The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Hands-On

October 15, 2026

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Hands-On

Focus keyphrase: Ocarina of Time remake

Nintendo’s remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has a difficult brief: preserve the identity of the Nintendo 64 classic while bringing its controls, visuals and presentation closer to modern Zelda adventures.

After approximately 30 minutes with the Nintendo Switch 2 version, the balance looks promising. The remake is visually impressive, substantially more responsive to play and still recognisably Link’s first 3D adventure. It feels designed to welcome returning players without leaving the original game’s structure behind.

The preview covered much of the material shown by series producer Eiji Aonuma during a September Nintendo Direct presentation. The session began in Kokiri Forest, continued through the Great Deku Tree and Hyrule Field, then moved into Castle Town before a later section featuring the Forest Temple.

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Kokiri Forest and the Great Deku Tree

The opening remains familiar. Navi wakes the fairyless Link and carries a message from the wise Great Deku Tree. The early section teaches movement, conversation and combat while Link searches for a Kokiri sword and earns enough rupees to buy a Deku shield.

The remake makes these introductory tasks feel brisk. Link can now jump manually with either the X or B button on a Joy-Con 2 controller, while picking up and throwing objects feels precise. The improved pace makes the opening tutorials easy to move through, including the confrontation with the demanding Mido.

Inside the Great Deku Tree, battles against Skulltulas and Deku Baba respond cleanly. Items such as the Fairy Slingshot and bow and arrow can be reached quickly by using the R button to cycle through Link’s inventory. Even the Gold Skulltula Tokens benefit from the remake’s detailed textures and lighting, which make them particularly striking.

Hyrule Field and Castle Town

After leaving the dungeon, the owl Kaepora Gaebora points Link towards Hyrule Castle. This section introduces Threads of Time, a new feature accessible from the main menu. It records important story events, shows Link’s current progress and provides a reminder of the next destination. It adds guidance without changing the underlying adventure.

Hyrule Field feels expansive, with Hyrule Castle and Death Mountain visible in the distance. Link’s new dash makes the journey to Castle Town less laborious, and a large Peahat near the town’s drawbridge offers an early opportunity to test combat against a tougher enemy.

Castle Town itself is busier and more expressive. Residents move around, dance and talk, while conversations reveal possible side activities. The preview offered only a brief visit, but the town already felt like an area worth returning to.

Exploring the Forest Temple

A separate save placed the player in control of Adult Link, who has the Hookshot needed to navigate the Forest Temple. This dungeon provided the clearest demonstration of how the remake combines familiar design with smoother movement and combat.

The Forest Temple has been rebuilt with extensive environmental detail. Vines and moss cover its stonework, improved lighting separates its areas and subtle architectural changes make the structure feel more tangible. Mist drifting along the floors adds an eerie atmosphere, while the dungeon remains faithful to the character of the original.

The preview ended before the battle with Phantom Ganon, but the temple’s winding corridors and puzzles left a strong impression. The remake’s sharper controls make exploration feel less cumbersome, while the updated environments give old locations room to breathe.

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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is scheduled for release on 5 November, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.