Shigeru Miyamoto says the most interesting thing about the original Super Mario Bros. is the fact that Mario doesn't actually fight Bowser in the 1985 platformer.

Last week, Miyamoto – who created the likes of The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, and Pikmin – received the Japanese Order of Culture from the Japanese government and is the first-ever game developer to win the award, which typically has been awarded to actors, musicians, and Nobel Prize laureates. Miyamoto is perhaps best known for his unique ideas in game design, with stories of his unorthodox methods during playtesting at Nintendo widely reported, so it's no surprise he has some unique opinions about his own titles.

Speaking at a press conference following his award, attended by Denfaminicogamer, Miyamoto details what he believes is the most intriguing aspect of the 1985 platformer that single-handedly changed the industry as we know it. But rather than its innovation in platforming through its scrolling screens and secrets, Miyamoto singles out the game's boss fights; namely, the fact that they really aren't fights at all.

Miyamoto notes that the developers were struggling with how to create a climactic battle, but eventually had the thought that since the game is about running to the right, why not make the bosses that way? So from there, Bowser's 'fights' – which consisted of jumping over him and a number of projectiles he shot to destroy the bridge from beneath him – were born.

And from there on out, Mario's fights with Bowser became more like actual fights, such as throwing his explosives at the clown car in Super Mario World or grabbing his tail and launching him into explosives in Super Mario 64. Although Miyamoto does neglect to mention that you can fight Bowser in Super Mario Bros., given that throwing enough fireballs at him will also kill him.

Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto says AI "provides an opportunity to reflect on what's really important" in game dev, "which I think is a positive thing"

I'm more of a Midna stan, but there's no denying Navi from Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the series' most iconic ethereal companion, with her lovably nagging pleas to "hey, listen" still ringing through the Zelda pantheon after all these years. The original vision for the li'l fairy, however, was very different from the glowing orb with wings we know and love today, and it's only because of the technical limitations of the Nintendo 64 that she looks the way she does.

Nintendo veteran and Ocarina of Time designer Yoshiaki Koizumi revealed as much in an Iwata Asks Q&A from 2011, but with the upcoming remake renewing interest in the original game, the Kit & Krysta YouTube channel dug it up and it caught our attention here. I mean, can you imagine an Ocarina of Time where Link's companion is anything but a faceless glowing ball? According to Koizumi, Navi was originally supposed to be a human-like figure.

"Usually, if you were to make a fairy, you would make a cute girl, but that wasn't possible with the Nintendo 64 system, so I just made a ball of light with wings," Koizumi says.

This initial direction makes sense, since the previous, 2D games had shown fairies as girlish creatures in the style of Tinkerbell. I'm 100% guessing here, but it sounds like a human-like model would've been too much detail to cram into such a tiny character and still have animations and AI look half-decent.

Koizumi was a key architect behind Ocarina of Time's Z-targeting system, which uses Navi as a cursor instead of a traditional on-screen marker. In the same interview, he says Navi was born simply because he didn't want to use a generic marker.

"I was a designer, so I didn't want to use such a simple marker. I wanted to make something else, so I came up with a fairy. After all, it was The Legend of Zelda," he says.

It's both funny and disturbing to imagine Nintendo conjuring a more realistic female-presenting Navi for the Ocarina of Time remake, but thankfully pre-release footage has confirmed she's the same iridescent sphere as before but with fewer edges. Still, it's wild to think that almost certainly wouldn't be the case if the N64 had a few extra bits in its processor.

Zelda: Ocarina of Time on N64 actually had a jump button early in development, 29 years before Nintendo's remake added one

Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong, says he has several projects in the works.

It's hard to name anyone in the games industry who is more influential than Miyamoto. Mario being the face of the industry would have given him that honor, but he also created Zelda, Pikmin, Donkey Kong, Nintendogs… the list goes on. This has culminated in Miyamoto receiving the Japanese Order of Culture, awarded by the Japanese government. This makes him the first-ever game developer to receive the award, with previous winners including Physics Nobel Prize laureates, actors, musicians, and mathematicians.

Speaking to Denfaminicogamer (via machine translation), Miyamoto was asked if this award could be seen as a culmination of his 49-year career and a chance for him to ride off into the sunset. Miyamoto notes that he doesn't know how long he'll be able to keep working for, but is determined to enjoy it while it lasts and pursue what he wants to do in the meantime.

On top of that, Miyamoto assured that he's still working on several projects. And while he's worked on a ton over the last 49 years, I don't really think this means games. Yes, Miyamoto is one of the most iconic game designers of all time, but if you look at his role within Nintendo over the last several years, he's been involved in multimedia roles far more prominently.

Miyamoto has been at the forefront of the Super Nintendo World theme park expansions at Universal Studios, as well as being a producer on both Super Mario Bros. movies and the upcoming The Legend of Zelda movie. And given there are rumors about Donkey Kong, Luigi's Mansion, and Star Fox films in the works, I'd say these are far more likely to be what he is busy with for now… that and spreading the good word of Pikmin.

Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto says AI "provides an opportunity to reflect on what's really important" in game dev, "which I think is a positive thing"

Shigeru Miyamoto, mastermind of Nintendo and the creator of Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong, will receive one of Japan's most highly regarded cultural honors – and he's the first video game developer to do so, too.

The Order of Culture, established in 1937, is an award presented to men and women who have made substantial contributions to Japan's art, literature, science, and technology.

Notable recipients include everything from fashion designers to manga artists and biologists… and, yes, it's now going to Miyamoto. A new report from GameWatch (as translated by Automaton) confirms as much.

Miyamoto, who reportedly appeared "modest" during the announcement regarding the award, is "honored" to be receiving it, paying tribute to other devs he's worked alongside throughout his career at Nintendo – his 49-year career: "I am truly honored to receive such a prestigious award. As I have often said, these achievements were not the work of one person, but the result of collaboration with many others. I accept this honor on their behalf."

The Nintendo representative director and executive fellow will officially receive the award on Japan's Culture Day, November 3. He is one of eight recipients chosen by the Japanese government and, again, the first-ever game dev to be nominated for the Order of Culture.

It serves as a testament to the mark he and his franchises have made, from arcade machines in the 1980s to portable home consoles like the Switch 2 today.

Heck, it's ongoing. We've got The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake set to release on November 5 – a remake of the beloved 1998 gem that Miyamoto acted as both producer and supervisor on. There are countless projects he's influenced in one way or another that are still managing to pull millions of players worldwide.

This is one award I'd argue is very much deserved, and it's exciting to see it finally reach the games industry.

Shigeru Miyamoto dreams of Nintendo consoles becoming a rite of passage for everyone coming of age: "Which Nintendo would make you the happiest?"

The upcoming Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake sent shockwaves through the world when its trailer revealed the addition of a technological advancement straight from the arcade generation: a dedicated jump button. That's right, instead of just walking up to a ledge and trusting the honor system to prompt Link to automatically jump over to the appropriate platform, the Ocarina of Time remake will allow you to hit a specific button to jump. Technical achievement aside, it turns out this was actually a feature in the original N64 Ocarina of Time when it was early in development, but it was removed before release for whatever reason.

This was first revealed in an old Iwata Asks article from 2011 featuring a conversation between Nintendo veteran and Ocarina of Time designer Yoshiaki Koizumi and late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. Resurfaced by the Kit & Krysta YouTube channel, the back-and-forth touches on how Mario and Zelda games back then used to be "made as a pair," and it's here that Koizumi reveals this little-known fact about Ocarina of Time's early development.

"I do think they are often made in pairs," Koizumi says. "They both fell into the category of '3D open-world action games.' I didn't really see the difference between them."

Iwata responds: "If you were to state the difference, it would be how The Legend of Zelda is the one you don't press a button to jump in."

Koizumi counters. "Even when it comes to that, you had to press a button to jump when we first started making The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time," he says.

Finally, Iwata confirms, "at first, it didn't have autojump."

