After the reveal of the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, Nintendo has issued an update to the official Zelda timeline that makes an already head-spinning history even more complex. The update appears to confirm a fan theory that's been around since Tears of the Kingdom launched a few years ago: there are, in fact, two different Hyrules.

The official Zelda timeline splits into three different branches from the end of Ocarina of Time. All three branches eventually come to a dead end where Link and Zelda's stories fade into myth. Then comes Breath of the Wild – a unifying tale set amid Hyrule's ruins where a new story begins.

But then we got Tears of the Kingdom, where Zelda is flung back in time to witness the founding of Hyrule. But that set off a question for fans: was this the beginning of the Hyrule we'd known in the previous games, or the foundation of a new Hyrule? In other words, is the kingdom we see in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom entirely disconnected from the one that had come before?

As noted in a new lore video by Zelda specialist Zeltik, there's a revamped version of the timeline on the official Japanese Nintendo website. The broad strokes of the timeline are the same as ever, but there's a notable addition: an entry for the founding of Hyrule just ahead of the events of the flashbacks in Tears of the Kingdom. This is presented entirely separately from the founding of Hyrule in the earlier part of the timeline.

That's probably as close as we're ever going to get to an official confirmation of the refounding theory. So yes, we should probably be operating under the assumption that there are two different Hyrules. But things might actually be even more complicated than that.

In the video above, Zeltik goes on to note that the Ocarina of Time remake is full of minor visual references to the Breath of the Wild era. Some of the Kokiri kids now have tattoos matching those Queen Sonia sports in the Tears of the Kingdom flashbacks. There are also now Sheikah patterns matching those in the modern Switch games.

What's that mean? Heck, man, I don't know. Maybe the Ocarina of Time remake will be subtly altered to fit into the Breath of the Wild era of the timeline. Maybe these are just small design flourishes ensuring that the remake feels in line with the visual language of the modern games. It's fun thing to consider, but I wouldn't expect any concrete answers when the remake launches in November.

Interconnecting lore rarely gets a direct reference in the actual games, and while Nintendo has apparently kept an official timeline since 2003, it was never "that important" to Shigeru Miyamoto. Still, ever since that timeline was made public in 2011, Nintendo has dutifully updated it for each new game, while leaving plenty of room for fans to develop their own theories. It's just as well – the theories are usually more fun than the answers, anyway.

32-year Nintendo and Zelda veteran reacts to the Ocarina of Time remake, suggesting Shigeru Miyamoto's love of puppet shows influenced the art style.

The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary edition of the Switch 2 was pretty and sold out – in other words, a prime target for scalping. But don't let the scalpers win. Nintendo just confirmed it's restocking the fancy Zelda Switch 2 in the UK.

Worldwide, unscrupulous resellers have been driving up the special console's price on sites like eBay up to $850 and more, which is dangerously close to double its $520 sticker at official Nintendo retailers. So the developer has added a banner (spotted by Nintendo Insider) to the Zelda handheld's online listing on at least Nintendo Store United Kingdom and Ireland websites clarifying that, "The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary collection is currently sold out. We will announce when stock is replenished via the Nintendo Store app."

As of writing, Nintendo doesn't include the same reassuring banner on its US site, where the Zelda console is also sold out ahead of its October 29 launch date. This doesn't necessarily mean US fans need to start preparing a nice outfit and getting their hair done before being scalped, though. The Zelda Switch 2 isn't limited edition, and, anyway, it seems Nintendo's physical stores in New York and San Francisco will have it in stock at launch, too. In fact, Nintendo's store locations in New York and San Francisco will be the only places you can purchase the anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller with its matching display stand in person.

"They're treating it like they did the TOTK OLED console," one sage Reddit commenter says in a related thread. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom OLED console was, like the Zelda anniversary console, a special edition, though plentiful stock made it so you can now purchase the sold-out handheld for under its asking price on certain resale sites – despite some scalpers' best attempts to flip the $360 machine for $600.

So lock your wallet in the freezer. You won't be needing it while you wait for the special Switch 2 to inevitably come back into your life.

Take a look at our list of the best Zelda games of all time.

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time only received its pre-order status earlier in the week, but Amazon is already discounting limited-edition textured foil physical versions. Today, the $69.99 MSRP of the full cart and that gorgeous cover dropped to $59.88 when added to cart; that's impressive considering this is a blockbuster Nintendo first-party release.

Those kinds of games barely see any discounts even after launch, so a saving this chunky this early is well worth celebrating. Remember, that textured cover is only up for grabs while initial Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time pre-order stock lasts. Ocarina of Time remake launches on November 5 for Nintendo Switch 2.

Walmart is also taking part in this $10 discount, with both stores launching the promotion seemingly out of nowhere. It's difficult to believe the saving has come from lack of interest, the title has been at the top of the news desk since we received that full gameplay walkthrough in Nintendo's 40th Anniversary Zelda Direct on Tuesday - even if fans are divided on Link's new look. In fact, accompanying Legend of Zelda Switch 2 pre-orders sold out almost immediately when they went on sale this week.

Ocarina of Time has been completely rebuilt for modern consoles for this year's release, with brand new textures, jump and camera systems, and use of the Switch 2's built-in microphone. One of Link's most famous quests to save Hyrule, Ocarina of Time (in its many platforms) currently comes third behind Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom for best-selling Zelda titles. In other words, it's firmly on the classics list.

Nintendo is making a big deal of its franchise's 40th anniversary, then, and it's partnered with a number of toy and merch brands to accompany Ocarina of Time Remake. Hasbro's electronic Master Sword pre-orders have also sold in the blink of an eye and we've got a bunch of (frankly) cursed Amiibo heading our way as well.

• See all Legend of Zelda deals at Amazon

We're also rounding up the best Legend of Zelda merch and taking a closer look at the new Lego Link and Epona set. If you're still without a Switch 2, though, take a look at the latest cheap Nintendo Switch bundle deals.

It turns out the magic ingredient to having a strong viewership on a developer showcase is to focus on remaking one of the most beloved games ever. Simple enough for Nintendo, whose viewership for the recent Zelda Direct revealing new The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake clips dwarfed Sony's last State of Play, and even showcases from stalwart conventions like Gamescom.

Per The Game Business, figures gleaned from game marketing analyst LevelUp indicate the Zelda Direct focused on the Ocarina of Time remake peaked at 2.1 million viewers. That's a solid amount of fans, and it stands high above several recent showcases of similar weight.

It passes clean over the 2 million viewers who watched Gamescom's Opening Night Live, and it's more than double both the last PlayStation's September State of Play and Nintendo's focused Mario Kart World direct from April 2025, which respectively had 1 million and 930,000 viewers at peak.

But unfortunately, the Master Sword likely can't rise up to the might of GTA 6, since the game's extended look on Netflix preview managed to hit 31.1 million views after four days. After two days, the Zelda Direct only has 6.9 million views on YouTube. It's hard to topple what's projected to be one of the biggest video game releases ever, especially when it's collaborating with the one of the best streaming services, but the Ocarina of Time remake tries its hardest.

Maybe Nintendo should sort out a Netflix deal for the next mainline 3D Mario game next?

32-year Nintendo and Zelda veteran reacts to the Ocarina of Time remake, suggesting Shigeru Miyamoto's love of puppet shows influenced the art style

Even if you don't know Takaya Imamura's name, you're likely to know his work. He was, after all, the artist who designed the Star Fox characters, and the one who gave The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask its signature dark look. Imamura collaborated with Shigeru Miyamoto regularly over the course of his 32-year career at Nintendo, and he believes that divisive art style of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is reflective of Miyamoto's love of puppet theater.

Retweeting an image of the new Link design, Imamura says (via DeepL translation), "Looking at this model, I felt that… Mr. Miyamoto’s love of puppet shows really comes through here, too."

Miyamoto's love of puppetry is well known, and it's particularly well evidenced in Star Fox, which both Imamura and Miyamoto were deeply involved in. The original Star Fox was marketed with puppets, and that old influence seemed to come back on its own modern Switch 2 revival, another new art treatment that got the cold shoulder from some fans.

But while the Star Fox designs are reminiscent of muppets, the new Zelda look has more in common with marionettes. And, in fact, there's some pretty compelling comparison shots showing the new Link and Japanese TV marionettes side-by-side – frankly, it's more than enough to convince me that puppetry was indeed a big inspiration here.

Either way, Imamura is excited to simply play a classic Zelda game again. "I haven't played Ocarina of Time since the 3DS version, so I'm really looking forward to it," he says in another tweet (again, DeepL translated). "The color palette and lighting are great... As expected!"

For more upcoming Switch 2 games, you know where to click.

There's a lovely new limited edition The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2 console on the way to commemorate the upcoming remake's November 5 launch. The handheld has got some nice detailing and colors, but if you haven't already pre-ordered it, your odds of getting one are shrinking. Scalpers were unfortunately first to the scene with Nintendo's new hardware.

The special edition Switch 2 only went on sale yesterday, after its reveal during Nintendo's 40th Anniversary Zelda Direct previewing the Ocarina of Time remake, a total redo of the N64 classic.

Already, many retailers like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are sold out of the $520 console, which is to be expected. Not only is this console related to Zelda, but Ocarina of Time? Every collector and fan wants it in their possession, and sadly, the vultures know that.

You can find many Ocarina of Time remake Switch 2 consoles listed on eBay right now for around $850 and upwards. Plenty of scalpers managed to get this hardware for reselling purposes, it seems.

Though scalping almost always happens with exclusive game releases, it's still disappointing each and every time – because it could mean a true fan is losing an opportunity to someone who wants to make a quick buck. But if the FOMO is getting to you, please don't indulge in these Zelda Switch 2 listings. There might be more stock coming to official retail websites and in-person Nintendo stores once the special Switch 2 launches October 29.

Walmart is our highest recommendation for purchasing the console itself, while Best Buy is good for the Pro Controller, and old reliable Amazon has you covered for the Ocarina of Time remake itself.

The best reaction to scalping is always just not engaging, even if it means missing out on a collectible you have your eyes on.

Young Link has a face only a mother could love in Zelda Ocarina of Time remake, and even the series' most dedicated fans are struggling: "They did him dirty."

Following a surprise announcement during a Legend of Zelda-themed Nintendo Direct, Hasbro's Master Sword prop is now up for pre-order. Usually, replicas like this are many rupees… but not in this case. The toy is much more affordable than I thought it'd be.

Announced alongside merch for the Ocarina of Time Remake, including a playable ocarina, the Hasbro Master Sword will set you back $39.99 and should arrive on your doorstep in Spring 2027 (just in time for the new movie, in other words). Pre-orders should theoretically be live at Amazon, Hasbro Pulse, Walmart, and more, but stock is currently hard to come by. I've got more details on where you might find the prop below, but the TL:DR version is to keep a close eye on Hasbro Pulse. It's already dropped back into stock there once, so watch it like a hawk in case that happens again.

While this is a smaller prop and isn't a 1:1 replica (it's very much a toy), it still looks rather handsome in product photography with plenty of detail to its name. Yes, it's clearly made of plastic, but the colors and proportions are surprisingly spot-on despite this thing being 27 inches rather than the full 40 or so.

This may be smaller than the actual Master Sword at 27 inches, but it's still packed with cool features. It uses 15+ sound effects, including the equip/un-equip audio when the toy is lifted or set down by the hilt. It also provides swiping and clashing noises when swung, or upon impact. Rather than the Ocarina remake everyone's going nuts over though, this Master Sword is based on the one seen in Tears of the Kingdom. That means it'll go nicely with Hasbro's first Legend of Zelda action figures.

The Electronic Master Sword is being made by the folks over at Hasbro Pulse, e.g. the place behind incredible replicas like the Darth Vader Force FX Elite Lightsaber or that phenomenally tempting Wolverine helmet. However, I don't think it'll be the only Master Sword produced there. I'd be downright astounded if those folks didn't make a full-size, 1:1 scale replica at some point, not unlike the Proplica version that made us weep with pure Zelda fandom joy. An absurdly detailed replica designed for adult collectors with sound effects and a cool stand to show it off on? That's absolutely within Pulse's wheelhouse. We just have to be patient, I guess.

