Best Switch Games Like Breath Of The Wild

With the enthralling Breath of the Wild, and other Zelda games that have come out since, Switch has become a great home for Zelda fans. Not only this, but Nintendo's latst console plays host to many epic, enjoyable Zelda-like adventures; each with distinct traits.

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There are ample franchises — from little-known indies to major releases — that capture the essence and majesty of Breath of the Wild, and the beloved series at large, while bringing unique qualities to the table. These games range in style but adhere to the Zelda formula on some level, be it retro classics or more modern epics on the Big N's 3D consoles.

This list will explore some of the best, most fitting Switch games sure to satiate gamers' Zelda: Breath of the Wild longing.

Updated December 27, 2024, by Gerardo Molina: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is arguably one of the greatest open-world games to have ever been released on both the Nintendo Switch and any other platform. This title features amazing combat mechanics, lots of things to discover, and a broad range of NPCs and side quests that keep the experience interesting. Since Breath of the Wild was released, many games have tried to emulate it, and while some have failed, others have been very successful, offering players a chance to get a similar experience while focusing on other universes. This formula seems to work very well, and more often than not, makes for entertaining gameplay.

33 Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

A Metroidvania With Beautiful Environments

Ori and the Will of the Wisps takes place right after the events of the prequel, Ori and the Blind Forest. This title also presents players with a beautiful environment that they can explore while encountering a few challenges and other surprises along the way.

The main objectives of the game remain exploration, item collection and upgrading, and backtracking to discover previously inaccessible areas. All in all, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a great title that will give players who love Breath of the Wild exactly what they’re looking for.

32 Sonic Frontiers

An Outstanding Addition To The Popular Sonic Franchise

Sonic Frontiers will task players with exploring the Starfall Islands, looking for Chaos Emeralds that they'll have to collect. Similar to other titles in the franchise, Sonic Frontiers has fast-paced combat and a lot of action that will keep players entertained for several hours.

The game not only allows players to explore the islands in many different ways, but also pits them against certain area enemies and bosses that are challenging enough to be fun, but not enough to be frustrating, making for a perfect combination.

31 Effie

Homage To The Glory Days Of Early 3D Adventuring

Effie is a charming throwback to the early days of 3D gaming, featuring a colorful but humble aesthetic. The vibe feels very "N64 Rareware" or "PlayStation 2 Naughty Dog" — but in a delightful way! The game brings a nostalgic and artistic charm, fleshed out by quasi-open-world exploration and sword-based combat.

It resembles Zelda in some aspects — especially the on-the-nose fantasy hero themes, as well as its arcade-style action and deep adventuring. Though Inverge Studios also rounds things out with some basic 3D platforming, keeping things upbeat and fun even when traversing the colorful worlds alone.

30 Moonlighter

Shopkeeper By Day, Dungeon Crawler By Night

Moonlighter can be described as an homage to the 2D dungeons traversed by Link, fused with a shop-keeping sim — and a touch of Stardew Valley. The experience shifts from ARPG-style action to shop and finance management. Players not only pawn the goodies they just gathered, but set prices and alter them according to popularity. It's a clever, rewarding experience that scarcely gets old.

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Just beyond town are a slew of randomized dungeons that bring tough roguelite gameplay, as players must delve into vast monster-laden depths to get items and resources for their shop — which expands as the shop-keeping monster slayer gains more wealth. The accessible, simple combat is balanced by a surprisingly deep in-game economy and ample layers of progression.

29 Paper Mario: The Origami King

Unfold And Unpack A Great Mario Adventure

In a departure from most games starring Nintendo's famous mustached mascot, the Paper Mario series has thrived on narrative-driven gameplay, deep progression, and a sense of humor. Origami King holds these traits in spades, with a surprisingly compelling (and slightly dark) tale featuring folded Origami foes. Shoving Bowser aside, the game features a new dynamic villain named King Olly, leader of the "Folded Soldiers".

The combat is similarly deep and memorable, featuring a circular grid in which players must shift and rotate baddies scattered about to more effectively defeat them in fewer hits. While more whimsical than Breath of the Wild, this game is similarly dripping with imagination, colorful worlds, and rewarding gameplay.

