wish for any reason, and enjoy the sub-lot, or the main storyline that you desire. There are a wealth of options to choose from, and the customization is great, too.
9. Super Mario Odyssey
Breath of the Wild was released in 2017, alongside Nintendo Switch. A few months after the console and game were released, Super Mario Odyssey was introduced, and it quickly became a classic, thanks to the modern and creative formula.
Odyssey is a platform game in that you control Mario as he travels across interconnected kingdoms. The entirety of the kingdoms join together to create a wild open world, which is free of markers, yet is full of puzzles and vibrant colors.
Your mission is saving Princess Peach from the evil Bowser, as usual. Mario’s hat-shaped ship, Odyssey, is used to travel and locate Power Moons across the kingdoms, as well as to find the princess.
Gameplay takes place in 3D and old and new features have been combined. You can jump, double jump, triple jump, and wall jump. Cappy, your hat, can do several attacks and traversal skills, too. Odyssey is engaging and entertaining, for sure.
10. Genshin Impact
Released in 2020 on Android, iOS, Windows, PS4 ,PS5, and Nintendo Switch, Genshin Impact is an open-world, free-to-play RPG game. Both the artwork and the design of the world are reminiscent of Breath of the Wild; however, the mechanics are quite different and actually are reminiscent of a totally different genre.
To illustrate, Genshin is a “Gacha Game“, which means that you unlock characters, as you do in Pokemon, which you then use in battles. In order to unlock characters, you have to use in-game currency.
The abilities and elemental powers vary from character to character. You can change out characters during combat whenever you want, so it’s a good idea to mix up your abilities to achieve better results.
Furthermore, a lot of the features are unique to progression games. The cartoon imagery is appealing, as are the vibrant colors. There are a variety of treasures, puzzles, enemies, and secrets, too, which further add to the interest.
All in all, Genshin Impact is super-engaging and is sure to impress fans of Breath of the Wild.
11. Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas
Monster of Uncharted Seas is another oldie, but it’s still a goodie. This action-adventure game was released in 2013, and it has a very familiar look and feel. The elements used in the story are cartoonish and reminiscent of Zelda; however, it’s an easier game to play.
A lot of players think of Oceanhorn as a knockoff of Zelda; however, it’s quite popular and features an impressively complex set of mechanics that are still complex to this day. Additionally, a portion of the game can be played for free. The world is a 3D cell-shaded, and the character answers a call to heroism. The protagonist of the game advances through a series of maps that are interconnected in order to follow the story, unlock the different gear that’s available, and in order to acquire new abilities.
You’ll be able to explore dungeons, combat monsters, and solve different puzzles. There are various weapons throughout the game, and you can even do different tasks, like toss pots and cut brushes, in order to acquire hidden coins. With that said, the perspective is top-down, and you’ll travel through interconnected regions.
The music is captivating and the story is compelling, and while we agree that it does feel like a copy of Zelda, we still think it’s a great choice, and that fans of Breath of the Wild will be sure to enjoy it.
12. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
Next on our list of games that are similar to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is The Witcher 3. This open-world, action-adventure RPG is, however, a lot darker, is much deeper, and there’s a lot more animosity. Furthermore, it’s way more cinematic, and the soundtrack is quite incredible.
In the Witcher 3, you’ll play as Geralt the Rivia, who is on a quest to find Ciri, his surrogate daughter. The plot is super-exciting and it takes Geralt across various areas of a vast open world. In short, the quest leads the hearos to combat an ancient evil alien.
There are side quests, too, which are just as compelling as the primary quest, and that are full-fledged. In fact, you might just find that you’ll lose yourself for hours in the side content! The world in this game is huge, and it’s jam-packed with interactive NPCs, engaging sights, and interesting NPCs.
The fighting system used in this game is very familiar, too. You’ll need to use doges, blocks, parries, gadgets, attacks, and even magical skills. Geraldt’s skills are more classical, and they do advance over time.
The bottom line is that The Witcher 3 is definitely an epic game that is highly cinematic and that connects several multiple storylines together. The title is widely recognizes and it definitely rivals Breath of the Wild.
13. Monster Hunter Rise
Another great choice for gamers who are looking for titles that are similar to Breath of the Wild is Monster Hunter Rise. The Monster Hunter series has been a hugely popular ever since it debuted, and it continues to be massively popular, as evidenced by Monster Hunter World, which many players said was the most accessible of all the titles in the series. As such, it only stands to reason why so many people are psyched about Monster Hunter Rise.
This open-world RPG is outstanding. The combat is challenging and the exploration is great, making it the ideal candidate for games that are similar to Breath of the Wild. You are free to use a variety of tools as you progress throughout the game, and you’ll have tons of experiences, acquire lots of knowledge, and you will hunt a slew of huge beasts as you make your way to complete your mission.
14. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is a blend of several games. Of course, it’s similar to other Assassin’s Creed titles, like Unity, while it also borrows combat ideas from Super Mario Odyssey, and the open-world designs are reminiscent of Origins. Of course, it’s also similar to Legends of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
That said, while Valhalla isn’t a unique game, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fantastic game. The snow-covered hills of Anglo-Saxon England are simple stunning and fun to explore, and you’ll enjoy receiving rewards for turning over each and every stone you come into contact with.
While it isn’t unique, it doesn’t have to be; instead, it presents a formula that is very familiar in a new setting, and the formula works, and has been proven to be engaging and entertaining. As such, why fix the formula? Just grow on it!
15. Death Stranding
Wrapping up our list of games that are like Breath of the Wild is Death Stranding. While the two titles couldn’t be more different from a mechanical perspective (in Breath of the Wild, you use the world to acquire new gear, collect ingredients to cook, and to push through dungeons in order to enhance Link, while in Death Standing, you fight with the world), that doesn’t take anything away from Death Standing.
There isn’t any combat, or at least there isn’t any combat that’s on the same level as Breath of the Wild; however, Death Standing does have a fantastic open-world settling that encourages players to explore.
In fact, it could be said that Death Stranding is like Breath of the Wild, but for masochists. The world in this title is kind of like its very own character, as it presents the biggest challenge in the game for the player to overcome.
The focus in Breath of the Wild is different, and there’s a touch of other mechanics, as well, in order to ensure that the gameplay remains interesting and engaging. That said, however, a central component between the two games does exist that ties them together: an open-world that has just as much weight as the characters within it.
Summing It Up
If you are a fan of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and you’re looking for titles that are similar, then you’ll be sure to enjoy the titles that are featured on this list.
These titles range from cheery, light-hearted, and child-friendly, to darker, more challenging, and even masochistic.
Whatever your interests may be, if you are a fan of Breath of the Wild, you will be sure to find something that appeals to you on this list of similar titles.