The exact reason for the switch to an auto-jump mechanic is never made explicitly clear, but Koizumi says the dev team was thinking about Ocarina of Time "the whole time" it was making Super Mario 64, which made them start "talking about decreasing the action element in The Legend of Zelda and increasing the puzzle elements."

My read on that is, during Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time's development, Nintendo felt like jumping better suited action gameplay and they wanted to tilt the balance a little more toward puzzle-solving, so they switched Link over to an auto-jump system to emphasize that side of things more. Clearly they've changed their minds in the intervening years, as, thank goodness, come November 5 you'll be able to jump to your heart's content in the remake.

Zelda Ocarina of Time remake has new sidequests, harder minigames, and subtle dungeon tweaks that suddenly have me a lot more interested.

Nintendo has revealed the The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake file size, and it's mercifully not going to hog a ton of your storage space, even if it is bigger than Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

Twitter user Genki_JPN posted a photo of the download card for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on Switch 2, which is now available in Japanese stores. While this doesn't reveal much beyond including some screenshots and artwork for the game, it does list the file size for the Switch 2 remake as 27GB.

For context, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64 shipped on a 32MB cartridge, meaning the 2026 remake is over 800 times larger than the original version in 1998.

Obviously, we live in the era of 200GB Call of Duty downloads, and given that two parts of fellow 90's remake Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth are the biggest games on Switch 2 at 90.4GB and 91.5GB respectively, it's a reasonably low file size for the new Zelda remake, which is a welcome surprise.

What is shocking, though, is that at 27GB, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is now the biggest mainline Zelda game of the Switch era. Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition was the previous record holder at 24GB, with Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch 2 Edition at only 20GB, while the Link's Awakening remake and Echoes of Wisdom both land within the 5GB range. In fact, the only Zelda game that's larger overall is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, at 43.5GB.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake borrows one of Breath of the Wild's most immersive features

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is stealing a very neat feature that Nintendo previously implemented in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom: a no-UI mode. Pro and Master UI modes were available at the recent hands-on preview event, and a few creators managed to get footage of them in action.

There are three options to modify the in-game interface in the menu. Standard is what you've likely seen in pre-release footage and has readouts detailing health, magic, and your currently equipped item, alongside a minimap and relevant situational information. It's in line with the original game, and pretty much what you'd expect from any third-person action-adventure title released since the late '90s.

Pro mode disables pretty much all of it. The screen is completely stripped of informational readouts, including even the health meter. You'll still see notices for when the game's being saved, as demonstrated in this footage from Stephen Totilo, as well as occasional in-world dialog pop-ups. The one piece of gameplay interface that will remain onscreen is the Z-targeting indicator, showing when you've locked onto enemies.

Master mode, then, disables even the target reticule. You can still lock onto monsters, but now the only indication you've done so will be Navi hovering over the enemy in question. You can see this mode briefly demonstrated at the 9:18 mark in this video from Zeltik.

Over the years, 3D Zelda games like Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword became notorious for excessive handholding and incessant guidance on every detail. Nintendo finally loosened the reins on players during the Breath of the Wild era, and I'm glad to see some of that spirit returning in the Ocarina of Time remake.

Sure, the original game might've given us Navi, the poster child for annoying tutorialization, but there's hope that even she'll be a little less annoying this time around. Will wonders never cease?

Zelda Ocarina of Time remake has new sidequests, harder minigames, and subtle dungeon tweaks that suddenly have me a lot more interested.

With its exciting announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, Nintendo also unveiled a stunning 40th Anniversary Edition of its Switch 2 console themed around the beloved series – and it sold out as quickly as it went up.

As fans, it's likely that none of us were surprised to see it sell out so quickly, right? Heck, I secured mine only after sitting through a massive online queue, undergoing various website crashes, and refreshing at the speed of light – an experience I was more than prepared for.

It seems that Nintendo itself, however, wasn't. Bill van Zyll, vice president and general manager of Nintendo in Latin America, tells Coelho no Japão as much during an interview.

"Well, if we expected it, we wouldn't be in that situation, right? At least not to this extent," he admits, referencing how the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 sold out instantly.

"I will tell you that it's a global phenomenon. We have this issue absolutely everywhere. We apologize for that. That certainly is not the intent. We underestimated how well it would be received – and there's certainly some markets that stand out."

For example, the United States "did extremely well," according to the executive – but it's not alone, of course. "It's a global phenomenon where they're running out of product," he states once again. "The pre-sales are hitting their max, and certainly that's what happened to us in Brazil."

Nintendo is on it now that the company is aware. "We are working on replenishments of the special hardware and the software, but it'll take a little bit of time". Stress on that last bit, though. "Please be patient."

It's hard to be, I suppose, but it's even harder for me to imagine that Nintendo didn't expect the console's popularity. I'm reminded of the original Switch and its own Zelda-themed edition, which similarly flew off the shelf, so to speak. Same with the Animal Crossing: New Horizons one.

But still, "It caught us by surprise. We expected a positive response, but the magnitude… It's amazing."

Anything is possible, I guess. I'd suggest keeping an eye on retailers (and Nintendo's own store itself) over the lead up to the Ocarina of Time remake release on November 5 – and, of course, the special edition console's own October 29 launch.

Nintendo quietly drops new Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake trailers, casually giving us our first-ever look at Dark Link and more

I can't help but feel Nintendo is being a little too faithful with its upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. I know I'm pretty isolated in that opinion, but with new info coming out of recent hands-on previews of the game, I've suddenly got reason to believe that Nintendo is looking out for my tastes, too.

The Ocarina of Time remake will feature some new side quests, as demonstrated by longtime Zelda YouTuber Zeltik. In Hyrule Castle Town, the guy at the potion shop will now be freaking out about a lurking bug when you first meet him, handing over an empty bottle for Link to catch it. Fulfill his request, and he'll let you keep the bottle and offer to fill it up with a healing red potion.

This certainly isn't the kind of multi-stage side quest that you'd expect to have in a modern action-adventure game – and certainly, it doesn't seem that there's a journal or anything where you can track side missions – but it does suggest that Nintendo has designs on offering some things to do that'll be fresh even for those of us who've played through Ocarina of Time a dozen times over.

There's also a new, harder version of the target shooting game where you have much less time to hit the targets, suggesting that we can expect some new challenge levels in the minigames, too. Zeltik's video also goes into depth on some minor, but meaningful, tweaks to the layout of the Forest Temple, suggesting that we won't be sleepwalking through the old dungeons, either.

I was ten years old when I first played Ocarina of Time on N64, and it set me on a path to loving video games so much that they'd eventually become my job. I should be the perfect audience for the remake, but I've honestly been a little disappointed with how safe Nintendo seemed to be playing it.

I know, I know, you can't mess too much with a stone-cold classic, but I already know Ocarina of Time forward and backward, and I'm afraid trundling through a remake offering little more than prettier graphics would ultimately feel a little empty. Offering a few little surprises around the edges, though? That suddenly makes the prospect of revisiting Hyrule a lot more exciting.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Hyrule feels more alive than ever thanks to clever expansion and a dose of Breath of the Wild vibes.

We're just under three weeks away from the launch of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time remake, and one French retailer has just doubled the carrots on the end of the pre-order stick.

Game store Micromania has managed to get its hands on replica PAL-edition Ocarina of Time N64 boxes to sleeve its Switch 2 physical copies, sending players to attend its midnight launch event home with the classic black and gold design.

The slipcase fully houses the modern Nintendo Switch 2 box, and while it's not a full reproduction of the original cardboard that graced our collections all those years ago it's certainly going to take over a shelf.

That's not all, though.

It seems French Zelda fans are being spoilt this time around. While The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time pre-order bonuses are largely limited to that foil case in other regions, Micromania also has a free wallet and a set of three Spiritual Stones. That's a whole lot of loot to set you up for a return to Kokiri Forest. It makes US and UK pre-orders look pretty stingy by comparison. Ocarina of Time is rife with opportunities for pre-order bonuses, but at the moment we're just scouting for savings on the game itself, now that the Spiritual Stones have all been snapped up at Nintendo UK.

