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Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

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The legends speak of a long forgotten prophecy... of a shining hero and of perilous adventures... of sinister powers, strange worlds and swarms of fairies ... but they said nothing of a girl with a big heart instead of a big sword!

Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is a adventure, action and rpg game developed by Funatics Software and published by Daedalic Entertainment.
Released on August 20th 2015 is available only on Windows in 2 languages: English and German.

It has received 1,068 reviews of which 769 were positive and 299 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.9 out of 10. 😐

The game is currently priced at 7.99€ on Steam, but you can find it for 0.47€ on Gamivo.


The Steam community has classified Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal into these genres:

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • OS *: Windows® VISTA,Windows® 7, Windows® 8
  • Processor: Athlon or Pentium® 2 Processor with 500 Mhz
  • Memory: 64 MB RAM MB RAM
  • Graphics: 3D- Graphics card, 8MB (GeForce, Voodoo 5500)
  • DirectX: Version 8.1
  • Storage: 1400 MB available space
  • Additional Notes: Please make sure you are using the latest graphics card driver (especially for NVIDIA cards). You can always find the latest drivers directly at the manufacturers' website. Please do not rely on automatic Windows updates. - Symptom of NVIDIA cards: broken polygon display after starting the first scene. Solution: 1. Open NVIDIA control panel 2. Go to "Manage 3D settings" -> "Program Settings", there, select "Zantph.exe" 3. Set the "Maximum count of pre-rendered single frames" to 1 and... 4. "Apply". The grapic-errors should now be fixed. -Incompatibility with notebooks (FPS drops in the menu): Set your screen resolution to a modus with 32 bit color depth

