Under the Island Review – A Must-Play Indie RPG That Revives Classic Top-Down Adventure
Under the Island is a nostalgic Zelda-like action RPG with smooth gameplay, clever puzzles, and a vibrant world. Explore diverse biomes, upgrade abilities, and uncover secrets in this standout indie h
Nia is new to Sea Shell Island, and when she discovers that the fate of the island rests in her hands, it’s her turn to prove herself and uncover ancient mysteries.
Game: Under the Island
Studio: Slime King Games
Publisher:
Platforms: Steam
Completion Time: 10-12 Hours
Price: $19.99
Genre: Zelda-Like, Action RPG, Pixel
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Good Game Lobby Review of Under The Island, an action RPG Zelda-Like from Slime King Games, and published by Top Hat Studios. It’s a Zelda-like that harkens back to one of my all-time favorite games: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Under the Island looks great, plays great, and has snuck into my heart as one of my must-play games of 2026. Let’s jump into the story.
Sinking Destiny
Nia quickly learns on arrival that Sea Shell Island is doomed to sink. With her companion Avocado and guidance from a divine elder, she sets out to collect crucial items to save the island.
I can’t talk about too much more without spoiling the story, but rest assured, you can coast through the game, only taking in bits and pieces, and still come out thinking it’s the best Zelda-like of the year. For example, Zelda games follow a similar pattern—you have to collect items and eventually defeat the big bad. It’s the same here, but this time the protagonist has a voice, and she uses it often to put people in their place.
The way she navigates builds the story up, giving it more weight than the previous Zelda titles of that time period did. I am saying Zelda a lot. Sorry!
Classic Reinvented
The gameplay of Under the Island feels snappy, and the comparison to Link to the Past is warranted. It reminds me so much of it that certain patterns of gameplay felt natural and familiar. I almost speed ran the game because of that. Your weapon is not a sword; instead, Nia’s weapon of choice is her hockey stick. You will no doubt go around chopping down bushes for hearts, moving around stones to solve puzzles, and finding hidden chests with items for your journey. Think everything Zelda in a 90’s fantasy world.
There is something so rewarding about opening a chest or solving a sidequest and getting a new heart coin, which increases your maximum health. I even sidelined myself by going on a full run, trying to collect as many as possible before the endgame. You can also improve Nia’s healing abilities and weapon damage by foraging for special items around the island and either exchanging them or using them through the game’s upgrade menus. The puzzles, fighting, and exploring had me stuck with a permanent smile on my face throughout the island. The way they introduced familiar weapons or mechanics was similar to other titles, but the upgrade system and foraging for items offer a modern take, making Nia stronger and more equipped as you progress.
In your time on Sea Shell Island, you will explore 6 different biomes with their own set of challenges and puzzles. The amount of puzzle work in the game is impressive, all keeping things fresh and never repeating in style and difficulty. I even had to reference a walkthrough for one because I was stumped! This was due to user error and was not the game’s fault.
I recommend foraging most when you can because the upgrades to healing and weapon damage make the late game smooth sailing.
Cozy Pixels
The vibrant pixel art and world designs felt warm and cozy. I wouldn’t mind living on Sea Shell island even with the game’s end-of-the-world premise.
The top-down action RPG might be done to death for some, but not for me! Just think about Mina the Hollower and how hyped the gaming world is for an advanced version of a Zelda-inspired game.
The world of Under the Island is gorgeous, and the design of the NPCs’ portraits is also a nice touch that builds into the characters’ back stories. The color palette also plays a role in the vibrant world. I wish I could own a real-life heart coin.
Nostalgic Harmony
The soundtrack was a delight, with many songs evoking a nostalgic feeling. They collaborated with Miyoko Takaoka (Terranigma), Edward Marianukroh (Chained Echoes), and Robert Kilpatrick (Born of Bread). These composers come together to create a wonderful soundscape that will stay with me forever.
One song in particular that I couldn’t get enough of was Baleru Forest by Edward. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments.
Timeless Adventure
On my 8th birthday, I was at home sick with the flu. To my surprise, my parents gifted me an SNES and Link to the Past. Still one of the best birthdays ever, and it set off a chain of events that led me to where I am today. It’s still one of my favorite games of all time. That being said, you can say Under the Island made a link to my past. (Sorry)
I wish things were still the same as back then, with a physical cartridge that I could trade my copy of the game with friends so we could all play it in short bursts. It brought back so many of those old memories, and I thank the developer for that. It felt good to be a kid again.
Under the Island took me 12 hours to complete the main quest, with a decent amount of the heart coins collected. I played almost exclusively on my ROG Ally, and it ran buttery smooth. It’s also Steam Deck verified.
Under the Island took roughly 3-4 years to make, and it shows in the attention to detail. Where some of the writing took a back seat because of the addictive gameplay, it still didn’t disappoint. They have set up a world I would love to revisit in a sequel. The collection method and quests grow well and give the game a ton of replayability.
Nia is bright and has a leadership role, continuing to set a great example with each biome explored and challenges solved. I particularly enjoyed the latter half of the game because of how the game wraps up the story, and the puzzles needed to be solved.
It never felt like it was dragging. In fact, I felt like I was speed running with how quickly I was running through the world and enemies, even with 12+ hours of gameplay.
A great looking game with smooth gameplay, an inspiring tale of a young girl against the odds, and a phenomenal soundtrack all came together for an adventure I hope inspires a fresh new franchise because I am hungry for more!
The natural successor to Link to the Past was Ocarina of Time, so no pressure, but I would love to play a 3d version of this game. The link to the past was my entry into the Zelda world, and that is how I hope a younger audience feels when playing Under the Island. If 2d top down action adventures are your bag, then I highly recommend this must-play game of the year.
The mission of Slime King Games is:
“creating precious moments that continue to live on even after the game ends, forging unforgettable memories.”
And I can say for me at least, they did just that.
It’s out now on PC, Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation and comes in at $19.99. I am starting to sense a pattern for the indies I love that have a great quality coming at $20.
Thank you for the review from Top Hat Entertainment, and thanks for checking out my review of Under The Island. Also, Under_the_Island is on Substack!
I read like one paragraph before I smashed Wishlist so hard on Nintendo.com.
This game looks amazing! Can’t believe it flew under my radar until recently.