Now that we have had time to digest the Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Direct, we can finallyabsorb all the official information revealed about the Ocarina of Time remake for the Switch 2. Nintendo has confirmed that the game comes out on November 5, so we are less than two months away from Link’s big return. Through the Nintendo Direct’s gameplay reveal and Mr. Aonuma’s demonstration, plenty of new features for Ocarina of Time have either been revealed or confirmed.
With gorgeous visuals that feel both new and nostalgic, modernized gameplay that hearkens back to the original Ocarina of Time, and a fresh design for Link, the remake seems to walk the line between complete revamp and loving tribute extremely well. In this article, we’ll highlight the main features confirmed for the upcoming game, focusing on new stuff that wasn’t in the classic game.
Also, if you haven’t yet, I suggest watching the gameplay overview trailer.
A lot of these features are staples by modern standards, but they weren’t part of the N64 Ocarina of Time.
Dedicated Jump Button Replaces Contextual Auto-Jumping
The Remake Gives Players More Control
To start with a basic but still noteworthy feature: Link now has a dedicated jump button. Sure, this might seem like a “duh” inclusion, but the original Ocarina of Time utilized a contextual auto-jump… in fact, all the pre-BOTW Legend of Zelda 3D games feature this mechanic. As a result, the remake will be the first traditional 3D Zelda to include a manual jump button.
Full 360-Degree Free Camera and Gyro Aiming
Again, The Remake Gives You More Control
Just as the jump button gives players more control over Link’s direct actions, the remake also puts the camera in your hands with free movement. Again, this feature is pretty much a must in today’s gaming landscape, and the new Ocarina of Time isn’t held back by the Nintendo 64’s one-joystick setup. This added camera control extends to ranged weapons, as the remake implements gyro aiming, a mechanic available in previous releases like Breath of the Wild and even Ocarina of Time 3D.
Bonus new feature: The remake implements a single-button item-swap system similar to BOTW and TOTK, though it seems to collect everything rather than split itinto subcategories.
Link Can Dash On Land And In Water
Hold A To Dash (On Land); Press X To Dash (In Water)
Hyrule Field felt absolutely massive in 1998, especially since Link refused to move quicker than a light jog. To speed things up, players would constantly roll, something that you can still do in the remake. However, you don’t actually need to break Link’s back this time around, as Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 has a dedicated dash button.
Again, this is standard practice nowadays, and plenty of older Zelda games include some form of sprinting. Still, the remake has officially confirmed this feature and even announced that Link can dash while swimming.
Don’t worry, you also ride a horse.
Threads Of Time Acts As A Quest Log
Not Sure What Your Next Objective Is? No Problem!
Ocarina of Time relies heavily on environmental storytelling, NPC dialogue, and Navi to guide players throughout their journey and keep them on the right path. While clearly preserving all of these elements, the Switch 2 remake also introduces a quest log that maintains a record of Link’s history. With a quick check, you will know exactly where to go.
Bonus new feature: As you progress through Ocarina of Time, the Threads of Time’s tapestry gradually fills in.
Seamless Day/Night Cycle Extends to Towns
Hyrule Doesn’t Freeze In Hyrule Castle Town And Other Villages
In the original Ocarina of Time, time stopped flowing once Link entered a town or village, but that will not be the case with the remake. In the Switch 2 version, the day-and-night cycle continues to advance in real time regardless of your location, so it won’t seem like Hyrule suddenly froze in place.
Bonus newish feature: Hyrule Castle Town has way more details, including NPC gossip and (seemingly) more mini-games in store. The Ocarina of Time remake gameplay demonstration didn’t expand on this point.
Zelda Ocarina of Time Confirms Voice Acting
Famously, Nintendo resisted the urge to add voice acting to most The Legend of Zelda games, with only BOTW and TOTK giving Princess Zelda a voice during major cutscenes. The Ocarina of Time remake continues this approach by using voice actors for cutscenes, while keeping open gameplay limited to tone-setting sounds. For the first time ever, OoT has voiced narrative dialogue, and it will be neat to see what these characters sound like.
Microphone Support & Dedicated Ocarina Accessory
Hum A Tune And Link Plays The Ocarina
One of the coolest new features revealed for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is completely optional. While you can play Link’s ocarina by simply pressing the necessary button in the correct sequence, you can also hum a learned tune into the Switch 2’s mic to activate its effects. Nintendo will even be releasing an Ocarina as an accessory for the game, allowing you to become Link and actually play the instrument.
The Zelda Notes App Has Additional Features
The Ultimate Ocarina of Time Companion App
Like BOTW and TOTK, the Zelda Notes app will support Ocarina of Time with optional features players canuse if they want. Based on the image shown during the Nintendo Direct, you will be able to track your adventure, open the map, check out gossip quests, view your play data, check the Threads of Time, use hint images to find in-game locations, play a virtual ocarina, and take a daily quiz.
That should be about it! I believe I covered everything revealed during the Nintendo Direct held on September 8, but please leave a comment if I missed anything.