28 Death's Door

Ample Dungeons, Tools, And Puzzles

Studio Acid Nerve proves that fantasy concepts can still be applied without adhering to tired tropes. Case in point? The aptly-named Death's Door, which brings the amusing premise of a reaper crow gathering souls for the afterlife, embodied by the "Reaping Commission Headquarters". Absurd themes aside, Death's Door shines as an amusing, atmospheric dungeon explorer and puzzler at the end of the day.

The level design is akin to classic Zelda dungeon crawlers, while the stylish, shadowy aesthetic reminds one of Twilight Princess' darker bouts. Swappable weapons and tools, deep progression, and some fun abilities also make this indie a compelling choice for fans of Nintendo's fantasy series.

27 Sable

Hand-Crafted Locales Inspired By Zelda

Ancient mythological civilizations? Check. Highly stylized graphics and open-world locales? Yes indeed. A story-driven quest driven by NPC interactions? Check that too. Combat? Not so much... Indeed, Sable can be considered a reimagined version of 3D Zelda — assuming that alternate vision didn't include any form of fighting.

Rather, Shedworks' adventure stresses discovery, world traversal, puzzles, and platforming — wrapped in a story-driven campaign. That's not to say there's a lack of action here, as the heroine Sable will spend plenty of time on her hoverbike zipping through the vast desert planet of Midden.

This is a good pick for fans seeking that same Zelda vibe but with a lower-key, borderline relaxing, experience. At least players won't have to worry about those pesky Guardians here.

26 Super Mario RPG (Remake)

A Nintendo-Branded RPG With Exciting Combat

Mario's debut in the RPG realm makes an emphatic return in this vibrant, delightful Switch remake. The same core gameplay and atmosphere of the original classic remain in all of their glory. Mario must again team up with Peach, Bowser, and Square Enix creations Geno and Mallow to rid the Mushroom Kingdom of Smithy and his gang.

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Of course, the visuals have been spruced up, and they complement the isometric perspective nicely. Various aspects have been refined and added, including a new chain combo system, AoE (area of effect) attacks, and a combined super move that can be used to wallop foes into oblivion.

The time-based hits heavily featured in battle (which are now more clearly conveyed) add some pacing and excitement to the turn-based combat Like Zelda, this Mario romp is a glorious symphony of Nintendo's charm and accessibility — coupled with rich, rewarding RPG and adventure gameplay.

25 Biomutant

Open-world ARPG Combat And Exploring, Freezing Cold Zones

While garnering a mixed reception, it's hard to deny the unique appeal and amusing themes of this mammalian ARPG by Experiment 101. Players will venture through a vibrant post-apocalyptic world as they clash with hostile mutant animals. Fusing fantasy role-playing and sci-fi action, Biomutant offers plenty of zany fun as players explore and toy with various weapons and powers.

While the Zelda comparison is more of a stretch here, the game holds some parallels to Breath of the Wild, including open-world journeying, fast-paced combat, and icy-cold biomes for good measure. There's even the familiar mechanic of lacing the animal hero with equipment to deal with different environments and dynamic weather. This wild quest utilizes various influences ranging from Zelda to Mass Effect to Kung Fu — yet the result is a truly unique experience.

24 Diablo 3: Eternal Collection

Dungeon-Crawling Exploration And Ample Loot

Switch gamers may be missing out on the darker, more expansive Diablo 4, but they can boast possessing perhaps the best way to experience its predecessor on console. Between the alluring dungeon crawling, simple-yet-deep progression, and seamless co-op (local and online), fans of Blizzard's groundbreaking RPG will have their hands full here. It also helps that this version has had years of fine-tuning under its belt, after a rather shaky initial release.

The Eternal Collection on Switch brings the Reaper of Souls add-on, the deadly Necromancer class, and a slew of rotating seasonal events to add even more replay value. As a neat bonus, Zelda fans can enjoy a Ganondorf-themed cosmetic armor set, further adding to the game's sinister tinge.