is an upcoming action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch 2. It is a remake of the 1998 game released for the Nintendo 64. It is scheduled for release on November 5, 2026.
Gameplay and features
The remake retains the gameplay and story of the 1998 original, with players controlling the hero Link as he explores the land of Hyrule across two time periods to defeat the evil Ganondorf. The player controls Link from a third-person perspective as he explores an expansive 3D world. Link fights with a sword and shield, and can use other weapons such as projectiles, bombs and magic spells. The graphical style has been updated; Game Informer described it as "stylized realism".
Gameplay changes from the original include the addition of a running ability, faster swimming, motion control aiming, full camera control, and automatic jumps being replaced with button-based jumping. Players can now scroll between items, similarly to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017). Cutscenes are now fully voiced.
Several locations are updated. For example, Hyrule Castle Town is expanded into a fully explorable area rather than a pre-rendered location with a fixed camera. Whereas time would previously pause in towns and buildings, time now continuously passes in all areas. Players can view a story summary and track their objective with the "Threads of Time" log feature. Some areas retain loading screens to maintain the original experience. To activate ocarina songs, players may perform melodies using the Nintendo Switch 2 microphone.
Ocarina of Time integrates with the Nintendo Switch App for smartphones, allowing players to use the "Zelda Notes" service introduced in the Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Zelda Notes can be used to view an interactive map, track player progress, play an ocarina and answer quiz questions.
Release Nintendo announced the remake during a Nintendo Direct presentation on June 9, 2026, with a teaser trailer and a 2026 release date. Gameplay was shown at The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Direct on September 8, and the release date was announced as November 5. Legend of Zelda-themed Nintendo Switch 2 and accessories are planned for release on October 29. Amiibo based on Young Link and Young Zelda are planned for release in 2027, which will unlock special masks in the game.
Reception The art style drew mixed responses. Polygon described it as "a balance between modern realism and fairy tale whimsy", with more muted colors and "earthy" tones, but with "creepy" character models. Some compared it unfavourably to DLSS 5 or generative AI, or said it resembled a number of "hyperrealistic" fan remakes of Ocarina of Time using Unreal Engine. In GameSpot, Jade King described the young versions of Link and Zelda as "uncanny". The former Nintendo employee Takaya Imamura, the art director for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000), speculated that the character design was inspired by Japanese puppet shows (ningyogeki).
Others praised the visual style, in particular the detailed environmental design. Polygon noted that Zelda art direction has a history of dividing opinion, with games such as The Wind Waker (2002), Breath of the Wild (2017) and Link's Awakening (2019). The Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma said the art style aimed to evoke nostalgia for the original game. Satoru Takizawa, a Zelda art director, said the original Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess (2006) had aimed for realism.
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