With exception to Zelda II, I’ve played and adored every major Zelda game. Last summer, I had the brilliant idea of trying something new that plays like Zelda. You know, sorta like Amazon’s “You might also like this” recommendation.
Well someone on the internet recommended Neutopia, an old TurboGrafx 16 game (now on Virtual Console) that shamelessly ripped off Zelda. “It’s a really fun and solid knock-off,” I was told, so I downloaded the sequel, since the first game doesn’t support diagonal movement (and who doesn’t want diagonal movement where available).
Yes, Neutopia looks like Zelda. Its gameplay feels similar. But it’s completely devoid of any charm. It has no soul. Worse still, the controls are sloppy. As I later recalled, it really is a stinker.
Moral of the story: If you want to play Zelda, play Zelda. With more than 15 versions to choose from, replaying one is better than any substitute I’ve come across.