The Ultimate Guide to Must-Play Games for Zelda: The Wind Waker Fans

Highlights

Darksiders: Providing a distinct experience from Wind Waker, Darksiders presents comparable gameplay and structure that can captivate fans of Wind Waker. Featuring immersive dungeons, expansive exploration, and enticing collectibles, this game offers an adventure parallel to that of Wind Waker.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag and Sable both offer open-sea exploration and a pirate theme, but they have distinctive combat mechanics and graphical styles. In contrast to Wind Waker, Black Flag features its own unique combat system and visual design.

Sable, on the other hand, is an exploration-focused game that does not involve combat. It presents players with a breathtaking world to discover, challenging puzzles to solve, and a day/night cycle reminiscent of the immersive exploration experience found in Wind Waker.

The Legend Of Zelda franchise from Nintendo is widely recognized and loved in the gaming world. Among its numerous installments, The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker holds a special place for its player freedom and distinct cel-shaded art style.

Over the years, very few games have successfully captured the unique gameplay and atmosphere of Wind Waker. However, there have been some notable examples that come close, making them worthwhile for fans seeking a similar experience outside The Legend Of Zelda series. While these games may not be exact replicas of Wind Waker, they do possess elements that would likely resonate with many Wind Waker enthusiasts.

6 Darksiders

For those who enjoy the gameplay and structure of Wind Waker, as well as being fans of spectacle fighters and games like God Of War, Darksiders offers a unique theme, aesthetic, and atmosphere. Wind Waker fans may find enjoyment in Darksiders' diverse dungeons filled with puzzles, enemy encounters, and challenging bosses. Additionally, Darksiders offers ample opportunities for exploration and collecting, which Wind Waker enthusiasts are likely to appreciate. While Darksiders sets a different tone than Wind Waker, there are still familiar elements to be discovered, making this game a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy spectacle fighters.

5 Assassin's Creed Black Flag

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series takes a refreshing turn with Black Flag, incorporating a pirate-themed storyline and an expansive open-sea environment. Much like Wind Waker, this installment grants players the ability to commandeer a ship and embark on thrilling adventures across the vast ocean, granting them unprecedented freedom.

In addition to the exhilarating sailing mechanics, fans of Wind Waker will appreciate Black Flag's pirate-centric narrative and the thrill of hunting for hidden treasures amidst the game's sprawling open world, which includes numerous captivating islands. It should be noted, however, that Black Flag's fundamental gameplay elements, such as combat and stealth mechanics, differ significantly from those found in Wind Waker. Moreover, the charming and distinctive cel-shaded art style that distinguishes Wind Waker is absent in Black Flag.

4 Sable

Sable is a peaceful exploration game that immerses players in a beautifully imagined world. Instead of combat, the game focuses on its narrative and the joy of exploration. The world itself is breathtaking, with sweeping landscapes, mesmerizing landmarks, and massive wreckages creating a stunning backdrop.

Players can explore the wonders of Sable on foot or ride a customizable hoverbike. Along the way, they will encounter various puzzles to solve, adding depth to the gameplay. The game's day/night cycle enhances the gorgeous visuals, ensuring that players never take the stunning colors for granted.

Overall, Sable offers an atmospheric and awe-inspiring experience that evokes the feeling of exploring the world of Wind Waker. However, it does not provide the swash-buckling hack-and-slash adventure that Wind Waker is famous for.

3 Lil Gator Game

This hyper-casual adventure game emphasizes exploration and an engaging story filled with delightful and eccentric characters for players to interact with and complete quests. The game eliminates the need for a health bar and, as a result, lacks true challenges. Instead, it centers around the immersive atmospheres and joy of exploration and adventure, rather than combat and difficulty.

Due to its unique qualities, Lil Gator Game may not cater to everyone's preferences. Though the game draws inspiration from Wind Waker in terms of its graphical style and story, its gameplay differs significantly, omitting any sailing experiences. Therefore, for fans of Wind Waker seeking a more demanding game featuring numerous enemies, combat, and bosses, Lil Gator Game may not be the ideal choice. However, for Wind Waker enthusiasts seeking a similarly endearing and peculiar style and atmosphere, and are open to a casual game that revolves around exploration and interacting with non-playable characters, Lil Gator Game is worth a try.

2 Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles offers a different gameplay experience compared to Wind Waker, as it lacks combat. However, for players willing to embrace the game's peaceful nature, there awaits a vast and enchanting open world to discover.

In Yonder, players embark on quests for different non-playable characters, while also engaging in fishing, farming, crafting, and trading mechanics. Along their journey, players will encounter various puzzles, appealing to fans of Wind Waker. With its meticulously designed world, delightful visuals, and the tremendous freedom it affords players, Wind Waker fans who don't mind the absence of combat will find themselves immersed in a state of pure bliss.

1 Oceanhorn: Monster Of Uncharted Seas

Oceanhorn: Monster Of Uncharted Seas is an unabashed clone of Zelda, drawing inspiration primarily from Majora's Mask and Wind Waker. Although it shares the action-adventure genre with Wind Waker, Oceanhorn distinguishes itself with a fixed-camera perspective and elements from older Zelda games, which may not appeal to all fans of Wind Waker.

Originally released for mobile, Oceanhorn has been successfully ported to Steam, offering a relatively stable experience. The game invites players to battle through various dungeons filled with puzzles, loot, and enemies. It also pays homage to Wind Waker's sailing mechanics, but with slightly less freedom. Overall, Oceanhorn delivers a captivating Zelda-like adventure that borrows heavily from Wind Waker, while introducing a fixed camera and a level-up system to add its own unique touch. However, it falls short of achieving the same level of open-world exploration and player freedom found in Wind Waker.