The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake isn't even out officially yet, but critics have it pinned as one of the greatest games of 2026 – and, apparently, all time.
Reviews went live earlier today, marking the Ocarina of Time remake as this year's highest-rated game on Metacritic with a score of 96. For reference, the 1998 original has a near-perfect score of 99 on the platform, with the 3DS version falling behind at 94 – not a low number by any means, mind you.
Critics across various outlets (a whopping 81 so far, to be precise) praise the new remake as a behemoth.
So, where exactly does that leave the Ocarina of Time remake overall? Well, right in front of both Elden Ring and Skyrim, as per Metacritic's list of the best games of all time, in the 26th spot. Just ahead of it is visual novel The House in Fata Morgana and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Mass Effect 2.
It's a testament to how well Nintendo has managed to pull this remake off, I suppose – although, again, it still evidently doesn't touch its 90s predecessor.
The remake is intended to boast 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, for those up to it, more difficulty). Plus, you know, the jump button we've wanted for decades – if I'm not, erm, projecting myself here.
I can certainly see why it's already so highly regarded.
Fans will get to experience it for themselves tomorrow, come the Ocarina of Time remake's official release. I'm curious to see how the ranking may change by then, if at all.
Want to learn more about why we think that Nintendo's revamped gem is one of the best new games to come this year? Check our The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake review.