In the meantime, will you be grabbing this new Master Sword?

This isn't the only awesome merch revealed during the Zelda direct; we also got a Lego Link and Epona kit, not to mention two new Ocarina of Time amiibo figures. They're certainly contenders for our list of the best Legend of Zelda merch...

• See all Legend of Zelda amiibo at Amazon

The brand-new Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time amiibo may feel pretty cursed to some, at least where their unlocks are concerned, but I'm absolutely smitten with these new collectibles.

The $24.99-each (GameStop) amiibo aren't just adorable little replicas of Young Link and Young Zelda as they appear in the upcoming Ocarina of Time Remake, but they also pay homage to some of my most beloved game artwork, at least for Link. The image of the little Hero of Time glancing at Navi the fairy as she's about to perch on his hand was used alongside the release of the original 1998 N64 game. Illustrated by artist Yusuke Nakano, the iconic art graced everything from Nintendo magazines of the era to the official Ocarina of Time Player's Guide by Nintendo Power (via Internet Archive), and it's incredible to see it in toy form all these years later.

Young Zelda appears to be rocking out her own unique pose, but as a pair, they're still undoubtedly detailed and adorable figures I can't wait to add to my collection. As it stands, I'll have to be a bit more patient to pre-order them myself, as both Young Link and Young Zelda have yet to appear on UK retailers. However, I've still gathered the links you'll need below once they drop, alongside which retailers you can visit to secure your new amiibo today if you're on the US side of the Lake Hylia fishing pond

I instantly clocked the classic art homage of the Young Link amiibo when it was first unveiled during the Nintendo Direct held yesterday. As a 90s kid and a hardened Zelda fan, the image of Link looking at Navi has been long etched in my brain for decades. While I'll have to get used to this new version of Link with his busy-looking tunic, I'm pretty excited to add this iconic pose to my Zelda merch collection - but I can't help but wish they chose different artwork as inspiration.

One of the most standout classic pieces of Ocarina of Time artwork features Young Link and Zelda sitting side by side. That would have been more fitting, particularly as Nintendo could have designed it so that the amiibo bases could fit together to get the pose just right. Ninty recently showed with its Splatoon Raiders amiibo that it can release figures that connect together, so it could have been a possibility for these two. But alas, I'm happy with any new Ocarina of Time amiibo, particularly as we've only had two so far - one of Young Link and one of Adult Link holding the ocarina, which is now in the Princess's hands this time around.

If you aren't an Ocarina of Time fan, the recent Nintendo Direct also included a reminder that the Mineru's Construct amiibo pre-orders are up for grabs. This figure is the first of the line-up to be articulated, which makes it one of the most unique amiibo in the Legend of Zelda line-up.

• View all Legend of Zelda amiibo at GameStop

Check out our Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake pre-order page and where to buy the Legend of Zelda Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch 2 Pro controller while you're here.

Oh Link, you've met with a terrible fate. You might not be a Deku Scrub, but you are absolutely lost in the uncanny valley thanks to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake.

Link's younger self stands out among all the other re-modeled characters for many of the wrong reasons. His chubby, babyface cheeks and big round eyes contribute to the feeling that we're looking at someone just slightly too inhuman for their own good.

In reaction to Nintendo showcasing the remake, people have been quick to gawk at the choices made regarding our protagonist. One popular tweet compares a picture of Hyrule's hero and that cursed hellspawn Renesmee animatronic baby from the Twilight film franchise.

I'm sorry to say, but there's a clear resemblance. It's in the eyes and how the air gets a little colder whenever you're looking into them. One of many photoshops doing the rounds hammers this home.

Speaking of hammers, another post makes it clear violence would've been employed in another time for the intrepid adventurer. "Me and my friends would have killed Young Link with hammers I can tell you that much," says a post, and going by the numbers, I think a few would've joined them.

In a crossover within the same franchise, one Twitter user points out Link's resemblance to Malo, the infant-looking Ordonian from Twilight Princess. A reminder Nintendo has form for this, however cursed.

"They did him dirty," one fan proclaims, and, well, yeah.

One huge change in the Ocarina of Time remake: full voice-acted cutscenes for everyone, except Link of course.

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time pre-orders have landed across the web, with both the physical and digital edition now available in the US and listings popping up across the UK as well. The remake was shown off in Nintendo's dedicated Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, where we also learned of the title's November 5 release date and $69.99 / £54.99 launch price (though that's $59.99 for the digital edition). With copies popping up all over the web, it's time to lock in your early order - here's where to find the fastest shipping options and all the latest stock.

In the US, Amazon has both physical and digital copies up for grabs, and the Switch 2 exclusive even has a discount just days after pre-orders went live. You can now save $10 off the physical release at Amazon and Walmart, as it's down to $59.88 instead of its full $69.99 price.

Meanwhile, in the UK Smyths Toys was the fastest out of the gate with its pre-orders, but you can grab the game everywhere from UK Amazon, Currys and Argos now.

Not only will the physical version grant you the full physical game with no game-key card in sight, but you'll also get access to that shiny foil cover in the process. While there's no fancy collector's edition to pick up today, Nintendo did make sure to provide a pre-order bonus box of 3D replicas of the Spiritual Stones - but that is exclusive to the Nintendo UK online store while supplies last. Of course, if you're after a heavier set of goodies, Legend of Zelda Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are alive and kicking as well.

So you're not left feeling like a stray Kokiri in the Lost Woods, I've gathered all the US and UK retailers you can use to secure your copy of the game ahead of November. I'll be updating this along the way, so check back later if you aren't quite ready to splash out all your rupees on the upcoming Switch 2 remake.

Ocarina of Time pre-orders in the US

Ocarina of Time Remake UK pre-orders

FAQ

Want more Ocarina of Time Remake goodies? Check out Hasbro's new electronic Master Sword and the new Lego Link and Epona set and the best Legend of Zelda merch while you're here.

Two new amiibo are on the way for Ocarina of Time remake, and they look fantastic - but what they unlock is seriously weirding me out.

Revealed during the latest Nintendo Direct livestream, these figures depict Young Link sitting on a stump with Navi the fairy and Young Zelda as she plays what I think might be the Ocarina of Time itself. As with all amiibo (and particularly the Legend of Zelda range like the new Mineru's Construct that just went up for pre-order at Amazon), they're impressively detailed so could be sold as mini statuettes in their own right... but that's just the tip of the iceberg, because they also unlock in-game items. In this case, deeply cursed masks of their former selves.

Yes, you'll be able to wear a mask of original Link or Zelda in all their polygonal glory after using these amiibo in the Ocarina of Time remake. Judging by the stream, there won't be any other benefit - just the ability to parade around in a chilling facsimile of their faces with one hell of a dead-eyed stare.

While I understand the idea in principle, there's something unsettling about the execution; besides it feeling odd for Link to run around Hyrule wearing his old face like a pint-sized version of Michael Myers, it's jarring to see the crisp, highly detailed character model under a pixelated mug with edges so sharp they could cut someone.

Still, at least the amiibo themselves are fantastic. The attention to detail is every bit as meticulous as you'd expect from modern amiibo, and Link is a fun nod to the past. Taking a break on a log while Navi the fairy perches on his hand, this image is pulled directly from artwork for the original game. That makes it a neat ode to N64 Ocarina of Time that anyone who grew up with the game will appreciate.

This wasn't the only merch unveiled during the stream; besides the reveal of a new Lego Link and Epona kit, Nintendo just showed off an electronic Master Sword to accompany new Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake, as well as a playable ocarina. These are shaping up to be some of the best Legend of Zelda merch already...

• See all Legend of Zelda amiibo at Amazon

Nintendo has finally given us a substantial look at the incoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, revealing a number of big changes. There are a few that truly stand-out, like having a jump button and a quest log, and added voice-acting for various characters.

As you no doubt recall from the original, the only lines you hear through the game are Navi's incessant requests for your attention, and Link's shouts and grunts while delving through the various dungeons across Hyrule. Not any more, because the rest of the characters now have fully-voiced dialogue.

That includes Zelda, Saria, Princess Ruto of the Zora, Darunia of the Gorons, and yes, even Ganondorf himself, who is just as menacing in that encounter when he's on horseback. We get lines from each in the latest trailer, and it definitely gives an anachronistic shock at first.

The voices themselves are more than adequate, but after 30 years, it's weird seeing anything related to Ocarina of Time with full dialog. Ganondorf is particularly tricky for my brain to register, possibly because I always thought he was scarier due to his silence. On the flipside, Zelda and Saria's voices are particularly spot on to how they always seemed in my head, and of course, Link remains completely silent.

The voice cast has yet to be revealed, which is classic Nintendo behavior. We'll probably have to wait until November to find out exactly who's behind these performances, but whomever they are, this must've been one of their more nerve-racking assignments.

Imagine being the first person to voice a character in a game that's been totally loved for three decades? Incredible pressure. But I can say they done decent job, at least from what we've seen thus far.

Nintendo says Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake isn't aiming "for realistic graphics," and that's great for everyone but Young Link

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake appears to largely be faithful to the design of the original, but Nintendo has introduced a couple of core gameplay tweaks that some players have been waiting decades for. There's now a dedicated jump button, and you no longer have to spam the roll button to move faster.

In the original Ocarina of Time on N64, you'd automatically jump by running towards a ledge, but there was no way to jump whenever you wanted to. While the game was certainly designed around this limitation, it seemed weird even at the time, especially given the prominence of the jump-driven Super Mario 64 on the same platform.

Players have complained about Ocarina of Time's lack of jump button since the game launched 28 years ago, but now you can simply tap a button to hop. Plus, you can swing the camera around with the right stick, something else that wasn't possible on N64. Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma admits in today's gameplay demonstration that both these features "might seem obvious for those of you who have played recent games in the series," but they do both mark major changes for the 28-year-old original.

Another key change: in the original game, repeatedly rolling forward is slightly faster than running. To this day, even speedrunners make use of that rolling technique to get around faster. But in the remake, you can hold down the roll button to have Link burst into a speedy sprint. There doesn't appear to be any stamina meter holding you back from dashing forever, so it looks like there's a new fastest way to get around.

I've played through Ocarina of Time more times than I can count, but I'm not fully convinced by the remake. Hyrule appears to be largely unchanged from how it debuted in 1998 aside from the new visuals, and I'm not sure I love that new graphical treatment. So I'm not convinced this remake is a meaningful upgrade over the original. But I'm glad to see Nintendo's at least willing to make a few core gameplay tweaks to get this remake feeling a little fresher.

Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake release date set for November as Nintendo joins GTA 6 in a weird month.

Nintendo has unveiled the first footage of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, and Nintendo hired that man.

As part of The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct, series producer Eiji Aonuma revealed some live gameplay of the upcoming remake, showing the early moments of Link's adventure in Kokiri Forest and the Great Deku Tree. And to say it's quite a stark difference is certainly an understatement. Aonuma notes, "We had many discussions about what visual style we should use for this game, We decided that if Link's adventure took place in a world that has both been remade yet somewhat nostalgic, he would look like this."

Despite the change, Aonuma adds, "we didn't just aim for realistic graphics; we were particularly focused on reimagining them in a way that invoked nostalgia for the original game." This can be seen in some of the redesigns, like Link's tunic, which has a new textured appearance and pattern, while the Great Deku Tree has a ton of frayed branches to represent its facial hair, as opposed to the flatter design seen in the original.

Naturally, with any remake, visual differences are going to be hit-or-miss for everyone, but the realistic design is certainly a choice, even if it's not quite as uncanny as the Star Fox remake earlier this year. The environments have been updated in a way that generally looks lovely and is a natural update to what you'd imagine the game to look like in a semi-realistic style.

Weirdly, the worst looking part of the game is Link himself, at least in his younger form, some of the designs like Darunia and Ruto are spot on while Sheik has a fantastic looking redesign, but Link just ain't it, with exaggerated eyes and chubby cheeks he just looks a bit strange. The first look at the game in the stream was definitely weird to get to grips with, but it won me over as it went along, and thankfully adult Link isn't quite as strange-looking, so there's that.

Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake's mystery developer may be a veteran studio that a Nintendo lead wanted to see "play a central role" in the series moving forward

Nintendo officially announced The Legend of Zelda – 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 during its Zelda Direct on September 8 after plenty of spurting leaks in August. The handheld will be available from October 29 – with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake sold separately.

So, it seems the special Switch 2 won't be included in any bundle deals – though Nintendo's existing price-hiked Switch 2 bundles are underwhelming. Instead, Zelda fans can expect to see a 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, which matches the special Switch 2 console with its emerald and gold decals, as well as a 40th Anniversary screen protector and carrying case, which also shows off the mighty Triforce. You'll also have the option to buy the Zelda Switch 2 with a display stand.

Though, Nintendo disclaims that the Zelda Switch 2 with a display stand will be exclusive to the Nintendo store, including its brick-and-mortar locations in New York and San Francisco. Pre-orders for the 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 stuff will otherwise likely go live at Nintendo first, but then they'll make their way to other retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

We don't know how much any of it will cost internationally yet, but a press release from Nintendo's Japanese wing lists the Zelda Switch 2 console as 62,980 yen, which is about $400, while the Pro Controller plus display stand is priced at 12,980 yen, or $80. The carrying case and screen protector will cost 3,980 yen in Japan, or approximately $25 – though you should remember all Nintendo hardware is generally priced lower in Japan. The Japan-language Switch 2 is 59,980 yen, for example, which equates to around $385, while the multi-language Switch 2 is currently available in the US at $499. And yet the Triforce beckons...

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake release date is set for November 5, with seemingly no concern for GTA 6.

Where to buy the Legend of Zelda Nintendo Switch 2, how to find your best shot at a pre-order.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake release date is set for November 5, Nintendo announced at today's big Zelda Nintendo Direct showcase.

The Ocarina of Time remake release date joins a strange November which notably includes GTA 6, due November 19. GTA 6 is, of course, only coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X, not Nintendo Switch 2.

Thanks to GTA 6, many games have already shifted their release dates out of November, creating an absurdly stuffed October. Nintendo and Rockstar are currently the marquee publishers for November itself.

That leaked Zelda Switch 2 console is coming just before November on October 29, albeit with the game sold separately. Similarly, a new Lego Legend of Zelda Link and Epona set was briefly revealed in the Direct.

Per our big list of upcoming Switch 2 games, the Ocarina of Time remake is the tentpole release for November, and the biggest Nintendo game of the holiday season.

This month, the console is getting Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave (September 17) alongside third-party releases like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered (September 29) and Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter (also September 17).

In October, Switch 2 owners can look forward to Rayman Legends Retold (October 1), the Octopath Traveler duo pack (also October 1), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (October 23). The big Nintendo release for the month is Nintendo Switch Sports Resort (October 22).

December is currently looking a little light, with a Switch 2 edition of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 leading the pack. The Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 update was one of the console's best, so that might actually be enough for some JRPG fans.

Nintendo says Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake isn't aiming "for realistic graphics," and that's great for everyone but Young Link.

A new Lego Legend of Zelda set has been announced in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reveal during the latest Nintendo Direct livestream.

As is only right considering the imminent release for Ninty's Ocarina of Time remake, the latest kit depicts Link and Epona striking a heroic pose on a small slice of Hyrule Field. This one isn't like the other Lego Legend of Zelda sets so far, though; rather than being a diorama with the usual minifigures (as seen in the Final Battle set that hit the Lego store earlier this year or the now-retired Lego Great Deku Tree), it's one of the company's larger 'big' figures.

There's no word yet on when this kit will be launching, though. In fact, we don't even know this model's price. However, we can make an educated guess. Lego doesn't typically show off kits too far ahead of launch, so if I had to guess, I think we'll see this one hitting shelves in early October, November, or December.

From what I can tell, this model may not have to be displayed with Epona rearing up. The bottom of her hind legs and the knees of her front legs seem to be hinged, so if I had to guess, you can probably pose her however you like. (The base certainly looks big enough to accommodate all four hooves being on the ground, if barely.)

I think it's a similar story for Link. His arms, hands, and head look as though they can be twisted, though based on the angle I can't be sure about the legs. It's possible he'll take a leaf out of Lego Luigi & Mach 8's book in that his top half is flexible, but his bottom half isn't.

Either way, this kit looks pretty manageable no matter whether you're coming back to Lego for the first time in years, have never built a set, or are a veteran of many models. While it's hard to gauge size from a screengrab, you can hazard a good guess based on the pieces used. Judging by the jagged two-stud pieces around Epona's hooves which usually weigh in at around 16mm long, I think this model will be between six and ten inches tall when reared up.

No matter what, we should find out precise details soon. Keep a close eye on Lego for more in the coming weeks.

This wasn't the only cool collectible to appear during the Nintendo Direct stream; Nintendo announces electronic Master Sword to accompany new Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake, as well as a playable ocarina.

• See all the latest sets over at Lego

New details for the upcoming The Legend of Zelda movie have been revealed, and they're pretty intriguing. While we didn't get a trailer for the new film during The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto did reveal some interesting teases.

"The title is The Legend of Zelda," he explained. "Once you see the film, you'll understand why there isn't a subtitle. This is an original film based on the many stories, ideas, and concepts of the series, built up through the games over 40 years." He also teased that the Triforce will play a part in the new movie.

Directed by Wes Ball, the adaptation stars House of the Dragon's Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link and Renegade Nell's Bo Bragason as Zelda. It also stars Uli Latukefu as Ganondorf, Dichen Lachman as Impa, and Yvonne Strahovski as "a Queen character".

Speaking earlier this year to GamesRadar+, Ainsworth revealed he was a bit too young to play Breath of the Wild, possibly the best Zelda game of all time, when it was released in 2011, but he did watch a lot of playthroughs.

"Then, upon being fortunate enough to play this role, such an iconic character, going back and realizing the 40 years of legacy and history, and the varied tones, the varied stories, the varied renditions and vocal performances of this character as well," he explained of his preparation. "Yeah, I'm a big fan, and just really excited, because it was an awesome thing to shoot."

The Legend of Zelda movie is set to hit theaters worldwide on April 30, 2027. For more game-to-film adaptations, here's our guide to all the video game movies you need to know about.

Nintendo has confirmed that two Nintendo Direct presentations will air this week, with the first focusing on The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is Nintendo's biggest game for the remainder of 2026, and one we know next to nothing about. Will it be a full-blown remake in the vein of Resident Evil or Final Fantasy 7's recent outings? Or will it be a glorified remaster, just a prettier version of the exact same game with some quality-of-life improvements? Thankfully, all will hopefully be revealed today as we're getting 30 minutes of Zelda news in The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct.

The rumor mill has placed Xenoblade Chronicles studio Monolith Soft as the studio behind this remake. Meanwhile, a leak from the Australian Nintendo store seems to suggest it'll be priced at $60 alongside Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, meaning it's more expensive than the likes of Star Fox 64's remake, but not quite as much as premium Switch 2 games like Donkey Kong Bananza.

As for what else to expect from this show, given we got our first look at The Super Mario Galaxy movie during last year's Super Mario Bros 40th Anniversary segment, I'd wager we'll see footage from The Legend of Zelda movie. Perhaps a duo of remasters like The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD could be thrown to Switch 1 owners, and in a stunning display of copium, I'm going to put it out into the world that we get a teaser for the next mainline Zelda game.

How to watch the The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct

The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct will air live on Tuesday, September 8 at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST and air for 30 minutes.

And don't forget, we'll be getting another Nintendo Direct this week, with a regular Nintendo Direct set to air tomorrow, September 9, 2026, at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST, which will last 40 minutes. And on top of that, after tomorrow's show wraps up, we're getting a Nintendo Treehouse Live stream with 110 minutes of gameplay, with Zelda being a likely candidate to show up.

Watch the Nintendo Direct stream here

The show will air live on Nintendo's YouTube channels simultaneously, so just pick whatever region suits you best!

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake's price has seemingly leaked ahead of the Nintendo Direct, with the Switch 2 exclusive being right in the middle of Nintendo's Switch 2 game price range.

Nintendo is the one publisher that is weirdest with pricing. Mario Kart World made countless headlines last year when it was revealed that it would cost $80, but aside from that, no Switch 2 game has been $80. Premium releases like Donkey Kong Bananza, Pokemon Pokopia, and Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave have been at $70, while the likes of Star Fox and Splatoon Raiders have been $50, and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book stands alone at $60. Many assume further $80 releases are likely being saved for the Next 3D Mario, Zelda, or Animal Crossing games.

However, ahead of today's The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct, fans have noticed that the Nintendo Store's Australian website has listed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake at AU$94.95, placing it at the same price point as Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. So unless there's a strange regional difference, the Ocarina of Time remake should be $60 (that's £50 in the UK).

So what does this tell us? Given that Star Fox was also a remake of a Nintendo 64 game released this year and it was $10 cheaper, it says that Nintendo views this as a bigger remake than its contemporary. That being said, not being a full-priced or Mario Kart-priced release may suggest it is closer to a traditional remake than a Resident Evil- or Final Fantasy 7-style remake (that is to say, an actual remake, not a fancy remaster).

However, maybe it is, and Nintendo is just being generous with its pricing based on it being a remake; we'll find out in a few hours!

Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake's mystery developer may be a veteran studio that a Nintendo lead wanted to see "play a central role" in the series moving forward

Ahead of a rumored Nintendo Direct this month, a Norwegian retailer has identified Xenoblade developer Monolith Soft as the developer of the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake.

Even as someone who has never gelled with the Xenoblade series over the years, it's hard to argue that Monolith Soft is one of, if not the best, studio acquisitions Nintendo ever made. While the Xenoblade games have been some of the most beloved RPGs of recent times, Monolith also assisted in the development of some of Nintendo's biggest hits in recent years, including the Splatoon series, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart World, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom. This has led to chatter about the studio potentially leading a Zelda game of its own from Zelda series lead Daiki Iwamoto, and it looks like it could be coming to pass in the near future.

As spotted by a user on the Gamingleaksandrumors subreddit, Norwegian retailer Elkjop has posted a store page for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2, listing Monolith Soft as the developer. This comes alongside rumors that there will be a Nintendo Direct next week (or at the very least, speculation given that Nintendo typically always holds a Direct in mid-September), so perhaps this is information set to be revealed in a week's time.

However, given how often we've seen Nintendo keep its cards close to its chest about exactly who is developing its games in recent years, I'm not sure a retailer would have that info right now. However, if members of the Zelda team are keen for Monolith Soft to lead a Zelda game of its own, working on a remake first could be a good way to get there.

Grezzo led development of remakes of Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Link's Awakening, and then worked on Echoes of Wisdom, a new original 2D Zelda title. And given the traditional 3D Zelda games – like Ocarina of Time – are seemingly no more, perhaps Monolith could lead development on a new 3D title while Nintendo works on the next open-world Zelda game.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake rating suggests some changes, with its "suggestive themes" missing, and we can probably guess what that means

Plenty of fans would still argue that A Link to the Past is the best Zelda game of all time, but the developers at Nintendo weren't even able to squeeze all of their ideas into the SNES classic. In fact, Shigeru Miyamoto specifically requested that one radical idea be left on the cutting room floor, and the team would oblige – at least until Link's Awakening came around a few years later.

"At the start of development, we wanted players to be able to freely choose which weapons to hold, not just the sword and shield," director Takashi Tezuka said in an interview for the March 2017 issue of Retro Gamer magazine. We republished that feature on the making of A Link to the Past in 2023, and portions of the interview were included in the Mini SNES Companion book bundled with Retro Gamer #287.

"We also thought about having these weapons combine," Tezuka continued, "say, for example, having the Bow & Arrows set to the A Button and a Bomb to B Button so that when you use them together (i.e. press both the buttons), Link would shoot an arrow with a bomb attached."

