Summary
SinceThe Legend of Zelda’sfirst release, the princess and her hero companion have not been the only part of the game to capture our hearts. One key to the series gameplay is the iconic dungeons in the franchise, known for their themes, puzzles, mini-bosses, unique items, and challenging final bosses.
In general, a Zelda dungeon teaches you how to use the items and skills; you need to overcome its obstacles by having you practice them the deeper you go until you reach the final boss. Then, in the rest of the game, these skills stack, giving you creative solutions you didn’t have before. And that formula has inspired countless games. So if you’re looking for another dungeon fix, look no further.
Jun 11, 2025
Platforms
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X and Series S
In Unsighted, you play as the Automaton Alma, who must work to save her friends from becoming mindless killing machines as she traverses a war-torn landscape. Like Zelda, the game encourages non-linear exploration, features a range of enemies that lead up to mini-bosses and bosses, and has you solving small puzzles to progress.
Another specific, Zelda-like mechanic is that Unsighted has younavigating the open world using the items you receive. As you get more of them, and figure out new item/environment interactions, you’ll be able to access new areas.
PC
A love letter to Zelda games, Lenna’s Inception is about a tutor who must step in and take the role of hero when he dies before he can save her island. The threat is a glitching mechanic that introduces some interesting twists to the formula, but at its heart, the dungeons are clones of the classic Zelda format.
The game comes in two different art styles, has multiple endings, different game modes, and procedurally generated maps within each area, so it has high replay value. Because of the randomization of the maps, each area requires one item to overcome the obstacles present, and these items don’t stack in the planned way they do in Zelda games, but the game is still more than worth it for fans of the franchise.
Release Date
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series S/X
As a reaper of souls in Death’s Door, and an adorable crow, your adventure starts when one of your souls is stolen, and you have to track down the thief through a deathless world. Highly stylized, this game is not as exploration-focused as the Zelda games, but does feature the same style of dungeon.
You’ll have to solve puzzles to progress, pay attention to your surroundings, and help out the NPCs you come across — all things that would make Link proud. Likewise, the enemy progression is similar, as you defeat each of the three smaller bosses leading up to the big boss in their own, themed areas, finding hidden upgrades and honing your skills.
Even in the description, CrossCode points out how important retro action RPGs, like Legend of Zelda, were to inspiring its development. You wake up a mute (sound familiar?) and amnesiac character named Lea in the fictional MMORPG CrossWorlds, who must then figure out who she is.
CrossCode focuses heavily on puzzles in its seven dungeons, and it takes the puzzle aspect much further both in frequency and difficulty. It also focus on unique items like in Zelda, and takes that to a new level, featuring skill trees and customization to help you find each enemy’s weakness and target them in fast-paced fights.
Nintendo Switch
While this may seem like a strange choice, Paper Mario TOK takes some of its cues from Tears of the Kingdom. The world is divided into sections filled with obstacles, bosses, and puzzles that you have to master different abilities to solve. There are even various dungeons themed around elements, which is a Zelda mainstay.
Of course, the game is going to be easier than your typical Zelda game, but it’s a solid choiceto fill the Zelda-shaped hole in our heartsas we wait eagerly for the next release. It’s also a good choice for Zelda fans who are introducing children to the idea of playing through a dungeon filled with puzzles centered around a theme and a final boss.
A game that’s much more complex than it looks,Tunic is an Isometric RPGthat only tells you that you’ll take on the role of a little, curious fox exploring a big world full of puzzles and monsters. From there, everything you learn is up to you and your experience of the game (and the guide book you unlock page by page).
Tunic marries its puzzles with its world-building, offering you the fun of a Zelda-like dungeon while also revealing the lore of the world. It also features the more difficult combat, rewarding exploration, and cryptic hints that fans of older Zelda games will love.
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
This 16-bit game combines the style and gameplay of Link’s Awakening with the abstract plot of traveling through a person’s subconscious. Playing this game is like being transported back to playing through Zelda’s dungeons on your Gameboy, but with a surreal, creepy edge that isn’t afraid to cross over into the outright bizarre.
A lighter version of a Zelda game, Andoyne focuses less on combat and overall difficulty and more on the atmosphere of the dungeons. As you solve puzzles and dodge traps, talking to NPCs, you’ll have the chance to figure out the mechanics of the game on your own, even if it isn’t exactly action-packed.
Nintendo Switch, PC
In the land of Tasos, the Goddesses who once sealed away four evil Titans in four Great Dungeons are now asking for heroes to come forth as the seals weaken, and the evil threatens to break free. If that sounds familiar, don’t worry, the game makes no secret of being directly inspired by Zelda.
With a multiplayer option, you explore procedurally generated dungeons that have a randomized assortment of enemies, puzzles, and traps. Weapons Zelda fans will be familiar with, like the Grappling Hook and Boomerang, make an appearance alongside the sword and spell play. Unlike Zelda, Rogue Heroes also has elements reminiscent of Stardew Valley, as you re-build your town.
This hand-animated game challenges players to explore a beautiful, neon-apocalyptic, dialogue-less world. Between the sword, the array of other weapons needed to progress, the structure of a mute hero set out to explore, and the dungeons full of secrets that you’ll need to pay close attention to find, the Zelda inspiration is obvious.
However, where Hyper Light Drifter sets itself apart from Zelda is in its combat; the game is more difficult. Your character is ill, and this is a limiting factor in the way the battles are designed. If you want a tougher time when playing through Zelda, this is the game for you.
At the end of the day, if no game can quite capture the type of Zelda-like dungeon you want to see, why not make your own? Super Dungeon Maker allows you to create your own dungeons, share them with friends, and access a community archive of creator-dungeons. That way, you’ll never run out of new dungeons to explore.
It is inspired by 2D adventure games,like the older Zelda titles,so the graphics will fit right in with your experiences with the original games. Though Super Dungeon Maker encountered some technical difficulties upon release, it is actively being worked on by the development team, and each update brings us closer to our perfectly realized dungeon dreams.
