Hands-on With Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake

For many, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is not just the best game in the series or the best Nintendo game; it’s the best game of all time. Full stop. But when it comes to classics like OoT, they’re sacred, which makes a full remake an extremely risky endeavor, even for Nintendo.

It started with just a short tease of Child Link in his bed, but eventually Nintendo pulled back the curtain on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time with a gameplay deep dive. Even that felt like just scratching the surface, though. For a game this beloved and, frankly, massive, it was going to take hands on time to truly see how this Nintendo Switch 2 update stacks up against the original.

GameRant was able to finally play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake during Nintendo’s Holiday Tour in New York and while our time with the game was short compared to the original game’s breadth, it was comprehensive enough to convince us that this will be something special. In just 90 minutes, Nintendo highlighted what efforts it has taken to both preserve and evolve one of the greatest games of all time, and in the process put itself on a path toward releasing yet another massive hit.

Hands-On With The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake preview featured three sections from the game:

• About 20 minutes from the very beginning of the game, where Child Link wakes up in Kokiri Forest having been summoned by the Deku Tree
• Link’s first visit to Hyrule Castle Town to get a sense of that area
• The Forest Temple as Adult Link

It felt like barely scratching the surface, but it was enough to trigger nostalgic memories at a regular clip. From the first time I saw Mido, the boy that shuffles to block your path to the Deku Tree like MC Hammer, to the bass-y chanting in the Temple of Time, this Remake does exactly what you want a Remake to do. It hits the familiar notes but with modern considerations. Visually, it’s obviously a sharper presentation, but it doesn’t abandon the core concepts that make the original so beloved.

This is not Breath of the Wild’s gameplay with an Ocarina of Time veneer either. There is no stamina bar and no weapon durability. At the same time, this isn’t Ocarina of Time exactly as you played it in 1998. There’s a dedicated jump button, a quick access menu for items, and voice acting for most of the dialogue sections. On a design level, I saw plenty of tweaks to level layouts, size and scope, and some additions that, in my opinion, make certain areas better.

Changes Made for the Better in Ocarina of Time

During my time with the remake, it never felt like Ocarina of Time was abandoning its roots, but, at the same time, it felt as smooth as a contemporary game should feel. You don’t realize what the game actually looked like until you go back and replay it. In a lot of ways, this remake represents your mind’s interpretation of how the game looked all those years ago. The Remake’s visual fidelity and the art direction are no doubt what fans will notice first, and that does lead to some stylistic changes. Kokiri Forest, for example, is smaller than in the original game, but denser in terms of design elements. It feels more lived in without abandoning the spirit of the environment. The same was true in each area I explored – the feel was the same without being a carbon copy.

Exploring Kokiri Forest in the Ocarina of Time Remake

Waking up in Kokiri Forest was like coming back to your childhood bedroom, only it was Link’s childhood bedroom. Everything is as you think you remember it, but time and distance have certainly distorted those memories. Nintendo plays on that idea of the rose-tinted glasses to give you the same basic ideas, but without following a strict recipe. You are still called to the Deku Tree by Navi the fairy and meet the many Kokiri children who have previously mocked Link for being fairy-less. And you’re still meant to collect the sword and shield before you can get past Mido and enter the Tree.

How you go about those tasks is familiar, with slight deviations. The path to get the sword hits the same notes, but the path is not exactly as it was in the N64 original. You can still slice shrubs and toss rocks to collect rupees, but the detail in those environmental elements and the animations in their destruction is far more complex.

It’s worth talking about the addition of the jump button because, while it isn’t a game changer, it does offer more freedom when exploring The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s world and alleviates those frustrating moments from the original game where Link wouldn’t hit his mark. As a result, the levels I saw didn’t feel as flat, since Link can bunny hop over anything in his way.

Visiting Hyrule Castle Town and the Temple of Time

The second playable section was on the shorter end, featuring Link’s first foray into the wider world of Hyrule. While I could see Lon Lon Ranch off in the distance calling to me, we were kept on track and guided towards Hyrule Castle Town. Like with Kokiri Forest, the layout was familiar, but the density of the design elements made Castle Town feel so much more alive than it ever has.