But, as anyone who's played A Link to the Past knows, that feature was never implemented. "In the end, we didn't use this in A Link To The Past, as Shigeru Miyamoto requested that Link always have the sword equipped," Tezuka explained.

"We were able to implement this system in the next title, Link’s Awakening, though." Tezuka also directed this Game Boy classic, which launched just two years after A Link to the Past. There aren't many opportunities to make use of the item combo system in Link's Awakening – it's pretty much just the bomb arrows – but being able to freely swap out your active items, even the sword, gives the game a unique vibe that stands out from other Zelda games.

Personally, Link's Awakening was always my favorite 2D Zelda game, but there's a reason A Link to the Past has spent so many decades soaking up accolades and influencing other games. How do the devs who made the game feel about all that praise? "We're truly thankful, and consider it a great privilege," Tezuka said. "At the same time, it also drives us to create new games that will surpass this acclaim."

These two titles rank pretty highly on our lists of the best SNES games and best Game Boy games of all time.

I already have a Switch 2. I do not need another Switch 2. But I've wanted another Switch 2 ever since the back-to-back releases of Pokopia and Tomodachi Life, when my partner had confiscated the household console for two months straight. I think I've been holding out admirably up to this point, but the apparent leak of a 40th anniversary Legend of Zelda-themed Switch 2 is seriously testing my resolve.

Images of the box for the console appeared on ResetEra earlier today, though their exact provenance isn't clear. It's possible this leak is faked, but personally? I think the images look far too detailed and specific to be anything but real. At least, that's what I hope, because I really want this console to be real.

The images depict a dock with a leather-brown base. On the front, the color fades from black on the left to a series of golden triangles on the right, with an ornate Triforce symbol in the center that has the symbols of the goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore in each corner. The console itself seems to be standard, but the Joy-Cons come in an adventurous green and gold combination that looks pretty slick.

Notably, these box images only refer to The Legend of Zelda series and its 40th anniversary as a whole. There's no indication that the console will come with a copy of the upcoming Ocarina of Time remake, which is scheduled to release later this year – presumably alongside this special edition console.

This leak also includes pictures of a new Switch 2 Pro Controller, which combines the green of those Joy-Cons with the black-and-gold triangle pattern on the console dock. Reports of a Zelda-themed Pro Controller for Switch 2 previously emerged last month from a separate source, adding credence to these new leaks.

But here's something you should keep in mind if you, too, are eyeing a Switch 2 purchase in the near future: Nintendo's hiking the price by $50 at the start of September.

This console, assuming it's real, will almost certainly launch after the price hike, and may even command an additional premium for that special Zelda branding. Look, I'm not saying that buying this thing would be a smart decision, but us gamers are rarely known for our fiscal responsibility.

New console owners have a nicer incentive to get into some of the best Switch 2 games out there.

Following The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess' fan-made PC and mobile port, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are now also running natively on IOS devices.

Late last month, Chris Sotraidis managed to get The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time up and running on IOS and iPadOS for the very first time while using the fan-made Ship of Harkinian port as a base. A port of a port, basically. Now, just a few weeks later, Sotraidis managed to do the same thing to the classic game's N64 sequel.

"After Ocarina, everyone asked me to bring Majora’s Mask over next. So here it is," he tweets. "This game deserves a controller, so controller support is native. Pair a Bluetooth controller and play the whole thing. Touch, keyboard, and mouse work too."

Taking one of the best Zelda games to IOS was an idea that came to Sotraidis during a shower thought, funnily enough: "I was taking a shower while on vacation in Bangkok and thought ‘wait, has anyone ever natively ported Zelda to iPhone?’. Surely it had been done, right?"

"The decompilation community has been incredibly active this year. For those that are less familiar, decompilation is the reverse engineering process of turning compiled, machine-readable binary code back into a high-level, human-readable programming language like C or Java," he explains in his blog.

He's definitely not wrong. Recent years have seen fan efforts result in tons of retro game decompilations that open the door to ports and mods and all sorts of cool stuff. An excellent Super Mario 64 port years ago has since been followed by new ways to play Banjo-Kazooie, Mario Kart 64, the aforementioned Twilight Princess, and even the Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed.

Wind Waker 2 was in development before Zelda lead Eiji Aonuma was told Toon Link "alienated" American teenagers, so we got Twilight Princess instead

While Link's Awakening is the Game Boy title most fans would rank highest among the best Zelda games ever made, the Oracle games aren't far behind. Made by Capcom's Flagship team under Nintendo's supervision, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages had a famously troubled development, but it's a wonder it got made at all given the contentious way the project had begun.

The partnership between Capcom and Nintendo was the brainchild of Yoshiki Okamoto, who had produced classics like Final Fight and Street Fighter 2 at Capcom. In the late '90s, he wanted his team to remake the original Legend of Zelda for Game Boy Color, then use those learnings to make a trilogy of original games for the platform.

Of those four games, only two were ultimately released: the Oracle games. All of this information is widely documented on various fan wikis, but a newly translated quote from Okamoto suggests that he was pretty audacious about his plans, and wasn't going to take no for an answer. Even if it meant threatening Shigeru Miyamoto himself.

"I especially like Zelda [1]. But Nintendo wouldn't port it to Game Boy Color," Okamoto said in a 1999 interview with the German magazine Total, which was recently translated by Did You Know Gaming. "So I told Mr. Miyamoto I'd produce it myself... but we couldn't come to an agreement. So in the end, I threatened him. I said if Nintendo's not up for it, we'll release an identical game with different characters and just call it something else."

I guess Miyamoto has a better sense of humor than Nintendo's lawyers, because this threat ultimately got the proper bargaining underway. Given how Nintendo typically treats products it thinks are similar to its own, well… I can only imagine the sassy, Palworld-style court drama headlines we'd have been getting back in the day.

Of course, Capcom couldn't truly make good on its end of the deal. The remake was canned when it hit development issues, so Okamoto's dream never really came true, and the planned trilogy was cut down to just two games. But Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages turned out to be great games, and Nintendo again collaborated with Capcom on The Minish Cap a short time later, so I suppose it all worked out in the end.

Check out our guide to the best Game Boy Color games of all time.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker originally wasn't supposed to be a Mario spin-off – instead, it was meant to be a Legend of Zelda game. That fact was well publicized in the wake of Captain Toad's launch, but one more notable detail has emerged in a recently translated interview: the dev working on the concept was so distraught by Shigeru Miyamoto shooting down the Zelda concept that he burned the diorama he built by hand to sell the idea.

The basic gameplay format of Captain Toad started as a simple prototype at Nintendo. As in the final game, you'd slowly explore as a tiny character from a distant perspective, solving puzzles and finding collectables in a diorama-style environment. The concept was born within the Super Mario 3D World team, but the devs quickly realized that Mario himself was a poor fit for it.

"The thing we noticed was that if Mario could jump, the stages become pretty big, so we wondered whether it would be possible to make a game with a character who can't jump," according to 3D World director Koichi Hayashida. He was speaking in a 2015 interview with Nintendo Dream magazine, which has only recently been translated for a new Did You Know Gaming video.

So, 3D World level designer Shinya Hiratake "submitted an idea to Mr. Miyamoto, the father of both Super Mario and Zelda, to use Link as the character," Hayashida explained. To sell the idea, Hiratake spent painstaking hours in his off time to build a Zelda-themed diorama that he'd present to Miyamoto.

Miyamoto loved the diorama – but he thought it was an idea for a physical toy to be sold in stores. Once he realized the pitch was for a video game, Miyamoto shut down the idea. "If Hiratake had given a better presentation," Hayashida says, "there's a chance it would have been a different game with Zelda instead."

As for the diorama itself, Hiratake says, "I burned it. It was such a bad memory that I decided to let it die."

Eventually, the devs realized Captain Toad could be the protagonist for diorama-style levels as bonus stages within Super Mario 3D World, and they proved to be one of the best parts of that game. They even impressed Miyamoto, who suggested the devs spin off the concept into the standalone game Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – which Hiratake co-directed. Hopefully that memory is a little nicer in hindsight.

Nintendo designed the DS and Wii to normalize "being a gamer" says Shigeru Miyamoto: "We don't say 'book readers and non-book readers.'"

These days, The Wind Waker is remembered as one of the best Zelda games ever made, with gorgeously expressive cel-shaded graphics that are still impressive to this day. The vibes were very different ahead of the game's North American launch in 2003, when many fans of The Legend of Zelda were taking to forums to complain about this new "kiddie" visual treatment. It seems that's why Eiji Aonuma decided to transform The Wind Waker 2 into what eventually became Twilight Princess.

Aonuma discussed this during a Game Developers Conference talk way back in 2007, but I only became aware of the story thanks to a recent Did You Know Gaming video going over canceled Zelda projects. And hey – I figure if it's new to me, it might be new to you too, dear reader. Japanese players had begun to transition away from the hobby in the early '00s, Aonuma argues throughout the talk, calling this phenomenon "gamer drift."

"At one point, I had heard that even Wind Waker, which had reached the million mark in sales, was quickly losing steam, and that things were sluggish even in North America, where the market was much healthier than in Japan," Aonuma said. "I asked [Nintendo of America] why this was. What I was told was that the toon-shading technique was in fact giving the impression that this Zelda was for a younger audience, and that for this reason, it alienated the upper-teen audience that had represented the typical Zelda player."

The Wind Waker 2 was set to use "a similar presentation" to the previous game, and Aonuma worried whether it "was something that would actually sell" even outside of Japan. "That's when I decided that if we didn’t have an effective and immediate solution, the only thing that we could do was to give the healthier North American market the Zelda that they wanted."

This decision to specifically alter Zelda to appeal to the North American market might sound strange given the recent comments we've heard from Shigeru Miyamoto. In a recent Famitsu magazine interview (via VGC's machine translation), he argues that "if you try to base your work on things that only seem to have broad appeal, you end up with something generic – something where you can’t tell who actually made it – and that kind of thing actually lacks global strength."

It seems, however, that the decision to create a more grown-up visual style for this new game actually ended up solving problems for the developers. "The proposed setting for The Wind Waker 2 was not on sea, but on land," according to an interview with Twilight Princess art director Satoru Takizawa, printed in the book The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts.

"The desire to depict Toon Link on a horse riding around the great plains was great; however, with his small stature and short arms and legs, it would have been difficult to make him look good on a horse," Takizawa continued. "It wasn't like we could create an adult version of Toon Link. And that was about the time we heard that people were waiting on a realistic-looking Zelda game again."

With all this in mind, Aonuma explained that, near the end of 2003, he "went to Miyamoto and said, 'I want to make a realistic Zelda.' Miyamoto was skeptical at first – I was so focused on changing the look of the game as being the solution we were looking for without coming up with a breakthrough in gameplay. And he advised me that, 'if you really want to make a realistic Zelda, then you should start by doing what you couldn’t in Ocarina of Time. Make it so Link can attack enemies while riding on his horse using the Wind Waker engine, and make your decision based on how that feels.'"

So yes, the decision to move Twilight Princess to a more adult visual style was a nod to the preferences of North American gamers at the time. Amusingly, Takizawa noted the popularity of an unnamed "epic fantasy movie" – obviously the Lord of the Rings – as an indicator of the global market's interests. But the switch in art styles also helped make one of Twilight Princess's key gameplay innovations, horseback combat, possible.

"Four months later, development had progressed to a point where Link could swing his sword in battle against enemies while riding on his horse in a realistic-looking world," Aonuma explained. "When it was announced with a surprise trailer at the 2004 E3, it received a standing ovation by the media audience. This was a very exciting moment for us, but we were still very much in the early stages of converting the game into something more realistic. We knew that we had to create a Zelda game that would live up to the expectations of fans in North America, and that if we didn't, it could mean the end of the franchise. But I also trusted the ability of the team, which was able to bring the game so far in just four short months."

The Legend of Zelda was inspired by Western RPGs says Shigeru Miyamoto, because Nintendo wanted to appeal to more players: "We had to create new types of games."

Nintendo fans are convinced that amiibo have been giving away release dates for games for a while now, and I'll be damned if I'm not kind of convinced.