All isn't lost for some of us, though. EB Games is also jumping on the N64 slipcase bandwagon with the NTSC-U version available to Canadians who pre-order while supplies last. Still want that throwback midnight launch party? Best Buy's having its own release party, with fresh 40th Anniversary Legend of Zelda Switch 2 stock up for grabs as well.

We're also rounding up the latest God of War Laufey pre-orders as well as the Metro 2039 pre-orders that have just hit the shelves.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake just got two brand-new trailers from Nintendo showing off a bit of the revamped game's combat and more.

Although they're short, the trailers pack quite a punch – and that's an understatement. You can find them on Nintendo's Japanese YouTube channel, starting with a 30-second mashup of the game's combat.

The video begins with a movie-trailer-esque scene featuring Ganondorf playing an organ, then cuts to Link, Navi, and the villain's face before diving straight into some action-packed battles. That's not all, either. For the first time ever, we see Dark Link.

Around 16 or so seconds in, Link takes on the shadowy doppelgänger – and honestly, I can't stop rewatching it all.

That plus the other new trailer from the channel, where we see more of Link, Zelda, and the ocarina itself in action. We get a glimpse of various locations, the Master Sword, and, of course, the remake's stunning visuals. It's exciting, to say the least, and I'm not alone in thinking so.

A thread over on X proves as much.

Between the comments dubbing the Ocarina of Time remake "peak," there are folks praising everything from Dark Link to Ganon's Castle. Others wonder why Nintendo didn't post the trailers on its international channels, which, valid.

My favorite reply of all, though, sums everything up about my reaction to the new videos (and others' as well, it seems) perfectly: "Holy shit." Holy shit indeed, anon. Holy shit indeed.

Thankfully, we won't have to wait too much longer before we can take Ganondorf and the rest of Hyrule's formidable foes on for ourselves. The Ocarina of Time remake releases next month on November 5 for the Switch 2 – that's less than a month away now.

And, you know what that means? We've got a couple of weeks to play through the original game again so we suck just a little bit less in dungeons (maybe I'm projecting here, okay).

Interested in one of this year's biggest new games yourself? Have a read through our Ocarina of Time remake preview to see why we love it so far.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is generating a massive amount of buzz, but given the proximity of its November 5 release date to the launch of GTA 6. it's difficult not to compare the games. But according to Tyler Bahl, Activision's chief marketing officer, GTA and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 make up the real one-two punch of 2026.

"Well, no offense to Zelda, but I think these are the two biggest games of the year," Bahl tells The Game Business. There's no denying that GTA 6 is the biggest game of the year, but how do Zelda and Call of Duty compare?

Mat Piscatella of analyst group Circana notes that purchase intent for Modern Warfare 4 is sitting around 15%, meaning that the group figures about 15% of console and PC players in the US intend to pick up the game. For the Ocarina of Time remake, purchase intent is 10.4%, but remember – that's across all PC and console players, and the game is a Switch 2 exclusive.

"On a per potential player rate, the intent on Ocarina is far higher," Piscatella says.

Call of Duty remains a juggernaut, but it's one whose stature has certainly diminished over the years, and new releases don't carry the same weight they once did. Purchase intent on Modern Warfare 4 is down from Black Ops 7 last year, which in turn was considered enough of a disappointment to completely derail Xbox's Game Pass strategy.

So yes, Call of Duty is likely going to be bigger than Zelda. But if Modern Warfare 4 and Ocarina of Time are heavyweight boxers, then GTA 6 is Godzilla – a monster so massive that every other game is an ant by comparison. It doesn't matter if you're a little bigger than the other guy when you're both facing down a literal behemoth.

Even so, Bahl sees GTA 6's launch as a potential positive for Call of Duty. "I think, in a lot of ways, more people coming into the dashboards, more people taking the dust off their Xbox or PlayStation and starting to play again and loading up that experience is going to be more eyeballs for us," he says.

These are the best Call of Duty games.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's remake, releasing November 5, overwhelmed me when I went hands-on during an official preview event. Link's enormous blue eyes are striking examples of how a remake can speak to our memory while conveying the level of modernization at play. But this was only the beginning.

Kokiri Forest has been rebuilt to feel more lived in and fleshed out. The walls of the area, while just as restrictive as in 1998, present a more natural boundary, making me appreciate the protective nature of Link's childhood home as I watch him jump across floating platforms on command (local boy learns to jump after 28 years and I'm so happy about it).

Hyrule Field takes the remake to another level, with Lon Lon Ranch sitting more naturally among rolling hills. Approaching the high walls around Hyrule Castle Town, I notice a desolate structure by the moat, hinting at a once-lively past.

Castle Town itself is a riot of color, with familiar NPCs sporting their glow-ups proudly. Link is able to enter more buildings here, pouring yet more depth into the remake's mixture of old and new. As an Ocarina of Time veteran, I savor the foreshadowing present when I see an NPC slumped on the ground in the back alley. And all the while I'm watched over by the stoic grace of the Temple of Time – perhaps the most iconic structure in Nintendo's repertoire.

More is more

As the session skips ahead to the Forest Temple, Adult Link enters the creepy mansion concealed within the Sacred Forest Meadow, letting us explore the first of the more mature dungeons within Ocarina of Time's remake. The four poes who split up to hide the flames needed to progress are all unique in their appearance, with different faces and shapes in addition to their individual color schemes.

The stonework of the underground areas add a sense of history to the area, while the pool tiles remind me of the splendor of Tomb Raider 3's Croft Manor, inviting my mind to wonder what came before. The area has given me a Resident Evil vibe since playing back in the day – here, it's stronger than ever.

Other more modern elements are straight out of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. In addition to the way Hyrule Field is introduced with the same sweeping camera, the in-game menus all feel right out of the 2017 title.

Holding down the R button on the Switch 2 Pro Controller brings up the same style of equipment screen as Breath of the Wild, showing a line of items available to rotate through at your leisure. Similarly, the loading screens and on-screen text when starting a new quest all abide by the principles of the Switch game.

To newcomers, this will likely serve only as a collection of useful design choices, but to a long-time Zelda fan like myself, it's a visual indicator to treat Ocarina of Time's remake differently to its source material. It tells me to embrace the constant, over-the-shoulder camera that has replaced the original's occasional fixed angles, making some secrets easier to find. Enjoy swapping items on the go, switching from the Hookshot to Din's Fire in the heat of battle against two cartoonish-yet-intimidating Stalfos.

This is not to say the remake demands we reject tradition and embrace modernity entirely, as that would defeat the purpose of its existence. Instead take this as a friendly heads-up to go into Nintendo's reimagining with the desire for smoother, more user-friendly edges than the N64 adventure served up. This may seem obvious, but fans of the classic title aren't getting the exact same experience again here, and that's a good thing.

1998's Ocarina of Time is still available to play in multiple ways, and I'm thankful to Hylia it is. But the Switch 2 remake brings a welcome update that adapts the classic to keep up with the demands of the contemporary gaming space, and I've never been happier to see something I love get such a treatment.

There's still plenty of time to play more, so take a look at our best Zelda games ranking or best RPGs list for some suggestions!

Nintendo has revealed a new mechanic in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake that will feature secrets for Navi to find, and hopefully make the companion less annoying.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake looks to be a pretty faithful recreation of the N64 classic. While there are some major changes – like full voice-acted cutscenes for everyone except Link, a new boss rematch mode, and the addition of a jump button and a dash to Link's movement kit – the core of the adventure should remain pretty familiar to anyone who has played the game or its 3DS remake.

However, it looks like Nintendo will be throwing completionists a bone or two, with a new world element popping up in the game – one which may mercifully replace the constant rambling from Navi.

