Legend of the Skyfish and 5 more iOS games that remind us of Zelda

By , on August 18, 2016
Last modified 8 years, 4 months ago

Legend of the Skyfish is a bright new iOS adventure game from Crescent Moon Games and Mgaia Studios, and it obviously owes a debt to Nintendo's Zelda series.

It can be seen in the game's whimsical art style, top-down adventuring, and quirky fairytale lore. Even the protagonist's signature tool/weapon is reminiscent of the hook shot Link so often wields in the Zelda series.

This isn't the first iOS game to take inspiration from Nintendo's iconic action-RPG. There are been plenty of tributes, both explicit and subtle.

Here are five of best and most obvious Zelda-like games on iOS.

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas

Ocean horn

There's no getting away from it. Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is madly in love with Zelda. You can see it in the design of the mute main character, right down to game mechanics like finding heart quarters and dank dungeons linked by a bright overworld.

Ittle Dew

Title Dew

Ittle Dew goes back to classic 2D Zelda games like the original NES game and Link to the Past. It's a familiar game of exploration and gentle block-pushing puzzles. Even the hero is a dead ringer for Link. Perhaps the main way in which it distinguishes itself from its source material, though, is in its cheeky sense of humour.

Horn

Horn

You want a game that captures the full 3D wonder of Ocarina of Time and The Skyward Sword? Check out Horn, which, even four years down the line, continues to impress with its scale and ambition. Developer Phosphor has done well to not simply stick on a set of clumsy virtual controls, with a slick swipe-based combat system and a point-and-click approach to movement.

Mage Gauntlet

Mage

Wayward Souls is the better game, but Rocketcats's previous effort is a more explicit tribute to the Zelda series, with properly designed levels and a lighter, more optimistic tone in keeping with Nintendo's series. There are no fetch quests or lengthy treks here, though, making it well suited to mobile play.

My Little Hero

My Little Hero

My Little Hero is clearly a tribute to classic Zelda games, but the way this light action-RPG presents itself is delightfully fresh. Here you're playing a little kid playing at being a hero - so you have a cardboard box for a helmet, and you're on a quest to save your cuddly toy Pinky. Charming.