Despite the toys-to-life fad dying shortly after they were introduced, Nintendo's amiibo have been going strong for over a decade now. While it's not a guarantee that every game will get an amiibo like it kind of felt like back in the days where Chibi Robo or Poochie got figures, there are still multiple drops every year – with the impressive yet expensive Kirby Air Riders series being released throughout 2026. However, there's been a surprising correlation between amiibo and Nintendo release dates, and some reckon it may have revealed when The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake is set to be released later this year.

As pointed out by a user on the GamingLeaksAndRumors subreddit, Nintendo has been releasing amiibo alongside new releases pretty consistently this year. The Kirby Air Riders Meta Knight and King Dedede amiibo had their release dates announced before Pokemon Pokopia and Rhythm Heaven Groove had been given dates. Next in line is the long-awaited The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Mineru's Construct amiibo, which had its date announced in May, before Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave was announced for the same date.

And now, the next two Kirby Air Riders amiibo – "Sword Kirby and Dragoon" and "Noir Dedede and Hydra" – have finally been given release dates, that being November 12, 2026. Given that Nintendo hasn't announced a release date for its 2026 Zelda game, and that October is already covered by Nintendo Switch Sports, the expectation has been it'll be a November title. The amiibo also releases on a Thursday, Nintendo's typical release day for the last few years.

Do I believe this means Zelda is locked in for November 12? Not entirely. But the fact that three major amiibo drops have coincided with three major Nintendo game releases this year is certainly the closest thing to compelling evidence we have right now. At the very least we should be finding out soon, as the game has recently gotten an age rating from the ESRB.

After 16 months, Zelda Ocarina of Time expert completes a hitless, totally randomized run of the game: "I genuinely didn't think it was gonna happen."

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Switch 2 now has an ESRB age rating, and if you can believe it… it's the same as last time. Mostly.

Over on the Nintendo US website (spotted by Nintendo Life), the store page for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 has been updated slightly, with an ESRB rating now included. This age rating is E10+ with "animated blood, fantasy violence" descriptors attached, which is the exact same rating The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D got back in 2011, albeit missing the "suggestive themes" descriptor the 3DS game got.

Meanwhile, the original N64 version of the game nabbed an E rating – which makes sense when E10+ did not exist until 2005.

The ESRB website currently doesn't have a page live for this remake, so a more in-depth description isn't available right now.

So, what does this mean for Ocarina of Time on Switch 2? Well, not too much other than it sounds like it's going to be very similar to Ocarina of Time. The omission of a "suggestive themes" descriptor could in theory mean that there have been changes to some of the more risque elements – see: The Great Fairy, who is somewhat scantily clad, but more crucially makes the loudest noise on the planet when they emerge. But then again, it could just be that these elements aren't deemed "suggestive" anymore.

However, an ESRB rating is usually a sign that there will be some news about a game soon, as it's likely nearing release, so we could be seeing a random Direct or a news drop on Nintendo Today out of nowhere sometime soon.

If not that, then Nintendo typically hosts a September Nintendo Direct, where we'll be very likely to see more of Ocarina of Time remake than the pretty much nothing we got back in June… perhaps as some sort of Zelda 40th anniversary Direct stapled onto a regular Direct like we got with the Super Mario Bros anniversary in last year's. After all, the remake is supposed to launch this year, so we definitely need to see more of it before too long.

After 16 months, Zelda Ocarina of Time expert completes a hitless, totally randomized run of the game: "I genuinely didn't think it was gonna happen."

The Legend of Zelda was inspired by old-school Western RPGs, which weren't popular in Japan at the time. Taking inspiration from these foreign '80s PC games, and wanting to create a non-linear title that could use a save system, Nintendo fellow Shigeru Miyamoto came up with the idea for Link's adventure in Hyrule.

In an interview with Famitsu, that's been translated by GamesRadar+, Miyamoto talks about Nintendo's inspiration for both The Legend of Zelda and the Famicom Disc System. An add-on for Japan's version of the NES, the Famicom, the Disc System could play games that required more data via rewritable floppy discs. However, the hardware sadly never made its way over to the West.

When talking about the early days of the NES, Miyamoto says: "We had arcade-style games and sports games, but in order to capture the interest of a large number of people, we had to create new types of games. We wanted to make a different style of game where you don't continue linearly towards the goal."

At that time, many games focused on high scores and didn't require players to save their progress. In longer games like Super Mario Bros., there were systems in place that let you return to certain checkpoints. Password systems and level selects are common examples, but they could be hidden perks like Mario's warp pipes.

Miyamoto had dreams of creating a game for Nintendo with the ability to save baked into the cart or floppy disc. "We wanted a game where the main character was the focus, and we also wanted to utilize save data," Miyamoto says. "With this challenge in mind we made the [Famicom] Disc System. It was after this that we started to think about game design."

Since the early '80s, vast RPGs like the Wizardry series were popular in the West, but Japanese players were focused on games developed within the domestic market. "At that time, RPGs on PC were catching on abroad, but they weren't widespread at all in Japan," Miyamoto says. "Nintendo leveraged the technology it had developed up until that point, and gathered the most interesting elements [of these games] to recreate them for the Famicom.

"That's how I came up with a similar game design for The Legend of Zelda," he concludes.

After 16 months, Zelda Ocarina of Time expert completes a hitless, totally randomized run of the game: "I genuinely didn't think it was gonna happen."

MajinPhil jokingly describes himself as your "friendly neighbourhood masochist" on his YouTube page, and looking at his history of challenge runs, it's easy to see why. He 100%ed The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask without taking a single hit in 2024, and then beat a completely randomized version of the game hitless in 2025. The next logical step, it seems, was doing the same with an Ocarina of Time randomizer.

Randomizers are mods that shuffle the locations of enemies and items within a game. They offer a challenge similar to speedrunning, where a player's knowledge and mastery of a classic game is put to the test – in this case, it's just tested in a completely different way with every run. Typically, a randomizer has some built-in safeguards to keep the game from being completely unwinnable, but beyond that, it's all fair game.

MajinPhil's Ocarina of Time randomizer challenge, which he'd been streaming on Twitch for 16 months, had some additional parameters, too. Most notable is the fact that he could only take a single hit before dying – and he's not allowed to block. Taking a single hit from any enemy, even when MajinPhil is behind a shield, is an instant death that also deletes the save file.

So you might start to see why this challenge ended up taking 135 attempts across 16 months. But hey, the winning run, which kicked off last week, had an auspicious start. "I'm calling it now: this is going to be a banger," MajinPhil said near the start of run 135. "I'm manifesting a banger here. Manifesting a banger. 135? That's some good shit."

There are some tricks in MajinPhil's favor here, like the fact that he can save and quit at any time to get out of a bad situation – the caveat being, of course, that he has to run all the way back to wherever he saved, past loads of respawned enemies, every time the game restarts.

If you want some examples of just how devious this can be, MajinPhil's previous run ended when an invisible enemy appeared with a rare glitch, present even in the original game, that rendered it briefly invulnerable. You'd think that the multiple Iron Knuckles that appeared in the very first dungeon of run 135 might've been similarly dangerous, but MajinPhil bypassed them without much trouble.

Once he finally reached the threshold of the final boss fight, MajinPhil took a moment on stream to get up, pace around the room, and collect himself. "For anyone saying I'm being dramatic, I promise you I'm not," he explains. "I've been doing this challenge since March of 2025. This is the first time I've ever gotten this far."

Experienced Ocarina of Time players will know that the scariest part of the final few fights is the back-and-forth with Ganondorf, where you bounce a ball of magic back at the boss like it's a tennis match. At one point, there's a rally that stretches on for an absolutely absurd 18 swings. MajinPhil laments that as "bullshit" – but a type of bullshit he manages to clear, just before clearing the castle escape and dealing the final blow to Ganon.

By the time the ending starts to play, MajinPhil sounds like he's on the verge of hyperventilating. "My head's freaking out," he tells his viewers. "I'm freaking out, man. I can't believe I beat it. It's actually so much more intense than Majora's Mask. This feels so much more intense. The wind-down is like… I can't explain how I feel. The feeling of all that anxiety from the beginning of the stream, like it was two hours of anxiety – two and a half hours of anxiety – all released when that final Ganon hit [was] hit."

After 16 months of trying, "I genuinely didn't think it was gonna happen," MajinPhil admits, and says "that was the hardest thing I've ever done, gaming-wise." The scariest part? Now, I reckon, he's gonna have to try and figure out an even harder challenge.

Shigeru Miyamoto admits Nintendo's been pumping out "a lot of remakes" as Ocarina of Time approaches, but says most people stopped playing the original games within 5 years anyway.

It's December 2006, and after months of eagerly scrubbing through trailers and poring over Official Nintendo Magazine, a brand new Zelda game is on the way. Not just that, it feels like the Zelda game, a gritty successor to Ocarina of Time's throne, bolstered with the incredible motion controls of the Wii. As December 8 rolled around, I queued up at midnight with my best pal, giddy with excitement, and sped home quickly as if the wind of Tulin was behind me.

We stayed up until five in the morning playing Twilight Princess, briefly slept, then went straight back to it. My poor younger brother didn't touch Wii Sports for at least a week. But, it wasn't the much-touted waggle controls that offered the biggest thrills, or the (at the time) incredible graphics. Instead it was Twilight Princess's commitment to tone, to crafting a lived-in world, and the tangible feeling that this space was really right in front of us – if we could just reach in and touch it.

Now 20 years later, it's that attention to detail, along with a mixture of reality and fantasy, that still makes Twilight Princess's dungeons the best the series has ever produced.

Got that dog

Twilight Princess feels quaint in hindsight when compared to BotW, but when it comes to solving puzzles this works in its favour. Each dungeon feels like a distinct part of this world, but it also feels absorbing. Scale works both ways, and spending more time in a small but richly detailed world gives you a real sense of your place in 3D space, especially with the immersive motion controls helping to bridge your suspension of disbelief.

For instance, the Goron Mines in Twilight Princess feel like a functioning part of that world. Heavy doors groan when they're heaved open, and bridges thud with a distinct weight when you fire your arrow to lower them. Breath of the Wild offers so much to do, but occasionally the sheer scope of that world makes smaller moments feel weightless. Twilight Princess makes each room feel consequential, and every solution to a puzzle feels like you've shifted something monumental in the world. You can imagine the Gorons down here smelting all day, which makes it more fun when you interact with elements that feel tangibly useful.

One standout example is Snowpeak Ruins, a dungeon that sneaks up on the player as you slowly realize this frosty new area you have discovered is your latest mystery to solve. Here, you also consistently interact with the Yeti couple Yeto and Yeta as you explore the grounds, further strengthening the belief this is a space that characters actually inhabit. So, when you unlock the fantastic Ball and Chain and start swinging wildly, the sense of power and relief is thoroughly earned. Not to mention, the Snowpeak boss uses both those interactions and your understanding of the space perfectly, turning your time bonding with the Yetis into an emotionally resonant fight instead of just another piece of Ganon fodder.

Speaking of the Ball and Chain, Twilight Princess has one of the best selections of items in any game, let alone a Zelda game. Unlocking the Spinner, and not only discovering a Beyblade-esque method of transport, but the function of those conspicuous jagged teeth in the wall of the Arbiter's Grounds, is immensely satisfying. It is phenomenal dungeon design to add a weapon that feels like a genuine part of this world, then offer both functional ways to use it in this established environment but also ways to attack enemies like the awesome fight against Stallord.

Perhaps it was the overcorrection after Wind Waker's reception, but Twilight Princess works so hard to establish a feeling of unease, of an oppressive and omnipresent sense of dread in the world. Link feels truly up against the world, and you want to help every character you meet in this slim cast. Nintendo consistently makes great dungeons for Zelda games (except for you Breath of the Wild), but in Twilight Princess the mixture of tone, a push for realism, and the immersive motion controls really help to elevate already stunning work.

