Google's new Zelda: Ocarina of Time Easter egg takes us back to 1998 just in time for Nintendo's remake, and it's perfectly nostalgic
Click on the Master Sword…
Google is gearing up for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake as much as any of us, it seems, with a nostalgic little Easter egg.
For years now, Google has included some fun Easter eggs via its search engine. You can type "Minecraft" into your browser to play a bit of the iconic Mojang game. Or, input "do a barrel roll" and watch your screen flip around.
The latest Easter egg from Google offers no exception, acting as a silly (but very welcome) ode to Nintendo's beloved Zelda franchise – simply type in "The Legend of Zelda" or "Ocarina of Time" and see for yourself.
A Master Sword will appear, and should you click on it, you'll see it inserted – and then you'll be transported back to 1998, when Nintendo's original Ocarina of Time made its way into the wild, sort of like a pseudo-child Link or something.
The old Google font, bright primary colors, and exclamation mark intact, is there, along with the 90s search interface you might recall from way back when.
The whimsy is unparalleled, honestly.
If you google Zelda “Ocarina of Time” you can time travel to a 1998 Google search page! lol https://t.co/CQSeCXBZwSNovember 2, 2026
I'm not the only one obsessed with it, either (seriously, you don't want to know how many times I've searched for Zelda today so far).
Over on X, comments see folks agreeing that it's a good bit of fun – and, uh, unsurprisingly wishing that Google's search engine still looked like it did in 1998. As one reads, "Can we just… keep it like that now? Forever." Another adds, "Can we get that Google back?"
Sadly, though, I think we're stuck as adult Link in 2026. This is all in honor of the Ocarina of Time remake anyway, which is set to release in just a few days on November 5.
It boasts everything that made us fall in love with the OG some 28 years ago while also bringing new features to the table, from sidequests to dungeon tweaks and Breath of the Wild's option to turn off the UI for more immersion (and difficulty).
Plus, breathe a sigh of relief – the jump button we've wanted for decades.
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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.
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