Nintendo’s recent presentation showing off The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the Switch 2 contained an interesting statement about a design choice made by the team. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a full-blown remake of the Nintendo 64 classic, built from the ground-up for the Switch 2. The new game will feature dramatically improved visuals and will contain a variety of gameplay tweaks and new features.
While it appears as though the Ocarina of Time remaking is sticking close to the Nintendo 64 version’s general layout, it is not afraid to make changes. Castle Town has been completely revamped in the remake, for example, and Link can now run and freely jump whenever he wants. Players are able to quickly cycle through Link’s equipment as well, which should significantly improve the pacing in key sections like the Water Temple. It’s true that there have been some mixed reactions to character designs in the game, but overall, it seems many came away from the Ocarina of Time Nintendo Direct impressed by what they saw.
Zelda: Ocarina of Time Loading Screens Are on Purpose
One interesting statement made by Nintendo’s Eiji Aonuma during the presentation has been raising some eyebrows, though. During the presentation, Zelda fans can see Link travel from Kokiri Forest to Hyrule Field, which triggers a loading screen. As explained by Aonuma during the presentation, “By the way, there’s a loading screen whenever you move between certain areas. This is something we intentionally kept to preserve the essence of the original game.” While it’s entirely possible that this is true, there are some that have accused it of being an excuse, and it is odd that attention was brought to the loading screens at all. Chances are, it would never have even been noticed or commented on, though maybe Nintendo was concerned that newer fans would have different expectations after playing open world games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
Since the presentation, even more information has come out about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for the Nintendo Switch 2. Notably, it’s been confirmed that the game will retail for $59.99 digitally and $69.99 physically, in line with Nintendo’s new pricing structure for its games. But since the Ocarina of Time remake is $60/$70 instead of $70/$80 like Mario Kart World and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, some fans are understandably concerned about its scope.
Based on what was shown during the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, it does seem like Ocarina of Time is going to be closer to a 1:1 remake of the original as opposed to something more ambitious. This realization will likely split fans. Some will be happy that the classic game is being updated to meet modern standards, whereas others will be disappointed that they aren’t getting something more in line with how Capcom does the Resident Evil remakes, where more dramatic changes are made.
We don’t have to wait much longer to see how Zelda fans ultimately react to the Ocarina of Time remake. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake release date is locked in for November 5, making it one of the rare games willing to go head-to-head with the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6. Switch 2 gamers should mark their calendars accordingly.
- Released
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November 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