Even on GameCube, stripped of those motion controls, Twilight Princess works on many levels to make every action feel important. Link's quest here feels uniquely intimate; the standout cast of characters offers support and genuine peril, and the unique selection of weapons works overtime to make you feel like you're interacting with a living and breathing world. As we look to the future, I hope even as Zelda continues to grow, we can reclaim the sense of consequence and importance that occur when we interact with a smaller, functional, and uniquely living world.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was so secret within Nintendo, most employees found out about it for the first time at its E3 reveal: "We popped off"

Despite having only just been revealed, it's already proving hard to buy Hasbro Legend of Zelda action figures. Namely, I've seen one sell out already even though it's only been available to pre-order for a few hours.

With that in mind, I thought it might be helpful to track where you can currently get your hands on these toys. I've already gone on record about how good I think they are, so I'd say they're well worth grabbing - and from what I've seen so far, speed is of the essence if you want to buy Hasbro Legend of Zelda action figures. Link is selling out fast, for example (perhaps going back to the shrine for another 100 year nap).

Where to buy Hasbro Legend of Zelda action figures in the US

Where to buy Hasbro Legend of Zelda action figures in the UK

• See all the latest action figures at Hasbro Pulse

If you want more cool collectibles, don't miss the best toys or the best Lego sets. With summer in full swing, it's also worth dropping by the best water guns!

I honestly think Hasbro getting the license to make Legend of Zelda toys is the best thing for fans.

Now, listen: I appreciate the concern about corporate giants scooping up IP so we're left with a monolithic industry run by big names. The company isn't perfect, either, so don't mistake this for blind loyalty. But Hasbro winning the license to make Legend of Zelda toys has me excited nonetheless – and it's all thanks to a galaxy far, far away.

As you probably know, Hasbro is a behemoth in the field – it has numerous companies under its belt, from the creators of Furby to D&D's Wizards of the Coast. One of these is an imprint called Hasbro Pulse, which focuses on high-quality action figures and replicas for adults based on Star Wars, Marvel, Transformers, and more. Hand-to-heart, I think it produces some of the best toys around – and it just got its paws on Legend of Zelda, as revealed by its first action figures based on the series. That means fans are in for one hell of a treat.

For starters, Pulse's action figures are absurdly detailed (often using face scans of the actor in question) with premium deco accompanying a host of accessories and multiple points of articulation for more realistic poses. However, they don't come with a premium price. The six-inch Star Wars Black Series range starts at around $27.99 per figure through Hasbro Pulse, for example, and you can usually get them for significantly less at the likes of Amazon after launch. The same has proven to be true for Legend of Zelda, and considering how good they look, I don't think $28 for Link or Zelda is bad.

Yes, Ganondorf is pricier at $43. But we saw the toy in person at SDCC so can confirm it's about two or three times the thickness of the others – so that higher cost does make sense in context.

What really excites me are the replicas, though. Hasbro Pulse is also responsible for a wealth of roleplay items such as lightsabers (including my all-time favorite, the Darth Vader Force FX Elite Lightsaber), helmets, and even masks from the Marvel universe. I've found the vast majority of these to be truly excellent thanks to a host of neat interactive features, quality build materials, and impressive weathering that makes them look as though they've been stolen from a movie set. If you take that care and apply it to the Legend of Zelda universe, we'll be truly cooking. We'd get Master Swords and Hylian Shields like this replica that made us weep with pure Zelda fandom joy, sure, but that also opens up the floor to Majora's Mask or accessories like the hookshot.

Crucially, both action figures and replicas will be much easier to get hold of than anything else we've had before. Existing Legend of Zelda toys are hard to pin down and often expensive due to being out of print. Hasbro's equivalent, on the other hand? Judging by how widely available its other products are, they'd be easy to find.

Of course, there's plenty of other Hasbro-related possibilities to get excited about. Hasbro is responsible for a wealth of board and card games including Magic: The Gathering, for instance, so a crossover seems inevitable. In much the same way, I'd be surprised if a Zelda supplement of some description didn't appear in the Hasbro-owned D&D down the line. But despite all that, it's the action figures or replicas that excite me most – and that's all thanks to how good Pulse's Star Wars gear is.

For more cool collectibles, don't miss the new Lego Star Trek Enterprise Bridge from the original series or the recently-revealed, playable Lego Donkey Kong Arcade set.

Mario and Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto says that the games that resonate the best with players aren't made to chase profit or global appeal.

Speaking to Famitsu (via machine translation by VGC), Miyamoto is asked why he thinks Nintendo's games have global appeal on the scale that they do. The Mario creator recalls the many times he's been asked how a "mustachioed middle-aged guy" became the best-selling game franchise of all-time, and admits he has wondered the same thing, but that the key may be that he was introduced alongside fun games.

And that may be the key, because if you really think about it, there is something kind of weird about video games' most iconic character not being a space marine or some sort of superpowered animal, but instead the guy you hire to fix your shower. But Miyamoto explains that when Nintendo comes up with new game ideas, the developers start with the fundamental ideas instead of looking at the current market trends.

However, that isn't to say those trends aren't taken into account, but starting from that point isn't the right way to go about it. The same goes for developers who seek to make a better version of the games they love. He explains that if a game is remembered for being unique, it'll end up making an impact on people.

Miyamoto also adds that he dislikes terms like "recouping costs" or "depreciation," adding that if you are constantly asking, "Will this make money right away?" you won't be making something unique or with broad appeal.

"The people funding these projects are doing it to make a fortune, so why celebrate things like ‘we recouped our investment’ or short-term profits?" He says. "To me, if you’ve burned through the talents of so many people just to achieve that, that feels like a massive failure."

He explains that when people at Nintendo ask what they should do, his number one piece of advice is to turn their idea into something that showcases they were the one who created the game. This has proven to be a great thing for many Japanese developers; you know when you're playing a game directed by Hideki Kamiya, Masahiro Sakurai, or Hideo Kojima simply by playing it, and Miyamoto bringing his own experiences into projects is how we got games like The Legend of Zelda and Pikmin in the first place.

Shigeru Miyamoto admits Nintendo's been pumping out "a lot of remakes" as Ocarina of Time approaches, but says most people stopped playing the original games within 5 years anyway.

Hasbro has pulled back the curtain on its first Legend of Zelda action figures during San Diego Comic Con 2026, and they're based on one of the most beloved games in the series.

Three toys will lead the line-up next year; franchise hero Link, villain Ganondorf, and Princess Zelda herself. All of them are inspired by the versions seen in Tears of the Kingdom, and they come with a host of accessories drawn from that game (including the broken Master Sword hilt for Zelda and a Hylian Shield for Link). All three Hasbro Legend of Zelda action figures will be available for pre-order later today. They should release in Spring 2027.

Produced by company imprint Hasbro Pulse (which is known for highly detailed action figures and replicas based on everything from Star Wars to Marvel), these Legend of Zelda toys stand at around six inches tall and feature multiple points of articulation for more realistic poses.

Hasbro Pulse has a reputation for creating impressively screen-accurate figures, and these don't disappoint. They certainly rival some of the best toys in terms of attention to detail. Actually, the thing that impresses me most is how they capture the cel-shaded design of the video game perfectly; they're surprisingly close to their on-screen counterparts. That's not easy to pull off without striding headfirst into the uncanny valley.

Am I a little disappointed we didn't get classic Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf to kick things off? Yeah, but Tears is a phenomenal game that's widely beloved with its own excellent designs, so I can't say it's too much of a blow. Plus, I'd be astounded if we didn't get more old-school Legend of Zelda action figures down the road. This isn't gonna be a one and done situation thanks to how broad the licensing deal is.

Indeed, this is just the start. As revealed last week, Hasbro has the license to produce all kinds of toys and games based on the series. Seeing as Hasbro Pulse creates props like helmets and lightsabers, I wouldn't be surprised if we got replicas based on Zelda mainstays like the Master Sword or Majora's Mask at some point.

What do you think about these figures? Will you be pre-ordering them? Let us know in the comments.

For more toy-related goodness, you'll want to believe you have space in your collection for this Lego X-Files set.

After recently winning the license, Hasbro has teased its first Legend of Zelda action figures with a couple of iconic accessories – and these suggest which game the toys will be based on.

In a cryptic Instagram post that suggests "The hero's journey begins tomorrow," Hasbro Pulse (creator of the Star Wars Black Series line, e.g. some of the best toys in the biz) showed off miniature versions of the Master Sword and Hylian Shield that will presumably come with its first Legend of Zelda action figures. That in itself isn't a surprise; it stands to reason that a version of franchise hero Link with his most recognizable weapons will be front and center. However, what's interesting is the design used here. This Hylian Shield uses the same aesthetic introduced in Skyward Sword and continued through Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, suggesting that Hasbro's initial wave will be based one of those games.

If I had to guess, I'd assume we're getting Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom Link as our first Hasbro Legend of Zelda action figure. It'd certainly make sense; both games were wildly popular and are very much in the public zeitgeist, so it'd be logical to use them as the basis for a brand-new wave of toys.

There is another possibility, of course; that Nintendo has carried over the Skyward Sword shield design to its Ocarina of Time remake, and these action figures are based on that new game. I doubt it, though. We've not seen anything of the remake beyond a teaser trailer, so I'm not sure we'd get our first look at the revitalized character designs via these action figures.

What do you think we'll get from Hasbro's first Legend of Zelda action figures? Shout about it in the comments.

For more collectibles, don't miss the best Lego sets - our guide includes the must-have Deku Tree kit.

The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – now known as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – was such a tightly-guarded secret within Nintendo's corridors that the vast majority of employees only found out about the game's existence along with the fans.

Nintendo of America ex-marketing and PR leads Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang (formerly the director of social media marketing and original content, and senior manager of creator relations and original content, respectively) recall that the open-world sequel was perhaps the most top secret project in all of their years working at the company, courtesy of a recent YouTube video.

Ellis says the sequel held a "higher level of security than anything else" he's ever worked on, and "less than 10 people probably at Nintendo of America" knew about the game before its similarly shadowy reveal trailer during the Nintendo Direct at E3 2019 – one that didn't even come with an official title, release window, or gameplay glimpse attached.

"I had to do all of these teams' jobs in secret, and when this [the reveal] happens, feed them this thing and tell them what to do with it," Ellis, one of the few people who did know about the game's existence before its reveal, says. "For example, the social team, who I was overseeing at the time." Ellis didn't usually create social media content for the publisher's various channels or write press releases and whatnot, but in this case, he did because the rest of the team had to remain in the dark.

That also means that for many Nintendo employees, including Yang, their first time finding out about the sequel came when they watched the Direct stream live together. Although Yang had already seen the rest of the presentation in advance, the trailer's appearance at the end came as a complete surprise.

"We popped off," Yang says. "That was the first time I've had a surprise at Nintendo in all of my, at that point, 12 years or something... It was crazy." The duo also remember that it was the first and perhaps only time Nintendo had ever kept a secret from that many staff members so close to a project's reveal.

Before E3's eventual demise, Nintendo would also screen their presentations for the media before they went live for the rest of the world. The version of the Nintendo Direct that the press saw and that Nintendo employees rigorously prepared was missing that final One Last Thing moment.

I can't say I'm entirely surprised, either – Breath of the Wild was the game that ushered in the Nintendo Switch era and it very quickly became one of the most lauded games of all time. For good reason, I might add. It's still one of the best Switch games ever, and funnily enough, also one of the best Switch 2 games so far thanks to some very sweet technical improvements. No surprise that it's follow-up carried so much hype, then.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead says Zelda: Breath of the Wild was "the first open-world game that actually delivered on the promise of an open world."

Hasbro has locked in a new licensing partnership with Nintendo to produce The Legend of Zelda toys and products from 2027 (quick, someone play the treasure-chest-opening sound effect).

Although it's still early days, the first reveals will come in just a few days; three 6-inch figures are going to be revealed during San Diego Comic Con, which takes place between July 23-26. However, these Legend of Zelda toys aren't just going to be limited to action figures. By the sounds of it, this deal includes all kinds of products – and because Hasbro produces everything from plushies and roleplay replicas to tabletop games, it's possible that Link and co will join the best board games as well as the best toys.