Mentioned in a preview of the game by TechRadar Gaming – and highlighted by Twitter user Genki_JPN – fairy messages manifest around the world as little scribble drawings of fairies, and by having Navi interact with them, they'll relay tips to you, such as mentioning that things can fall out of trees when they are shaken. While unconfirmed, the assumption is that these will be a way to cut down on Navi's interjections to help Link out, which has been a major complaint about the game since 1998.

While Navi is nowhere near as overbearing as Fi from Skyward Sword, there's a reason the constant refrain "Hey! Listen" is an iconic part of Zelda history. And if this is a way to cut down on that – all while making for a neat little extra to search for in the world – I'm down. Although I reckon this will mostly be for things that aren't critical, I'd have to assume Navi will still tell Link some crucial details about the world, but esoteric hints may no longer be a priority for her.

GamesRadar+ features editor Andrew Brown also went hands-on for a The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake preview, which you can read right here!

By all appearances, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 seems to be a one-to-one remake of the original N64 classic, faithful down to the details of every dungeon puzzle. But there are at least a few all-new features in here beyond the quality of life tweaks, including a special hall where you can marvel at defeated enemies and battle bosses all over again.

"Somewhere in this world lies the Hall of Fallen Foes," the game's new overview trailer explains. "Statues of defeated monsters reside here. You can learn about them or engage in rematches with powerful foes."

You can walk up to statues and hit a button to take a close-up look, with a bit of flavor text describing the monster and a list of main locations where it appears. With bosses, you can hit a "rematch" button to take on the creature again. A timer will tick up during the battle, and your time will be recorded when you complete the rematch, so you'll have a convenient way to track speedruns against individual bosses.

The hall itself seems to take inspiration from the Nintendo Gallery that appeared in The Wind Waker, where you could take photos of characters and enemies from throughout the game and have them turned into a series of collectable figurines. As a Zelda lore-obsessed 13-year-old at the time of Wind Waker's original release, I loved the opportunity to catalog the game's inhabitants, and I'm glad the Ocarina of Time remake will offer something similar.

After two hours of hands-on time with the Ocarina of Time remake, Andy says it feels like a homecoming and a true Zelda celebration. Personally, I remain a bit skeptical that a straight remake can live up to the stature of what the original game meant back in 1998, but I'll happily accept a few surprises to make this familiar journey a little fresher in 2026.

These are the best Zelda games of all time.

Remaking a game means breaking it apart. The salvage is polished, sharp edges sifted out, and all is reassembled in a new engine. In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 remake, this process has been followed with watchmaker precision. Walking through Kokiri Forest, Link's familiar stomping grounds, I'm reminded of optical illusions that show two different pictures at once. Everything – yet remarkably little – has changed.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake breaks with the Nintendo 64's sharp, jagged art style but keeps its broad-stroke palette. The result is a softer Hyrule, with warmth that extends to its denizens. Link's redesign is far better in action than in its controversial reveal – with chubby cheeks and wide eyes, he looks the part for a kid being thrown into his first adventure. Kokiri Forest is brighter and feels bigger, but everything is in its right place – muscle memory guides me to Link's sword, and the blue rupee I put towards buying a shield is where it's always been.

But even the familiar (and it is – I spent my childhood in Hyrule) is remarkably fresh. The locked camera has been done away with, and you can now move the camera freely. That's par for the course in modern Zelda, but for anyone returning to Ocarina of Time, it's like taking a deeper breath. Later, in Castle Town, I run down newly-added backstreets and ogle at them from all angles. The town is far livelier – less dioramic than on N64, and more in line with the likes of Wind Waker's bustling Windfall Island. The remake is an exercise in small nudges – beneath the glossy makeover, it's exceptionally faithful to the source material that paved the way for 3D Zelda.

Return to Hyrule

My hands-on preview is broken into three chunks. The first chunk starts from the beginning, when Link is roused from bed for an audience with the ancient Deku Tree, and runs up to halfway through the Deku Tree dungeon. Some of Kokiri Forest's haziness is gone, but it still feels like a place out of time. In the Deku Tree, Ocarina of Time's movement changes shine. Being able to freely line up Link for platforming is a godsend, and he can jump – the boy can jump! – on command, meaning you no longer have to run full-pelt at a ledge to see if your intended angle is lined up correctly.

Combat is straightforward – be it a carnivorous Deku Baba plant or sword-toting Stalfos, simply lock onto a target, wait for it to overextend, and hack it to pieces. UI changes make it easier to switch between items, meaning I actually use Deku Nuts to stun baddies. When I find the Slingshot in a chest, I'm surprised by how smooth its gyro controls are – for the first time in a game I use them willingly, gliding the Switch 2 controller around to pelt Skulltulas with seeds.

The second chunk of my preview skips ahead to Hyrule Field, which is titled over a sweeping shot (as Breath of the Wild introduces locations – right down to the font). Like Kokiri Village, everything in Hyrule Field is where I remember it. But ruined buildings now dot the field, and although I don't have time to investigate, Hyrule's countryside certainly feels bigger.

So does Castle Town, which hides one egregious cut (you can no longer run up the drawbridge chains to grab a hidden rupee) but makes up for it with unmatched liveliness. Where the settlement originally felt like a single bustling screen, it's now fleshed out properly in 3D. New and old characters go about their business, including a man who claims his beard lets him sense where other men with facial hair are at any moment – Triforce of Power, eat your heart out.

As a Castle Town regular, I notice more has been done to nudge players in the right direction. Besides the bearded man who helps me locate mustachioed rancher Talon, other folk point me towards Hyrule Castle, where Link is due an appointment with Princess Zelda. That's off-limits for this preview, so instead I bum around Castle Town – detouring to smash a room full of pots before playing a few rounds of the shooting gallery minigame, which now ramps up in difficulty rather than throwing you in at the deep end.

Of what I've seen, Castle Town has changed the most. But those changes are additive and cushioned around the familiar, bringing Ocarina of Time's liveliness to the parity of later 3D Zelda games (Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword). Having played Ocarina of Time to death for the last 20 years, I'm thrilled at how fresh everything feels – this remake's differences are its strengths.

Finally, I'm fast-forwarded to the Forest Temple to play through it in full. Gone are Link's chubby cheeks, as this dungeon is the first one you tackle after a seven-year timeskip into adulthood. Adult Link has a few new tools, including a hookshot that wobbles delightfully when fired and (after some dungeon-crawling) a Hero's Bow that continues to endear me to gyro controls.

Here, any mechanical changes are subtle but the remake's lighting is outstanding. Dark wooden corridors seem to drink light, but pale sunlight still gathers in courtyards and stained glass windows; so detailed that it makes the original look stark in comparison.

As in Kokiri Forest, I'm carried through the Forest Temple on muscle memory, tackling light puzzles and minibosses that introduce the step-up in difficulty that adulthood poses (in game, of course).

Familiar puzzles are still satisfying to solve – I'm envious of anyone coming into this remake after only playing Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, as without spoiling anything there are some fiendish puzzles waiting in the Forest Temple and beyond.

In the final room, Phantom Ganon attacks. The Forest Temple's boss is still deliciously dramatic, fighting first as a spectral horseman in larger-than-life paintings, then launching crackling balls at Link. It was (and still is) a very cool fight and Nintendo clearly agreed, as Phantom Ganon was made a recurring character. I take him down and leave the forest temple in 45 minutes – devastatingly, just 43 minutes short of breaking the world record.

I leave my Ocarina of Time preview excited to see the rest of Hyrule in this light. Changes have been made sparingly but with confidence, creating an identity that can co-exist with the spiky original. In putting Ocarina of Time back together, Nintendo focuses not on the dated, but the timeless.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is out for Nintendo Switch 2 from November 5, 2026. You can pre-order the Ocarina of Time Remake now.

While you're here, here's some other recent previews that you may be interested in:

A recompilation PC port of the Nintendo Switch remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening has emerged online, made "with almost exclusive use of AI."

