Gaming audiences might be getting reacquainted with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time before too long, as it’s been reported that the 1998 classic will be getting a remake near the end of 2026. This news comes from reputable Nintendo leaker NateTheHate, whose track record includes the correct reporting of the Switch 2 release date, among other details. The leak also contains information about other 2026 Nintendo games, including a new Star Fox.
Star Fox is exciting, but Ocarina of Time is, well, Ocarina of Time. Few video games have been as enduring as this Nintendo 64 Zelda title, which arguably perfected the 3D action-adventure genre. To this day, Link’s time-traveling adventure through Hyrule is often viewed as the quintessential Zelda experience, perfectly balancing whimsy, mysticism, and deeper themes alongside compelling gameplay systems. In a word, Zelda: Ocarina of Time could be called timeless. It’s surprisingly smooth around the edges, holding up wonderfully almost three decades post-launch. It’s for this exact reason that I think audiences shouldn’t get too carried away in speculating about the Ocarina of Time remake, as it will likely be on the more modest end of the remake spectrum.
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Natethehate doesn’t seem too sure about what to expect from this Ocarina of Time reprisal, despite ostensibly having confidence in its existence. Per the Natethehate podcast,
“In the second half of 2026, approaching the holidays, if not the holidays, we are going to receive an Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2. This is something I was a bit hesitant about in January because I didn’t think it was something they’d do. I’m hearing an Ocarina of Time remake. I don’t have details as to what type of scope this has. Maybe we get a 1:1 remake akin to Demon’s Souls or maybe a remake that is free to explore design choices.”
Natethehate paints the Ocarina of Time remake as a project where anything is possible, which may be true to an extent, but I would be surprised if it falls too far outside the Demon’s Souls camp. Assuming the remake is real, it’s a bit unusual for Nintendo, as most proper remakes from the company are smaller, like the Switch release of Link’s Awakening. Don’t get me wrong, the original Link’s Awakening is great and its remake does it justice, but neither is as tightly designed nor as revolutionary as Ocarina of Time. Plus, the changes made in the Link’s Awakening remake are mostly superficial, with the structure and basic gameplay of the original remaining intact.
This is a stark contrast to something like Capcom’s Resident Evil remakes or the Final Fantasy 7 remake project from Square Enix. These games are more like adaptations of their source material—faithful to a point, but ultimately reimagined from the ground up. These games are visually, mechanically, and structurally distinct from their progenitors, which is a risk that has typically paid off. In fact, the significant creative departures of Final Fantasy 7 Remake arguably make for a better game market, as the intent isn’t to replace the original FF7 but rather to offer a distinct experience based on it.
This will almost certainly not be the case with the Ocarina of Time remake, and not just because of Nintendo’s history with its biggest properties. Ocarina of Time is essentially a precursor to modern-day adventure games, most of which adopt trends that are a bit more controversial, like copy-paste open-world activities, too much gear, and grind-heavy progression systems. These are the mechanics and systems that an Ocarina of Time remake would risk injecting, were it to take the Final Fantasy 7, Silent Hill 2, or Resident Evil 4 approach, and Nintendo is likely aware of this. Ultimately, this is a good thing.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Should Be Left as Unaltered as Possible
We’ve already gotten a spruced-up version of Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 3DS, which features overhauled visuals and quality-of-life features, so maybe the rumored remake should just be another step forward from this. Most Zelda fans simply want to play the original Ocarina of Time natively on the Switch, and if Nintendo isn’t going to do that, then the remake of Ocarina of Time (set to release in the year of Zelda’s 40th anniversary, no less) should at least be faithful. New graphics, subtle but impactful tweaks to controls, better performance, and maybe some extra content here and there could conceivably improve Ocarina of Time, but the remake will be better off if it’s additive, not revolutionary.
- Released
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November 21, 1998
- ESRB
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E10+ for Everyone 10+: Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Engine
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Zelda 64 Engine