Hasbro's president of toys and board games, Billy Lagor, says that the “Legend of Zelda franchise has captivated fans through its deep lore, unforgettable characters and enduring sense of discovery [for decades]. By combining Nintendo’s iconic storytelling with Hasbro’s leadership in action and role-play, we’re delivering toys that invite fans to play, explore and forge their own epic adventures."

Considering how few and far between Zelda toys have been up until now (they're largely limited to the Nintendo Store or replica items from the likes of Paladone at Amazon), this is likely to be encouraging news for fans who'd like to see more Legend of Zelda merch based on the franchise. I'm not concerned about quality, either; Hasbro is responsible for everything from the incredibly detailed Marvel Legends action figures to high-quality helmet/lightsaber replicas from Star Wars The Black Series, so it has a track record.

Hasbro is also a giant in the industry with access to some of the world's biggest IP, so it's not outside the realm of possibility that we'll see high-profile crossovers in the not-so-distant future. It owns the organization that makes the best Nerf blasters, for example, so I think we can count on a tie-in Zelda blaster at some point. In much the same way, it also heads up Wizards of the Coast – the organization that makes D&D and Magic: The Gathering. Whether fans of those games would want a Zelda tie-in is up for debate (it's a fierce argument right now, with MTG head designer Mark Rosewater saying fans must adapt or "walk away" if they don't like Universes Beyond), but it's now a possibility at least.

It's certainly been a fruitful year for Hasbro so far; just a few months ago, the company announced that it had gained the Harry Potter merch rights (which makes an MTG crossover feel inevitable). In addition, it recently got the license to produce KPop Demon Hunters toys as well.

For more cool collectibles, don't miss the best Lego sets - which includes Legend of Zelda models, no less.

It's no secret that Breath of the Wild broke Nintendo's usual Legend of Zelda formula with its expansive open-world take on Hyrule – but it didn't just revolutionize the decades-old series.

According to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche, it also transformed the open world genre in its entirety. The RPG lead explains as much in a new episode of Video Game Club via Konbini on YouTube (below), first recalling his introduction to The Legend of Zelda as a child.

"I played Zelda when I was really little on the Game Boy," says Broche. "And the only other Zelda game I've played is Breath of the Wild."

This sets the director apart from the rest of Sandfall Interactive, as he points out "we have a lot of big Zelda fans on the team" – but he was impressed by Breath of the Wild, to say the least.

"Generally speaking, I'm not really into open-world games," as Broche describes. "It's literally the first open-world game I've ever liked." He wasn't sure he would, though. "When I started playing it, I was really reluctant."

He continues, detailing how he went on to "force" himself to play Breath of the Wild because "everyone was saying it was good."

And his verdict? "It's truly exceptional. In my opinion, it's the first open-world game that actually delivered on the promise of an open world – of simply not having a minimap. You have a big map, but you really get that sense of exploration. You see something, and you want to go there."

And, you can. Or, you can do something else – the world is truly open, in that sense. "Ten thousand things happen along the way, and you get sidetracked. You never end up where you want to go because you keep getting sidetracked by all sorts of things."

As Broche concludes, "In terms of level design, it's an absolute masterclass." I can certainly agree there, as a longtime Zelda fan myself. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are wonderful.

Sure, they break free from Nintendo's beloved Zelda formula – but I'd say that's what makes them so brilliant. They serve as the perfect stepping stone into the series' setting (and apparently, open-world games in general), while also presenting veterans with a fresh take on Hyrule.

I know that not everyone feels the same here, but they're undeniably gems. Heck, take a look at their Metacritic scores… even compared to other Zelda entries.

I do wonder what Broche will think of the Ocarina of Time remake now – or whether or not he'll play it at all, considering his previous stance on Zelda. Personally, I hope the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director gives it a go.

Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 show "RPGs are as vibrant" now as ever, Obsidian lead says, even if the genre can look "a little tired" sometimes.

Discounts on any first-party Nintendo games are rare, so you can imagine how shocked I was to see not one, but multiple Prime Day Zelda discounts on Amazon's store page this year.

There are price slashes on Switch and Switch 2 games, including the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom (aka the best Zelda games ever made, fight me). Then there are also bags, Nintendo cases, and a bunch of fun gift ideas for hardcore fans. Now, as someone who is already deep in Zelda fever thanks to the recent announcement of the Ocarina of Time Remake, I've already checked out most of these deals myself and have decided to share with all my fellow feral Link lovers the top discounts that are still live before the sale ends.

Below are 10 Zelda deals to help scratch any Hyrule cravings you may have. A reminder that Prime Day ends soon, so if you want to make the most out of expanding your Ninty collection, now is the time to reach for those gold coins.

If you love Zelda, then you should check out our guides on the best Prime Day Switch deals and the best Prime Day Switch 2 deals next. You can also find more merch in our best Legend of Zelda merch guide.

After 10 years of work, the creator behind the internet's most famous unofficial Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake project has laid down their sword, stating that "the best move would be now to move forward."

If you're a Zelda fan who's had any level of access to the internet over the last decade or so, there's a very good chance you've come across Giuseppe "CryZENx" Macula's Ocarina of Time Unreal Engine remake. The creator first began posting videos recreating parts of the original 1998 game with shiny new visuals back in 2016, and it's only grown from there. Progress has been steady, with fans even able to play through their work, but the journey ends here (thanks, Time Extension).

"I think I have made history with my Remake," CryZENx writes in a Patreon post celebrating the announcement of the official Switch 2 Ocarina of Time remake, noting that they don't want to "step" on Nintendo.

"The best move would be now to move forward" with a new project, the creator believes, "because im sure nintendo will do it this time the right way."

They've followed this up with another post to clarify that their project has now officially "stopped." They're still keen to make more content, and have been asking fans for suggestions about what they might like to see them recreate next, but don't expect more Ocarina of Time.

To be clear, in none of CryZENx's posts has the creator indicated that Nintendo had gotten in contact with them to request that they stop working on their remake, so it seems this was a decision made purely out of respect.

We've not actually seen much of the official Switch 2 Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake yet, but funnily enough, the glimpse we saw of Link actually matches up with the more realistic-looking vibe CryZENx has been aiming for for all these years pretty well. Clearly, the modder is happy, too: "Finally after 20 years we got a real remake with a high budget."

Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake more like the 1998 original than Breath of the Wild, fans theorize after digging up now-removed details from Nintendo.

Breath of the Wild effectively did away with old-school Zelda dungeons, and while Tears of the Kingdom brought the idea back, it was without the traditional puzzle box design of the classic games. One of the most exciting parts about the upcoming Ocarina of Time remake is the opportunity to explore these challenges with modern graphics and visual flair, but ironically, it was during the production of the original Ocarina of Time that Shigeru Miyamoto decided traditional dungeons were boring in the first place.

"In every Zelda development, the dungeons take a huge amount of time to make," Miyamoto explained in a 1999 interview that was translated some years ago by Shmuplations. "I can't tell you how many times they end up having to be remade and revised, while the team is on the verge of tears. Did you know, in the original Legend of Zelda, at the beginning of the development it was just dungeons. There was no overworld map. That's a testament to the 'Dungeon Supremacy' philosophy we've always followed."

The Zelda games immediately following Ocarina of Time – Majora's Mask and The Wind Waker – would notably have fewer dungeons, featuring instead a much bigger focus on overworld exploration. Twilight Princess, I suppose, served as a return to that "dungeon supremacy" era in some respects, but modern entries have very much broken from that structure.

"With Ocarina of Time, for the first time we didn't spend as much time on the dungeons," Miyamoto explained in that interview, describing that decision as a very "'un-Zelda' thing to do." That's partly due to the fact that the developers had something of a fresh canvas to work with, no longer iterating on the ideas from A Link to the Past. "To the extent that we weren't constrained by earlier notions, it went fairly quickly," Miyamoto added.

"You know, we asked ourselves whether those mazes, where everything is always linked in a linear fashion, are actually still interesting to players," Miyamoto said. "Is it still fun to spend all that time plotting your way through them? And the conclusion we came to is no, it's not really that much fun. Instead of mapping your way through a maze, I think what's more important is a sense of dread, a sense of pressure, and of course an opportunity for finding secrets and solving puzzles – we should be pursuing an emotional immediacy, the sense that you are really there."

Miyamoto added, "There are still traditional mazes, like Gerudo's Fortress and the Forest Temple, but overall I don't think those are very appropriate to a 3D game."

I feel like that quote in particular goes a long way toward explaining why Nintendo has at times seemed reluctant to fully populate Zelda games with classic dungeons. Certainly, the idea of "mazes" that are "linked together in a linear fashion" has been effectively dead since Breath of the Wild, but it's wild to see that sentiment expressed just after the launch of Ocarina of Time, which was arguably the peak of the series' classic formula.

In my mind, the Ocarina of Time dungeons are the most memorable ones in the series. Admittedly, that might have something to do with the fact that I played the game to death at a very impressionable age, but the theme, the atmosphere, and the puzzles have always stuck with me more than anything else in the series.

Getting to see locations like Gerudo's Fortress and the Forest Temple from a new perspective is the whole reason why I'm excited for the remake. This style of Zelda game hasn't been around in years, and some primitive part of my gamer brain is dying to see old-school dungeon designs with modern bells and whistles. I hate to say that Miyamoto is wrong, but these dungeons are still plenty interesting to me.

These are the best Zelda games of all time.

Ever since its big reveal during this month's surprise Nintendo Direct showcase, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake has been on fans' minds – so much so, they just can't stop digging up new details.

First, it was the Triforce of Courage that took the web by storm – and now, it's an allegedly hidden description on Nintendo's official online page for the upcoming remake.

In case you missed it (because honestly, I did, too), the description supposedly read as follows: "The N64 classic reborn as a full remake for Nintendo Switch 2. Experience Ocarina of Time with stunning visuals, updated designs, and timeless gameplay."

Now, there's no way to really confirm it anymore, as it wasn't on the page itself when you'd click onto it, but rather under its headline on a Google search for the remake – but there are screenshots of the intriguing description floating about (and claims of it being in the meta data still)… so, take that as you will.

It still brings quite a few questions to mind, though. As one fan who found the details explains in a post, it could point to linear gameplay.

"I found this on accident while reverse searching where they used 'reborn' to describe the Zelda remake," they write. "'Timeless gameplay' implies it's probably linear, which might also imply it isn't made by the main Zelda team since they've said they don't want to go back from open gameplay."

They're likely referencing how series producer Eiji Aonuma stated that Breath of the Wild "created a new kind of format for the series" back in 2023.

That's certainly a possibility, I guess – and others agree. The top comment reads, "It seems like an outsourced game imo," drawing a comparison to the new Star Fox 64 remake.

Not everyone is on the same page, however. One reply argues, "That seems like a bit of a logic leap? I don't think there's enough here to really tell us anything." Honestly, it's hard to know. It might mean something… or it might not.

Either way, the discussed description is now gone. Who knows – it might pop back up with a future trailer. For now, though, it's clear Nintendo doesn't want folks reading too far into the whole "timeless" bit about the Ocarina of Time remake.

"If you're Nintendo, you're looking to kill": Ocarina of Time remake teaser fell flat with Legend of Zelda fans because of leaks, ex-marketing leads say

Genuine nightmare fuel for me is hyper-realistic versions of cartoon characters, but with their features intact. As in, Frieza from Dragon Ball Z in real life, exactly as they are on the show, just in the real world. I bring this up because The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has several entities that will look cursed in the upcoming remake, given the eye toward realism.

King Zora is one such example. He's a plump fishman who sits atop a waterfall, and unless there's a significant redesign, he'll look like he's auditioning for Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. "I hope the developers possess the courage to extend the length of the cutscene," says a top-rated comment on Reddit, and respectfully, I'm hoping they do not.

ReDeads and Dead Hand are more candidates, fleshy, corpse-like beings that shamble towards you. Bottom of the Well could very well become an honorary Silent Hill spin-off with these things. "They’ll make them look 'realistic' but give them new sounds that aren’t scary. Calling it now," a fan on Twitter predicts, and that sounds like a safe bet.