Poking into the room that was littered with pots (you know the one), I was once again overcome with the need to smash every single one to bits. Trust me when I say the destruction is gorgeous on the Switch 2 and that’s true throughout everything I played, especially dicing through foliage.

Speaking of gorgeous, walking into the Temple of Time and hearing its iconic music triggered a sense memory unlike anything I’ve experienced before. I was well aware of how integral this location is to the story and the many iconic moments that are yet to come, but for a first (return) visit, it ticked all the boxes for me.

My time exploring Castle Town was short, but it was enough of a tease for the larger semi-open world exploration that Hyrule offers. So much of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is about a fixed journey with specific mile markers along the way, and yet there are plenty of detours as well. I don’t know what’s out there in this Remake, but I can’t wait to find out.

Forest Temple 2.0

And finally, it wouldn’t be an OoT preview if we didn’t get to play through a temple. In this case, the Forest Temple was on the menu – as much of it as I could complete in the allotted 30 minutes left in my session.

If the two prior areas were about establishing the look and the feel of the Remake, the Forest Temple was a proper introduction to the gameplay. From the first showdown with the two Wolfos outside the Temple’s entrance, to the Poe hunt that sends you through its halls, everything was as I remembered it, but with a fresh coat of paint. Being able to easily switch to the Hookshot to stun enemies or to whip out your bow in an instant is a modernization that doesn’t betray the identity of Ocarina of Time; it only makes it better. The same is true of bow and hookshot aiming, which is now in third person and much easier to switch to than in the original.

Combat is as snappy as it ever was, with Link circling around his enemies, waiting for the perfect moment to attack with the Master Sword. Here Nintendo has chosen not to mess with the basics, and I think it’s all the better for it. There’s something simple and satisfying about leaping in, hearing Link’s iconic “Hyah,” and slashing away at a foe.

When it comes to some of the pain points of temple exploration – like backtracking – the Forest Temple showed off the improvements made towards improving that as well. In the original level, you had to do a fair amount of running back and forth, but the addition of a new elevator in one section makes things streamlined without cheapening the inherent puzzle-solving elements that make Zelda so special. Nothing felt dumbed down, just easier to get to your solution.

The Forest Temple is not a massive environment, but The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake makes sure that it has enough character. I particularly loved the use of smoke/fog effects on the ground to create that spooky atmosphere that permeates the Temple.

My memory of the Forest Temple was foggy at best, but everything started to click once I got the bow and started plucking away at the different colored Poes. Again, the setup is largely the same, but there are subtle changes to how specific fights work or how the progression through the temple goes.

Temples are Ocarina of Time‘s bread and butter; they are what help the game melt the hours away. I could have spent tons more time looking at every detail and ensuring I didn’t miss an inch of the environment, but previews are typically about seeing things through. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the Forest Temple boss, but I did take down all the Poes. And once my demo was over, the only thing I wanted to do was play more. It was as if I was a kid again.

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time: Final Impressions

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake doesn’t seem to be tampering with a classic; it’s tinkering with the nuts and bolts to find ways to smooth out any rough edges. The visual improvements are most apparent, and, to me, this is a gorgeous overhaul that preserves the spirit while still looking new. Yes, there are going to be those who don’t like the new art or character designs, and those opinions are valid, but I found the game stunning. The look of the game, combined with the sweeping orchestral score, is just as moving as it was 27 years ago, only with the added punch of nostalgia.

Even from what little I was able to see and play of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake I could feel the care and attention to detail that went into lovingly bringing a genuine classic into the modern era. A good remake should feel both familiar and new, and this game seems to strike that balance so perfectly. For newcomers, this will be the absolute best way to experience one of the greatest games of all time, and longstanding fans will still be able to enjoy their return trip to Hyrule without feeling like they are retreading exhausted territory. I genuinely think The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has a strong shot at setting the new bar for video game remakes, and potentially establishing itself as a classic right alongside the original. Regardless of your affinity for the title or the franchise, this is one of 2026’s must play games and another awards contender for Nintendo.

Systems

Released

November 5, 2026

ESRB

Everyone 10+ / Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time releases November 5, 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2. GameRant was provided travel and lodging for this coverage.