Studio Ghibli Meets The Legend Of Zelda In New Adventure Game

Published Sep 27, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT Sharmila is an engineer-turned-gaming hardware journalist and freelance contributor at ScreenRant who has been covering the gaming and tech industry since 2021. While she first built her expertise writing about video games, she has since pivoted towards gaming hardware, with a focus on PC components, peripherals, handhelds, and performance-driven tech. When she’s not testing gear or writing about the latest hardware trends, she can usually be found diving into competitive shooters or keeping up with the evolving esports scene. Think of the quiet, melancholic beauty Studio Ghibli does so well, the kind where even the monsters seem to be mourning their losses. Then mix it with the kind of exploration and combat rhythm that made The Legend of Zelda a staple for decades, and you have something that could be truly compelling. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild already tap into this mix in some capacity, but it's a possibility that the Zelda series has never fully explored. Mononoke No Kuni, a new title from developer Lights-Interactive and publisher Happinet, could be the answer. Mononoke No Kuni Is A Promising Steam Game Mononoke No Kuni, currently available to wishlist on Steam game, drops you into a broken, Japanese-inspired otherworld where yokai have taken over villages that once belonged to gentle, harmless creatures called Mononoke. You play as a boy trying to recover the stolen soul of his dog, Musashi, a Shiba Inu who follows you everywhere and genuinely seems to matter to the story rather than existing as a tacked-on pet mechanic. You feed him, train him, and dress him up in tiny samurai or ninja outfits, and he fights alongside you when things get dangerous. The combat system in Mononoke No Kuni, which Lights-Interactive calls a "purification action system," is all about “responsive, satisfying action” and mastering timing. Dodges, guards, parries, and charge attacks all chain together, and if you time things right, you can deflect basically every hit thrown at you. There’s no stamina gauge either, which keeps fights feeling fluid rather than punishing you for playing aggressively. If that sounds like too much precision for a relaxing afternoon, you can play the casual mode to enjoy the story and hang out with Musashi without stressing over frame-perfect parries. Studio Ghibli's Charm & The Legend Of Zelda's Cadence You’d notice the Ghibli influence at its peak when you deal with the enemies in Mononoke No Kuni. The yokai you fight aren’t just obstacles standing between you and the next objective. Each carries a sorrowful backstory pulled from Japanese folklore, and instead of simply defeating them, you use a sacred purification wand called an ōnusa to calm their lingering souls and send them back to Yomi. It’s all about untangling why these spirits turned hostile in the first place, which gives the whole adventure an emotional weight that a lot of action games skip past entirely. The village-restoration angle adds another beautiful layer too. As you help the Mononoke rebuild their homes, you get closer to them, watching their odd, cheerful little lives return to normal bit by bit. It’s a nice contrast to the darker, folklore-heavy boss encounters, and it mirrors a popular Ghibli habit of letting quiet, everyday moments carry just as much emotional weight as the big dramatic beats. At the same time, you may also find yourself reminiscing about the Zelda experience while exploring Mononoke No Kuni’s fractured world and restoring corrupted regions one at a time. It mirrors that “clear the land” loop that Breath of the Wild popularized. Mononoke No Kuni doesn’t have a firm release date yet beyond a general 2027 window, but you can request access to the playtest or add it to your wishlist—that is if you like the Studio Ghibli and The Legend of Zelda mix, of course. The full game is expected to carry a price tag upon release, but the developer hasn’t revealed it yet. The playtest, however, is free to play, so don’t miss out on the opportunity. Movie(s) The Legend of Zelda (Live-Action) TV Show(s) The Legend of Zelda Video Game(s) The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017), The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Hyrule Warriors, Hyrule Warriors Legends (3DS), Cadence of Hyrule, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity First TV Show The Legend of Zelda First Game The Legend of Zelda Character(s) Link, Princess Zelda, Ganon The Legend of Zelda franchise follows the adventures of Link, an elf-like Hylian, and Princess Zelda as they protect the land of Hyrule from the evil warlord-turned-demon king Ganon. The series is known for its mix of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving elements, often revolving around the collection of the Triforce, a powerful relic left by the goddesses who created Hyrule.