What are some good 3D games with that Zelda 64 style item-gated dungeon feel?

If you want the closest overall feel, I’d look at games that build their whole structure around one new tool per area. Darksiders is the obvious one people point to, especially the first game, because it keeps that dungeon, key item, boss door rhythm going pretty well. Okami also fits some of the same shape, even if the tone and combat are pretty different.

Another route is to look at modern adventure games that are lighter on combat but still do the Zelda-style gatekeeping. Tunic is probably the clearest example there. It leans more on exploration and hidden knowledge, but the sense of gradually unlocking the map and learning how systems connect is very close to that classic formula.

If the big draw is item-gated progression, I’d also check out games that were clearly inspired by Zelda but aren’t trying to be carbon copies. Beyond Good and Evil has a strong adventure structure and a lot of roaming, puzzle, and upgrade flow. Blue Fire goes more into platforming, but it does that “new ability opens a new route” thing pretty well too.

For older or smaller releases, Okami, Kameo, and even some of the later 3D platform-adventure hybrids can hit part of the same note. They usually won’t match Zelda dungeon design exactly, but they often nail the sense of steadily expanding what you can do in the world.

For a more methodical answer, I’d separate the search into two groups. One is “games that feel like Zelda in structure,” and the other is “games that feel like Zelda in atmosphere.” A lot of recommendations only hit one side. For structure, Darksiders, Tunic, Okami, and maybe a few 3D Metroidvania-adjacent games are the best fit. For atmosphere, things like Ico-style exploration or some fairy-tale action adventures can feel right even if the dungeon design is looser.

If you specifically want boss-room locks, item checks, and dungeon keys that matter, you probably want to avoid anything that is mostly open-world action with light puzzle dressing. That style can be fun, but it usually does not give the same satisfaction as a classic Zelda progression loop.

If the request is really “3D Zelda-like, but not necessarily super famous,” I’d say look beyond straight action-adventure and into smaller indie titles that play with exploration and keys in clever ways. Some of them do not have big combat systems, but they can still deliver that satisfying moment when a new item changes the whole map in your head.

I would just temper expectations a bit. Very few games copy the Zelda 64 formula cleanly because that design is unusually specific. Most of the good alternatives borrow one part of it and do their own thing with the rest, which is usually why they stand out.