Few video game franchises have had more influence over the industry quite likeThe Legend of Zelda. The series began on the NES in 1986, becoming one of Nintendo’s biggest hits, but it wasn’t until the Nintendo 64 titleOcarina of Timethat the franchise fully transitioned into 3D action-adventure. However, some have still remained nostalgic for the 2D roots ofZelda.
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Particularly in the world of indie games, homages toThe Legend of Zeldaand its 2D titles, including ones likeZelda 2: The Adventure of LinkandA Link to the Pastfor the SNES, are not uncommon. These eight video games, some of which have become iconic in their own right, some would say bear a great resemblance to the 2D adventures in Hyrule.
8Ittle Dew 2
The originalIttle Dewwas released in 2013, but its sequel three years later is the superior version in my fans' eyes. With its cartoonish graphics and top-down perspective, it’s very easy to see how this game’s aesthetic and design take heavy inspiration from the 2DZeldagames, but this is even true of the game’s veryZelda-esque story.
InIttle Dew 2, players control the green-shirted Ittle, who ends up stranded on an island and make it their mission to repair their raft and escape, paying tribute tothe storyline of the Nintendo GameBoy titleLink’s Awakening. Along the way, they encounter enemies and dungeons very reminiscent of theZeldafranchise, though with not a lot of originality in store.
7Tunic
The recently-releasedTunicisone of the most obvious, and charming, 2DZeldaclonesout there. Available on all platforms, players control an anthropomorphic fox wearing a familiar green tunic, wielding a sword and shield. While exploring this fantasy world, players collect pages from an in-game manual, which offers directions on how to advance.
Its endearing art design and clever gameplay and worldbuilding will certainly delight fans who miss the good old days ofThe Legend of Zeldaon NES. Though many aspects of it are clearly ripped off ofZelda, the developers do a great job at making it trend more toward the side of homage rather than a blatant cash grab, whichTuniccertainly is not.
6Songbringer
Released in 2017,Songbringerwas crowdfunded by its lead designer, Nathanael Weiss, with the intention to make an homage toThe Legend of Zeldaincorporating a procedurally generated world. This makes for a much more unique 2DZelda-esque experience than most other indie games can offer, mixing the franchise’s staples with rogue-like randomness.
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It’s particularly the dungeons ofSongbringerthat resemble the 2DZeldaexperience the most, as players lead their charismatic sword-swinger through darkened rooms solving puzzles to advance to the next. The edge it has over many otherZeldaclones is also its stellar synthwave soundtrack that perfectly fits its 1980s retro vibe.
5Blossom Tales 2: The Minotaur Prince
Blossom Tales: The Sleeping Kingoriginally released in 2017, features an extremely polished top-down fantasy world that will leaveeven the most hardcore 2DZeldafansstunned. In 2022, it was followed up by a sequel,Blossom Tales 2: The Minotaur Prince, which upgrades pretty much every aspect of the game as a good sequel should.
WhatBlossom Talesas a franchise boasts over the lower entries on this list is its choice-based storytelling, allowing players to truly influence events more so than they can in 2DThe Legend of Zeldaadventures, which tend to be fairly linear. However, the next four entries on this list simply haveBlossom Talesbeat in both polish, originality, and legacy.
4Crosscode
This 2018 game is another crowdfunded RPG that takes place in a fictional MMORPG called “CrossWorlds.” Unlike other 2DZeldaclones, this trades the typical fantasy and medieval settings ofThe Legend of Zeldafor a neo-futuristic video game world. It also boasts an incredibly fun and complex real-time battle system that lets players grow stronger over time.
It also boasts similarities to 2DZeldagames with its array of side quests, which players can complete in exchange for bonuses and items they wouldn’t normally find elsewhere. Overall, it’s the type ofZeldaclone that allows players to fully immerse themselves in the video game world as much as they would in Hyrule.
3The Binding Of Isaac
The Binding of Isaacis one of the most iconic indie games of all time, though many might be oblivious to its obviousZeldainspirations. In the game, players control the naked Isaac, a boy who escapes into the vast catacombs underneath his home after God tells his mother to sacrifice him. For the unaware,the actual game is just as disturbing as it sounds.
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The Binding of Isaacparticularly features procedurally generated dungeons and roguelike mechanics, giving players an infinite number of chances to escape and eventually defeat Isaac’s mother. Though the game drew controversy for its religious themes, even barring a port to Nintendo 3DS, its lively community of supportive fans has kept it relevant today.
2Hyper Light Drifter
According to lead designer Alx Preston,Hyper Light Driftercombines the worldbuilding ofThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Pastwith the fast-paced combat of theDiablofranchise. As a result, the game has remained one of the most iconic indie games of all time, spawning spin-offs, guest appearances in other games, and even an upcoming anime.
Though the game does not have as many obvious references toThe Legend of Zeldaas other titles on this list, its top-down perspective and vast fantasy world will certainly delight longtime fans ofThe Legend of Zeldaand its various 2D forms. Though it was originally released in 2016,the game still feels completely fresh and originaleven in 2023.
1Shovel Knight
Shovel Knighthas many retro games to thank for inspiring it, butZelda 2: The Adventure of Linkappears to be one of the clearest. In the game, players control the heroic shovel-wielding protagonist as he takes on the Order of No Quarter, aMega Man-esque cavalcade of villains, while also exploring vibrant towns and even utilizing familiarZeldamoves.
Though it may be reductive to simply label a game as polished and expansive asShovel Knightas a mere 2DZeldaclone, the indie game definitely wears its heart on its sleeve. However, fans of bothZeldaandShovel Knightwill want to keep their eyes out forYacht Club Games' upcoming titleMina the Hollower, which is even more of aZeldatribute.
