Islands of the Jinn and Azaran: The Demon Bottle Revive Classic Zelda-Inspired Adventures on PC

Indie Game Developer Benji Reimagines Zelda Classics with Islands of the Jinn and Azaran: The Demon Bottle on PC The enduring legacy of The Legend of Zelda series has inspired countless developers, but few capture its spirit with the heartfelt precision displayed by Benji, an indie creator currently working on two new adventure titles for PC.

"Islands of the Jinn," a third-person action-adventure currently in development, draws clear inspiration from the iconic Nintendo 64 classic, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Paired with this ambitious project is a retro companion, "Azaran: The Demon Bottle," harkening back to the original 8-bit Zelda on NES. The journey began when Benji, a solo developer known for his active presence on social media platforms like BlueSky and Twitter/X, started sharing development updates on Islands of the Jinn.

Early coverage caught the attention of retro and Zelda enthusiasts.

According to its Steam page, Islands of the Jinn features "traditional puzzle dungeons packed with eerie atmosphere," blending the world-building and mechanical depth of 90s adventure games with the mystique of Arabian Nights folklore.

Benji’s goal is to create a nostalgic experience evocative of N64-era titles, particularly for those longing for the classic Zelda formula. In addition to Islands of the Jinn, Benji recently revealed he is also developing a companion game, "Azaran: The Demon Bottle." This NES-style spin-off pays homage to the 1987 Legend of Zelda and was conceived and built in just three weeks.

According to Benji, the game was designed as "a short dungeon crawler packed with monsters, traps, and cryptic puzzles." He emphasized that the deliberately brief development schedule was possible because "NES-style games are simply faster to assemble in terms of pixel art, music, and sound effects." Azaran: The Demon Bottle is intended not only as a nod to classic design but also as an imaginative "what-if" scenario, representing what an early Azaran installment might look like in the 8-bit era. Speaking with Time Extension, Benji explained his creative process: "Clearly, Islands of the Jinn is influenced by Ocarina of Time, so I thought it would be interesting to envision the Azaran series' equivalent to the original Legend of Zelda.

Going forward, I may create other projects in the same retro vein, such as an Azaran interpretation of Link to the Past or Link’s Awakening." Islands of the Jinn is currently targeting a late 2026 release window, while Azaran: The Demon Bottle is set to launch within the next few weeks, with an expected release before mid-August.

Meanwhile, players can experience a playable demo of Islands of the Jinn, which was featured in June’s Steam Next Fest. For fans of Nintendo’s storied franchises and those eager for a fresh retro-inspired adventure, Benji’s work stands as a promising homage—bridging generations and reminding players of the timeless allure of dungeon-crawling, puzzle-solving, and exploration.

Zelda Ocarina of Time NES PC Xbox Series X|S Islands of the Jinn Azaran: The Demon Bottle Nintendo Switch Nintendo Direct Steam Benji Legend of Zelda Steam Next Fest BlueSky Twitter X