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The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

14 Dark games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past that you should try

Games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past · Find similar →

We filtered the 34 games similar to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past down to the 14 that fit the “Dark” category. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

NextGameLike96/ 100

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GenrePuzzleSubgenreLogic Puzzle
Tags
DarkSolo
Year 1991Dev Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development

Quick answer

Within the “Dark” category, the closest game to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons — scoring 87/100 on our similarity scale. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX follow close behind.

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The best dark games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

14 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Each one has been evaluated across 9 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

87
NGL93
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
Closest overall match
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloMagicRangedDarkFantasyIsometricPixel Art
Year 2001Dev Capcom Production Studio 1 · Nintendo

The resemblance to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is about as close as this list gets: they line up on genre, combat and game mode. To that it adds fantasy world and single-player focus.

Released 10 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals100
4

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

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NGL90
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloMagicRangedDarkFantasyIsometricPixel Art
Year 2004Dev Capcom Production Studio 1 · Nintendo

What brings it close to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and magic-based combat, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. Both also lean on an isometric view and fantasy world. What it adds of its own: melee combat.

Released 13 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals100Combat88
5

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

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NGL95
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkIsometric
Year 2001Dev Capcom Production Studio 1 · Nintendo

Held in common with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus. Both also lean on an isometric view.

Released 10 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals75
6

Paper Lily - Chapter 1

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Paper Lily - Chapter 1
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkIsometricPixel ArtHorror
Year 2023Dev Leef 6010Playtime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

What brings it close to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is setting: horror setting.

Released 32 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Setting0
7

Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards

66
NGL75
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkPixel ArtNarrative2D
Year 1987Dev Sierra On-LineOn Linux · PC · Mac

The genre is the same as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past’s, and with it puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus. To that it adds pixel art. They part company on visuals and tone: this one brings strong narrative focus and 2D presentation.

Genre100Game mode100Tone57Visuals34
8

Kathy Rain

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Kathy Rain
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkPixel ArtNarrative2D
Year 2016Dev Clifftop Games · Raw FuryOn Android · PC · iOS

It comes from the same genre as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and shares puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus. The common ground extends to pixel art. Where the two diverge is visuals and tone: strong narrative focus and 2D presentation.

Released 25 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone54Visuals42
9

Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror

66
NGL93
Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkFantasyNarrativeHistorical
Year 1997Dev Revolution Software · Crave EntertainmentOn PC

It comes from the same genre as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and shares puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and fantasy world. Both also lean on single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and setting — its own ground is strong narrative focus and historical setting.

Released 6 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone66Setting58Visuals0
10

Circle of Blood

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NGL85
Circle of Blood
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkFantasyNarrativeHistorical
Year 1996Dev Revolution Software · THQOn PC · Mac

The genre is the same as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past’s, and with it puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and fantasy world. Both also lean on single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and setting — its own ground is strong narrative focus and historical setting.

Released 5 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone66Setting58Visuals0
11

The Blackwell Legacy

65
NGL83
The Blackwell Legacy
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkPixel ArtNarrative2D
Year 2006Dev Wadjet Eye GamesOn Linux · Android · PC

Genre puts it alongside The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and so does puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus. To that it adds pixel art. They part company on tone and visuals: this one brings strong narrative focus and 2D presentation.

Released 15 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone44Visuals44
12

Blackwell Unbound

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NGL94
Blackwell Unbound
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkPixel ArtNarrative2D
Year 2007Dev Wadjet Eye GamesOn Linux · Android · PC

Genre puts it alongside The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and so does puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus. The common ground extends to pixel art. Where the two diverge is visuals and tone: strong narrative focus and 2D presentation.

Released 16 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone44Visuals38
13

Ib

65
NGL85
Ib
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkIsometricHorror
Year 2012Dev kouriOn PC

Its point of contact with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is setting: horror setting.

Released 21 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals75Setting0
14

Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail!

62
NGL86
Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail!
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloDarkNarrative2D
Year 1996Dev Sierra On-LineOn Linux · PC · Mac

Genre puts it alongside The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and so does puzzle design, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and tone: strong narrative focus and 2D presentation.

Released 5 years after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Genre100Game mode100Tone53Visuals0

Explore games similar to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past by category

If The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the adventure or the dark that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on PC and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past look-alike but simply the best Logic Puzzle Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Puzzle Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.