The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2 has reportedly broken its November 5 release date, as some copies are now in the hands of a few lucky gamers across the globe. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a remake of the 1998 N64 classic title that pushed the long-running Nintendo franchise into 3D for the first time.
As the most anticipated Nintendo title of 2026, Ocarina of Time has already found itself as the center of attention throughout the Internet. To celebrate the game’s launch, searching for Ocarina of Time on Google will yield an Easter egg that will transport users to a version of the popular search engine as it appeared in 1998. This is done by clicking on a Master Sword icon on the bottom right of the screen. Users can also click on it a second time to return to Google’s current format. It is not known how long the Zelda-themed Easter egg on Google will remain in place.
Physical Copies of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Are Now Out in the Wild
Although most Switch 2 gamers will have to wait a little longer to officially play Ocarina of Time, that has not stopped some Zelda fans from receiving their copies early from some retailers. According to GoNintendo, some of these fortunate players began posting information on social media, with a focus on the differences between the remake and the original title. Though Nintendo stated that it considers Ocarina of Time a faithful remake, the Switch 2 title has some new features that players can take advantage of. One of these features is Threads of Time, which allows players to see their story progress and fill them out as more quests are completed. Players can also use the Switch 2’s built-in mic to hum tunes that Link can play on his ocarina.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Upon starting up the game, the art style that Nintendo went with for the Ocarina of Time remake should stand out to old and new players alike. According to art director Aya Shida, Nintendo looked to puppet shows and practical effects for inspiration during the game’s development. Along with updated graphics, video previews from Nintendo revealed that Ocarina of Time can stably run at 60 frames per second (FPS) in docked and handheld modes. By comparison, the original N64 release ran at 20 FPS, while Ocarina of Time 3D on 3DS systems was capped at 30 FPS.
To go with the release of Ocarina of Time, Nintendo launched a special Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 console and some accessories that include visual homages to the franchise. Despite the console selling out, Nintendo stated it was working with retailers to replenish stock. Best Buy will have some restocks of the Zelda Switch 2 console during the midnight launch of Ocarina of Time at participating locations on November 5. Additionally, Target will have in-person and online restocks on November 5 and 6, respectively. Quantities at both retailers will be limited.
Additionally, Zelda fans are running out of time to save $10 on physical copies of Ocarina of Time at Amazon and Walmart. Physical preorders of Ocarina of Time are discounted to match the $59.99 price of the digital edition, but will go up to $69.99 once the game is released.
- 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
