Nintendo fans everywhere love Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but they can’t help but miss classic 3D Zelda. These fans were underwhelmed by the dungeons in both games, as none of them matched areas from older titles. While we wouldn’t be surprised if Link has a new open-world game again, fans yearn for classic dungeon crawling.
Luckily, we’re here to give you some of the best games to play if you miss classic 3D Zelda. Although they might lack some of that Nintendo charm, these games have dungeons galore, fun puzzles, and even good combat. Even if they won’t outright replace your favorite Zelda titles, they will entertain fans for a few hours.
Skyward Sword HD and NSO + Expansion Pack
The controversial Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is available on Switch for those who want a readily available game from this classic era. While it was originally criticized for being linear, the game has since seen a renaissance in interest, and this HD version is partially responsible for that. It also runs at 60 FPS and has full button controls, although sword swings are relegated to the right analog stick.
Similarly, fans who have the NSO + Expansion Pack can also gain access to Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask on Nintendo 64. These are the first classic 3D Zelda games, so they’re a must-play for fans. If you have a 3DS, these games also have ports with better graphics.
Beyond Good and Evil
Ubisoft’s underrated adventure from the 6th generation of games, Beyond Good and Evil, holds up incredibly well and is a treat for Zelda fans. While the combat and exploration are similar to Link’s 3D titles, there’s also quite a bit of original mechanics here. Picture taking is a major element of the game, as are the various vehicles you’ll be driving.
Jade and Pey’j’s unique adventure has thankfully been preserved with the recent 20th anniversary edition that’s readily available on all platforms. Fans can enjoy this game on every console available. We guarantee that this port will entertain classic 3D Zelda enthusiasts and those who are waiting for that sequel.
Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm
This Zelda-like adventure wears its inspiration on its sleeve, for better or worse. Once fans get over how unoriginal this adventure is, they will find a fairly solid game with good visuals and fun gameplay. If anything is going to make you miss Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess, it’s this game.
It’s also worth noting that the newer versions of this game on Steam and PS5 have more content than the Switch and mobile ports. Either version of this classic 3D Zelda clone is a solid adventure, but fans who want a bit more now know what ports to pick up.
Darksiders
Originally advertised as a God of War-like game, fans were surprised to see that it has more in common with Zelda. Sure, it still had visceral combat and quick-time events, but this game also has more dungeons and puzzles for players to go through. This is basically Zelda for edgy teens, with the post-apocalyptic setting, heaven and hell getting involved, and all the skulls everywhere.
With all that being said, the mix of God of War combat and classic 3D Zelda dungeons does make this game stand out. It’s far from a perfect game, but there’s a lot to like about this entry, and there are three more titles to check out after playing this one. Needless to say, you’ll have a good time with this series.
So far, those are the best games fans can play if they miss classic 3D Zelda. Nintendo has been churning out top-down 2D titles in addition to the open-world and Warriors games, so there’s always hope. Many fans also want Wind Waker HD on Switch or Switch 2, which could always happen.