Last June, Nintendo announced they were remaking perhaps their most beloved game ever: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. There had been rumors and rumblings about them having big plans for the game on Switch 2, but it didn’t become clear until the announcement, and then the actual reveal when Nintendo showed off visuals that surprised everyone. Absolutely stunning.
I’m not sure what more can be said about Zelda: Ocarina of Time that hasn’t already been said over the last 30 years. However, if you’re a younger gamer, you may not be aware of its importance, place, and influence. I’ll try to keep it short, but it goes something like this:
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the most influential and impactful 3D action-adventure/RPG that’s ever been made. In fact, it’s not even close. Every other game in the genre that’s been released after 1998 is either directly or indirectly descended from it in its mechanics, gameplay, and story. It established the basic blueprint other developers have been following ever since, including Nintendo themselves.
Its biggest innovation is what was called Z-targeting, which is the simple act of locking onto an enemy Link is facing in combat. It may not sound like much now, but it was a literal game-changer at the time, and without that simple mechanic, Ocarina of Time, and the genre it created, wouldn’t have been possible. The ‘Z’ in Z-targeting was the Z-trigger button on the Nintendo 64 controller the player used to target enemies.
That’s not getting into story and the superb dungeon design, which even Nintendo themselves were never able to match in subsequent Zelda adventures. Or the soundtrack, which is still god-tier today even on the Nintendo 64’s limited audio capabilities.
Nintendo did a 1:1 remake of Ocarina of Time on Nintendo 3DS with updated visuals, but this remake on Switch 2 makes it look like a brand-new game that can visually stand toe-to-toe with any modern title in the genre.
I could say more, but I’ll leave it there. Suffice it to say, if you like action-adventure titles, Ocarina of Time is essential and I can’t wait to see what Nintendo has in store for the eventual remake of Majora’s Mask we’ll likely be getting in a few years.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is out now exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. Check out the launch and overview trailers below:
TAKE UP YOUR SWORD AND EMBARK ON A GRAND ADVENTURE
A classic tale, built from the ground up for the Nintendo Switch™ 2 system.
THE BATTLE FOR HYRULE BEGINS
The evil Ganondorf is scheming to steal the mythical Triforce from the Sacred Realm and take over the world. Now Link must become the Hero of Time and save the kingdom in the Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time game, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.
Link is the only member of the Kokiri who doesn’t have a fairy, until the Great Deku Tree asks Navi to accompany him in his adventures. Fairies often have helpful hints to share—if you see any on this page, be sure to see what they have to say!
Link: The young hero of the story, accompanied by his trusty fairy, Navi.
Zelda: The young princess of Hyrule seeking to protect her kingdom.
Ganondorf: The menacing leader of the Gerudo, who harbors ambitions to seize the Triforce.
THE LEGEND REBORN FOR A NEW GENERATION
Enjoy completely overhauled visuals, orchestral music, voice acting, and expanded cutscenes. Jump and dash through the action with enhanced controls and modern camera movements, making this a great entry point into this legendary series.