PC ports of classic games through the act of decompilation and recompilation have been one of the best things to happen to PC gaming in the 2020s while everything else falls apart around it. Thanks to AI slop causing ballooning prices, a sheer amount of shovelware flooding steam, and just generally being all over the place, some have taken to classic games to avoid it. But unfortunately, the tech has infested the recompilation scene, with a ton of vibe-coded projects appearing online, like Banjo Tooie, Mario Kart Wii, and Donkey Kong 64 (which has a good version in the works too, as the devs reject vibe coding).

Even the non-vibe-coded projects are using it, with Crash Team Racing: Turbocharged – something that should be the most exciting release of the year – unfortunately using LLMs to write code, pushing it into a gray area for those who are not supporting any AI use.

In a Reddit post announcing the port, the developer Peiikai explains they've made a static recompilation port of the Nintendo Switch version of Link’s Awakening "admittedly with almost exclusive use of AI." They acknowledge that "AI usage is controversial," but add "something like this is way beyond my skill set and wouldn’t have been possible without AI," and that they are "guiding it as responsibly" as they can.

They continue, "If you disagree with the use of AI, I understand your position and likely agree with many of the points you could bring up," but this project was made for them to have "the ultimate way of enjoying the game myself," and say they are sharing it as "a courtesy."

As we get closer to modern releases – with Link's Awakening being available to purchase on modern consoles – it also feels inevitable that some publisher is going to take notice sooner than later. Nintendo has been quite steadfast in targeting Nintendo Switch emulators, and while this port requires your own dump of the game, all it takes is a person (or AI) to make a mistake for the Nintendo lawyers to come calling.

Thankfully, for those of you who want to experience Link's Awakening on PC without the AI, Link's Awakening DX HD, released almost three years ago, is an excellent version of the game's expanded Game Boy Color port – Link's Awakening DX – and is still getting updates to make it better years later.

Nintendo wins legal battle against Mig Switch cards in the Netherlands, says the decision will benefit "many video game developers globally"

28 years after its release and (almost) two remakes later, a new glitch has been discovered in the OG Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and fans are already expecting it to have a big impact on certain challenge runs.

As shared by Ocarina of Time speedrunner ZFG on Twitter, the "really cool new glitch" involves using a bottled item right as a hitbox is disappearing in order to "overwrite damage values," allowing you to beat certain bosses without the items usually required for them. Specifically, "2 big uses so far are beating Volvagia without hammer, and Ganondorf without light arrows."

Elaborating on this further in a separate post, ZFG explains that "because this has to do with memory loading and unloading stuff, this sometimes needs specific setups with things you need to do beforehand," but this "will be very situational." For now, though, Link's magic spin attack combined with using a fairy in a bottle "seems pretty consistent," they say.

What's more, the glitch even works in Majora's Mask, with the combo of using magic spin and then using spring water generally resulting in "powder keg damage," which can be used to quickly blast through to the Goron Racetrack and Romani Ranch (albeit with a bit of setup).

But how about Ocarina of Time? ZFG anticipates a potential impact on a number of different speedrun categories, but not necessarily all of them. "Although this seems like something obviously very useful on the surface, there's actually a bunch of minor details that makes it not as simple to just be an automatic timesaver in runs," as they put it. For example, the All Dungeons category skips currently obtaining the slingshot and magic, which you need one of to make the glitch work, though speedrunners are currently experimenting with a method here to get the slingshot for a potentially faster Volvagia fight.

"The one main category this seems immediately good for is No Wrong Warp, which can now skip the long process to get magic in exchange for just slingshot, saving a few minutes," ZFG reasons. Meanwhile, randomizer runs are "definitely the biggest winner" thanks to the ability to beat Volvagia without the hammer.

While it doesn't seem like this glitch is going to be a game changer for the majority of casual fans, it's still really interesting that things are still being found after all this time. If you're curious to try it, it reportedly works on the Nintendo Switch Online version of the game as well as the original cartridge release.

SNL's viral Zelda: Ocarina of Time vs GTA 6 sketch probably went down fine at Nintendo, former marketing leads say, even if it framed Link as being "for nerds."

Saturday Night Live may have seemingly tried (and failed) to poke fun at The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake in a recent sketch pitting it against GTA 6, but former Nintendo marketing leads Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang reckon that the house of Mario would actually have had a "pretty positive reaction" to it internally.

The SNL sketch from earlier in the month saw two people dressed as Link and GTA 6's Jason, respectively, each trying to one-up the other by bragging about what their games have to offer as they fight for dominance in November in their own sort of Barbenheimer moment. The tone of the sketch makes it quite clear that Zelda is supposed to be the less exciting option here – comparing GTA 6's action, sex appeal, and fast cars to Zelda's puzzles and Link's "little green dress" – but ironically, the crowd's reaction to the Nintendo game is so loud that the entire joke kind of falls on its face, instead proving Ocarina of Time's immense popularity.

Ellis and Yang, respectively the former director of social media marketing and original content, and senior manager of creator relations and original content at Nintendo of America, discuss the sketch in a new video on their YouTube channel (below), opening with the fact that Nintendo "did not like the Elon Musk" Wario SNL sketch from 2021. That one aired when they were still working at the company, with Yang saying it "was not received well" internally.

And, well, it's little wonder. The sketch sees Wario – played by Tesla and SpaceX boss Musk – defending himself in a court case over the murder of Mario in a Mario Kart-esque road accident. During the sketch, there are also references to Mario doing drugs and Luigi sexting Princess Peach. Not exactly brand-friendly stuff.

How about the Ocarina of Time one, though? Yang suggests that Nintendo "didn't hate this," partly because it "positions the game as a huge deal" and, to some extent, accurately markets it through its mentions of the game's puzzles. And, as Ellis adds, it portrays it as "equal to GTA 6," which is obviously a good thing by anyone's metrics.

That's not to say that Nintendo would have loved everything about the sketch, though. Ellis suggests that the company wouldn't have liked the portrayal of Link as being a character "for nerds, for losers," and leaning into those "old rooted perceptions of video games in general where it's like, 'Oh, GTA, that's for the cool kids.'"

Yang adds that the company also likely didn't enjoy the sketch making fun of Zelda's art style, and "probably didn't love that when he pulled out the little bottle with a fairy in it that the fairy completely fell apart and died." Oops. Overall though, she argues, "I think Nintendo would have a pretty positive reaction to this, because yeah, generally it's positioning Ocarina of Time out to be a a very big deal, a worthy side by side to potentially what is the biggest game of the year, GTA 6."

All in all, then, it could have been a lot worse for Nintendo, and the crowd's extremely positive reaction to Zelda in the sketch is the cherry on top, perhaps unintentionally showing what a real GTA 6 rival the company has on its hands.

As GTA 6 faces off against Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, expert says Nintendo is "the only company in the industry with a fanbase loyal enough to make that bet" against Rockstar.

Your success in trying to buy the Hasbro electronic Master Sword will depend entirely on which side of the Atlantic you find yourself. First up, the good: it is in stock for US fans. To be precise, you can grab it from Walmart as we speak. That $39.97 price tag is being sold and shipped by Walmart itself, so there's no third party marketplace sellers getting in between you and your trusty weapon.

Stock has been holding out for quite some time here, even though the gadget has been sold out across the web. Even Hasbro Pulse is coming up short this week.

There's some bad news for Zelda fans across the pond, though. The Hasbro Electronic Master Sword is sold out across the UK, with retailers sometimes even removing listings entirely. In short, I'd move quickly if you want to secure a copy of the collectible for yourself; like many of the best toys when they become the next hot thing, it's snatched up fast when it does poke its head above the parapet.

If you want to buy the Hasbro Master Sword for yourself, here's where I'd check.

Where to buy Hasbro Legend of Zelda Master Sword in the US

Where to buy Hasbro Legend of Zelda Master Sword in the UK

Hasbro Legend of Zelda Master Sword FAQ

With The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on the way, Nintendo of America's former PR leads say the company should put more remakes in development to help fill out the Switch 2 library.

Nintendo has a bit of a weird relationship with remakes when compared to other major publishers.

