The Legend of Zelda has given rise to one of the most notable gaming franchises in the entire industry, but the series still has yet to recapture the magic of one of the first game’s best surprises. As one of Nintendo’s biggest IPs, The Legend of Zelda has a lot of great entries under its belt. Everyone’s favorite Zelda game is different and unique to their own experiences, but it’s undeniable that the franchise wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for such a strong first entry.
Between the exploration, combat, and progression, the first Legend of Zelda game was deeply influential. Since that first game, the franchise has continued to embrace evolving and pushing the series forward. Whether it’s Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom‘s incredible open-world physics or Wind Waker‘s ship-focused traversal, The Legend of Zelda‘s willingness to try new things is what has kept it going strong for four decades now. Despite all the great things that The Legend of Zelda has birthed since the first chapter, the original game has one surprise that others have yet to replicate: Second Quest.
The Legend of Zelda Franchise Has Never Fully Recaptured the Magic of Second Quest
For those who have never played the first game, Second Quest is a fun New Game Plus mode that was a big surprise back in the game’s heyday. Second Quest lets players do a second playthrough, but the experience is even more challenging this time around. The Legend of Zelda‘s Second Quest enhances the difficulty level of enemies and completely remixes the map, so items and specific points of interest are found in different locations.
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New obstacles like Red Bubbles disable Link’s sword and can only be fixed when players come across cures, like Blue Bubbles or Life Potions, while the reworked mazes and levels create a deeper sense of confusion. A lot of fans may not consider the first entry to be the best Legend of Zelda game, but the Second Quest twist is still one of the most surprising moments the series has seen, even 40 years later.
The Legend of Zelda Has Gotten Close to Repeating Second Quest, But Not Quite
The one time that Nintendo attempted a similar Second Quest mode in The Legend of Zelda franchise was with Master Quest. Master Quest is a remixed and more difficult version of the N64’s Ocarina of Time, and it was originally included as a special limited bonus reward for those who pre-ordered Wind Waker. Later, Master Quest would make a return in Ocarina of Time 3D for the 3DS as its own New Game Plus mode.
Master Quest is a similar approach to Second Quest, but the fact that it was first included as a pre-order bonus instead of being an endgame surprise makes it a little bit different. It’s a solid attempt to recapture that same magic, but it just doesn’t offer the same level of unexpectedness. Games like Breath of the Wild and Majora’s Mask surprised players via gameplay mechanics. However, the first Zelda reigns supreme when it comes to offering solid New Game Plus goodness.
Ocarina of Time’s Switch 2 Remake Has a Perfect Opportunity to Look to Second Quest for Inspiration
Even though Nintendo has debuted a teaser trailer and revealed plans to launch the game sometime this year, there still isn’t much known about the Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake. The teaser trailer is merely a few seconds long, and the only thing that it really confirms is that the game is getting a massive visual overhaul. It’s an intriguing sneak peek, but the next few weeks and months hopefully bring something more to the table for fans to look forward to.
The Legend of Zelda‘s willingness to try new things is what has kept it going strong for four decades now.
It’s hard to say right now how Nintendo plans on making this new Ocarina of Time remake stand out from the rest of the series. If Nintendo really wants to make waves with another remake, it can’t be a one-for-one retelling. Expanding the story and going deeper with the gameplay mechanics would be a great start, and adding a secret New Game Plus that is inspired by Second Quest could bring even more excitement. Only time will tell, though, since Nintendo has kept deeper details under wraps.
Nintendo also has yet to reveal a price for the Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake. However, leaks have claimed that the game could cost $60. That would be a solid price point compared to the more standard $70 and $80 price tags, but it’s important to remember that all leaks should be taken with a grain of salt until officially confirmed by Nintendo.
The good news is that the wait for more details might not be much longer. Nintendo is going to be at this year’s Gamescom, and that’s right around the corner. Gamescom takes place between August 26 and August 30, so this would be the perfect stage to showcase gameplay footage or even an Ocarina of Time remake release date. With the year already over halfway finished, Nintendo’s 2026 plans sound ambitious, but it’s also very possible that the company could be gearing up for either a shadow drop or an upcoming fall release.
There are a lot of great-looking games coming out during fall, so Ocarina of Time would find itself in a packed part of the calendar, if Nintendo is eyeing this season. The rest of 2026’s big games are trying to avoid GTA 6‘s release date in November, but the Ocarina of Time remake might be one of the few games that doesn’t have to worry about being overshadowed by the Rockstar title.
The Legend of Zelda games make up one of the longest running gaming franchises of all time, which is no easy feat. Each game has added something fresh to the core formula, and it will be interesting to see if the upcoming Ocarina of Time remake has some tricks up its sleeve that are akin to Second Quest.
