When Nintendo first showed us The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, I was skeptical. That first trailer had an odd, oil-slicked look during the child-Link sections that felt off-putting.
However, after trying the game in Germany this past September, my fears were instantly calmed. Now I have played through it and seen the credits roll; I can double down on telling you it is far more impressive once you get your hands on it.
Whether the original trailer was an early build or YouTube compression altered how it looked, the final release is a different story entirely: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2 looks absolutely gorgeous.
Forewarning: this review won't list a bunch of changes compared to the N64 or 3DS versions. Since I have never seen either to completion, I got to play this remake as a whole new experience. So this review isn’t based on nostalgia or as a retrospective; it’s from the viewpoint of someone who should have played it already but didn't until now.
Having never fully played through the original N64 release or the 3DS remaster, I entered this remake with only slight expectations. I knew it had earned its praise over the years, but I wasn't ready for it. I put in 10 hours on my very first day with my review code, barely noticing the time fly by. I wrapped up the main story in roughly 20 hours, but I guarantee I will easily double that playtime in the weeks to come as I tackle side quests and extra challenges.
This is more or less a 1:1 rebuild of the original story and map layout; new cutscenes add depth, QoL improvements, and, obviously, a huge graphical overhaul, but if you played the original or 3DS version of Ocarina of Time, you know what you are getting. Yet the sheer care baked into every frame turns a simple retread into an entirely new experience. It is a slice of pure wholesomeness, a game you could practically prescribe as therapy. It feels like a warm hug from a favorite relative you haven't seen in years.
Without question, this is the best The Legend of Zelda has ever looked. The added detail and sense of scale given to each area are breathtaking. Galloping across Hyrule Field on Epona for the first time delivers a genuine sense of freedom, backed by a triumphant orchestral remastering of tracks beloved by millions. From the peaceful ambiance of running water in the forest to the shimmering, crystal-clear depths of Lake Hylia, every sound effect and musical theme feels perfectly curated.
Ocarina of Time’s whole presentation is stellar. Docked or handheld, the game holds 60 frames per second without a single noticeable dip during heavy combat. Modern lighting gives familiar spaces a fresh feel, from the sunbeams piercing through the Lost Woods canopy to shadows and dampness off cavern walls. It’s easily the best-looking Nintendo game ever. They avoided the diorama, toy-box aesthetic of the Link's Awakening remake and opted for scale and grandeur. It treats Hyrule as a living, breathing world.
Note: Mild spoilers ahead. If you want to go in completely fresh, jump straight to the review score, then come back once you have played it
The main hubs around Hyrule Field benefit a ton from this visual overhaul. Walking into Hyrule Castle Town Market, visiting Lon Lon Ranch, or exploring Kakariko Village feels way more expansive. Just pure magic has been worked here, making the smallest version of the kingdom of the series feel like a sprawling map,
Character models and gear deserve equal praise. Both child and adult Link look fantastic, complete with his green tunic, Hylian Shield, and Master Sword strapped to his back as he sets off on Epona. The attention to detail on Link’s outfits is stunning: the Kokiri tunic looks hand-woven from forest leaves and grass, the Goron tunic features heavy leather trimming with gold accents as if forged in flames, and the Zora tunic has fish-scale texturing built for underwater exploration.
After playing this, it will be hard to go back to previous Ocarina releases. Nintendo brought the dated 1990s control scheme firmly into the modern era. Full 360-degree camera control greatly enhances exploration, letting you appreciate environmental details previously hidden behind fixed angles. The control scheme is similar to the one found in Breath of the Wild. So much so that I even caught myself checking a non-existent stamina meter while climbing, and I held back on Master Sword swings out of habit, half expecting its energy to run out. The dedicated manual jump button felt slightly unintuitive at first after years of automatic ledge-jumping in retro titles. It quickly proves to be a massive upgrade, giving you total precision during tricky platforming.
Ranged weaponry gets a noticeable accuracy boost from subtle gyro aiming. Fine-tuning shots with the Slingshot, Hookshot, or Fairy Bow using tiny tilt motions makes hitting moving targets in the Shooting Gallery or picking off Gold Skulltulas on high cavern walls feel far more natural than wrestling with an N64 analog stick.
