Nintendo's Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 launches 5 November, 28 years on

Release on 5 November

Nintendo has scheduled the Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for release on 5 November 2026, 28 years after the original reached the Nintendo 64 in 1998. The launch is Nintendo's own fall release, timed ahead of Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto VI. Nintendo has also released a special Switch 2 and Switch 2 Pro Controller design with Triforce imagery to celebrate the game. The remake marks the franchise's 40th anniversary, according to TechRadar's coverage. Several outlets published reviews on 4 November, the day before the scheduled release.

What changes in the remake

The most visible change is the graphics. Engadget reports that the blocky polygons of the original have been replaced with high-resolution models. Art director Aya Shida said in a recent interview that the goal was to rebuild Hyrule while keeping the feel of the original, with extra touches drawn from puppet shows and practical film effects. The Verge lists a jump button, a way to sprint, full voice acting and a "Threads of Time" feature that tracks progress. The Washington Post review says the new voice acting and aesthetic choices may not please everyone, and TechRadar says the vivid style may not suit every taste. Engadget also flags Young Link's oversized eyes and the look of the water as minor nitpicks.

Structure, story and puzzles

The Guardian says the flow and structure are unchanged, with the same locations visited in the same order, from Kokiri Forest to Hyrule Field, Death Mountain, Lake Hylia, Kakariko Village and Castle Town. The same review says the solutions to the dungeon puzzles remain the same, including burning cobwebs inside an ancient tree and using a magic lens to find hidden gaps in a crypt. The Verge reports the story is unchanged, with Link pulled into a quest to save Hyrule from the villain Ganondorf. Songs played on the ocarina can change the weather, warp Link across the landscape and alter the flow of time. The Washington Post review says many puzzles are unchanged, and adds that some are now solved simply by looking around.

Franchise background and reviews

The original, released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64, is described by the Washington Post review as a template for three-dimensional adventure games. The same review says it introduced controls for targeting enemies and dungeons that demand attention to vertical space, ideas later borrowed by games such as Dark Souls and God of War. Engadget notes that the original also arrived as a 3DS port in 2011. La Razón says the original is still the highest-rated game in Metacritic history, a record no title has matched in more than three decades. The timeline below sets the original's release against the remake's scheduled launch.

Reviews from several outlets appeared on 4 November, and the remake is scheduled to release on 5 November.