Capcom is out here remaking every Resident Evil, Sony is probably already developing a third remake of The Last of Us, and Xbox recently released its second remakes of Halo: Combat Evolved and Gears of War.

However, outside of the Pokemon games, Nintendo remakes are seemingly at random, with only a few dropping in each console generation; and, as over the last decade, they've felt like ways to re-introduce somewhat dormant series' such as Metroid, Star Fox, and Advance Wars, as opposed to being remakes of "bigger" games.

The Ocarina of Time remake is naturally a bit of a break away from this as it's a remake of what is perhaps Nintendo's biggest game ever – but a duo of former Nintendo leads hope it's the beginning of a wider initiative.

In an new episode of their podcast, former PR leads Krysta Yang and Kit Ellis discuss as much, with the latter saying "Nintendo should be even more focused on remakes." He cites Star Fox and Ocarina of Time's 2026 returns as "really proving that there is a significant audience" and "significant interest when these games are handled in a premium way."

Ellis also notes "if you're Nintendo, nobody has a library that's as deep as you" while stating that the original Switch lineup was bolstered by a plethora of Wii U ports throughout its life.

He adds, "it's really an important thing for them to be able to keep the lineup strong throughout the year; not everything needs to be from the ground up original game. We can supplement that with these remakes."

Granted, Ellis does say "you need to be careful" when it comes to what the percent of remakes vs original titles is in a given year, as to not be seen as relying on remakes and remasters.

However, he reckons Nintendo could make the remake percentage a bit higher and "not face any significant pushback."

Yang agrees, noting that these projects that need less resources will be a good way to supplement a lineup of "the big games," saying "no company can survive if they only do like the crazy big like AAA innovative experience for every single game."

"You'll be Sony," she adds. "You'll have a problem." She's referencing the PS5's long-term exclusive droughts that have been the subject of player complaints here, although Sony is also very keen to release a ton of remakes and remasters.

However, Yang points out the "dangerous thing" is "they're getting such positive reinforcement from these remakes." And, when Ocarina sells well, there could be the thought of "that was a way easier way" to sell 10 million copies of a game, as opposed to taking a risk with a new out-there Zelda game.

She explains, "that is the danger of this path that they're going down, I think, is you could overindex on that pretty easily because you're getting so rewarded for it, making tons of money for very little work."

Saying that, Nintendo has been supplementing its series in other ways too, with the likes of Splatoon Raiders and the Mario Sports titles, which are smaller entries to help bridge the gap between major releases.

Having unique spins on existing franchises is a far more interesting prospect to me than endless remakes of games I can already play, but hey, people love a remake.

Castlevania Belmont's Curse skipping Switch 2 also baffles former Nintendo marketing lead: "The way Konami has handled this game has been a little weird"

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026. For Nintendo, it's an opportunity to revisit a Nintendo 64 classic and give its newest console a heavy-hitting exclusive. For a terminally ill man named Blake, it's a fresh chance to finish Ocarina of Time decades after trying the original game.

On September 21, Blake – as we'll call him – posted on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Reddit communities. "I'm dying, and I plan to make the new OOT the first game I ever fully complete," he wrote. Both posts were met with huge support from the gaming community, including many people who offered to buy Ocarina of Time for Blake.

"All these strangers and people I've obviously never interacted with before sending me all these good wishes and offering to buy me the game, it was crazy," he tells me. "I'm very thankful for all the touching comments from everybody. It's little things like this that put a smile on my face and will be something I remember."

Blake explained that he has a motor neuron disease called ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease – which impacts muscle control. Per the ALS Association (which you can donate to here), people with ALS typically lose the ability to "walk, dress or write, speak or swallow, breathe on their own."

"While the average survival time after diagnosis is about three years, many people live longer," the ALS Assocation says. Blake says his father was also diagnosed with ALS and passed away six months after his diagnosis.

Blake says he was diagnosed with a rare form of ALS at age 38 and given 12 months to live. Almost five years later, thanks to medically transformative spinal injections, he says he's more than capable of talking to me over email, but, in his Reddit post, adds that "my time is winding down though now sadly, and I really do only have about a year left."

Blake's story is an important example of what games can mean to people and why games should be for everyone. Now a software architect and 3D printing nerd (handy for wheelchair parts, he says), Blake says he got into games in the late '80s through Apple computers, starting with Prince of Persia on the Apple II, before diving into consoles with an N64. Even back then, Blake says he focused more on competitive games like GoldenEye 007 and NFL Blitz. He only rented Ocarina of Time from Blockbuster to try it while his best friend "was raving about it."

But Ocarina of Time just didn't click with him despite its impact and acclaim. He put the game down and moved on. Everything changed in the 2000s when Blake discovered MMOs – specifically, Dark Age of Camelot from Mythic Entertainment. He put 11,000 hours into the game in the following years, he says, "so to say it was a big part of my life back then is an understatement. Still today, I talk to some of those friends I made in that game."

More recently, he says he's put 9,000 hours into Destiny, which is even more than me, someone whose professional and personal lives orbited Bungie's MMO for over a decade.

"Today, games are just an outlet for me to get my mind off of things that are currently happening, as well as a way for me to spend time with my little girl," Blake adds. He says he and his wife had a child via donor a few years ago to avoid any genetic risks with ALS.

"As you can imagine there is a lot going on in life with a terminal diagnosis, and sometimes you just need to take a step out of reality and let your mind go somewhere else," he continues. "For me, I find that in gaming. My 2.5 year old also loves watching the games so I give her one of my spare controllers and she 'plays' the games with me. Watching her eyes light up, listening to her laugh at the screen, and just spending some time with her where it's just the two of us is really something I cherish. I know my time with her is winding down, and having these special moments to share means the world to me."

As his reflexes weakened, Blake says he gravitated toward single-player games since he "had to stop playing" a lot of the competitive games he'd focused on, like shooters and battle royales. "Eventually as I keep progressing I will move to communicating through an iPad with an eye-gaze device. At that point, my gaming will transition to gaming on an iPad using my eyes," he explains.

Some of his modern favorites include the Greek action roguelike Hades, platforming masterclass Celeste, stunning Metroidvania Ori and the Blind Forest, horror fishing game Dredge, and Spiritfarer, a cozy management game about death and the afterlife. Spiritfarer "gets me a little emotional with everything going on in life right now," Blake says. "They are relaxing and have fantastic stories to tell," he said in his post. Yet he's never actually finished a game.

"Since most of my gaming life was spent on live service games, MMOs, shooters, BRs, etc. I never actually 'beat' a game before," Blake says. "Even the single-player games I played growing up, I never fully beat one of them. That was another item on my bucket list - fully beat a video game. The timing of the announcement of [the Ocarina of Time remake] just fell perfectly for me. I knew I wanted to beat a game, I knew I wanted to give OOT another try, and then the remake was coming out. For me - it just clicked. This will be the first, and likely only, video game I actually beat."

Given the reaction to his Reddit posts, I asked Blake if there's a message he'd want to share. His response will stick with me.

"For the readers - as cliche as this is - life is short, trust me," he begins. "Try your best to not leave any regrets behind because you never know when the time will come that you won't be able to easily fix those. When I was diagnosed at 38 I could have chosen to hole up in my room and let it consume me - but I have a family that I wanted to make memories with. I chose to fight it, start the spinal injections (which remove some spinal fluid, inject a drug, and I get every 28 days - they are not super fun), and accept that I will need help. I cannot do it all on my own anymore.

"I witnessed my father have a brief stint of anger when he was diagnosed, and he told me before he passed that was one of his biggest regrets. Due to that, I've decided to not let that anger consume me. My wife and I joke about my condition all the time... If you can't laugh and be happy in a time like this, you really have nothing to keep living for."

In addition to the ALS Association, the CDC keeps a list of organizations that support ALS research, care, and patient advocacy, including ALS United, ALS Network, and the Les Turner ALS Foundation.

Mario + Rabbids developer Ubisoft Milan once reportedly pitched a Zelda game to Nintendo that was set to star series antagonist Ganondorf.

