Ocarina of Time Quietly Hides Easter Egg On Google

Fans of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time have discovered a fun new Easter egg hidden in Google Search, offering a nostalgic way to celebrate one of Nintendo’s most beloved games. With The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake arriving on Nintendo Switch 2 in just a few days, even Google seems to be getting involved in the excitement.

Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, Ocarina of Time is widely regarded as one of the most influential video games ever made. Its groundbreaking approach to 3D exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving helped establish conventions that would ultimately shape the industry for decades, and more or less laid the blueprint for 3D Legend of Zelda games for years to come. Nearly 28 years after Link first stepped into Hyrule, Nintendo is now preparing to introduce the adventure to another generation, and the celebrations have seemingly spread beyond the gaming world.

Google’s Ocarina of Time Easter Egg Takes Players Back to 1998

Google has now introduced an interactive Ocarina of Time Easter egg that can be activated simply by typing “Ocarina of Time” in the search box. Afterward, fans will find that a small Master Sword icon appears in the bottom-right corner of the search results, hovering above its familiar pedestal. Clicking the sword triggers an animation accompanied by Link’s voice, transporting users back to 1998 as Google’s modern interface transforms into a recreation of its original design. The effect brings back the search engine’s old logo, simple blue hyperlinks, and classic search bar, complete with a few clever references to Link’s original adventure. The results count also changes to 1,998, while the search time displays 0.64 seconds, nodding to the Nintendo 64.

Drag weapons to fill the grid

Link’s Master Sword is an especially fitting Easter egg choice given its importance to Ocarina of Time. In the original game, Link obtains the legendary weapon inside the Temple of Time, triggering a seven-year jump into the future. Later, returning the sword to its pedestal lets him travel back to his childhood, with players switching between the two periods throughout their adventure. Google’s Easter egg recreates that same mechanic by allowing users to travel backward through the internet’s own history. Interestingly, Google itself was founded in 1998, the same year Ocarina of Time arrived on the Nintendo 64, making the tribute a celebration of two very different icons of the late 1990s.

Google is also no stranger to putting video game references in its search engine. Over the years, the company has introduced interactive Easter eggs inspired by Super Mario Bros., Splatoon 3, and Katamari, among others. 2022’s Splatoon collaboration with Google allowed users to cover their screens in colorful ink, while the Katamari Easter egg let players roll up elements of the search results themselves. However, longtime fans might find Ocarina of Time‘s approach particularly charming because it incorporates one of the game’s defining mechanics into the Google experience rather than simply recreating a game visual on the main search page.

Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time remake launches on November 5 as a major part of the Zelda franchise’s 40th anniversary celebrations, and it looks like fan reactions to Google’s tribute have been enthusiastic, with some joking they’d prefer to keep the search engine’s old-fashioned appearance permanently. Google hasn’t indicated how long the Easter egg will remain available, so those interested in trying it may want to do so before it disappears. With Ocarina of Time preparing to enter a new era on Switch 2, Google’s surprise offers a fitting reminder of what the world looked like when Link’s adventure first began.