Remaking Ocarina of Time is a bit like repainting a cathedral. Everyone has an opinion about the original colors, and you will be blamed either way.
Nintendo’s Switch 2 version came out on November 5, and judging by the first wave of reviews, they pulled it off. VGC gave it a full 5/5 and called it “the most detailed game Nintendo has ever made.” NPR’s review summed it up as “superb, streamlined and safe” — and that last word turns out to matter.
We haven’t finished it ourselves yet, so here’s what the people who have are saying.
It controls like a modern Zelda now
This is the biggest change, and almost every review leads with it. Link can jump on command and sprint. There’s an item quick-menu borrowed from Tears of the Kingdom, gyro aiming for the bow, and boots and masks sit on the D-pad so you’re not pausing every thirty seconds.
The camera is now over-the-shoulder. That’s mostly good, but NPR’s reviewer missed a few of the original’s hand-placed angles — the sneak into Hyrule Castle loses its top-down view, for example. Target switching in fights is still a little clumsy compared to something like Elden Ring.
And yes, you can hum the songs into the Switch 2 microphone. Of course you can.
The Water Temple is (much) less awful
Twenty-eight years of collective trauma, finally addressed. Both VGC and NPR say the Water Temple is far less of a maze now. There’s also a new quest log, Threads of Time, which tells you where to go when you’re stuck — although the Biggoron Sword trading chain is still confusing enough that you’ll probably look it up anyway.
Other small fixes people liked:
- Navi no longer yells “Hey! Listen!” every few seconds.
- The owl, Kaepora Gaebora, stops repeating himself.
- You can refight bosses.
- Your wallets hold twice as many rupees — but Great Fairy upgrades now cost money (up to 500 rupees).
Fully voiced, and that’s where people split
Cutscenes are now fully voiced and much more animated. It makes the time-travel moments land harder; VGC says the story feels bigger and more emotional than before.
But the English voice cast is the one thing critics keep grumbling about. VGC said it was “not always entirely to my taste.” Some new cutscenes in the opening hours also slow things down — if you just want to get to the Deku Tree, you’ll notice.
The art direction gets a similar mixed note: textures look gorgeous most of the time, but a few character redesigns feel too polished next to the cartoony proportions.
No new dungeons — and that’s on purpose
If you were hoping for a bigger Hyrule Field or brand-new dungeons, they’re not here. The layout and design stay close to 1998. VGC admitted wanting more at first, then decided that Nintendo’s restraint was the right call. NPR was less sure, saying it left them “oddly bereft” — beautiful, but it can’t replace the memory of the first time.
So, should you buy it?
- Never played Ocarina? Easy yes. This is the version to start with.
- Played it as a kid? You’ll probably love it, but go in knowing it’s a faithful remake, not a reimagining.
- Hate voice acting in Zelda? Watch a cutscene clip first.
We’ll post our own guide to the trickiest parts — yes, including the Biggoron Sword — once we’ve played through it.