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

24 hours played
April 2026
Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal, developed by Funatics Software and published by Daedalic Entertainment, is one of those rare early-2000s titles that still feels oddly distinctive despite its age. It combines exploration, creature collection, and real-time combat in a way that never became standard, which is part of why it remains memorable long after release. While it is often compared to monster-collecting games, it ultimately follows its own path, blending genres into something that feels experimental, occasionally uneven, but undeniably unique. The story follows Amy, an ordinary girl who stumbles into a hidden fantasy world populated by fairies and other magical beings. What begins as a simple journey of discovery gradually evolves into a mission to restore balance to a realm threatened by corruption and disorder. The narrative itself is relatively straightforward, leaning on familiar fantasy ideas rather than complex storytelling, but it provides enough context to keep the player engaged. More importantly, it serves as a vehicle for exploration, encouraging players to move through the world and uncover its secrets rather than focusing heavily on dialogue or character development. Exploration is one of the game’s strongest elements. Players guide Amy through a variety of interconnected environments, from forests and villages to caves and more surreal locations, all presented in a third-person perspective. The world is not entirely open, but it gives enough freedom to feel expansive, especially for its time. Progression often involves solving light puzzles, unlocking new paths, and interacting with characters who provide hints or challenges. This steady movement through different areas creates a sense of adventure that carries the experience, even when the narrative itself remains simple. Combat is where Zanzarah sets itself apart most clearly. Instead of directly fighting as the protagonist, players capture and command fairies, each associated with different elemental types and abilities. Battles take place in a first-person arena, where you control a single fairy at a time, dodging enemy attacks and launching spells in real time. This system blends action and strategy, requiring both quick reflexes and an understanding of elemental strengths and weaknesses. Switching between fairies during combat adds another layer of depth, as players must adapt to different situations rather than relying on a single approach. Building and managing a team of fairies becomes central to progression. As you explore, you encounter and capture new creatures, each with unique traits that can be developed over time. Strengthening your team and choosing the right combination for each encounter adds a satisfying strategic element. However, this system also introduces a degree of repetition, as leveling up and preparing for tougher battles often requires revisiting similar encounters. While this can be rewarding for players who enjoy gradual progression, it may feel slow for those expecting a more dynamic pace. Visually, the game reflects its era but retains a certain charm through its colorful and imaginative design. The environments have a storybook quality, and the creatures themselves are varied and expressive, giving the world a distinctive identity. The soundtrack complements this atmosphere effectively, adding a sense of wonder and immersion that helps elevate the overall experience. Even though the graphics are dated by modern standards, the artistic direction allows the game to maintain its appeal. There are, however, clear limitations that become more noticeable over time. The combat system, while innovative, does not evolve significantly, which can make encounters feel repetitive. The story lacks depth, and characters do not receive enough development to leave a strong emotional impact. Technical issues may also arise, particularly on modern systems, where compatibility quirks can occasionally disrupt the experience. These factors remind players that the game is a product of its time, with design choices that may not fully align with modern expectations. What ultimately defines Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is its originality. It combines elements that are rarely seen together and delivers them in a way that feels cohesive, even if not perfectly refined. Its willingness to experiment with structure and mechanics gives it a personality that stands out, especially compared to more conventional RPGs. In the end, it remains a memorable and engaging experience for those willing to embrace its quirks. It offers a unique blend of exploration, creature collection, and real-time combat that still feels fresh in certain respects, even years after its release. While its flaws are evident, they do little to overshadow the creativity at its core. Rating: 8/10
25 hours played
April 2026
Great game, as of 4/19/26 windows has fully broken the game. Can't even run it, so keep that in mind.
24 hours played
Feb. 2026
One of the most underrated games of all time. Zanzarah has very unique, beautifully built world, with great mechanics which had a huge potential to be improved even more in future entries. But unfortunately, the game just didn't make it, due to bad sellings. And like a cherry on the top of cake Daedalic dropped this broken stub and never updated it since 2015. Cool. But the game is still alive thanks to fan modes, fixes and love overall, and if you still haven't, you MUST give it a try, despite suffering with installation and optimization, you'll enjoy it. Zanzarah has great replay ability and it's just a sweet and fascinating journey.
43 hours played
Dec. 2025
This game was a huge part of my childhood, I finally finished it after over a decade and it's still as good as I remember it. Even better than I remember it now that I was able to properly play and understand it (I played the russian version as a kid and understood none of it). It's like a mix of Pokemon with an fps battle system and a classic fantasy hero story. Very nice world with a great soundtrack. If the game won't run on your PC, there is a patch that fixes it somewhere in the community section if I remember correctly, it's worth putting in the extra bit of time to get it fixed. Also the game's got some glitches and unfair fights so I recommend saving your game pretty often to not lose hours of progress.
20 hours played
Oct. 2025
Good luck getting this to run on modern systems it took me ages. From what I’ve seen, performance is pretty inconsistent and seems almost random. Some people get it working smoothly, others run into endless issues, and I’m still not sure what makes the difference. Zanzarah is one of those hidden gems from the early 2000s that still feels magical today. The mix of fairy tale exploration with a Pokémon style battle system is super unique you collect and train fairies, then fight in fast paced arena duels that are way more exciting than they first look. The world is beautiful and full of charm, with forests, caves, and little villages that feel alive. The music really adds to the dreamy atmosphere too. It’s not a perfect game the combat can get repetitive, and some quests are a bit vague but honestly, the sense of wonder makes up for it. If you like fantasy worlds and creature collecting, this is definitely worth checking out considering we will probably never see a game like this ever again.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is currently priced at 7.99€ on Steam.

No, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 7.99€ on Steam.

Yes, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal received 769 positive votes out of a total of 1,068 achieving a rating of 6.93.
😐

Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal was developed by Funatics Software and published by Daedalic Entertainment.

Yes, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is playable and fully supported on Windows.

No, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is not playable on MacOS.

No, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is not playable on Linux.

This information about Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is not available yet.

This information about Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is not available yet.

No, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal does not support VR.

Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is a single-player game.

No, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal does not currently offer any DLC.

No, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal does not support mods via Steam Workshop.

No, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal does not support Steam Remote Play.

Yes, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.

You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal.

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates
Steam data 02 September 2026 21:11 UTC
SteamSpy data 06 September 2026 00:20 UTC
Steam price 12 September 2026 18:44 UTC
Steam reviews 11 September 2026 19:53 UTC

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal compatibility
Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal PEGI 3
Rating
6.9
769
299
Game modes
Features
Online players
7
Developer
Funatics Software
Publisher
Daedalic Entertainment
Release 20 Aug 2015
Platforms
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