In a similar vain, you have The Great Fairy, who already reminds me of Princess Mombi in Return to Oz (she's the one with all the heads if you've seen film, and if you haven't, you're welcome for the recommendation) - just ethereal enough to be unnerving. Her sequences can be enhanced through glitter and magic, anyway.

People are quick to point out Gohma and Bongo Bongo, bosses with gigantic eyes, and to be honest, I'm not sure they'll be all that freaky. Perhaps it's because Stranger Things has desensitized me to the archetype of creatures with a gaping mouth or eye for a head, but they're fantastical enough I reckon we're safe.

I feel the same for Gloom Hands - FromSoftware has long prepared us for that kind of terror. A lot of players are lowkey hoping Nintendo leans into the fear at every opportunity. "I genuinely hope they make it as terrifying as possible," says a player.

This all said, those Nintendo 64-era Zelda games really were pretty terrifying, huh? "Ocarina of Time horror was exponentially more terrifying than anything in the newer games," says another fan on Twitter. I'm inclined to agree.

"If you're Nintendo, you're looking to kill": Ocarina of Time remake teaser fell flat with Legend of Zelda fans because of leaks, ex-marketing leads say

As Summer Game Fest came to a close, a surprise Nintendo Direct gave us Legend of Zelda stans what we've long been hoping for: confirmation of an Ocarina of Time remake.

It didn't exactly come out of the blue, however, as rumors have been circulating regarding the remake for some time, thanks to well-known leaker Nate the Hate. That might've put a bit of a damper on the entire "reveal" from Nintendo, which arguably wasn't the biggest out there.

It's a very short teaser, all things considered, showing a little bit of Link and a Triforce that has drawn attention for its appearance on the young protagonist's hand.

Former Nintendo PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang discuss the trailer – if you can call it that – and the effect Nate the Hate's leaks regarding the Ocarina of Time remake may be having on our reception of Nintendo's upcoming revamp.

Ellis asks Yang, "Did what we know about Ocarina impact the way you received that teaser?" She answers honestly: "I kind of feel like at this point I'm so desensitized."

It makes sense, and as Ellis goes on to say, the leaks had a "huge effect" on fans' reaction to the remake's official announcement. "If that was actually a surprise, and there was a teaser of an Ocarina of Time remake at the end of a Direct… it would be insanity."

Nintendo's choice to keep what was likely its original teaser – Link "sleeping on some dirt," as Ellis amusingly puts it – probably didn't help the whole situation, either.

The company is "stubborn," though, and "cannot rearrange" its plan – even if it might've left a more "surprising" reveal for fans in the end. "I think they should have rethought some stuff."

Ellis also admits he's "so mad at Nate the Hate for doing this," however, with Yang chiming in, "If you're Nintendo, you're looking to kill" – and, yeah, I get it. It does all stem from the leaks, really, even if Nintendo could've perhaps mitigated the damage a bit.

I feel that, regardless of the lukewarm reactions (or, at least, lukewarm compared to how they might've been without earlier leaks), the Ocarina of Time remake will perform well. Heck, I know I've been waiting years for it myself.

Searching for something else to wishlist aside from the Ocarina of Time remake? Here are the best new games coming this year and beyond to look forward to, spanning all platforms.

Even though Summer Game Fest has come to a close, a surprise Nintendo Direct yesterday gave us Legend of Zelda fans what we'd long been hoping for: confirmation of an Ocarina of Time remake… finally.

Although I'm personally a bit disappointed that the rumors of a Twilight Princess revamp didn't end up ringing true this Nintendo Direct, I'm beyond thrilled to know Ocarina of Time is getting a remake (or, well, another one… if you count the 3DS release).

I'm not the only one, either, as is made evident by all of the fans closely analyzing the upcoming game's very brief teaser – so much so, in fact, they've made a bit of a discovery.

In the trailer, we see young Link asleep in his home in Kokiri Forest. The camera pans over his hand for a moment, and that's the important bit here – it shows a glowing Triforce… one that sort of makes no sense upon further thought.

In the original Ocarina of Time, Link doesn't have the Triforce of Courage until after he's an adult and has entered the Sacred Realm. The teaser shows a very obviously child Link, however.

As one fan writes in an online post on the discovery, "Weird detail. Link shouldn't have the Triforce of Courage here. That happens after Ganondorf gets into the Sacred Realm and the Triforce splits, so Link doesn't have it until he's Adult Link. Changing the story, I guess? Or maybe just visualizing the Triforce already chose him?"

Honestly, it's hard to tell. Comments see others speculating, with somebody drawing a comparison to Skyward Sword.

"I think it's sort of like Skyward Sword, where Link had the Triforce symbol appear those few times before actually getting the Triforce?"

It could be, I suppose. It's strange that the teaser stresses it so, though. Others think this could just be a case of Nintendo jumbling the timeline about a bit (which wouldn't exactly be outside the realm of possibility, let's be real). A separate thread makes that point – and I'm inclined to think it might be right.

"Link only gets the Triforce of Courage after entering the sacred realm for the first time, right? So is this a mistake? Or is the remake up to some time loop shenanigans?"

Replies see folks discussing the potential of a new post-Skyward Sword canon. "The lore was changed after SS, where the mark shows on those who were chosen by the Goddess. They are probably updating the lore in the OoT remake to match current canon."

Honestly, who knows? I'd be happy with any of the possibilities, I think. I'm just excited to be getting a remake at all, at this point, and if that means a new timeline or story break, so be it. It certainly wouldn't be the first – nor will it be Nintendo's last.

Searching for something else to wishlist? Here are the best new games coming this year and beyond to look forward to.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is officially official, with Nintendo confirming the project for a 2026 release exclusively on Switch 2.

The 1:38 reveal trailer didn't show a whole lot – it was mostly vibes, really, with some lovely auditory flourishes calling back to that iconic score – but we did get a glimpse of Link, who's apparently been pretty dramatically redesigned from his look in the original game, and of course, that means everyone's freaking out.

In fairness to the Zelda fanbase, Ocarina of Time is one of the most beloved games of all time. Speaking specifically as a millennial who grew up with an N64 controller in my hand, the first 3D Link is one of the most formative characters of my youth and one of the big early drivers of my passion for gaming, and I know that's the same for a lot of gamers in my age bracket.

That's all to say, I get why people are protective of that little blue-eyed polygonal weirdo. He's iconic. But early reactions to the character's redesign, which we see little more than a single frame of in the reveal, are so dramatically opposed to each other that I can't help but wonder if we all need to take a collective deep breath and wait until we see more.

One very common criticism is that Link looks like he has an adult head but a child's body, which, frankly, I'm just not seeing. He looks like HD young link to me, with a big-old head and unformed jawline indicating pre-pubescent boyhood. Other folks say he looks AI-generated (he's not). And then there are plenty of people seeing a resemblance between Link's redesign and the countless Unreal Engine fan remakes of Ocarina of Time that social media algorithms loved to pass off as official Nintendo projects for a few years there.

Other Zelda fans simply hate the new redesign without explicit reason, with one such critic going as far as to call it "the worst case scenario," which I just find hilariously dramatic. Likewise, another reaction calls it "the ugliest redesign I've ever seen in my life."

Not everyone's bummed about the redesign, but there seem to be very few takes between unbridled disgust and full-blown embrace, with one such commenter calling the design "perfect," and another writing in all caps, "LINK'S NEW DESIGN GIVES ME SO MUCH HOPE." I'm exhausted.

I just think this is all a bit much. We saw 15 seconds of the new Link lying down on one side with his eyes closed in dim lighting. Let's reserve judgment for better lighting, gameplay footage, and a full view of a character I have no doubt Nintendo would only work on with the utmost care. The remake is due out this year, so it won't be long before we see more.

Here are all of the upcoming Switch 2 games to keep on your radar

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is officially happening, and thanks to the recent Zelda Direct for the series' 40th anniversary, we now have a release date.

This has been a long time coming after much speculation about its existence; however, Nintendo finally confirmed the remake of Ocarina of Time with an exciting trailer that debuted during the Nintendo Direct June 2026 showcase. Now, with the most recent Zelda Direct, we got to see some gameplay, a closer look at Link's new design, and release information (which confirmed that it is indeed still coming out this year). So far, it all looks fantastic, and that the modern take on one of the best Zelda games ever made will be well worth all our patience.

But while we wait to learn more about this big upcoming Switch 2 game, you can get excited with me as I break down everything you need to know about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake down below. From release date confirmations, story details, trailers, and more, I've left no stone in Hyrule unturned.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time release date

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's release date is scheduled for November 5, 2026. This news came our way during the Zelda Direct for the series' 40th anniversary on September 8, 2026.

So yeah, this means that the title is looking to be one of Nintendo's big sale tickets this holiday season as we close out 2026. Originally, I was worried about a potential delay, considering The Legend of Zelda movie is planned for 2027 and it would make sense to release both closer together. However, it looks like my fears were misplaced and that there will be no delays in the future. I'll keep you posted if anything changes.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time platforms

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's remake will be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, which means you unfortunately won't be able to play this on a base Nintendo Switch. Nor will it land on another platform, as Nintendo famously keeps the Zelda series exclusive to its own consoles.

If you don't own a Switch 2, sorry to be the bearer of bad news – but if it helps, we've hand-picked the best games like Zelda to scratch the itch no matter your console of choice.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time trailer

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time story and gameplay

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time tells what is arguably the series' most foundational story: when Link, the only child in Kokiri Forest without a fairy companion, meets the great Deku Tree. He's then shortly sent on a quest to save Hyrule from the schemes of Gerudo thief, Ganondorf. Not only does this serve as the introduction to the series' main antagonist, but nearly every Zelda game released since can trace its story back to Ocarina of Time – which famously split the series into multiple timelines with its paradoxical ending.

As for how Ocarina of Time will play on Switch 2, we got to see a glimpse of it during the recent Zelda Direct for the series' 40th anniversary. In the showcase, we saw a completely new-looking Link; however, from the game's map and levels, it does seem to be very faithful to the original so far.

Just like in the original, Link is set loose in a central area (in this case, Hyrule Field) from which he can explore Hyrule, tackle optional minigames and stories, and clear dungeons to foil Ganondorf. However, there are some new features in this remake. Firstly, Link can now jump (huge news), swim, dive, and you can rotate the camera. There is also a new feature called Threads of Time, which lets you track your progress and easily check in with your next objective. A really cool mechanic in this new feature is that as you progress through the game, a tapestry will fill out as well, which I'm very excited to see.

The Ocarina itself also has some new tweaks, including the ability for you to hum a tune and then watch as Link plays it. Nintendo is also selling physical Ocarinas that you can use to influence the gameplay. This is going to be an important gameplay feature as well, since certain songs can influence things like day and night changing, which in turn can influence certain events you get as well.

Looking for something to play while you wait? You're in luck: we've ranked the best Switch 2 games you can play right now.

Nintendo has confirmed the rumors: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is coming later this year.

Earlier this year, we got a blowout of info from leaker Nate the Hate, which was headlined by news of a The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, and after the surprise announcement of Star Fox, fans figured it was all but confirmed. And here we are, in today's Nintendo Direct, Nintendo has confirmed that the 1998 classic is being remade, and it's coming out in 2026

We don't know much about it so far, but we can say that the new version of the game features voice acting, as the trailer opens with what is presumably the Great Deku Tree narrating the opening of the original game, and speaking about the Kokiri and that one boy who didn't yet have a fairy.

We also know that the game will have a semi-realistic art style (at least compared to what we saw from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom). Unfortunately, we didn't actually see anything from the game itself on the gameplay front, but we got a shot of Link as he sleeps at the beginning of the game.

Nintendo did not confirm an exact date for this remake either, with a simple 2026 appearing at the end of the trailer. And other than saying "Ocarina of Time will be reborn on Switch 2" and that "more details will be announced in the future," Yoshiaki Koizumi – who hosted the direct – didn't have much else to say about the remake. Hopefully, we see something in the Nintendo Treehouse, but given how little we saw, I'm not holding my breath.

Xenoblade Chronicles Genesis is coming in 2027, and it looks very different to Monolith Soft's last JRPG trilogy