HD Rumble 2 completes the mechanical update. The advanced rumble/haptic-like feature lets you feel the game like never before. It adds a lot without trying to be the star of the show; top-notch work.
The game's new audio features add some novelty, especially with the Ocarina itself. You can play notes with standard button inputs, or hum or whistle songs directly into the microphone. Pitch detection is impressively accurate. It recognizes pitch variations smoothly, whether you play Epona's Song to call your mount or the Song of Storms to summon rain. Hearing these melodies fully orchestrated, from the majestic Prelude of Light to the comforting cadence of Zelda's Lullaby, will have long-time fans and newcomers alike beaming from ear to ear.
Ocarina’s quality-of-life updates continue with mission tracking through the Threads of Time journal. Nestled in the menu, this categorizes main story quests alongside side missions. It is incredibly helpful because it lets you see what you were working toward after taking some downtime, saving you from aimless backtracking and figuring out your next step.
The pacing throughout the campaign is on point. Child Link acts as a substantial, narrative-rich tutorial before pushing you into the darker, expanded world of adult Link. The developers' foresight in having you return home to tackle the Forest Temple and save your friends is amazing, since I immediately wanted to make sure everyone was okay. The Forest Temple itself remains a masterclass in level design. You hunt down four Poe sisters across a haunted mansion before a memorable boss fight against Phantom Ganon, who leaps between the paintings overhead.
Another earlier dungeon, the Fire Temple, is equally impressive, especially with the new graphical overhaul; it really makes you feel like you are in the heart of an active volcano. You must endure the heat, rescue trapped Gorons from locked cells, and smash blockages with the Megaton Hammer. The dungeon also ends with a great boss fight against the fire dragon Volvagia, a battle that highlights how much fluid movement and modern target-locking improve boss encounters.
And of course, I have to touch on the infamous Water Temple. For years, fans have highlighted its issue across all versions; I am happy to report it's finally fixed. Instead of forcing you to constantly pause and go into equipment menus to swap boots like on the N64, or navigate touchscreen sub-menus like on the 3DS, you can now toggle the Iron Boots directly with the D-Pad. Thanks to these revamped controls, I cleared the entire dungeon and beat its boss in under an hour without a single hint of menu frustration. In fact, I actually found it rather enjoyable!
I won’t dig too much into the other temples for those who haven’t played it. Not a single one stood out as a dud is all I’ll say. I understand now why people complained at the shrines in the Wild games over traditional dungeons.
For players seeking an immediate step up in difficulty, Master Mode is available right from the start (kind of). The game's menu lets you make things a tad harder without simply buffing enemy health pools or damage output. The Master Mode option in the interface menu strips away the HUD entirely. Playing without on-screen hearts, mini-maps, or button prompts leaves your view completely uncluttered and heightens atmospheric immersion.
To get it out of the way - this remake does not feature the Master Quest. Instead, it introduces brand-new endgame content via the Hall of Fallen Foes. This gauntlet challenge mode tests your combat efficiency against waves of enemies and boss rematches. I am currently tracking down the final 8 unlockable statues to complete my set before pushing through the gauntlet tiers.
Post-game remains strong after the credits roll. I loaded right back into my save to collect the remaining heart containers and upgrades, and to hunt down the Gold Skulltula tokens scattered across Hyrule. Then I spent time simply riding across Hyrule Field under the night sky, listening to the soundtrack, which proved how durable this world design remains to this day. Once you are done upgrading, collecting, and chilling with Epona, the Hall of Fallen Foes gauntlets are ready for those who want a bigger challenge.
Nintendo couldn't afford to mess this one up, and they didn't. It keeps all the charm, timeless puzzle design, and wonder of the original while improving and modernizing every part. I have so much more to discuss, but I will leave some things a mystery and fresh for you to enjoy. Here's what I’ll say: I don’t think anyone who's prayed for an Ocarina remake will be disappointed with this one. Think of it more like the Star Fox remake Nintendo released in June rather than a whole new take on the original.
The Ocarina of Time remake isn't just a 2026 Game of the Year candidate; it’s a contender for the best game of all time.
Whether you're playing for nostalgia or a newcomer experiencing it for the first time, this release is as essential to gaming as The Godfather or Citizen Kane are to cinema. Ocarina of Time is an essential masterpiece, and easily the definitive way to play one of the greatest games ever made.
