Once a player has finished exploring the forests and plateaus inThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, they might suddenly be struck with some sort of Hyrule hangover. After all, Nintendo’s expansive open world is full of unique moments of discovery, compelling puzzles, and challenging enemies ever created in the last decade.
While there may not be many games as celebrated asBreath of the Wild, there are plenty of other titles with large worlds, awesome monsters, and nooks and crannies just waiting to be explored. So, let’s take a tour through a few projects with massive maps, swords, explorative adventures, or all of the above. The following titles may not beBreath of the Wild, but they will certainly scratch the same itch. Let’s take a look at some of thebest games likeZelda: BOTW.
Updated July 11, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Over the last month, Nintendo confirmed that Switch 2 is on the horizon. More information should drop in April 2025, but it is an exciting time to be a Nintendo fan. As the Switch’s time in the sun gradually comes to an end, BOTW will soon belong to an outdated console generation, which is hard to believe as the game still seems fresh and new.
Another open-world game has been added as a recommendation. Click below to jump to this newcomer. Alternatively, check out some upcominggames like Breath of the Wild.
Echoes of Wisdomis obviously designed to be a throwback to classicZelda, which means an isometric angle, traditional dungeons, and (relatively) linear progression. While a better option forpeople who wantLink’s Awakeningrather thanBreath of the Wild, this 2024 release is still likely to strike a chord with fans of the latter, especially if they also loveTears of the Kingdom.
For the first time in a long time, Princess Zelda takes center stage, going on an adventure to close rifts and protect Hyrule. She is accompanied by a fairy named Tri and is armed with the Tri Rod, which (among other things) presents her with the ability to store echoes. Essentially, Zelda retains a copy of defeated enemies that she can summon during battles; more importantly, she can store echoes of items, which are necessary for traversal and puzzles.
Echoes are similar toTears of the Kingdom’s Fuse feature, with both emphasizing creativity and freedom.Echoes of Wisdom’s system is comparatively streamlined to reflect the campaign’s traditional structure, but it still delivers a similar joy as the older mechanic. Even the menu for swapping echoes is reminiscent ofBreath of the Wildand its sequel. Though not open-world, the game has sandbox elements, which have been a part of the franchise since the very start. Players are encouraged to explore and experiment, all the while being presented with a path forward rather thanBOTW’s open-ended nature.
After more than six years, Nintendo finally releasedBreath of the Wild’s sequel, and the developer somehow did the impossible:Tears of the Kingdomdid not disappoint. Obviously,Zeldagames are nearly all of extremely high quality, butBOTWgarnered such universal acclaim that a successor needed to be near-perfect to live up to the hype, especially since its sandbox gameplay might not seem as fresh. Make no mistake,TOTKis very much a properBOTWsequel, including taking place in the same Hyrule and featuring many of the core mechanics that defined the 2017 release. That includes weapon degradation, an overabundance of shrines, and a structure that prioritizes player freedom above everything else.
Wisely,Tears of the Kingdomsees no need to mess with a winning formula, opting instead to enhance rather than redefine the base experience. However, the sequel still incorporates novel ideas that give it a different feel toBOTW. For one,TOTKintroduces and makes brilliant use of a fusion ability that allows Link to combine weapons, shields, and materials. The latter is especially important since many of the puzzles encourage players to craft unique devices to complete them. Once again, the story takes something of a backseat, althoughTOTK’s opening hours have a bit more direction thanBOTW, which makes sense since the sequel finds Hyrule in an era of recovery rather than desolation.
If someone dislikesBOTW, they are likely to have the same reaction toTOTK, particularly if they are not into sandbox-driven content. Conversely, anyone who adores the 2017 release might very well fall in love with the sequel.
FromSoftware’sElden RingandBreath of the Wildare vastly different in a number of key areas. While Nintendo’s game certainly has its dark undertones,Elden Ringis a Lovecraftian nightmare in comparison. Set withinthe Lands Between, the game’s world is an unforgiving place filled with terrifying monstrosities that are aggressive, relentless, and, in some cases, massive.Elden Ring’s combat expands onDark Souls' systems, coming with a wide range of build options so that players can approach scenarios in their preferred way. Melee, ranged, magic, and even stealth are all viable forms for approaching battles.
For all their unique elements, these two fantastic games do share one very important thing: they approach open-world design in similar ways.Elden RingandBreath of the Wilddrop players on a vast map and simply let them explore. Although the former does provide more direction than the latter, the Tarnished are free to roam as they see fit, and there is a lot to discover in the Lands Between.
Shadow of the Erdtreeis also great, and the expansion is very substantial.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamitywas released for the Nintendo Switch as a follow-up toHyrule Warriors. To be clear, the gameplay is very different fromBreath of the Wild, as theHyrule Warriorsgamestake on the hack and slash format of theDynasty Warriorsfranchise.
However, the reason that it’s a great recommendation is thatAge of Calamityis a prequel that is set 100 years prior to the events ofBreath of the Wild, depicting the Great Calamity. This makes it a must for anyone who is a fan of theBreath of the Wildstoryline and wants to know more about the backstory.
