The best game like Zelda: Breath of the Wild is its own sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, which expands Hyrule with sky islands, underground depths and game-changing building tools. Beyond Nintendo, Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West deliver the same thrill of a huge world that rewards curiosity, while Genshin Impact is the free, anime-flavoured take.
Here are the best games like Zelda — open-world adventures built on exploration, discovery and freedom — and which one suits you.
Best games like Zelda
Eight open-world adventures that capture the freedom and discovery of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
| Game | Platforms | Why it’s like Zelda |
|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | Switch | The direct sequel — a bigger Hyrule and build-anything tools |
| Elden Ring | PC, PS, Xbox | A vast open world built on curiosity and discovery |
| Horizon Forbidden West | PC, PS | A stunning, diverse open world full of secrets |
| Genshin Impact | PC, PS, mobile | A free, anime take on the BOTW formula with gliding and climbing |
| Ghost of Yotei | PS | A beautiful open-world samurai adventure (2025) |
| Immortals Fenyx Rising | PC, PS, Xbox, Switch | Perhaps the most direct BOTW-style clone, with puzzles and gliding |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | PC, PS, Xbox, Switch | A huge open-world adventure with deep quests |
| Sable | PC, PS, Xbox | A chilled, pressure-free exploration adventure |
How we picked them
Breath of the Wild changed open worlds by making exploration the whole point: climb anything, glide anywhere, and solve the world on your own terms. We prioritised games that share that freedom and sense of discovery. Tears of the Kingdom is the obvious number one — it’s the sequel — while Elden Ring is the best non-Nintendo pick for curiosity-driven exploration. Horizon Forbidden West and Ghost of Yotei bring the scenic, systemic open world, and Genshin Impact is the free option that wears its BOTW inspiration openly.
The top picks explained
Four games that best fill the Zelda-shaped hole.
#1
Best exploration
Most scenic
Best free pick
More adventures and open worlds? See our best Zelda games, best open-world games and games like Elden Ring guides.
Which one to play
Pick based on what you loved about Zelda.
| You loved… | Play |
|---|---|
| More of the same Hyrule | Tears of the Kingdom |
| Pure exploration and discovery | Elden Ring |
| Puzzles and gliding | Immortals Fenyx Rising |
| A free game to sink into | Genshin Impact |