For a while there, Nintendo was more happy to let outside developers work on some of its franchises. While the publisher has let the likes of Forever Entertainment and Velan Studios work on Donkey Kong and Star Fox remakes, during the Switch era we got a couple of bespoke crossover games in the form of the Mario + Rabbids duology and Cadence of Hyrule, the latter of which blended Crypt of the NecroDancer with The Legend of Zelda.

Per an Insider Gaming report, following the release of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, discussions between Nintendo and Ubisoft Milan about the next collaboration began, with the team pitching a Zelda project codenamed Goliath. This project reportedly starred a new protagonist to the series, but during production it changed to a game starring series antagonist Ganondorf, apparently at Nintendo's request.

Nintendo was reportedly on board with the idea, and the studio had until the end of 2023 to deliver a prototype; however, it's claimed that Nintendo rejected the prototype, resulting in the project's cancellation. Following this, the studio allegedly proposed a Star Fox or new Mario title, but eventually conversations between the two developers broke down.

Not long after the supposed cancellation, Mario + Rabbids developers Davide Soliani, Cristina Nava, and Gian Marco Zanna left Ubisoft to form Day 4 Night, who are currently working on platformer Bradley the Badger. Zanna told Multiplayer.it that the decision to leave Ubisoft was based on a project led by Soliani falling through, which could be this Zelda title.

GamesRadar+ has reached out to Ubisoft and Nintendo for comment, and Ubisoft tells us, "We do not comment on rumours or speculation." We'll update this article if Nintendo responds.

Nintendo has quietly updated the Zelda timeline, and somehow the Ocarina of Time remake has made it even more complicated.

The collective industry is doing its darnedest to avoid GTA 6 this November, and that includes Nintendo. Even The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is avoiding Rockstar's latest blockbuster, and a former marketing lead from the house of Mario believes this is the smartest course of action.

Indeed, Grand Theft Auto 6 will be fully playable on November 19, while Ocarina of Time is coming to the Switch 2 slightly beforehand, on November 5. That's two whole weeks of time for Zelda fans to dive into the long-awaited redux before moving over the Leonida, should they desire.

"I think it's great. Thank God," Krysta Yang, former PR manager for Nintendo of America who now co-hosts Kit and Krysta on YouTube, says of Ocarina of Time's launch date. "If it happened, where this was on the same day as GTA, and I saw that this was a faithful remake, I would be playing GTA."

There are definitely a lot that'd agree with her, for whatever reason, but no doubt plenty who would go the other way and get straight into gathering the Triforce again. Mercifully, Nintendo made sure this wasn't a hard choice, and provided breathing room for players who are down for both.

"I would 100% prioritize [GTA], and now I don't have to," she adds. "Now I can finish this game before it comes out."

She makes a strong point because comparatively, Ocarina of Time is a much shorter game than we can expect GTA 6 to be. In terms of scope and narrative, two weeks is ample time to get through it if you're playing regularly. Placing it at the start of the month is a savvy move by Nintendo, who can then sidestep the Rockstar circus entirely and watch the sales roll in over Christmas.

Nintendo has quietly updated the Zelda timeline, and somehow the Ocarina of Time remake has made it even more complicated.

When the Ocarina of Time Remake pre-orders dropped, fans had the option to grab a bundle on the Nintendo UK online store, which included an official pin.

This wasn't a pre-order bonus but rather the chance for the retailer to bundle up an existing Ocarina of Time collectible for £61.98 (via Nintendo) in total, likely to shift some extra stock. If that was their plan, it most definitely worked as it has since sold out. Even the digital version is out of stock.

There's still weeks to go the game (and the pin) arrive at your door, but if were curious about how it looked in person and wanted a sneak peek ahead of release day, I have good news for you. I already own this very Ocarina of Time pin amongst my Zelda collection, and want to let you take a look and see what its like before it arrives on your door on November 5. That way you don't have to worry about its quality, and can instead worry about where you're going to put your little ocarina replica instead.

I own a lot of official Legend of Zelda pins thanks to friends and family, but this is definitely up there one one of my favorites. Rather than being an image stuck to a flat plastic backing (like a lot of the promotional Tears of the Kingdom pins), this is a metal and 3-dimensional accessory that lovingly recreates the 7-hole instrument that Link wields to fast travel through the the land of Hyrule.

The paint job is pretty immacuate. The royal deep blue stands out from its plain, black backing and there's not a spot of color out of place. Each of the wind instrument replica are actual crevices which you can run your fingers across and are not painted on, which helps make the pin look even more similar to its in-game model. The details are pretty fantastic, as even the Triforce motif is found just above the mouthpiece alongside the tiny, silver engraved swirls to either side.

All in all, it feels well worth the extra £2.99 cost it introduced to the bundled version of the game. However, if you were planning to wear this out on the lapel of your jacket, or on your backpack, I highly recommend you use a locking pin back to keep it secure. This pin is made from metal and therefore heavier than your average badge. While its fortunately has a rubber back (which you can see in the image gallery below), I can easily forsee it falling off if you aren't too careful.

You can pick up a set of Locking Pin Backs for £5.99 at Amazon, and I highly recommend you do to avoid it falling it getting damaged, falling off, or just falling into the wrong hands - Ganondorf included. In fact, I can't emphasis enough how much you should take extra precausions with this pin when yours arrives later this year, as it can't be easily replaced anymore.

While it was available seperately for £12.99 at Nintendo for months it has since sold out. If you lost it for one reason or another, you wouldn't be able to get another without having to resort to re-sellers online. I can already spot people trying to flog it off for £21.50 at eBay, which is almost double its MSRP and while it's a great-looking pin, it's not 'double the price' great.

Alternatively, you could just keep it as a nice display piece for your shelf, which is exactly what I've been doing over the last few months. It (along with the Navi pin) has been sitting pretty amongst the rest of my Zelda merch, awaiting the day when I can hopefully add the upcoming Hori Ocarina of Time remake to its side. Sure, it's nicer to show off your pretty pin, but this way you'll have something to pop alongside the 3D replicas of the Spiritual Stones, if you managed to snag that snazzy pre-order bonus.

• View all Legend of Zelda merch at Nintendo UK

Love the Legend of Zelda? Check out Hasbro's new electronic Master Sword, the new Lego Link and Epona set and the best Legend of Zelda merch while you're here.

Star Fox designer and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask art director, Takaya Imamura, has caught flak for using AI in a test prototype.

In a post on Twitter, Imamura shared (via machine translation) that he's testing game development using AI, saying that brainstorming with the AI is akin to the old days where he would create titles with programmers, while seemingly being impressed with the tech.

When a response rightfully pointed out the ethical concerns behind using generative AI in game development, due to the models being built on theft and being "very damaging for artists," Imamura responded, saying: "I completely understand your point. However, given my profession, AI is something I simply can't ignore, so I'm experimenting with it as a test."

He notes that he is not a programmer, but is "genuinely amazed by how AI can fill in that gap and actually help me turn my ideas into a working game."

As we saw over the summer with games like Crazy Taxi: World Tour and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, players are generally rejecting generative AI in games, with other titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Crimson Desert very quickly patching out AI assets found by players.

While its use in development is certainly becoming more widespread, many developers do not want to use it. Pocketpair lead John Buckley explained to GamesRadar+ earlier this year "gamers don't want it." Meanwhile Mewgenics co-developer Tyler Glaiel spoke out about artists using it for small parts of games like poster art seen in Expedition 33, saying "That's where you want to be the most creative."

It's especially disappointing from an artist as prolific as Imamura, whose work at Nintendo included creating the designs of iconic characters like Tingle, Fox McCloud, and Captain Falcon. Those using gen AI for artwork are never going to create anything as impactful as the design of Majora's Mask, so you would hope the artist would see the other side of things.

ChatGPT employee makes a "RuneScape clone," immediately gets slapped by Jagex lawyers, then acts like he's leaving some great legacy behind in a goodbye post surely written by AI.

