Nintendo has released The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time exclusively on Switch 2.
Ocarina of Time is a full remake of the pivotal 1998 action-adventure game, widely considered one of the greatest games of all time (and certainly one of my personal favorites!).
The game stars Link as a young child of the forest who receives a prophetic dream. He sets off an an epic adventure that includes traveling into the future as an adult — and a darker world. The 1998 Nintendo 64 game was one of the first to offer full open world 3D exploration, and transitioning the classic top-down Zelda games into 3D action-adventure.
Ocarina of Time has been released on every Nintendo console since its original release. Most notably, the GameCube with the more challenging Master Quest version in 2003, and a remaster on the Nintendo 3DS in 2011. It was followed by a more divisive direct sequel, Majora’s Mask, in 2000 (which has been similarly re-released and remastered over the years).
The Switch 2 Ocarina of Time version is a full remake, with overhauled visuals, music, new voice acting, and expanded cutscenes. Controls have also been vastly updated in the nearly 30 years — players can jump now! Some areas have been expanded, time passes properly everywhere, and story and quests can be tracked in a new Threads of Time log. Joy-Con offers traditional button controls, or motion controls for aiming ranged weapons.
Plus, players can hum the ocarina melodies using the Switch 2 microphone to activate the titular ocarina. Nice! Although you may need to hum quite loudly if playing the Switch 2 docked in a big room.
Ocarina of time launches during the 40th Anniversary of the original The Legend of Zelda launching in Japan. To celebrate, Nintendo released a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition of the Switch 2, and a series of worldwide concert tours. Two new Ocarina of Time amiibo figures are also newly available: Young Zelda, and Young Link.
Plus, there’s the new live action Legend of Zelda film arriving next year, in theaters on April 30, 2027.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 is rated E10+.
