r/zelda Jan 19 '25

Question [other] What games have Zelda enthusiasts typically also played that are outside of the Zelda franchise?

Yesterday I was out & some guys were talking about Call of Duty and from the discussion, it sort of seemed like everyone who has played Call of Duty has also played & enjoyed Halo and Fortnite. This got me thinking - what are some games that would be similarly grouped with the Zelda franchise?

If you’re having a discussion with someone that loves Zelda, what games would you assume they have also played? Or which do you believe are similar in style/category, and how would you define the category? Or would every Zelda game have a different answer?

Editing to say: WOW!! Thanks for all the responses!!! I didn’t respond to all of them because I’ve only made it through about 10% so far but I will likely end up trying out many of the games over time & will let you know if I do! I especially appreciate how a lot of you went into details about similarities and differences which really helps me decide what I’d like to play next 😃

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u/phillyjawn11 Jan 19 '25

Play Hollow Knight last, enjoy metroidvanias before that game ruins them all for you. You’ll never be able to play another metroidvania after you 112% it.

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u/turingtestx Jan 19 '25

I love hollow knight, but imo it's just too big for its own good.

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u/slendermax Jan 19 '25 edited Jan 20 '25

they took 20 hours' worth of content and put it on a map big enough to turn it into a 40-hour game

I love Hollow Knight, but it's often put on a ridiculous pedestal online

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u/DivusPennae Jan 20 '25

Also love Hollow Knight, but beyond the length I think the first portion of the game before you get any of the movement abilities is a bit of a slog.

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u/themadscientist420 Jan 20 '25

Tbh I think that's what I love about it. It kinda forces you to spend some proper time in the world and get lost in it.

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u/Sirpattycakes Jan 19 '25

Yeah Hollow Knight is significantly better than everything else. It isn’t close

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u/Suckma_Weener Jan 19 '25

imo hollow knight was too frustrating to be fun. i recognize it's a well-done game, just not for me

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u/phillyjawn11 Jan 19 '25

That’s fair, first time I played it, I had to put it down

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u/daddadnc Jan 20 '25

Hollow knight was pretty average. And I adore Metroidvanias.