The Legend of Zelda is a video game as ritual. It's enlivened by ingenious variations from one game to the next, but Nintendo's adventures in the land of Hyrule remain absorbed in the pleasures of careful repetition. These games are curated as much as they are designed; they're gardens rather than wildernesses. And so, at the end of Breath of the Wild, the hero in green defeats Ganon, as he always does.

But wait. This is not quite accurate. At the end of Breath of the Wild - delivered via DLC - Link, the medieval adventurer, gets a motorbike. That was how this particular Zelda ended. And so that was the point at which Nintendo's designers had to decide: what comes next?

It's still hard to know what to make of that parting gift. Noisy, gravel-spitting, rebellious – a motorbike would be unthinkable in any other Zelda game. But then the very idea of DLC would be unthinkable too. How could any of these intricate clockwork worlds have room for even a single additional cog?

This was Breath of the Wild, though, the game that stripped away decades of gadgets and structural rhythms. Link may have defeated Ganon, but much of the rest of the tradition was suddenly scrambled. No more predictable plot beats. No more polite trek from one dungeon to the next, growing more powerful with each step.

Here instead was an open-world Hyrule where the dungeons were largely secondary to the one-shot puzzle or combat Shrines scattered across the earth like a dusting of sugar on a pie. Here was a world where weapons degraded, where beloved horses could be lost forever, and where that familiar trickle of cherished items – the boomerang, the hookshot – was replaced with a handful of new powers granted at the start, and which the game would then rely upon for all its subsequent fun.

What did this mean? Up until now, Zelda had been about containment. The first game was inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto's childhood cave explorations, certainly, but it was born in a moment in which the designer was opening and closing his desk drawers and imagining a garden snug within each. Zelda offers adventuring, but always within safe boundaries.

It's dangerous to go open-world

This approach lasted until Breath of the Wild, which left its players startled, unmoored. Then came the motorbike, and then things took a truly bizarre turn. Two years after the release of Breath of the Wild, it was revealed that the follow-up, Tears of the Kingdom, would reuse the same map and the same structure of Shrines, swapping out the older game's powers but otherwise offering what seemed to be more of the same. What should we make of this? Was all that reinvention just a recalibration, and would we now be back to the business of repetition and ritual again?

Tears of the Kingdom's answer to this question is fascinating, and it takes a while to become clear. On the surface, Link's latest adventure follows a traditional approach to sequels: the stuff you loved, expanded and refined. More Shrines, new powers, another, grander threat to Hyrule. But beware that phrase ‘on the surface'. Underground, Tears of the Kingdom is every bit as wilful and singular as the game it builds upon. Maybe even more so.

Trailers for Tears of the Kingdom at first suggested horror and then sun-baked, sky-minded wonder. You would explore Hyrule, but also an archipelago of ingeniously crafted islands floating overhead. This felt like a sensible approach, but there was a lingering strangeness in the trailers that invited conspiracy theories. Were we really playing as Link? Was this really Hyrule once more? Could things be as simple as they seemed?

Within this online chatter, the dialogue that has dogged almost all Zeldas continued. Since the 8bit days, each new Zelda game has been forced into a conversation with all the others: what's new, what isn't, what are the main reference points? Maybe Tears of the Kingdom was simply a chance for the ground to settle after Breath of the Wild. There's still a princess, a young hero, a landscape that extends to the rosy horizon. But there's something else, too. Something waiting beneath it all.

Something lurking down below

In retrospect, those new powers were an early clue to the true spirit of Tears of the Kingdom. Breath of the Wild offered you ways to engage with the game's physics and bodge your own solutions to the challenges you were presented with. At heart, its powers were abilities designed for manipulating in-game objects in thoughtful ways. They opened up a new, more expressive way of playing, driven by everything from mechanical curiosity to bored tinkering.

By Tears of the Kingdom, though, the powers have become a cross between real-world design tools and explicit hacks. Making use of Ultrahand, Fuse and Ascend, you can craft complex machines and ridiculous weapons, or slip through Hyrule's hidden geometries. Aren't these options that come from a sense of polite frustration with what's come before? Aren't these tools enabling a form of escape?

These powers, pushing at the boundaries of everything from the way the world is created to the way a puzzle can be solved, suggest that the problem with Zelda wasn't that it was becoming familiar, because it had traded in familiarity since the SNES. The problem was that its familiarity could make it slightly airless. That's a hard problem to solve. And so Tears of the Kingdom turned its focus somewhere entirely new, on the game's unseen bedrock, and it built something astounding down there. Something entirely unexpected.

Welcome to the Depths, the underside of Hyrule, far beneath the floating sky islands waiting to be neatly solved, far beneath the grass and sands of the open world itself. Accessed via ugly red-rimmed tears in the earth, the Depths are a vast underworld of darkness and danger. If it's hard not to feel that recent Zeldas are the work of a talented team that is quietly weary of the baggage Zelda brings, the Depths are a perfect response.

Granted, the series is no stranger to parallel worlds, yet the Depths remain very different from the puzzle-piece dimensions of Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time. Those were precise additions, printed circuits that slotted cleanly into place. The Depths connect with the land above them, but they're also filled with a sense of chaos, of being half-complete. They're pitch-black and claustrophobic and, tellingly for a Zelda game, they're frequently optional.

Even so, it feels like these spaces were crucial to the people who made them. Why? Because this is the place where this Zelda's eternal conversation with other Zeldas ceases. Immediacy. The chatter and speculation falls silent, and you are left to the unfolding moment.

What a moment. Deep in theatrical murk, the air around you feels thick and treacherous and alive with adventure. There's no vista to draw your eye with distractions, nothing up ahead to plan an idle five minutes around. Instead, you're exploring in order to survive, working to unlock a network of scattered Lightroots, treetrunk nodes that reach down from the ceiling. Trigger them and you get a pool of light and a matching pool of illuminated map. You get fast travel, the slightest sense of your bearings, and the feeling that you're reclaiming a little of this terrifying space.

There's a puzzle down here, and it leads to a useful reward, but for once in a Zelda adventure it's hard to focus on because you're so thoroughly stuck in the present. With the lights off, the landscape ceases to be earth and slopes and trees, instead becoming something mysterious, almost a form of enemy as it occludes the horizon. Actually, forget the idea of a horizon: everything seems to be looming close, tangling underfoot.

Embrace the depths

Life feels clumsy and precarious in the dark. With the lights on, it's often even worse. With crimson pools of heart-sapping Gloom splattered across the ground and up the walls, this is Hyrule as crime scene. There's something gleefully cruel to the design itself: all alone, resources dwindling, unseen enemies pacing around you. Zelda has always made you feel like you're walking in the footsteps of the designers, perhaps to a fault. No more. In the Depths, the designers seem to have moved on far ahead, and they remain out of reach. Instead you must light your own path, all thoughts of the landscape above forgotten.

Endless jostling horror! But it's almost always a choice for you. Above the Depths there's still a story of rescue and reclaiming to be had, albeit one of the oddest the series has ever told. Ancient evil can still be defeated and the land saved. More crucially, Link's story up there is still built of moments of kindness as he explores Hyrule, solving strangers' problems.

But the Depths, that huge, unprecedented, non-understandable id, are down there all the while. Optional or not, it's theme-stating on a geological scale. The Depths are meant to destabilise. Here, at the very bedrock of the game that every Zelda team has to make, is the game they seem to have actually wanted to make this time.

The inchoate nature of the Depths suggests the designers were following their own path in search of what a Zelda game could be, instead of what it should be. And so Tears of the Kingdom advances the eternal conversation about Zelda and ritual and repetition not by upending things like Breath of the Wild, but by having the courage to ignore the conversation entirely. Down here, a new route forward takes shape, one Lightroot at a time. In the shifting darkness, Tears of the Kingdom opens its eyes.

This Tears of the Kingdom article was first published in issue 400 of Edge Magazine. To get more like this delivered straight to your doorstep (or digital device) consider subscribing to Edge.

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.