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!
