The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Announced for Switch 2

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake announced for Switch 2

Nintendo has officially announced a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2. The reimagining of the landmark Nintendo 64 adventure is scheduled for 2026, arriving as the Zelda series celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Only a short reveal trailer has been shown so far, but it points to a substantial visual overhaul. Nintendo describes the game as being “reborn” on Switch 2, with an art direction that moves away from both the original Nintendo 64 presentation and the visual approach used in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

What the first trailer reveals

The trailer opens with narration from the Great Deku Tree, echoing the beginning of the 1998 game. Link is shown sleeping uneasily in the Kokiri Forest. In the original story, this sequence presents Link’s vision of Sheik and Zelda fleeing Hyrule Castle while Ganondorf gives chase.

The remake appears to introduce a notable change to that nightmare: the Triforce starts glowing on Link’s left hand. The footage also presents Link as the only Kokiri villager without a fairy, retaining one of the character’s defining early details.

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Why Ocarina of Time remains significant

Originally released for Nintendo 64 in 1998, Ocarina of Time followed The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and transformed the series from a 2D, top-down format into a fully 3D adventure.

Its design introduced systems that became standard across 3D action-adventure games, including target-locking, commonly known as Z-targeting, and buttons that change function according to the situation. Those ideas helped make navigating and fighting in a 3D world more intuitive.

Previous versions and remakes

Nintendo later brought the game to GameCube in 2003. That release was bundled with the more difficult Master Quest mode as a pre-order bonus for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

A separate remake reached Nintendo 3DS in 2011. It added stereoscopic 3D effects and a range of quality-of-life improvements.

The wider Zelda catalogue has also received updated editions, including HD or DX versions of The Wind Waker, Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess. The 2019 Switch version of Link’s Awakening offered one of the boldest visual reinterpretations, using a distinctive toy-like graphical style.

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Zelda’s next major milestones

The remake is not the only significant Zelda project planned. Nintendo and Lego have released a 1,003-piece set recreating Ocarina of Time’s iconic final battle. It includes a large Ganondorf build alongside Link and Zelda minifigures, and is priced at $129.99.

A live-action Zelda film is also planned for 2027. Directed by Wes Ball, it will be the first Zelda movie to reach the big screen. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, known for The Haunting of Bly Manor, is set to play Link, while Bo Bragason, from Renegade Nell, will portray Princess Zelda. The film is scheduled to open in cinemas on 30 April 2027.

With the Switch 2 remake, a major film adaptation and new merchandise all in view, Nintendo is positioning Ocarina of Time as a centrepiece of the franchise’s 40th-anniversary period. More information about the remake, including its final release date and gameplay changes, has not yet been provided.