We've already got both a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on the way and a remaster on the 3DS, but the beloved N64 original is getting a redo. Not only does project "OoT unJPEG" swap out the 1998 version's fixed prerendered backdrops with full three-dimensional set pieces and free camera movement, but the dev confirms no AI was involved up front.
In a Bluesky reveal, modder Reonu shows off the Zelda OoT N64 ROM hack they've been working on for a year. "I'm remaking all of Ocarina of Time's prerenders in 3D, trying to match the N64 style rather than the 3DS one," explains the dev before confirming that the "provisional name is OoT unJPEG." Yes, that's a cheeky nod to the fact it swaps out the static backdrops for full 3D models, and while I love the low-res '90s art, the results are anything but a gag.
If you've been itching for more Zelda on N64 since wrapping up Majora's Mask back in the 2000s, you can dive into the wonderful world of ROM hacks. By picking up a flash cart like the Summercart64 for $87.99, you can play excellent fan adventures on real N64 hardware or in 4K if you've already invested in the Analogue 3D.
In addition to sharing a short demo that showcases Zelda OoT's Market with full 3D assets, free camera movement, and no load screens, Reonu also dives into the process. The dev says they've been using Blender and the Fast64 plugin to combine everything into one scene. That sounds like it'd be too much for Ninty's retro console to handle, but the modder has seemingly used some tricks as a workaround.
I've been working on this for over a year: I'm remaking all of Ocarina of Time's prerenders in 3D, trying to match the N64 style rather than the 3DS one. The provisional name is OoT unJPEG. It will be distributed as both a romhack that runs on real N64 hardware and a mod for Zelda 64 Recompiled.
— @reonu.bsky.social (@reonu.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-08-17T11:36:39.090Z
"Making this work on N64 hardware with ok performance was very hard and required me to write custom CPU culling code," says Reonu. "The N64 version also has LODs for all the buildings in the market to help with performance. These LODs won't be there in the recomp version."
For those of you unfamiliar with N64 technicalities, LOD, or Level of Detail, is an optimization technique available to the console's CPU. It can be set by developers to switch between high and low quality models based on the player's proximity to an in-game model. Dynamically changing asset quality will help the ROM run reasonably on a stock Nintendo 64, but I'm itching to see how it would fare on beefier hardware or an overclocked system.
My mind is specifically on the Analogue 3D for this one, since the 4K N64 has an overclocking mode that boosts its FPGA. By doing so, it could potentially run OoT unJPEG without taking a massive performance hit, allowing you to play on something that mimics the '90s console on a hardware level while providing enough modern juice to handle those new 3D assets.
Analogue's 4K system also just got a fancy new horizontal upscaling mode that helps sharpen things even further at 4K. The results are pretty spectacular even when sticking with OG Zelda: Ocarina of Time, so I can only imagine the extra pixels will help the OoT unJPEG look even crispier with new 2D textures injected.
On that note, Reonu is actually on the hunt for some artist help. "I'm not great at making textures (most of the ones here are either vanilla OoT textures, textures from other games, or photos of walls or floors I took IRL adapted into a texture)," admits the modder. "So if you're a 2D texture artist who would be down to help me with some things, contact me!"
I personally think even the current textures look pretty fantastic, and Reonu gets extra points for refusing to use AI for anything. Too many recompilations and retro port projects made using the tools are slipping out into the wild, and some of them lack any sort of disclaimers informing players who'd rather not support the tech. The last thing the original Ocarina of Time needs ahead of the remake stealing its thunder is sloppification, and OoT unJPEG embodies everything I love about the modding scene before AI haunted its halls.
If you'd rather ditch the jank of the OG N64, the port will be compatible with Zelda 64 Recompiled. That means you'll get the full benefit of a free camera and 3D building when playing the PC port, and everything looks far higher res as a result. I'd argue sticking with the '90s hardware limitations is part of the charm, though, so I'm hyped that Reonu is catering to both.
I'm not saying I won't play the new Zelda Ocarina of Time remake when it lands on Switch 2, but my heart belongs to the N64 version. I'd even choose it over the enhanced 3DS remaster, and Reonu's project feels very much like a demaster of that handheld port that fits the vibe of the OG. It needn't be said that as soon as OoT unJPEG is available to try, it'll be going straight on my flash cart, so I'll update you once I've set foot in the fully 3D version of Hyrule.
Swing by the best retro handhelds if you'd rather play N64 games on the go.