Naturally,Breath of the Wild’s success rippled throughout the industry, encouraging a few developers to take inspiration from Nintendo’s masterpiece.Ubisoft’sImmortals Fenyx Risingwas arguably the most unabashedlyBOTW-esque project to spawn from this movement, especially since it was quite a high-profile release by modern standards. Ubisoft also does not explore new IPs all that often, so this 2020 title still came as a breath of fresh air despite its similarities to Link’s 2017 Hyrule adventure. While someone’s mileage may vary depending on their tolerance for the publisher’s tropes,Immortals Fenyx Risinghas plenty of positives that make it an easy recommendation for not only fans ofBOTWbut also anyone searching for an open-world game in general.
Inspired by Greek mythology and presented as a hero’s journey narrated by Prometheus to Zeus, players take control of the eponymous Fenyx, a Greek soldier who must free the gods who have been corrupted by Typhon. The Golden Isle serves as the story’s main setting, and it is divided into clearly defined regions that are tied to specific deities. Fast-paced and stylish, the combat is fairly typical for a hack and slash title, and the system improves once Fenyx unlocks all his godly powers.
In hindsight, early rumblings thatGenshin Impactwas just aBreath of the Wildclone were largely off-base. MiHoYo’s action RPG has been nothing short of a resounding success since its 2020 launch, and it is still going as strong. The publisher regularly releases major and minor updates to keep the player base engaged, and the game has amassed a dedicated community filled with people who are enamored by everything that takes place within Teyvat. Now,Genshin Impacttakes a few pages fromBOTW’s playbook, mainly its art style and a handful of traversal mechanics, but they are fairly superficial similarities; overall, the two games play completely differently.
Despite being a free-to-play title,Genshin Impactis a single-player RPG that focuses on real-time squad combat rather than a conventional MMO. As a gacha game, players will be spending a lot of time trying to pull new characters and weapons as they try to piece together their ideal party. Within battles, players can swap between four characters with the click of a button, and the available roster’s members are diverse enough to encourage team setup experimentation. The world, Teyvat, is constantly expanding as new regions become playable, and the map is now massive.
miHoYo’s other free-to-play games (Honkai: Star RailandZenless Zone Zero) are also very good, but they are not similar toBOTW. That said, they are well-worth downloads if someone is craving a turn-based RPG (Honkai) or a mission-based action RPG (ZZZ).
Similar toBOTW,Palworldoffers an open-world experience that takes inspiration from multiple areas but still succeeds in being a unique, one-of-a-kind package. Before its early access debut, Pocket Pair’s project seemed too good to be true. Blending survival elements with monster collection, third-person shooting,base building, and exploration, the game appeared destined to stretch itself too thin; however, those fears proved to be largely unfounded. Even in its current incomplete state,Palworldis already fantastic, with most of its ideas gelling to create a surprisingly consistent whole.
While their core gameplay loops are quite different,PalworldandBOTWboth excel in allowing players the freedom to move at their own speeds. They present goals that can be worked towards without forcing them upon players, leading to a campaign that is always about the journey and not the destination. Crafting is also a big part ofPalworld, especially during a playthrough’s early hours.
Nintendo’s 2017 was positively stellar. The release of a console along with two amazing titles established the company as a top-of-the-line console manufacturer and video game developer once again. The first game that was launched along with the Switch wasBreath of the Wild, whileSuper Mario Odysseycame out later that same year.
Just likeBreath of the Wild,Super Mario Odysseyhas secrets awaiting the player at every corner. It makes for an excellent platforming title where players have all the freedom in the world to accomplish challenges and unlock the wealth of content that lies within.Games likeBOTWtake a classic property and frame it around modern gaming conventions;Super Mario Odysseyisn’t quite as big of a departure from previous3DMariogamesasBreath of the Wildis toThe Legend of Zelda, but it is in the same ballpark.
TheMonster Hunterseries has been on a constant high since the debut ofMonster Hunter World, a game that most people consider to be the most accessible title in the series. So, it’s only a given as to why so many people were hyped forMonster Hunter Rise.
The game is another excellent entry in theMonster Hunterseries. The tough combat and weapon variety makeRisea decent recommendation for Switch owners seekinggames likeBreath of the Wild. WithinMonster Hunter Rise’s small explorable areas, players are free to utilize their tools, experience, and knowledge to hunt the massive beasts that await. Now, it should be noted thatRisehas a very different gameplay loop thanBOTW, with the game focusing exclusively on boss encounters rather than open-world exploration. Still, if someone is craving an action-focused Switch project, Capcom’s release is a safe bet.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimateis also on the Switch, and it has far more content thanRise. However, it is also a lot more difficult.
Breath of the Wild’s unfettered exploration allows players to experience some truly magical moments. In 2017, this feeling was something that most gamers hadn’t experienced since the release ofSkyrim.
To this day,Skyrimstill stands tall as one of the best open-world RPGs around. Bethesda hit a gold mine with this title that it hasn’t stopped mining since. Although there is far more emphasis on story in the 2011 RPG thanBreath of the Wild,Skyrimshines the brightest when treated as a sandbox for players to immerse themselves in.
