New tech and gameplay improvements make it easier to get into Nintendo’s defining title.
New tech and gameplay improvements make it easier to get into Nintendo’s defining title.
With its upcoming remake for the Switch 2, Nintendo might have nailed the best thing about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time : its timelessness. The 1998 3D action adventure game for the Nintendo 64 that pioneered so much — 3D graphics, movement, exploration, openness — has been reengineered with changes that make it feel more modern, and surprisingly terrifying at times. Based on my early hands-on time with the game, it’s shaping up to be the best-looking, best-playing version of the game that addresses the most frustrating aspects of playing the original.
More than just sanding off its roughest edges, Nintendo also fitted Ocarina of Time with modern trappings to make it more welcoming to those who were introduced to Zelda through more modern releases, like Breath of the Wild . The remake has a new progression marker, called Threads of Time, that’s viewable when you pause. It also has Zelda Notes integration within the Nintendo Switch app to let you view game maps and other info on your phone. Oh, it also has a dedicated jump button.
I spent around 90 minutes during a recent preview event in New York City playing through some chunks of the game, including when you first take control of Child Link, and later on after you yank the Master Sword in the Temple of Time to become Adult Link. Its story still makes it a standout Zelda title, and the improvements make it even easier to get immersed in.
In some ways, the remake feels similar to modern Zelda games. Link is snappy to control, and lock-on combat is engaging. Swapping between items and weapons no longer requires hopping into the pause menu, as it did in the original. Holding a shoulder button halts the action, and you can navigate with an analog stick to find what you want in near-realtime. However, it’s an adventure on a much smaller scale; the complexity of your quests, and the tools at your disposal for combat and getting around are simpler, but no less fun.
All of the sections I played were truncated, though I left feeling confident that Nintendo nailed this remake. My favorite section was the Forest Temple, which really shows off the more realistic art style. It can finally portray the game’s horror themes in ways that weren’t possible 28 years ago. For example, Link traverses rooms in the dungeon that have red stained glass windows, and as he passes through beams of light, he is cast in the color of blood. It really looks and feels like he’s on an adventure to stave off cataclysm, and the visual evolution frequently made me stop playing for a second while I took in the changes. Also, being able to use the right stick to control the camera lets you create cinematic moments on-the-fly, which is great if, like me, you like taking a lot of screenshots.
Ocarina of Time is one of Nintendo’s most influential games, and playing it is a rite of passage for any Zelda fan, but it can be tough to go back to the original. As accessible as it is considering it was one of Nintendo’s earliest fully-3D titles, the remake makes it so much easier to get into. And it’s launching at a time when the Zelda franchise is bigger than ever. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were big sellers, and they continue to attract new players years after launch, while fans will be able to dig into the live-action movie in April 2027 . Even sooner, though, Switch 2 owners will get to feast on the best way to play through a defining Zelda classic.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches for the Nintendo Switch 2 on Thursday, November 5th.
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